I have a 17.1hh 9yr old gelding who is good in all respects but when showjumping is not careful. He jumps anything you ask him to but just touches it slightly because he doesn't snap his legs up, no matter how big it is (even 5ft). This means that I never get a clear round which is soooo annoying as he can do it and is amazing at jumping! What could I do to correct this problem as it would get him very far? Please please please help I don't know what to do!!
Answers:
Work him in a figure of 8, practice changing legs. Then when he's working reliably set up small jumps and change lead over the jump. They pick their feet up more and tuck their feet in. Work on both reins equally.
Make sure he is collected and has enough impulsion to jump cleanly. Practice the half halt, work at a slow controlled pace and make sure he's collected and bouncing along.
Also, make some small natural jumps; hogsback and bullfinch. Use soft material on the bullfinch not anything spiky as you don't want to put him off. When he feels his legs brush it he should be encouraged to tuck up.
Paint the jumps top match the showjump poles so he doesn't get lazy over striped poles.
My brother used to showjump.
I answered your question that you asked several minutes before this one. Go there to see my idea for you.
Good luck!
Hmmmm.I'm no horse expert or anything but heres just an idea!
work with him start at smaller jumps and when and if he gets it move up a little -- it's just a thuoght!
or
Why not get a a few showjumping lessons!...The instructor will be more and happy to work wif you and ur horse at it!
gd luck x
All I can suggest is speak to an expert about it.It does seem strange ,it must be a nervous disorder of some kind.
You should take lessons with a showjumping trainer. Internet advice si great, but when it comes to problems like this you really need someoen that can work with the horse and you and that can show you how to change things rather than actually doing it.
I would work him over a course with varying heights. Have a 3' jump followed by some crosspoles then have a 2' then maybe a 4'. The varying heights will help him pay more attention to the jumps. It may or may not teach him to pull his legs up, but I haven't had that problem so I'm not 100% sure on how to fix it.
I have had your problem before. Try raising the jump high and having a really heavy pole on top and let him have one big hit on the knee with it and see if that won't stop him.
You can also try and put carpet with the little bumps on it and if he hits the fence then it will hurt a little and then maybe he will think about lifting his feet the next time.
I know this sounds cruel but trust me I only needed to do it once and my horse stopped doing it. I really doesn't hurt them that much but it makes them think about what their doing and pay attention and not get lazy over the jumps.
I honestly try not to do these things but some horses just need little reminders to pick their feet up and not be lazy. Hope this helps.
I have a 15.1 jumping machine and he would jump a house if you asked him - but he's not very careful ahlf the time - its as if he thinks he doesnt need to try and its all to easy for him! I spoke to a friends trainer and she suggested wrapping poles in spikey carpet so that when he touches them it would hurt him slightly - i couldn't do this to my baby - anyway i was out in the school one day having a think - and i put up lots of high cross pole s- he seemed to really pick up and felt really neat - then i put some uprights up and rested poles two poles in a upside down v shape (so an end of each pole touched each other in the middle of the upright pole and then diagnoled off so the oposit ends were in line with the feet of the wings) This helps alot and i always use them at home- it keeps him dead in the middle and makes him consentrate alot more! He is a horse i have to keep interested so i also find jumping on a circle and free reining helps - he does go a little crazy when i do this but its easier to see how they jump from the ground and to help you correct them. Also i find trotting or cantering poles before fences at home for practice make him pick up more!
Here are some links that helped me - hope they can help you:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/info.asp?sp...
http://www.horsemagazine.com/clinic/b/br...
Horse and hound have a forum about horses that 4fault!
Ok Ive been showjumping all my life and had a horse similar to yours so what I did to encourage her to lift her legs was asfollows:
Firstly - remove any boots from the horse that are un- necessary - unless he brushes or something like that - the only use for boots is to protect the legs so in this case we want him to feel the sting of clipping a pole when he hits it.
Get back to basics with him - do as much gridwork as you can - try trotting poles into a combination of a bounce back to a canter stride pole into a double - basically you need to get your horse thinking whllst hes working - and this kind of gridwork can be varied the whole time so he doesnt get bored of it.
When you are on his back - everytime he jumps a fence clear give him plenty of praise - when he knocks - do or say NOTHING. He will associate praise with the positive jumping - and will realise that he is not supposed to be knocking the poles!!
Hopefully this will help you out a bit - good luck!
xx
You don't say what kind of boots he wears to jump in - but I'd suggest some open fronted tendon boots on the front legs and fetlock boots on the hind legs - if he knocks the fence wearing these it will hurt more than if he wearing brushing boots and will teach him to have some respect for the jumps - hence the fact all the showjumpers use them. They protect the important areas of the legs.
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