To jump or not to jump?

[sarahgill]

Little 5yr old ex-racer is doing exceptionally well that I want to take her for a day of two cubbing next month. I will stay at the back of the field with family hunter but if we get in the situation to jump a small fence i would like to think she is prepared to tackle it, she was a very slow flat racer and her feet have never left the ground!

Anyone got any good exercises to introduce her calmly to jumping that wont result in complete loss of flatwork gained I really want to do this slowly but would like to have her well prepared for cubbing or should I abandon the idea of jumping until flatwork is as near 100%???

I have been taught alot that we dont trot til we can walk or canter til we can trot, jumping is dressage interupted by jumps! Altho many people i know just get on with it!

 

[KatB]

I think its good for young horses to learn about fences and poles early on. Polework can improve your dressage and can also help with balance and coordination. Introducing some poles with small cross poles to start with, and see how she goes. I took my boy hunting a 4yr old and he loved it, and he'd barely jumped at all, but just kept to the simple fences and he was fine!

 

[HannahLovett421]

I agree with KatB, using poles as an aid to dressage is a fantastic way to get your horse used to them, without comprimising on the flatowrk side of things.

I ahve been bringing on my friends youngster, and altho she was destined to race she never actually made it to the start line as she is a complete and utter wimp and paniced when they reached the race course, just the atmosphere sends her into a panic attack. Altho she has never been hunting/cubbing(she is only 4), I have worked really hard on her flatwork and for a 4yr old she is impeccable, and I put it down to the fact that my trainer and I intergrate polework, jumping and flatwork into the same thing, so she cant tell the difference between 'flatwork' and jumping!
For example, when I hack out, I shall ask her to bend as much as possible, if I reach a field I shall ask her for serpentines and 20metre circles, and then I may ask her to pop a tiny log. its the best technique I've ever used! She'll jump practically anything out on a ride and because it's the norm for her she doesnt think anything of it. Then when we get into the school, I shall do the same, pop a very raised poles then go into some dressage movements. I believe that its variety, and she understands that what she gives me in the school, I dont expect her to ride any different on a hack. I give her one hack a week to chill out and we can have a play, popping a few logs and walls. Its only small stuff but I have found that she doesnt think any of it as its the norm for her.

Planning to also take her cubbing next month, hoping that because I have her jumping everything jumpable on hack (even thought it is only tiny- i never want to overface her) it wont be too much different and she wont have to worry.


let me know how you can get on, I'm sure if my wimp of a horse can do it, yours can!
Sorry i rattled on a bit!