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 Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:49 pm
the horse I ride absolutely LOVES jumping, but whenever I turn her to the jump she doesn't turn like a normal horse she takes a half step like thing.
I'm not sure if she learned this from her old home because the barn I take lessons at just bought her back, because she was alone in a field. They said she was the little kids play toy, so I'm thinking they may have done this.
Back to topic!
Sometimes she will nicely turn, other times its the short lil choppy step. I ask my instructor if I am doing something wrong and she just says "She is getting ahead of her self."
Any tips?
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:51 pm
`Akiko` the horse I ride absolutely LOVES jumping, but whenever I turn her to the jump she doesn't turn like a normal horse she takes a half step like thing. I'm not sure if she learned this from her old home because the barn I take lessons at just bought her back, because she was alone in a field. They said she was the little kids play toy, so I'm thinking they may have done this. Back to topic! Sometimes she will nicely turn, other times its the short lil choppy step. I ask my instructor if I am doing something wrong and she just says "She is getting ahead of her self." Any tips? Oh, and the jump isnt like RIGHT in front of her, there's like 15 strides to it. And we only trot up to them because we haven't been jumping high lately =[
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:18 pm
What do you mean by a half step? Like a small stumble?
Either way, my guess is that if you really keep her balanced through your outside aids, that will improve the turn.
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:22 pm
AriaStarSong What do you mean by a half step? Like a small stumble? Either way, my guess is that if you really keep her balanced through your outside aids, that will improve the turn. uhmm its kind of hard to explain Its kind of like a stumble. I've tried making a longer turn, but as soon as she sees we are heading for the jump she does the awkward step. she doesn't rush the jump, its just at the turn whee
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:40 am
do you know what she was trained in originally?
i only ask because one of our old school horses, harley, was a jumper, and when he used to jump, he'd do these little tiny "jumper turns" (or what he thought they were anyway) and it did feel like a sort of hop, more than a turn. dakota kind of did the same thing. i've been on one former barrel horse that kind of did the same thing too.
i wish i could help you though!
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:32 am
sometimes a horse that is falling out or in through a shoulder will do this, remember that a big component of riding in general is maintaining straightness- meaning their shoulder needs to be in front of their butt, not way off to the side.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:47 pm
Try keeping her balanced and relaxed and straight through the turn. Working on the flat doing leg-yield and straightening work will help with that. Also, maybe try jumping on a circle? Like a big circle, 30m or so if you can?
Also, half-steps would not be the correct term because a half-step is a training block in dressage to build up to piaffe and passage where the horse takes literally half a step kind of.... It's hard to explain but it's not what you are describing.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:02 pm
I would like you to know that I do know exactly what you are talking about. I'm training a pony that does the exact same thing, only difference, she HATES jumping. She is extremely afraid of jumping. However, she is 12 and has never been trained before, it is very sad and a huge challenge.
Now, if this horse has been doing this for some years, it could be an adaptation of the horse. Don't assume it is your fault or the horses.
If this is so, depending on how long this has been going on, sometimes you just need to learn to work with what you got, but perfect it. Make it work for you.
It sounds like the horse is getting a little rushy and taking awkward steps, almost like an extra stide before the jump, but not quite. Half a stride perhaps.
The horse may be rushing. If so, trot up to the jump with a steady hand and try doing a slight halfhalt right before the jump. Do not make the halfhalt too strong to discourage the horse from going. Sometimes, it is all about strength more than timing.
A good exercise to solve this problem (assuming it is solvable), is to create a grid of jumps spaced to match your horses striding. If this is done properly, the horse may or may not take that awkward step if she/he doesn't have to. This way, you will be able to feel what the horse feels like, without that step, and possibly be able to correct it later on your own without help.
Good luck. If you need more tips, I will be more than willing to contribute. *smiles*
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:29 pm
The explanation that your trainer gave you, that she is getting ahead of herself, also leads me to believe that it is a balance issue. Stargazer's suggestions are great exercises for helping to improver her balance and natural self-carriage. Like Lyzz said, also, keep her shoulders underneath her through the turn. Think about using your outside aids to give her a balance while you're turning her and turn her from her shoulders, rather than from her head. If a horse throws their shoulder to the outside it can put them off balance, which can cause awkward steps. Make sure you have control of her shoulders before turning her into the fence, and see if that helps at all.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:50 pm
Okay so I got back form my lesson a couple hours ago, and she was absolutely PERFECT! even when I had a horrible line to the jump she just trotted it normally. No funky step!
I've been working her with bends so shes taking corners better. (This inexperienced person rode her and let Cimm get away with EVERYTHING! )
So I was pushing her into her corners and all went well! Thanks so much for the advice.
Sorry for my horrible explanation for this, haha. I wasn't sure how exactly to explain it. I would need a video for someone to fully understand.
OH OH OH. I almost forgot. When I was warming her up I also did some walk and trot leg yields.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:54 pm
Pianoangel1 do you know what she was trained in originally? i only ask because one of our old school horses, harley, was a jumper, and when he used to jump, he'd do these little tiny "jumper turns" (or what he thought they were anyway) and it did feel like a sort of hop, more than a turn. dakota kind of did the same thing. i've been on one former barrel horse that kind of did the same thing too. i wish i could help you though! I don't know what she was trained in. I think she does everything though. All I know is, my instructor used to jump her in 3'3" courses..
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:56 pm
iRoseThorn_xXx I would like you to know that I do know exactly what you are talking about. I'm training a pony that does the exact same thing, only difference, she HATES jumping. She is extremely afraid of jumping. However, she is 12 and has never been trained before, it is very sad and a huge challenge.
Now, if this horse has been doing this for some years, it could be an adaptation of the horse. Don't assume it is your fault or the horses.
If this is so, depending on how long this has been going on, sometimes you just need to learn to work with what you got, but perfect it. Make it work for you.
It sounds like the horse is getting a little rushy and taking awkward steps, almost like an extra stide before the jump, but not quite. Half a stride perhaps.
The horse may be rushing. If so, trot up to the jump with a steady hand and try doing a slight halfhalt right before the jump. Do not make the halfhalt too strong to discourage the horse from going. Sometimes, it is all about strength more than timing.
A good exercise to solve this problem (assuming it is solvable), is to create a grid of jumps spaced to match your horses striding. If this is done properly, the horse may or may not take that awkward step if she/he doesn't have to. This way, you will be able to feel what the horse feels like, without that step, and possibly be able to correct it later on your own without help.
Good luck. If you need more tips, I will be more than willing to contribute. *smiles* Thanks for the advice! but she takes the step but doesnt speed up. So it's kind of like rushing, but then its kind of not = I wish I could explain it better =\ You may be going through the same thing as me.. But its hard to tell, haha
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