Too long in the air SJ causing problem

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Weird post but has anyone had this problem. My mare has a very big scoopy jump. this is fine but when we jump away from home (as we did yesterday) the distances (BSJA) we ar struggling with when doing a double. She spends too long in the air as she jumps very high up so she balloons and doesnt cover the ground. I cant seem to get her to flatten out a bit. So when we did a double yesterday we were so off the stride she stopped as couldnt do it which was fair enough but she the throws a strop and jumps even higher!! or wont. She also likes to get deep and it doesnt matter how hard you try she wont go on a long one I know its her 'way' but now we are competing again after such a long break id forgot this issue we have. yesterday was a bit of a disaster in the jump off. Anyones tips would be appreciated.
 
My horse is similar. I find that jumping wide spreads helps. I keep the height small but just make it gradually wider to encorouge him to stretch out more over the fence.
 
I have exactly the same problem with Trike...he's uber careful and just goes higher and higher.

Were you at Golden Cross yesterday by any chance ?
 
Yep It was a disaster in the jump off yet the BN she was fine. And its always the jump on the far side. Even worse I went in the warm up area just to jump before home and she fell over and gave me a fat lip.

Its always been an issue & yesterday I remembered!

I hate GX and have decided only to go for C rounds there now. Though we start eventing in March so wont be at any adult shows only kids one!!
 
Does she do it over a XC fence?

I had a mare similar, she used to hang in the air for so long that when you landed it was a case of land and get going straight away down a distance otherwise we would never make it.

She didn't use to do it over a XC though!

I would try small but wide fences as mentioned above, that may help her stretch out rather than go up?
 
Hmmmm...there were a lot of people struggling yesterday. The tracks were well up to height and very technical. The light wasn't great either.

Did you do the BN and 1m Am then ?
 
saratoga- No she doesnt over XC but we do tend to go flat out which helps but you cant SJ especially at GX no room such a small venue!

Rambo - yes we were one of 6 clears BN but she blew it on the jump off !!
Fluffed the 1m completely! Didnt stay for the next class as nose was bleeding. we do really struggle with space at GX always fine at crockstead.
Another girl from yard had problems with the dreaded double too!

Those qualifiers are always the same. If she went as wide as she did high Id be laughing!! Might need to get my whip out for a bit!!
 
How old is she? I found my youngster was doing this and we were getting into trouble, particularly indoors and through doubles. But the more she's done the better she's got, its as if she's worked it out for herself. Still gives them plenty of room but not 'ballooning' quite so much. Also possibly I'm being braver and riding her more forward now.
If its been a while since you last did it maybe she'll get better with time and practise?
 
Well she is 12 and has always been like it. And tshe has been back in work for a while (just havent competed) The issue is with her being far too careful and jumping way too big,
Its just her way but sometimes other have same problem.
Event season starts soon so thank god no more SJ. Bring on the XC I say!
Never did like SJ much!!
I have a 4 YO who is so different, He has no problems at all bless and jumps a round of BN with ease albeit he might knock one or 2.
 
I think there are several things that can be done to help. Firstly don't jump any bigger classes than you are at the moment until it's sorted. It will simply exacerbate the problem. Also be careful how you ride her into a fence, if you find as you get further round the course you are riding stronger and stronger off each corner in an effort to get the stride you want she will start backing off when she feels you start to drive, producing the opposite effect than the one you want!

Is there a big difference if you "sit and ride" to if you ride in a light forward seat off her back? Some horses respond better to the forward seat, they feel they can flow more. Some exercises you can do at home: put down a line of canter poles and play about with the distances until you can go down them in a nice forward but comfortable canter. Then raise every other pole, very little at first, to teach her that she can continue to work forward whilst going up. With William who tends to go too high over oxers and as a result come down on the back bar I also use an exercise with a placing pole to an oxer. I keep it small whilst we warm up over it, about 2ft high, then make it wider - up to about 1m30 wide - then start raising only the front bar until it's about 1m (so it's a dexcending oxer). It makes them look down at what they're doing and produce a more flowing shape over the fence.
 
what's she like if you give her a placing pole on both sides of a small upright? i'd be playing over that, teaching her the optimal place for take-off as well as using the landing one to bring her down earlier.
just be aware that you need to come slowly the first time, in case she tries to clear the one on the landing side...
wink.gif

i'd have them both about 8'-9' away from an upright of about 2' ish, depending on size of horse's stride. gradually put the fence up once she gets the hang of it and finds it easy.
if you've already done this, then lots of grids, jumping from trot etc, i think.
 
I find it strange you struggle at Golden Cross and not Crockstead,GX is the same lenght but 6 metres wider so you should find it easier.I know they use Advanced course builders there and therefore more technical and up to height especially for qualifiers,as they should be.The new surface is fantastic and horses jump much better off it.I was there yesterday and my horses jumped really well and there were loads of clears but the jump offs caught a lot of the speed merchants out,all the classes were won on jumping ability not speed for a change,which we need if we are going to keep producing good horses and not ruining them by always chasing the clock !! I think you ought to take on board some of the advice given in other posts before you start slaging off a venue where i know they work there butts off to produce good shows on excellent going.
 
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