help needed with jumping new pony!!!!

[iluvakila]

I got a new pony who is about 4-5 years old. I've been teaching her to jump but she keeps knocking down poles or tipping them with her front feet. How do I get her to keep her front legs up???:confused:
Also she has a very collected canter and we go into a jump with quite small small strides, but if I push her on a bit to lengthen her stride we just end up knocking the whole jump down.
HELP NEEDED PLEASE!!!

[blu_diamond]

i f you put the jump really low down on the floor an practice you will get her to jump niceley(hopefully\):D

[Showjumper]

For her to be knocking jumps down with her front legs, I'd hazard a guess that she's taking off too close. I'd be inclined to pop a placing pole down in front of the jump to encourage her to take off sooner, and something neat I saw on a clinic I was on earlier this week, is exhaling as you want her to take off.

So 3, 2, 1, exhale, jump :) And don't fiddle with her strides - horses can spot a stride from much further away than you can so go with her and remember to slip the reins if you get left behind. Good luck and happy landings! :)

[iluvakila]

thanx heaps il try it 2morrow, breathin thing sounds intrestin! :D

[Showjumper]

Tried it with my mare today to test my theory and got the biggest, nicest jumps ever! :D

[PinkGlamourGurl]

Try loose schooling her over them. If she's only 4 her bones are still developing, try not to jump too often.

Loose schooling lets the horse find their feet first without a rider to interfere. Try grids, spreads, crosspoles etc to help her snap up her feet.

[iluvakila]

Hey! I just checkd with her previous owners and they say she's 5. I tried the breathing thing 2day too and I realised that I dont breath untill I get over the jump! xD It helped a lot and so did ground poles, I had out before but not out far enough! We did't drop a rail 2day! yay! :D

[Showjumper]

Yay awesome that it worked - isn't breathing amazing! :D