Suggestions please for STRONG pony when jumping!

056775

056775

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Little Naughty Pony is now working very well on the flat with new jockey and he is going to start doing some jumping with her.

He is SUPER strong

I used to ride in a pelham (two reins), flash and standing martingale when he used to jump in competitions as this was the only was to have control...(please do not judge)

New rider is very accomplished but only 13... and not so experienced with double reins..

We tried jumping with her in the pelham (two reins) and he just gets SO excited even at the sight of jumps, for safety, control and enjoyment we are having a "Try" session Sunday to see what we can put on him to gain control

Number one problem is his general strength, he will put his head to his chest to avoid pressure and raises his head into the jumps when get bigger.

On list of things to try include:

Standing Martingale
Running martingale
Combination martingale
Kimblewick
Flash

Any thoughts on gags welcomed as never used one on him...

All comments appreciated

NB This is just for jumping
 
Would schooling with jumps up help? My old mare was a bit nuts to jump and it didnt matter what I did. Schooling around them she was perfect but the second we turned in (4 strides out) bouncey mental pony came out. I could jump her in a snaffle though but opted for a tom thumb at shows in case the brakes failed.

Something with poll again may help stop the head going up but most should really be used with two reins and personally I hate dutch gags with a passion!

Could a waterford mouth piece help rather than a stronger bit? Over smaller fences I've used a market harborough with success.
 
I really don't think extra bits of tack are the answer long term - they deal with the symptoms short term but not the underlying problem. I agree with Annette4 - schooling around the jumps until boredom creeps in, pop the odd low jump then back to schooling. It is excitement/anticipation/fear/raised adrenaline for whatever reason, so do figures of eight around between towards and away from the jumps at trot, then pop one out of trot and back to the shooling in circles, serpentines and figure 8s. All of those engage hocks and make it easier and more comfortable for him to jump. Transitions too, help with engagement and obedience.
We were always taught to ride the flatwork between the jumps and the horse would deal with the jumps, and to see jumping as just part of their work, not as a separate entity, which teaches horse and rider to think oh just a jump rather than eek, jumps!!.
 
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I had a really strong pony to jump and she went really well in a Cheltenham gag. Made all the difference. Think I used a grackle noseband and a running martingale too. There was no amount of schooling would have changed her but in her own way she was brilliant and I loved riding her.
 
I'd get new smaller jockey schooling with extra kit until they are both confident that she is in control.

Out of the list of kit given I'd be tempted to try a Pelham with roundings (with potential aim of getting new rider happy with two reins) and a standing martingale.

Schooling, however, is the ultimate answer.
 
You could try a different tact entirely and try something like a Kineton noseband. Some respond better to a bit of nose pressure and helps them to not run through the contact.

I would be worried that just upping the power in the brakes (Although I conceed that it is with the actual aim of just keeping little jockey safe) will just be a vicious circle.
 
Try a Cheltenham Gag or an American Gag?

Cheltenham is good for stopping them getting their heads high before a fence but when they're relaxed so is the pressure.

American Gags are very strong but you can get them with 2 different shank lengths depending on the severity you need.

Myler bits are also good, combination types as strong horses are strong as they tend to fight against the pressure they have in their mouths/polls. Whereas Mylers distribute the pressure accross their nose, mouth and poll to get more of an even pull.

You can also use a chain on the back of a gag or a back strap to make them slightly stronger, this would be a similar affect to the pelham but can be used with one rein if she isn't used to 2 :) I'm personally not keen on a pelham as I think they encourage them to lean on them.

But like you say a try day is always good, you don't know what will work until you try and anything is worth a go!

Good luck and hope you find something :)
 
Thanks for all suggestions - I have owned jumped and schooled this pony for 23 years and can swear blind that no amount of schooling cools him down when it comes jumping.. We have tried every thing to desensitise him...he is just "one of those"...

Schooling around jumps, only doing grid work... hes just major major excitable hence the need for brakes! Im certainly not looking for quick fixes or miracles. Ideally he would (like a normal horse) be school/trained out of his demeanour but alass we do not live in a perfect world.

Will look into Cheltenham gag and Kineton nose band so thanks for that advise in particular

On the point of standing martingales, we would regularly compete in 1 meter and 1.1 meter classes with one with no damage done... What ever suits and works I guess!
 
RCP Equestrian said:
Try a Cheltenham Gag or an American Gag?

Cheltenham is good for stopping them getting their heads high before a fence but when they're relaxed so is the pressure.

American Gags are very strong but you can get them with 2 different shank lengths depending on the severity you need.

Myler bits are also good, combination types as strong horses are strong as they tend to fight against the pressure they have in their mouths/polls. Whereas Mylers distribute the pressure accross their nose, mouth and poll to get more of an even pull.

You can also use a chain on the back of a gag or a back strap to make them slightly stronger, this would be a similar affect to the pelham but can be used with one rein if she isn't used to 2 :) I'm personally not keen on a pelham as I think they encourage them to lean on them.

But like you say a try day is always good, you don't know what will work until you try and anything is worth a go!

Good luck and hope you find something :)
Click to expand...

This is what I needed!!!

Will report back!
 
What happens when you loose jump him?
Does he get so excited?

Also what he is ridden in when he is not jumping?

Just that more and more tack doesn't really solve the problem.
 
We have a strong / excitable pony and, when my girls were smaller, they used to jump / XC her in a pelham with roundings & single reins or, if that didn't give enough control, a kimblewick. They managed fine on her, even when their egs came just past the saddle flaps.
 
056775 said:
Thanks for all suggestions - I have owned jumped and schooled this pony for 23 years and can swear blind that no amount of schooling cools him down when it comes jumping.. We have tried every thing to desensitise him...he is just "one of those"...
Click to expand...

Schooling - term used in my post as rider getting used to pony's way of going. Once you're used to a buzzy pony it doesn't feel half as fast as when you first get on it. It's a method of desensitising the rider:D
 
Dolly's a strong pony - actually bumped into an instructor from her past (3 years ago) at weekend who said she had no brakes and only small adults could ride her, so know it's not just my daughter!

We have Dolly in a pelham with roundings and running martingale, and it's worked fab.

Daughter is learing to ride in double reins, but won't use them for jumping - just hunter pony classes I believe.

The pelham has worked wonders for us. She rides her in a snaffle for everything else, and recently got "cocky" and did a jumping class in the snaffle (well the warm up anyway, then she trotted over to me and asked if we could install the brakes again :rolleyes:).

Good luck, at least the pony has enthusiasm! And ditto the above about the rider getting used to the speed - that's helped a lot for daughter too!!!

:)
 
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