Well, most of you guys know I go over small jumps bareback with Tango. Today I did something new - I took him into the big pasture where he would actually have enough room and doesn't have to be cramped in my small arena.
He was pretty good, he went over the jumps, but he got really hard to control. Like, I couldn't get him to stay at a trot or a slow lope worth a crap. While we're doing flat work, he's perfect . I barely have to touch the reins now to get a response out of him. When I jump him, I can't get him to stop unless I do the one rein stop. I can't keep him at a trot either.
Any tips on getting him responsive while going over the jumps? He's an angle doing flat work, but horrible while jumping.
** Don't tell me to get a harsher bit; I'm not ripping his mouth of to "train" him .**
More info: By all the "ground work" I posted in my last question, I meant flat work. He's absolutely fine going over ground poles, so I don't know what else to try and do. (Saying that because all of my answers said to do ground poles.)
Some horses just LOVE to jump, and they want to go fast while they do it. My favorite horse is like that.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com You don't want to kill that joy; you want to control it.
I (once again) recommend circles. Whenever he gets too fast, pull him into a small circle. This will slow him down without fighting or frustrating him so much. If you do this often enough during schooling, he'll probably be more ratable over the jumps.
He may not be. In that case ... stronger bit, lighter hands. Only get one if you get the other.
You should only be trotting jumps to start. If he speeds up, halt him untill he pays more attention . Also try halting after the jump as well. And he's a green jumper he's probably just excited .. maybe you could free lunge him over jumps to get used to it as well.
And btdubbs a harsher bit doesnt tear their mouth up if its used properly hunny.
My pony was exactly like that start of with just trotting them but if he become to fast keep trotting in circles until he is at a steady speed for you then when you start to canter the jumps use a flash to help slow him down hope it helps <3 Xx
sounds like you have not schooled him enough to be doing the work you want. it is your lack of control, not him been hard to control. you are running before you can walk.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
bits are only harsh in the wrong hands.
It is my understanding that you have only been training him for the last 6 mo or so. I think you are just getting in to jumping too soon! maybe you should just forget about jump , jump, jump till you get him well trained first. That is well trained and if you had him well trained before you start the jump stuff maybe he would be in control for you.
He should be learning how to lengthen and shorten his stride by how you are in the saddle and to collect up and canter slow or fast when you ask him. Mainly to stop or slow down with a seat change and not having to sit back and pull on the reins.
I think you are jumping the guns with that jump stuff!!!
I would suggest working him in a saddle over jumps. And YES you can do small jumps in a western saddle just suck in your belly lol. As when be starts getting strong you can work with him a little easier the. Riding bareback. I'm no jumper but I do jump at my friends house who DOES jump.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com And what I do when my gelding gets pushy is I stop him right there and make him back up about 10 steps. I do this every time he speeds up rapidly, or takes his nose and goes. But like I said that is just what * I * do and it worked for me as he realized when he got pushy he didn't get to jump.
Good flat work and pole work are the basis for good jumping, there was nothing wrong with the answers you were given on the previous question as far as I could see, so I don't see the need to repost as you will likely get similar answers.
Place ground poles before the jump to help him to slow down and half halt on approach, keep your leg on to keep the impulsion.
Work on flat work out in the field (transitions, circles, changing direction etc).
Layout different poles and cavaletti (you just want him to take them in his stride, not jump them)
When jumping, bring him back to trot immediately after the jump until he learns to slow down.
However ultimately the best thing to help you both will be jumping lessons, to learn how to check a horse on approach.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com As a matter of interest, are you cantering into these jumps? At the moment you should only be trotting over them, place a pole before the jump to indicate when to take off.
It would be best to leave the jumping until you have an appropriate saddle.
How is he in the small arena? If he's out of control there, go back to that first. Otherwise, continue working in the larger area.
I've used several methods to teach an excitable horse to calm down over/after fences. First, don't overdo it. Jump one fence, then stop and walk him around until he's bored and begging to do something else. Only then should you jump again. Or jump the fence and immediately ask him to stop. That may mean that you make it uncomfortable for him, because I do mean MAKE him - don't just ask. If that means you rip his face off, so be it. It's his choice whether to fight you or do it when you first ask. Make him stop and stand still, then walk on and start again. Stop after the fence each time until he's anticipating the stop and not planning on galloping away. If he has any issues with refusing, make sure you don't do this between fences. You don't want to teach him that it's okay to stop in the middle. But after single fences or the last fence in a line, it can work well.
