Jumps Anything

[Dizzy]

My friend has a 15.2 Warmblood gelding, he is a good natured chap and normally well behaved. But he has a habit of jumping fences and now a wall when he's not supposed too.

A few weeks a go as he was being ridden up a farm drive, he got a bit excited when another horse was ridden away from him, he was jogging and with the idea of slowing him down the girl riding him (not my friend) turned him towards a decent sized wall, he cleared it effortlessly. He has also frequently jumps from one field to another when he's out at grass, and his last escapade was he was beng lunged, managed to turn his head off the circle and disappeared over another fence. When he does this, he doesn't do it in a bolting fashion, I mean he's not particually travelling at speed, his head doesn't go in the air, he just ignores the rider completely and pops the obstacle.

Has anyone any ideas? He's ridden in a pelham with two reins. One idea my friend is thinking about is getting a man to do a season hunting on him next year, but I'm not convinced this will stop him jumping, in fact I think it will fuel an already smouldering fire. He does seem to love jumping and is already very capable, though I've never seen him do this, those that have say he is very talented and has an enormous jump. But if he carries on as he is, he's going to hurt someone, the wall he cleared had big rocks on the other side and it was sheer luck he landed clean.

Look forward to anyones views, experiences and ideas.

Lesley

[LadyLimerik]

Wow. This horse sounds talented but a bit scarey. i don't know of any specific ways to stop him. maybe asking an instructor to try him in a few different situations and see what they say.

[horselover]

Does your friend jump him? If not, I would take it as the horse is trying to tell her something. Horse's are no different from people in the aspect that there are certain activities they like to do. Obviously, this horse likes to jump and should be encouraged in that area. Sounds like not jumping him would be wasting a talent.

But I understand that she doesn't want him to jump when he isn't suppossed to. At themoment, I can't think of any ideas, but I will consider it and maybe think of something. I really do think, though, that he should be jumped. If she did this, then he might stop jumping everything in sight b/c she was giving him a chance to jump.

[Somethingroyal]

Yikes, I wish I had that problem... Well, maybe not but that sounds like a talented horse... Anyway, you could try raising hte pasture fences a bit, but otherwise im not sure...

[floppy]

that was what i was going to suggest raise the walls..out of interest how does the horse react to electric fencing?

[Somethingroyal]

Ya, if you need it, electric fencing might be good, or those shock things that you control. You press a button and it gives the horse a little shock. You would press it if he jumped the fence, you would have to catch him in mid jump though... I think raising the fences might be the best idea, it will discourage him from jumping...

[Queenie]

Wow... what a story.. he seems quite a character. When my mare was younger she used to pop out of arenas and fields. The fields was just playing but the arena was due to fear (this is before I had her). They raised all the fences but beacuse it was fear based she's still try to get out and usually succeded.

Is he jumping in the field to be with another play mate, run away from bullying or just to get to the greener grass :)

When doing this ridden it could be dangerous as you pointed out, he needs to be listening to the rider not running off doing his own thing, the same when being lunged. He needs to learn that he can't get his own way by jumping things. I guess the old age solution is schooling in a properly fenced off area (somewhere he can't get out of) and if loves jumping that much make it into part of his work. Not many good ideas there but ah well.....

[clip-clop-oops-crash]

my mare behaves very similarly 2 this, she was only used for jumping before i got her and did very little (or no) schooling, as a result she has learnt to go everywhere and do everything at great speed,she shoots away from the leg then resists any rein by throwing her head up, rearing and bolting etc. - but thats another story! the problem is that when she gets like this she'll get the bit in her teeth (by rearing up or bucking for a while to loosen the contact) then just bolt jumping everything in her path! it wouldnt be too much of a problem if she wasnt such a good jumper - shes cleared a 5'6 hedge before - so she is confident that she can jump anything she wants. she also has a habit of just jumping right out of the arena when she gets bored! she can even do this from a halt she just spins on her hocks and over she goes! she doesnt do any of this out of fear etc. or with intention to unseat her rider, she just uses it to get where she wants! - the only advice i can recommend is ALWAYS be one step ahead of him, if he starts acting up deliberatly take him away from anything he could jump and never give him the excuse such as turning him towards a wall etc. if your friend is having trouble with her horse then it might be an idea to send him away to sum1 who will jump him a lot like you describe because it would give the horse a chance to do what he clearly loves, it might not 'cure' him but he doesnt seem content at the moment to be behaving like this so a good season of hunting might well help settle him. i hate to be pesimistic but you might also want to consider the fact that if he has such good potential and loves jumping which he clearlu does, and your friend is not so eager to achieve the heights which this horse could go to - or even to jump,compete etc. with him then this might not be the best partnership. please remember that i have never met your frined or the horse so this could be completely wrong and i apoligise if it is! no offence intended!

[Dizzy]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I think your all right, he was bought last year, with the intention being he was for my friends daughter. The lady who had him, did compete him and I think he must be missing his competitions. Since he came to my friend the only jumping he's done is what he's masterminded himself.

My friend has been toying with the idea of sending him to a place called Ailesby Grange, which has showjumping competitions almost every week and the instructors will be used to dealing with horses like him. It has become obvious that the life he is leading at the mo isn't giving him what he wants, especially over the last few weeks, there's been no hacking out because of F&M restrictions, though he is turned out all day everyday. She has put up electric fencing and on the first day waited around until he got a zap, needless to say he was 'shocked' but after that stayed put, when he was jumping into the next field it was because there was more grass in there, but he was leaving behind his field mate and she got very upset, and when my friend went back in the evening poor old Star was in quite a state.

Needless to say my friends daughter no longer rides him, though she has ridden from being small and has quite alot of experience, she is not a bold rider. The girl who rides him now is pretty fearless, but I'm sure if things are allowed to continue someone will be hurt or he will be spoilt.

Thanks for all your replies, I'll pass them on, and any other thoughts or suggestions are very welcome.

Lesley

[sultie]

If he is that keen on jumping go and jump him! Is there someone who could jump him for you. I mean affiliate him and proberly jump him. If he has the talent then use it! He will probably stop jumping at any excuse if he has times set aside specifically to jump. You never know you may have a future star there that will start winning buckets.

[Dizzy]

Hi Sultie, I think and hope this is the plan, I agree it will be a great shame if his talent is wasted. Haven't been up to my friends for a couple of weeks so don't know if she's organised anything yet.

Lesley