The higher the fences go the faster she goes ??

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opinionuk

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Hi,

As it says, I have just moved my mare up from 2'6 courses to 80cm and 2'9 so nothing spectacular, the higher the fences go the faster she seems to go which is a complete mystery to me, she seems to go a lot faster when competing in an arena outside, shes 7 in April so wonder if its down to her being green?

She jumps beautifully and doesn't seem to be bothered by the scariest of fillers so a bit mystified as she loves jumping,but rather than jumping a nice rhythym like she does in 2'6 she hares around the arena!

Any advice?
 
I know *nadda* about jumping nowadays, but i used to do quite a bit as a yougster. I had a pony who would rush fences when his confidence took a dip
 
My pony used to do this, he'd rush when the fences were made bigger as he felt that he'd have to go faster to be able to get over the fence - its a confidence issue.
I'd recommend doing grids and bounces at a height he's comfortable with and put a higher fence as the last jump in the grid, this means he cannot rush as he has to slow down and think more. My instructor did the above with me and it really helped :)
 
Qru said:
I'd recommend doing grids and bounces at a height he's comfortable with and put a higher fence as the last jump in the grid, this means he cannot rush as he has to slow down and think more. My instructor did the above with me and it really helped :)
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Agree with the above and I've been taught to try and use all the corners of the school especially when going from one fence to another, my mare rushes to fences and will go round a course hell for leather, not sure its confidence with her or what as she'll pretty much jump anything! :confused:

Good luck! :)
 
Two most obvious would be either a lack of confidence causing rushing as already said. Or, is it possible she wasn't really going forwards previously & was just pootling round, & now they are a bit bigger she is just speeding up to a normal active canter in order to clear them?
 
My Arab is very scared of jumping and will either rush or stop. He had never been taught and is very keen on self preservation!

I know it is a very different situation as your horse is jumping already, but I bought the book 101 Jumping Exercises and can't recommend it enough. It would get you going back to poles and grids and is really good for basic schooling.

I am working through it and it is great just for the exercises using poles to bend and flex. It is a great book and has really directed us and improved my gelding's confidence. Now he can trot calmly over small jumps whereas before he was very het up.
 
Because the jumps are higher is there the possibility your getting tense and causing her to rush? Remember to sit up and wait let the fence come to you.

Two jumps on a circle is a great exercise for rushing. Put one jump on the centre line at x and another at A and at C the idea is you either stay on one 20m circle always looking for your next fence and keeping the pony focused and the you can start doing figures of eights and keep changing direction to keep pony occupied and hopefully if your thinking about where your going, what leg you're on etc you shouldn't chase the fence.
 
My horse doesn't particularly rush but we certainly tend to use speed opposed to power.

Just a thought. It's something we're working on.
 
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