*Tips and help for schooling over jumps*

[*Grey Gelding*]

Okay, so i need as much advice and tips as possible :

My horse is fab at jumping, and loves it with a passion! Jumping around 1m courses comfortably when fit.
He has always been an honest and consistent jumper.
We were off most of the winter unfortunately, and since then he has been pretty inconsistent with his jumping. Well....I could say its understandable with lack of lessons and time since winter to school over jumps.

With fitness levels we are pretty close to being back to normal. When i decide to jump, which is say 1/2 out of 7days a week if that, he jumps perfectly. Within a show atmosphere recently though - he has became stronger, napping slightly more and very recently has began stopping at spooky jumps.

I dont want any opinions on why he is stopping...what I really need now is tips and ideas on what the best exercises are to do for schooling over jumps to maintain rhythm, concentration and impultion.

Any help would be fab thanks!

laura xx

[coss]

how about random jumping?

that way you are schooling round fences so asking him to concentrate on rhythm and concentrating on you and then you're asking him to pop over a jump and it isn't a big deal.
how much schooling and hacking do you do?

[*Grey Gelding*]

Realy good idea! will try that soon!
He is schooled/lunged 6 out of 7 days a week, if i dont have time i always get a friend 2 lunge so that hes still getting good exercise, he gets hacked approx. once a week, depending on the weather etc.

[coss]

Realy good idea! will try that soon!
He is schooled/lunged 6 out of 7 days a week, if i dont have time i always get a friend 2 lunge so that hes still getting good exercise, he gets hacked approx. once a week, depending on the weather etc.

ok - was just checking that jumping wasn't a daily thing as with most horses it makes them sour. hope it helps.

[*Grey Gelding*]

good thinking, but nope :( think possibly in my case, a lack of practise of jumping recently could be the problem? though....i really cant work out why he jumps great in general and then gets insecure and messes about at shows?
Do you think a calmer and lots of lessons could just be what im in need of?
xx

[coss]

i think it could be the lack of show practise. if it tends to just be the "spooky" jumps then it might be worth hanging jackets over some smaller jumps so that you can do them from a standstill if you get a stop. hopefully that will boost both your confidences when it comes to the "spooky" fences. i would be reluctant to try a calmer as he is generally good.
do some jumping out of walk to technique is focused on and so that if you get pinging spooky jumps it isn't a problem.
hope that helps :)

[*Grey Gelding*]

lack of show practice is defos correct! haha. Okay, great idea, i will spend a few days a week from now on practising spooky jumps and trying to create a show-type atmosphere by riding when its busy etc. Starting back jumping lessons are on the list too!
Thanks coss :)

[dilaika]

make sure that he isn't getting bored...one horse I used to ride (who also loved to jump) would start acting like a moron when he got bored...even if you want to do the same jump a bunch of times, try different approaches, come at it from different directions, one time halt after it, etc. Make sure that the horse can't anticipate and learns to concentrate on you, if they're thinking about you, less likely to think about the jump.

[sonnet]

Maybe try and go to a few shows without entering anything and school quietly in a corner getting him used to the atmosphere again without you having the pressure to do well in the show ring. You could use coss's idea at the show too- and definitely do some imaginiative bombproofing at home etc.
I would never use a calmer/sedative etc. when other methods may help first. :)

[showjumper-zoe]

Rent a few show centres out and keep the fences quite low 1m ish so he enjoys himself when he goes out.

[*Grey Gelding*]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! The show idea without entering is actually a fab idea! wil be doing that asap and as much as poss until he is calmer in a show atmosphere :)