Jump progress - am I doing it right?

[DITZ]

Just wanted to hear whether you guys thought i was making this progress correctly or whether i risk overfacing him.

I have a course of about 6 jumps in the field including a jacobs, a double, single filler, related distance and a stile. To begin with I started them off resaonably low at about 2'3 and he was rushing the fences and misjudging his take offs too. I do about 15 minutes of jumping about 3 times a week. Eventually he sorts his striding out and as his confidence grows he stops rushing. So when he is comfortable doing this I put the fence up a hole. We regress somewhat and he rushes again but after a couple of times he's fine again. I'm upto about 2'9 now.

Am I doing the right thing? I'd like to get him comfortably doing 3ft+ at home so that a 2ft9 course doesnt phase him at a show. I have done 3ft course at a training clinicand he took it perfectly but the next time he rushed round a 2ft 6 like an idiot.

Is it normal for them to regress when you move forwards like this?

[casey]

Technically speaking, if your horse is misjudging fences either standing off or getting deep, its usually because the canter isn't right. The professional riders make it look so easy to see a stride, and to a certain extent it is. But ONLY if the canter stride is equal and rhythmical, and has impulsion.

Now if your boy is rushing, it may be because he is off balance and pulling himself on his forehand and nothing to do with the height of the fence. Because you sound like your doing everything right and absolutly NOT overfacing him.

Also the fact that he sorts himself out, could be that he has found a level balanced canter.

Originally posted by DITZ
Is it normal for them to regress when you move forwards like this?

Again, to a certain extent. When the fences get bigger, you will find he will back off slightly. But any obvious regression shouldn't be particulary noticeable.:)

[DITZ]

Cheers for the reply Casey I was beginning to think this was just gonna get archived!

I have trouble with his canter which dressage lessons are fixing but most of it comes from his head. He chooses to switch off sometimes. His striding is generally good except he occasionally sticks an extra last second one in. I reckon this has alot to do with me looking at the fence tho :eek: so I am working on that.

Heres what I think happens tell me if you agree.

He can start off in what I think is a nice relaxed canter (my dressage canter). If I'm honest its probably lacking impulsion. He struggles on a couple of fences and I probably make a mental note for next time. Next time he puts more oomph into his canter (I think he's rushing) and does the job properly but I do believe he flattens somewhat when he does.

The reason I have come to this conclusion is reading one of the mags yesterday with a session with Di Lampard. The horse there had a big powerful canter which the rider was afraid of and was trying to control (like me).

He is also a worrier and when he or I take a fence wrongly he stresses about it and we have to repeat it until he does it well before he relaxes again.

Does that make sense?

[casey]

Originally posted by DITZ
He starts off in what I think is a nice relaxed canter (my dressage canter). If I'm honest its probably lacking impulsion. He struggles on a couple of fences and I probably make a mental note for next time. Next time he puts more oomph into his canter (I think he's rushing) and does the job properly but I do believe he flattens somewhat when he does.


Absolutly.I think that whole paragraph is spot on.
The canter is everything. Normally I find the "dressage type canter" people strive for isn't as you rightly stated forward enough for jumping.

I normally know when I have the right canter, not only through feel but if the horse puts an extra stride, I know I haven't got enough or if its flat I have too much.

[galadriel]

You said that if she struggles due to lack of impulsion, you ask/allow more speed. How are you asking/allowing?

How are you asking him to balance when you do get a little more impulsion?

[RachelEvent]

Sounds sensible to me!

I too hit some showjumping problems because I attempted to jump with the dressage canter, and it just wasn't forward and powerful enough for showjumping.. hence I was getting lots of those horrible short strides in front of fences - the next few times I showjumped I looked like I was more going cross country, but I think we're back under control now, with a good forwards but not running away canter.

How are you asking him to balance when you do get a little more impulsion?

I know you weren't asking me, but what I do is to use a bit more leg, keep the same rhythm, but really allow with my hands for him to travel forwards. The tricky bit is to keep him upwards rather than falling onto his forehand, and I think I sort of manage it through a combination of half-halts, control from my seat and (it seems to work) just think 'up' as we canter. It's all in moderation though, the idea is to encourage his natural big canter, not to push him out of his stride.

Rachel xx

[DITZ]

You said that if she struggles due to lack of impulsion, you ask/allow more speed. How are you asking/allowing?

I dont if I'm honest I just let him figure it out by himself. The thing is I am quite happy for him to jump out of his dressage canter its just that he obviously isnt!

How are you asking him to balance when you do get a little more impulsion?

I use little half halts and sit back. I'll be honest and say that using my leg is not coming naturally yet I still have to tell myself to do it so sometimes I forget or if I do its more of a constant pressure than a tap tap tap. I think thats right?

I think I still get more than a little hung up about this speed issue dont I so I've decided on my next session I'm going to practice getting the feel of just cantering round and between the jumps at a stronger pace do you think that will help?

[RachelEvent]

Yes, that may well help :)

Perhaps when you find that you're getting the canter well, you can just keep going and pop over a small fence attempting just to keep EVERYTHING the SAME. That is same rhythm same impulsion same amount of leg from you.. look up, don't worry about strides and just treat the jump as something that got in the way of your canter ;)

It's an easy thing to get caught up about, I certainly did! I know it's easier said than done, but it's best just to relax and keep the rhythm. Does he ever fight your hands coming into the jumps?

Rachel xx

[DITZ]

Does he ever fight your hands coming into the jumps?

No not any more. He used to terribly but that was because he would take a more powerful canter a couple of strides away and I would freeze and pull him back which was awful. We then spiralled down to this whole situation where I was trying to control him all in anticipation which just made him throw his head up when he saw the jump. I'm over that now though and know to let him go so when he does see the jump you can feel his hind legs get going but I just keep my hands relaxed and he's fine.

[RachelEvent]

Sounds like you're doing the right thing now then re. hands :D