Which noseband should I use?? help!

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Javabb94

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Hi all,


just a quick question really,

Java is fine to ride on the flat ie he will stop fine etc sometimes have to hold him a little bit in canter as he can sometimes gradually get faster!!

But when jumping he lights up!!

If im just trotting round as soon as my mum puts the poles out or he sees the wings he goes up a gear!!

doesnt bother me apart from when going to the jump he can be quite strong and i find it hard to hit the right stride!

I have noticed mysel having to stand in the stirrups and hold him tightly and its very hard to get the right stride..

and when jumping bigger I dont want to be standing off the fence or getting too deep!

Would a grackle noseband help this? He is currently ridden in a flash noseband

with a happy mouth single ring gag and i dont want to change the bit

thanks
 
Sorry, but I'm a big believer in schooling to fix problems, not bits or nosebands. Unless he is crossing his jaw in the flash I don't think a grackle would help you any more in any case.
 
Have to say I agree with the other reply in that I dont like anything but ordinary nosebands. I dont like anything that restricts horses atall and schooling will be the best way to deal with it.
 
He sounds like he gets excited in anticipation of jumping, bless him. I've had my own/ridden others strong horses and I'm sorry to create friction here; but if any of the other posters had sat on some of the horses I have and think that flatwork and schooling alone could solve 'strong' issues - you are seriously misled.

As a dressager, yes, I believe most problems can fixed *to a degree* with schooling. Working on transitions etc will get him waiting on you, esp if it involves polework.

He sounds like a strong horse. And some horses just *are* strong - no matter how much you school them. Bruce can quite happily do the schoolwork I do with him in a snaffle and no flash - but there is ZERO chance I would survive if I took him out hacking on grass in that setup.

Grackles prevent a horse from evading the contact due to jaw setting/jaw crossing. To me, yes, a grackle would help your situation. Strongly suggest a combination of flatwork improvement whilst introducing a grackle.
 
You've said he is strong jumping and is excited, and that you want to get the strides right.
What you haven't said there is a problem with his mouth :-)

So, TBH, I'd leave you as you are tack-wise but get a good jump instructor every so often or join a jumping lesson at your local PC/riding club if possible.

Not sure how old you are but I'm guessing you may have to save up a bit, it shouldn't cost you more than around 30pounds though, less if you share.
 
try gridwork as then he can't get to speedy when actually jumping and has to back off but really just natural wouldnt try anything else but as much as possible sit back and try not to stand up to hold, its so tempting but confuses poor ponio who probably thinks light seat means speed...
 
What level of jumping are we talking about here? Popping fences at home and maybe local shows? I would perhaps try schooling him over small fences using trotting poles to slow him down before the jump, and once he has figured that out, move onto gridwork, then once he has realised he doesn't have to go at every fence at 100 miles an hour and his speed is a bit more controllable, taking away the trotting poles and try to trust him to find his own stride rather than trying to place him yourself.
In my opinion some riders do too much, thinking they have to place horses at every fence because they see the professionals doing it, but I think unless you are riding big fences, ponies are often best generally left to their own devices with a bit of help from you only if they are obviously struggling.
Hope this helps?
 
thanks for the replies,

im 17,

i have jumping lessons every week with my instructor and he is schooled perferctly

basically he is 12 and when i bought him he had hacked only for 2 years previous,

and before that he had jumped but never at a competition,

so when i got him it was all a bit of a shock to him as he hadnt jumped for 2 years and he simply loves jumping!!

He was sent to a very good small livery yard to be sold and he was there for 5 weeks and competed 5 times and was fittened up on competition mix etc

He can be somewhat backwards when doing flatwork however!
its only when we jump he is rather slow in walk and trot and quite fast in canter

another problem is i dont have a school i just have my field although my lessons are in a school

again i am not very strong and i think to a normal person he wouldnt feel that bad but im tall and slim and havent got much weight behind me!

he tends to drop his head a wee bit and jump flat sometimes rather than bouncy and up,

in the school however he is 10 times better but summer is coming and most shows are in fields round my way!
 
Hi Kirsty,

Can you arrange for your instuctor to give you some lessons jumping in a field?
 
