Teaching Ponies to Jump!

[rara007]

I feel Pip is ready to start jumping now, but how should i start him. I have only ever taught cobby ponies to jump, but Pip is more slight and very athletic.

He is a competition hackney type , so he has a straight action. He is very athletic and he is 7. He was broken to drive as a 4 year old and done alot of competitions at all levels in that. I broke him to ride in the winter/spring of this year and he is going fairly well.

I have done lots of pole work with him which he loves. When i first tried it he squeled with exitment but now he can keep the same rhythm.

Sound i try his first jump on the lunge, freeschooling or ridden? How high should i jump his to start with. As i have said I think he will have alot of scope, and he is confident but i dont want to shatter this. Should he canter or trot?

He is 14HH

This is a picture to show his knee action(not too high for a hackney type!)

to show his action

to show his way of going ridden(this was saturday)

Oh and btw the things we are working oh with his at the moment to the correct bend along straingts all the time and to not do flying changes randomly.

Thanks for any help!

Haz

 

[MagicMelon]

Personally I let them do their first few jumps on the lunge, mainly so I can see how they'll react and also so they can pop it without worrying about a rider. Just little x poles, like 2ft. Then once they were popping those happily then Id do some polework (which you're already doing) then put the last pole into a tiny x pole. Chances are he probably wont even notice! Then from there you just have regular jumping sessions but keeping them short and sweet. Just take it slowly height-wise. I prefer to get them jumping spooky things before moving up much above 2'3, so putting jackets under them etc. I trot at first and usually as they gain confidence they start to canter on the approach on their own.

 

[rara007]

Thanks!