Jump off tips

[Gothika]

My horse has been off form for a while, and not jumping clears. Recently, she's started jumping clear rounds again, but as soon as we get into the jump offs, the poles fall like flies! It's probably because I'm over riding it, trying to go fast, but we also seem to go so slowly. It feels fast to me, and I turn sharp corners, but today I kept getting like 5 seconds after everyone else. Has anyone got any, well, speeding up tips? I've tried spurs, extra feed, winding her up by galloping in the warmiing up ring just before but it doesn't seem to make a difference!

She can't have a problem with her back, as we had it checked a month ago or something. In April - July, whenever she did a double clear, which was most weeks, she'd come out as the winner or still highly placed. Her teeth are fine too, they got checked in about March, and they were fine, and her feet must be ok as she lsot a shoe and got a bruised sole last Tuesday and the farrier looked at it, and he would have seen if there was something else wrong. I don't think her saddle has a problem since last winter it got checked since she was getting lumps on her spine after being ridden, but that was just because she was getting too hot, so I rodeh er without a saddle blanket in the winter, then when she shed her coat I put one back on. The fitter said the saddle fitted perfectly. It can't really be her bit as it's the same she's had since a month after I got her. The only thing I can think of was that since I got new stirrup leather, then she started knocking jumps down. But I don't think that can have anything to do with it? Also, she never stops, only knocks them down. And it can't be that we're jumping her too big, except for the 3 foot 3 which she's been doing for months, we've jumped her this height before and gotten double clears. Anyway, both the 3 foot 3 classes I've done on her, she went clear then in the jump off, they didn't put the jumps off. Also, as soon as I get out of the ring I jump off, loosen her noseband and girth until about 5 before me when I go and warm up again, so I don't think she'd be tired.

[flintyboy]

I wouldnt wind her up because you are more likely to fall off and get eliminated that way lol. You can just try and shortern th eroute as much as possible. But make sure your horse is balanced enough before you take v tight turns.
Your horse might just have shorter strides or is naturally not v fast. Try not to scare her into jumps becuase it might turn into a problem in the future and loose her confidence.
Just try to get her as fit as possible and save her energy for the jump off instead of going over practise jumps etc.
Chloe XxX

[flintyboy]

actually just read the rest of yoru post........hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......how old is she? maybey she is past her best.
I really dont know sorry!

[melissajoy]

try to get her to do a collected bouncy canter and lenghen her stride in between the jumps then collect before them if you just go for speed them your horse will flatten over the jump insted of rounding over it therefore knocking it down if you go slightly slower you can make really sharp turns. any way who said you have to go fast to win just look at ban mayer to day in the hicksted derby lol i wish i could win 30 grand like that lol

[helenc]

If I were you I would forget about speed for now.

You say your horse has only just started doing clear rounds again? Then you should really be aiming for double clears for the moment. If you try to go too quickly then you will throw her out of her rythm & you may find that she will stop getting clears in the first round too.

For the time being you should keep her steady & be as precise as you can to make sure you get double clears - once you are achieving this regularly you can start doing shorter turns & quickening the canter where there is room to do so.

Jump offs aren't about galloping in between & at fences, they are about precision jumping & balanced turns. Some people will gallop around as fast as possible but they have to take a longer route & take more of a risk of knocking fences down than someone who can turn inside fences & jump on angles & from a short stride away, the latter is what you should be aiming for.

[Tinger]

What ever you do dont wind your horse up by galloping up and down the practise ring, your horse loses concentration, and think galloping is what to do at every jump off.
Galloping in a jump off is ok if you ahve a long strecht between jumps, but always remember to collect your horse up, and pick him/her up over the jumps so to aviod knocking them down, and gaining faults.
In a jump off you need to focus on getting the quickest time possible, so make sure you watch a couple of others go around first to learn where they too short cuts. Make sure you ahve a good look at the jump off course and fully memorise it.

Look where you could make cut in between jumps, or cut around other obsticles. all collect your pony a couple of strides before so he/she is likely to jumpinto them flat, and knock them down. It not all about galloping, if you can make good turns, and your pony is quick in the sir over jumps you will get a quick time, if you gallop you maybe going very fast but will not be able to turn well, oyu may not get a straight line towards your jump, and your pony will not be able to round properly which could cause refusals or knack downs leaveing you with faults, and a longer time to recollect this if its a refusal!

Why dont you try practising at home with friends?
Good luck though!

[Gothika]

When I wind her up, then she gets very sharp, and listens well, thats why I do it, and it works wonders. She's not past her best, she's 7 years old. But anyway, thanks for the tips, but she's back on form. I took her to a show, did a 2 foot 9 class and came second by point 02 seconds. (The winner was 38.45seconds and I was 38.47 seconds). In the 3 foot, we went clear, but in the jump off, I came to a very big, very solid double on the wrong stride, and bless her, she tried to jump but caught the edge (it was an oxer), knocked about 3 poles down and a wing, managed to scramble over the next jump. Obviously I slowed down and took it steady then but she had had enough and refused the next jump, then jumped it, and then stopped again at the last jump so I got eliminated. I then spent about 10 minutes schooling her in the warming up ring, and she was fine. I took her in for the 3 foot 3, and we got 8 faults. She slipped and almsot went down behind about 3 strides away from the double, which by this time was very wide and very big, she recovered, jumped, just scraped the back, knocked it down, this upset her, and she knocked the second part too. But she did well, a double clear, and fast, without me really pushing her to come 2nd. That was how she used to bem 6 months ago, if she did a double clear, she'd be in the top 3.