Training a horse to keep his shoulders up jumping?

[appaloosacaz]

Just wondering, the best methods to get a horse to pick his shoulders up jumping?? Exercises, thoughts opinions?

 

[*Nik*]

High crosses, v poles, grid work.

 

[StormyMoments]

bounces and related distance. poles on the floor on the last stride even a line of canter poles. collecting the canter more into a more bouncy rocking horse canter, or collecting in canter and then just before the last stride before the jump half halt and then let them go so they take the last stride as a slightly longer stride while still having their hind legs underneath them so they can get over the jump... hope thats a bit of help... probably wrong but it worked for Taz

 

[appaloosacaz]

StormyMoments, sounds really logical I've taken a long time improving his canter, now he has a nice and bouncy canter, I haven't tried half-halting before a jump, because I leave him on the last 3 strides before a jump, worth a try though

 

[StormyMoments]

try the half halt before the jump as by giving him the last 3 strides you are allowing him to get long and drawn out so he will jump flat and wont pick up as well... even if you leave him on the 3 strides before the jump but half halt just before the last stride to collect up again that may work but you dont want to mess up his striding otherwise you may end up going through the fence rather than over so i would collect collect collect, half halt then release on to a longer stride but still up together if that makes any sense at all

 

[ellie_e]

Theres a very good saying that the last 3stides are the horses. Raised poles, grid work, and high X poles