Jumping for joy..

[rowdent]

Hi.. been away a bit.. computer issues..

I've been having a lot of fun with Misty. She's growing on me daily..she is such a character.. I love her to bits..

This weekend, I have her all to myself and most of next week as her "mummy" is away on holiday.. And to be honest I think I am riding more than she is right now anyway... But it's great..

I am hoping to go out tomorrow on a hack with someone else! First time since I've been there, the yard has had SO many problems with horses and people, we're wondering if there is someone up there sticking pins!!

Anyway I was out for a hack last weekend, and saw a small log on the path.. I haven't jumped anything in years, so I think I surprised myself when I asked Misty to jump it.. which she did with no hesitation! It was lovely..

I talked to her "mum" about it this week, and she said she has issues with jumping IN the school.. but is fine when out.. she said I could try with a jump in the school if I wanted, but to be warned..

Well to cut a long story short - I did.. but she jumped like a loony!! LOL... she was looking at the jump the entire time I was schooling around it.. and wouldn't concentrate on me.. so I thought we may as well get it over with.. she trotted up to it, a miniscule cross pole I might add, and she jumped.. but it should have been 4ft the amount of clearance she gave it! I totally got left behind and jagged her in the mouth! I thought to myself maybe she wasn't prepared.. maybe I wasn't? So we tried again.. same deal!

At that point I gave up.. no point in hurting or scaring either of us.. she continued to "LOOK" at the jump whilst I attempted to school round it.. and I got nowhere with getting her to listen to me...

Very odd.. she was perfect outside the school, over the log.. but inside.. very very odd.. Has anyone had anything like this happen to them? All the horses I have ridden before loved jumping.. Misty is obviously scared.. and of course the more she jumps weird, the more she will be hurt by people landing badly and hurting her mouth, so the more scared she'll be... maybe we should try the odd trotting pole to begin with, treat her like a baby...?

Sorry this so long, but I have been away ages... I would take some photos of her in her long fur, but my camera has died as well as the computer!!

 

[Imp]

HI there Rowdent! Glad to hear how you're getting on so well

I don't know about the jumping issue but do know Megan hates schooling with a passion. Reason, she's unbalanced and all those circles make her feel scared she's going to fall, she even tried to double barrel the vet when lunged tightly to inspect a recent lameness So, Megan doesn't do circles at present but we're working on it. Perhaps Misty hasn't been taught how to jump properly and that can be worked on, maybe she's been hurt jumping... all supposition of course.

I speak with no authority though, I don't jump (can't even get the bug*er to walk at the moment )

Come on, more pics please!

 

[rowdent]

I'll do my best.. I am going to get a new camera soon.. fingers crossed..

I think the idea of her not knowing HOW to jump may be true.. she is very stiff and unbalanced and I am working on getting her more relaxed schooling.. she is a LOT better already..her trot was SO rushed.. but she is much much calmer now, and believe it or not, the coughing has stopped! She used to cough in the school the moment she was asked to trot.. I think she learnt that if she coughed her owner would let go of the contact, as she will drop her head RIGHT down, attempting to pull the reins through your hands.. I don't let her do this.. she coughed, but the contact would come right back... So now the coughing is no longer and issue.. I also make sure I warm her up before attempting trot, as she is an old lady, we don't want any pulled muscles..

She is SUCH a sweetie.. she never fights me..and always tries so hard! She is ridden generally in a Market Harborough type martingale, which I took off to school her today, just to see what would happen.. she found it harder to work without it, but she DID work..

I'm not actually sure what the martingale is really there to achieve, as she has fairly good brakes out hacking, although she is by no means a plod and always wants to come home from the hack at top speed..but always stops if you ask her LOL.. She does hold her head fairly high, but she is an arab cross, so her head AND tail go up when she is excited.. but I would have thought a running martingale would be OK for that?

Oh my goodness I just read this...

The Market Harborough, named after the town of it's origin in England, is a form of martingale, but is unsafe to jump in. It has a very precise action that only works when the rider chooses it to, and so relies on rider skill. When the horse has his nose perpendicular to the ground, the Market Harborough should be clipped to the appropriate rein ring, so the horse will be comfortable when he has his nose in that position. It will not be possible for the horse to raise his head but it doesn't make him overbend. It is very useful in skilled hands for as short a period of time as possible.

I'm really not sure she needs this! I really don't think it's being used in the correct way at all, the straps are on the lowest setting! I think her owner has been riding her in it for as long as she has had her, and that's over 10 years.. obviously it hasn't really hurt her.. (at least I hope not) and she is very used to it by now I would imagine, but it really explains why it was harder for her come onto the bit today.. but she DID.. despite not having it.. What a super star !

Have you ever WISHED you had sole charge of your share?!

Sorry another EPIC post..