calling all jumpers...(not the wooly type!)

[emmathechief]

Asking advice again on jumping!! Please, any help/ideas/suggestions!

My mare will jump a double, but when the height goes up she can't do it! Let me explain! Pic below is the height she can do!! She does need holding together on the approach or she rushes/cuts the corner:rolleyes:
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii91/emmathechief/Image276.jpg
OK. So then we put it to the top of the barrel and fence and she wasn't just knocking them a bit she was actually taking the pole from the first jump with her in her back legs. It took loads of attempts (we put ground poles down to help her) and she did it eventually.

So my question is what can I do to help her get over them? and why is it making such a difference when they are higher? Btw the height isn't a problem with single fences -she doesn't knock them at all... this was taken it the same session...
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii91/emmathechief/Image275.jpg

Sorry about my "jumping face":D Thanks for reading. Any ideas?

xx

[Iron Maiden]

She's lovely & thos are some pretty serious fences!

I'd do loads of gridwork & not worry too much about the height of the jump for the time being. Sounds like perhaps she's not perfected the technique of getting over doubles/combinations, it requires a lot of balance, co-ordination & concentration. She can learn these things and become more athletic in her jumping without the jumps needing to go up high. She also needs to learn how to make the distances in a double - my mare is 16.2 but she was struggling over pony distances when I first started jumping her over doubles, she hadn't learned to take me into each fence and just sort of bobbed up & down on the spot in the middle of a double. We've done quite a lot of gridwork and she's tons better now.

One other thing to consider is what you are doing. My bum sometimes hits the saddle with a bit of a hefty thud in between jumps in a combination - this can easily cause the horse to knock a rail. Again, grids are great to help this, although it might just be me & my bum that suffer from this :rolleyes:

[emmathechief]

Thank you Iron Maiden. That's brill advice and it makes perfect sense too!

I don't think my bum is hitting the saddle after the jump but it's worth a thought and I might get the OH to play his part and stare at my bum while we jump!!!

So... What do you put in a grid? Would a bounce, followed by a bounce followed by a one stride double, be the right approach? Or would it confuse her with the different strides?

Thanks!

Any more ideas, peeps??:p

[Iron Maiden]

Use your imagination with the grids! I tend to do a couple of bounces into a couple of one strides, with a nice inviting spread at the end to encourage them to use themselves. If the horse doesn't make the 'correct' one stride distance very easily you can start with it short then increase it as the horse gets the hang of it. I usually build grids out of crosspoles that are high at the side but not too high in the middle, this encourages horses to pick their feet up neatly. Just make sure you line them up well so the lowest points are in a straight line or it's a bit unfair - poor Mrs P ended up weaving through one particularly crap grid I'd built like a drunkard, poor love!

Bet the OH will enjoy his mission ;) Mine just ends up being and official photographer, which is not something he seems to enjoy greatly :rolleyes:

[Kc..]

Yeah i agree 100% with what Iron Maiden has said. I did have a bit of this problem with Lantern to, we also put poles in a triangle leaning on the fence to get him to use himself and lift hemself over the fence. That worked well to :)

Keep us updated!

[mikh]

Yep I'd go back to 2'3-2'6ish remember horses can't measure - build up her confidence and technique, even when things are a bit messy encouragement is a must, i think she's just doubting herself. And agree with Mrs P

[pinkypug1]

Yeah i agree 100% with what Iron Maiden has said. I did have a bit of this problem with Lantern to, we also put poles in a triangle leaning on the fence to get him to use himself and lift hemself over the fence. That worked well to :)

Keep us updated!

I do this too.....Putting two poles in a triangle shape on a fence it a excellent way of getting the horse to lift itself over a fence its amazing how much it makes them use themselves!

[KateWooten]

Are you mostly working on your own - I mean, without a 'trainer' as such ? If you have a helpful helper on a regular basis, it can be really helpful to have him video you - every time, and then make it a habit to stop periodically, check the video and work from there.

Also, the book '101 Jumping Exercises' is a good one for working on your own. It's very sytematically set out, so you can work through it building up grids step-by-step - and it's handy for getting the distances right too. I think any good showjumping book would work though - I have one called 'Training Showjumpers' which is also ok for keeping inspired and knowing where I'm going next with the gymnastics. Much of '101 Showjumping' would be stuff you'd pass right over as it starts out very, very basic and spends an awful long time on different ground-pole exercises.

[emmathechief]

Thank you so much everyone!

I did some loose jumping with her last night and I have to say it was very interesting to see her from the ground. I actually think she is being lazy!!

I set up a two stride double in a lane for her just to see, and she'll go over both very nicely, then (as if bored!) she just takes the pole either with her front or back end!

Anywho, I don't think she is very fit at the mo... totally my fault:o so I'm gonna get her gonna a lot better in the school and not ask her to jump for a good few days.

Next step... I'm gonna do the grid! I'll keep it small and simple and really practice getting the energy and implusion. I'll try and get a video to show you all what happens!

Wish us luck:cool::p

[XmeganX]

Havent read all the replies but..my friends horse was having the same problem, if you consider when the fence goes up the distance in the double will actually become shorter beacuse your mare will jump higher and land further out ie. she might take off and land 2foot from a 2foot jump but she,ll take off and land 3foot from a 3 foot jump,if you adjust your double as in remeasure it,when you alter the fence she should have an easier time clearing it!! hope that made sense lovely mare by the way!;)

[emmathechief]

Good thinking Megan!! When I get good results in the grid with smaller fences and start to improve, I'll make sure I increase the difference on the ground as well as the height!

Cheers:D

[DITZ]

not sure but I would put a ground line in for her as it could be confusing her. In the first pic your bottom pole reaches the floor, in the 2nd its a good 2 foot off the ground and as horses judgge the height of a fence from the bottom upwards I imagine she is judging it all wrong and finding it difficult.

[Jade_R]

Check the striding is ok as she will need more room as the jumps get bigger.

It sounds as if the horse isn't scared or worried, just trailing the back legs. Flatwork will help you get a better canter - yes, I know it's boring but believe me it's worth it! - so she will be more likely to clear it. There are lots of excercises such as making an arrow and putting it over the jump, then jumping the middle (like this -/\- if you get me) which will teach her to pick her feet up, and as everyone else said, lots of gridwork.

Firstly though, tack, back and teeth. It would be awful if she was in any sort of pain and was being made to work, some horses just don't make this sort of thing obvious.

And lastly, but definatly not least, get a good instructor! A decent instructor will be able to pinpoint the problem and help you sort it out.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll get there! :)