SJ exercises for over-excited youngster?

[TiaPony]

Tia has gradually learnt the art of SJ. Fence = jumping = fun = yeehah! At the sight of a jump ahead of her, she can't muster her excitement and rushes and runs. This - can - combine with naughty napping if jumping on the courses at home or when at parties, we like to use this energy to zoom at fences at uncontrollable speeds and block out the scary fillers beneath them.

Any tips on how I can show her that the SJ fence really isn't THAT exciting? She clearly loves her job and I don't want to dampen her spirit, but the overenthusiasm is causing injuries!
xx

 

[mat]

I would suggest getting an instructor to help you with some pole and gridwork!

good luck

 

[TiaPony]

[ QUOTE ]
I would suggest getting an instructor to help you with some pole and gridwork!

good luck

[/ QUOTE ]

She is absolutely 100% through grids - it just out on a course that the excitement takes over. Thankyou though

x

 

[Baggybreeches]

You will have to be really disciplined about trotting her round courses until she stops rushing, I also find it really helpful to hire different show venues and jump round their courses without the atomosphere of a show. She will calm down, but you really shouldnt let her rush at all, it will cause many more training problems and bad habits. When you go to hire a course, work on linking the fences gradually rather than just going straight round a full course.

 

[samp]

If she starts rushing then circle away and keep doing this until she is settled

 

[OrangeEmpire]

or alternatively as soon as she rushes pull up infront of the fence. then walk away before bringing her back round to the jump. Repeat this every time she rushes. This will teach her that she only gets to jump (do the fun bit!) on your terms.

 

[Law]

Mine used to do this (it didn't last long with lessons!)

I agree that stopping in front of the fence can be useful but it can also sour the horse completely and sometimes when you are being hurtled at the fence faster than a bullet being able to stop in front of it is nearly impossible

I did lots and lots of working around the fences to start with trotting around then maintaining the rhythm and eventually taking horse into the fence and trotting over it with no change to the speed. Going as straight as I could and then steering away from the fence a few strides away. It took quite a few sessions like this to calm him down enough.
However, as Mat_B said, the best advice is to get some lessons/have an instructor help you. Even if you only get one lesson it should help

good luck

 

[I_A_P]

mine was a little like this although she wasnt rushing she just wasnt klistening if i set her up, for me a change of bit worked so when i went "woah" when i saw a stride she now think ok then and doesnt try to pull me away.
again she was fine in lessons!i

i would echo what others have said and try hiring venues, maybe just wokring on your canter rhythm so that you know that you can take hold and shorten it, and then lengthen it etc.
school her round a lot of jumps without ever jumping them, try trotting over small fences..anythign to help slow her.