Does sound like he enjoys his jumping but by the sounds fo it your not helping matters. The standing in your stirrups into the fence is a big no no as it temses your whole body and your putting a lot of weight on the reins which isn't nice for the horse.
Do lots of little half halts approaching the fence but at the same time use your leg, my RI describes it as quick fingers. Try and stay relaxed on approach.
I would also do some gridwork so you don't need to worry about striding, at 12 he should be able to sort himself out. Also use a placing pole all the time so until you have more control you don't need to worry about striding.
 
Kokopelli said:
The standing in your stirrups into the fence is a big no no as it temses your whole body and your putting a lot of weight on the reins which isn't nice for the horse.
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not if done correctly and your in balance and have a good position it doesn't. It's an excellent exercise for getting in balance and folding correctly over jumps.

I'd recommend grids for the OP. Or maybe canter poles set out on a circle and canter around just thinking about rhythm. Try to keep the canter even and forward and light in your hand. Don't fight and hold

A change in noseband is not going to help you by the sounds of it.

I agree that getting your instructor to come and give you a lesson in the field is a good idea.
 
galaxy23 said:
not if done correctly and your in balance and have a good position it doesn't. It's an excellent exercise for getting in balance and folding correctly over jumps.dea.
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Sorry if quoting done badly I'm on my phone :p
By the sounds of it op is standing up against the horse to try and slow down, if she is doing as you described the no harm done. But I took it as she is standing up to use her weight to stop the horse which if anything will make matters worse.
 
How about not jumping? What I mean by that is putting out some poles/jumps but don't jump just school around them. 20m circles around a jump just off the track so that you can go past it, around it and still cross the diagonal without it getting in the way too much. That way he gets the idea that you don't always jump when the jumps are out - you will go near but not facing the jump really. A sort of desensitising exercise if you will. I think some of the other suggestions about lessons, grids and perhaps trying different nosebands are sensible too.
 
Ludi-doodi said:
How about not jumping? What I mean by that is putting out some poles/jumps but don't jump just school around them. 20m circles around a jump just off the track so that you can go past it, around it and still cross the diagonal without it getting in the way too much. That way he gets the idea that you don't always jump when the jumps are out - you will go near but not facing the jump really. A sort of desensitising exercise if you will. I think some of the other suggestions about lessons, grids and perhaps trying different nosebands are sensible too.
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there are always poles in the field and i school right past them and he is fine,
at my intructors the jumps are already up and he is fine like that

i have probably made it worse than it sounds,

he doesnt gallop off, its a nice pace but he doesnt respond to my half halts say if i need to shorten the stride

I was just wondering about the grackle as a pony of mine miss springfield II was put in a grackle for this and it worked a treat
 
Grid work grid work grid work!!!

A grackle may help your situation, alternatively, as suggested a drop may help, as would a *whispers* Kineton.

There's nothing wrong with trying a noseband whilst trying to fix the problem, it hardly sounds like you're going to over tack him!!!
 
nikkimariet said:
He sounds like he gets excited in anticipation of jumping, bless him. I've had my own/ridden others strong horses and I'm sorry to create friction here; but if any of the other posters had sat on some of the horses I have and think that flatwork and schooling alone could solve 'strong' issues - you are seriously misled.

As a dressager, yes, I believe most problems can fixed *to a degree* with schooling. Working on transitions etc will get him waiting on you, esp if it involves polework.

He sounds like a strong horse. And some horses just *are* strong - no matter how much you school them. Bruce can quite happily do the schoolwork I do with him in a snaffle and no flash - but there is ZERO chance I would survive if I took him out hacking on grass in that setup.

Grackles prevent a horse from evading the contact due to jaw setting/jaw crossing. To me, yes, a grackle would help your situation. Strongly suggest a combination of flatwork improvement whilst introducing a grackle.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with NikkiMariet. I have a mare who can just be strong. Fine to school in a snaffle and cavesson. But for jumping when someone else jumps her it will be a gag with double reins and a grackle.
She will school nicely but the second jumping is on the cards she "forgets" her schooling! Yes schooling and trotting poles has helped her slow down a bit but she is still very fast and strong..
 
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