What to do with a horse that yanks after a fence?

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kit279

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I'm riding my grey horse for a few weeks while OH is off working - he's big and bold and got lots of jump and good technique. But he has a nasty habit of yawing after he's jumped a fence, which yanks the reins through your hands and quite often pulls me out of the saddle before I can do anything sensible. If you sit up and let the reins get long, then he gets a bit long and flat and you can't get him together in time for the next fence.

Is there something I can learn to do to stop this? Or any exercise to stop him? I'm aware that I ride quite forward, not always sitting up as fast as I could, which suits my other horse but not so much the grey. Both OH and I have spent a long time getting him to have a softer mouth (he came to us with 'concrete gob') so I don't want to yank back - it wouldn't particularly upset him but he would probably get a bit mule-ish.

Any suggestions welcome
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agree with M_A_L that maybe you need a change in bit?

but grid work can often slow a horse down a bit, or put canter poles after the fence, so you ride away in a rhythm...and really try and teach him to canter over a jump, stay straight afterwards and halt before you reach the fence (as long as he wont try an jump it
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lol)

also jumping on a 20m circle possibly? as then he has to turn and listen to you after a fence,

i think it will just be a case of trying to drill it into his head to steady up after a fence...:) good luck with him xxx
 
Stopping as soon after the fence as possible by using your weight. This will also help to teach him to sit on is hocks again before another fence on a course. If they don't learn it over a single fence, you will struggle with a course. Poles after a fence may help make him watch what he is doing instead of puling you about!
 
The problem isn't that he rushes after the fence, it's that he throws his head right down between his knees momentarily after the fence which yanks you out of the saddle if you're not expecting it. He doesn't particularly get strong or lean, he just yanks then head up and then you're left collecting up the reins that he pulled through your hands..

Don't really want to change his bit, it's the only one that doesn't split his mouth and he's not strong, doesn't pull etc, just seems to have got this habit from his racing days.
 
It depends how much he uses his neck over the fence, how much rein he needs to jump, etc., but you could almost do with the equivalent of a grass rein or a knot in the reins so he ends up yanking against himself. If you can fix something up that has that effect, without catching him in the mouth over the fence, it might just make him think twice!
 
try bridging your reins so that you can "give" over the fence with your hands together, but will help you keep hold of the reins on landing - so that the bridge comes against his withers instead of pulling your arms either side of the neck (and pulling you forward too!)

not sure if that's clear - but I hope you see what I'm trying to say!!
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Grids, grids and more grids. Please do not use poles on the floor but planks after fences. Poles if stood roll and cause very nasty accidents.

Another way is setting the jump x amount of strides from the end of the school fence, let him jump and use your seat and body and bring your upper body weight back (not touching the reins) and the end of the school to slow him. Once he get the hangs of this, move the jump back and carry on the exercise.

Anything that pulls him in the mouth whether you or him, is going to make him grab and lean more, so dont. If he is the one in your second picture, he really uses himself over a fence and I would guess feels restricted in some way and on landing grabs the rein to enable himself to use himself for the nect fence, and hence pulls the rein out of your hand ready for the next jump. Make sure you are allowing him to use himself in the air, a lot of scopey jumpers hate being restricted in the air, and react the same as your lad.
 
Dont do any courses for the moment, and just jump single fences.

Make sure the jump can be jumped both ways, and jump it one way, then stop 4/5 strides after, turn and jump it the other way again stopping 4/5 strides afterwards
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works like a treat!

Other than that, are you catching him in the mouth over the jumps?
 
Hi - If that is him jumping over the blue and white pole then I should say that he possibly needs a higher more substatially built fence - he doesnt seem to be putting much effort in - and some bounce fences so he hasnt got time to think about trying to pull you out of the saddle. I should say you also need a positive rein contact and a stronger leg aid and be able to sit up as soon as he lands so you can ride him forward straight away to the next fence - however many strides it may be away.
 
just a thought but are you giving him enough rein over the fence?
as he is scopey and is throwing a good shape perhaps he is feeling restricted and is pulling to get a little more rein?

does he do the head between his kness thing if you loose school him?
 
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