Doubles & Trebles - AAAAARGH!

[sweetbriar]

I'm having some problems with my pony jumping double combinatons. I have jumped her over different types, ie upright to upright, upright to cross pole, oxer to upright, and she jumps them OK. Her real problem is when we try to jump an upright to an oxer or spread. She starts backing up about 3 or four strides from the fence and either jumps the first element and refuses the second or jumps the first element and runs out of the second. If I try her again at the fences she usually refuses the first part as well.

I was wondering if anyone had experienced similar problems or could offer me some advice.

I think that she may be landing too much on her forehand after the first fence and its stopping her getting over the second fence. I'm jumping at about 2'6"- 2'9" and she's fine jumping everything else including 'scary fences'. I'm worried in case she's given herself a fright. She's a decent little pony with a lovely jump and I want to resolve this problem in a positive way. She enjoys her jumping very much and I'd hate to put her off.

[rocketman]

Hi Sweetbriar,
Jumping combinations with a spread fence on the out are the hardest if you don't get the striding just right between the two fences. In England in the most novice classes, they insist on the oxer in and the upright out to encourage young horses, since it's easier. There are a couple of ways you could approach this problem, which sounds more like your pony's confidence than an inability to jump.
I would start with two very small fences three or more strides apart, with a very narrow oxer, with as little width as possible, on the way out. Keep it very easy and when the pony gains confidence jumping the line, move the second jump in one stride. Make sure the distances are easy for the pony to reach without pushing or holding and the jumps are tiny. If the pony has to run to make the distance, it may not have time to think as fast as it's moving. Gradually bring the distance down to two strides, but only when the pony has been repeatedly successful with the line. Once it has learned to jump a tiny two stride double, take the distance down to a single stride, but keep the jumps very low. Eventually, you should be able to increase the size and width of the fences.
I had a horse that initially was a one jump wonder. He landed from the first jumping effort with so much pace, he couldn't even jump another unless it was at least 8 strides away, before he had collected himself, mentally and physically. Gradually, he learned to jump two fences 7 strides apart, then 6, and so on.
I also had another horse, 17 hands 2 inches, that had a mental barrier about oxers, however small. He thought he couldn't reach the back rail, even if it was only 12 inches from the front rail and the jump didn't even come up to his knees. It took some patience and confidence building, but he became an open jumper. What a big dummy!
How big is your pony? Make sure you don't aim it at doubles set for a horse's strides. If it's 14.2 hands, 21 feet would be longish. If it's 13.2 hands, 18 feet would be better.

[floppy]

my cousin had a similar probelm with her horse and what she did was set up a tripple jump but the last two jumps sdidnt have any poles on them and she got him comfortbale jumpign the first one with poles and then she added the poles on the next so he was eventually jumping comfortable 2 jumps in a row and them she added the third...and now he jumps all cobinations of jumps but it took alot of time and patience because he always use to run out of the jump after the first one....make sure you make the jumps really low aswell to begin with.

[sweetbriar]

Rocketman & Floppy - thanks for the advice. I'm certainly going to give it a try.

I'm planning to have some jumping and flatwork lessons with my instructor and we can try out some combinations or do some gridwork as you've suggested.

Lizzie is approx 14hh. For a little pony she has quite a big jump and she has out-jumped quite a number of the larger horses in my yard. She's great cross country too.

We're only competing at a novice level, ie riding club shows, mini hunter trials. I'm hoping to try and qualify for one of our riding club showjumping teams if our preparations go OK.

[floppy]

well good luck :) having lessons with an instructor will also help find a solution to your ponys' problem :)