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ForestGump
7th Mar 2009, 08:11 PM
The brilliant Joyscarer lent me a book (101 schooling excercises). Last night I had a good old read of it and decided to try the narrow jump excercise today.:D

Basically you have a straw bale and two poles either side to funnel the horse towards the bale. As the horse gets confident you move one pole at a time onto the floor put into the same postition. Then you remove one pole all together, then the second pole so you are left with just the straw bale. Gradually the horse gets used to not having the support of the poles and jumps the bale confidently.:)

So I set up the straw and a cross pole else where and warmed him up. He was being very well behaved but very foward going. I jumped him over the cross pole a couple of times, got him listening and going of the lightest aids.

I trotted him into the straw and felt him get a bit un sure and wobbly. Jut I nudged him on and kept an even contact. He stopped anyway, but I made him go from a standstill.
Next time un sure but popped it from trot very well.
So I took him in canter, all going well, one pole on the floor, fine. Second pole down, fine. One pole gone, little un sure but went with encouragement. Second pole gone, no way, not jumping it. But I pushed for a stride and he went over a bit ungracefully! :p

But within a couple of trys he was taking me to the bale and jumping like a pro over it. Towards the end he did get a little strong towards it but nothing out of control!

I was very impressed with him today!:D
Pictures are hopefully coming tomorrow as they are on a friends phone at the moment! ;)

ForestGump
7th Mar 2009, 08:26 PM
Bump :)

Joyscarer
7th Mar 2009, 08:31 PM
It didn't take you long to start work from that did it :eek: :D

I'm sure you'll find some great ideas in there to keep you both busy for a while :)

ForestGump
7th Mar 2009, 08:33 PM
It didn't take you long to start work from that did it :eek: :D

I'm sure you'll find some great ideas in there to keep you both busy for a while :)

Nope, we decided to get to work with it straight away! :p

Have seen some good excercises in there that I want to try with him and my friend wants to try some on her pony as he is a bit wizzy! :D

TB_horse
7th Mar 2009, 08:41 PM
need to try this with flick as she sees narrowones as being a good excuse to run out!!

ForestGump
7th Mar 2009, 08:50 PM
He did think about running out but I just kept an even contact on both reins and he was fine in the end.

The poles act as funneling at first though so by the time they are removed the horse is confident with the bale and doesn't think it is a horse eating monster! ;)

hannah_xx
7th Mar 2009, 10:42 PM
sounds fun!

cant wait to see pics :D:D
xx

Soot
7th Mar 2009, 10:51 PM
Great stuff! Back when I was young & brave ;) with Rambo, my trainer made us jump traffic cones - a small course of single traffic cones :eek:! I hope I get that level of control & straightness with Lance one day! It's an amazing feeling!

ArcticShowjumpa
8th Mar 2009, 08:24 AM
that sounds like a brill idea ! and well done :D
cant wait for pics !

ForestGump
8th Mar 2009, 06:50 PM
Well, I've just looked through the pictures and all of them catch him just before take off or on landing!

All but one....

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/forestrocks/strawbale.jpg
Excuse my postition, it was the first time both poles were on the floor so wasn't sure whether he would go, but he did! :D

But thanks again to Joyscarer, I was going to try a different excercise today but then it started raining! :rolleyes:;)

ForestGump
8th Mar 2009, 07:20 PM
Bump, I added a picture! :p

Gurnosstud
8th Mar 2009, 07:22 PM
Great stuff! Sounds like a good excercise, might try that with my youngster.

ForestGump
8th Mar 2009, 07:51 PM
Great stuff! Sounds like a good excercise, might try that with my youngster.

I would definatly recommend trying it! I did find it very good. You can tell aswell which side your horse is stronger on. I found I needed more right rein to keep him straight towards the fence, especially without the poles.

So that has helped alot! ;)

caroline/halle
8th Mar 2009, 08:29 PM
i did this in my lesson today!!

ws riding my instructors horse sam and he went over it like a pro! then tried it on my horse charlie and he was a little unsure but got him over it in the end! definately improves your straightness and accuracy when jumping!! tried jumping poles afterwards and we jumped the middle every time haha