#grayscale");filter:gray;-webkit-filter:grayscale(100%)}#m10::before{background-position:-3px -0px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m11::before{background-position:-71px -0px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m13::before{background-position:-139px -0px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m14::before{background-position:-207px -0px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m15::before{background-position:-275px -0px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m20::before{background-position:-343px -0px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m25::before{background-position:-71px -30px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m26::before{background-position:-139px -30px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m27::before{background-position:-207px -30px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m28::before{background-position:-275px -30px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m29::before{background-position:-343px -30px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m3::before{background-position:-3px -60px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m32::before{background-position:-139px -60px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m34::before{background-position:-207px -60px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m39::before{background-position:-71px -90px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m4::before{background-position:-139px -90px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m41::before{background-position:-207px -90px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m44::before{background-position:-343px -90px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m47::before{background-position:-71px -120px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m48::before{background-position:-139px -120px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m49::before{background-position:-207px -120px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m5::before{background-position:-275px -120px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m50::before{background-position:-343px -120px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m51::before{background-position:-3px -150px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m52::before{background-position:-71px -150px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m53::before{background-position:-139px -150px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m55:before{background-position:-71px -180px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m6::before{background-position:-207px -150px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m7::before{background-position:-275px -150px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m8::before{background-position:-343px -150px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m9::before{background-position:-3px -180px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m57::before{background-position:-139px -180px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m58::before{background-position:-207px -180px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m59::before{background-position:-275px -180px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m60::before{background-position:-343px -180px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m61::before{background-position:-3px -209px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m62::before{background-position:-71px -209px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m67::before{background-position:-139px -209px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m70::before{background-position:-275px -209px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m72::before{background-position:-343px -209px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m82::before{background-position:-3px -237px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m83::before{background-position:-71px -237px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m84::before{background-position:-139px -237px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m85::before{background-position:-207px -237px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m89::before{background-position:-3px -267px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m92::before{background-position:-71px -267px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m93::before{background-position:-139px -267px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m73::before{background-position:-207px -267px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m74::before{background-position:-275px -267px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m77::before{background-position:-343px -267px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m94::before{background-position:-3px -295px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m95::before{background-position:-71px -295px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m103::before{background-position:-139px -295px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m91::before{background-position:-207px -295px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m109::before{background-position:-275px -295px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m110::before{background-position:-343px -295px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m114::before{background-position:-3px -324px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m115::before{background-position:-71px -324px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m118::before{background-position:-139px -324px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m119::before{background-position:-207px -324px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m120::before{background-position:-275px -324px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m121::before{background-position:-343px -324px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m122::before{background-position:-3px -353px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m124::before{background-position:-71px -353px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#m127::before{background-position:-139px -353px;width:68px;height:30px;content:'';margin-right:.6rem}#iqitmegamenu-horizontal{border-top:1px #cecece;border-bottom:1px #cecece;border-left:1px #cecece;border-right:1px #cecece;background-color:#fff}.cbp-horizontal>ul>li>a{color:#131442;line-height:45px;padding-left:15px;max-width:400px;padding-right:15px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:15px;border-left:1px #cecece}.cbp-horizontal .cbp-tab-title{line-height:16px}@media (min-width:1320px){.cbp-horizontal .cbp-tab-title{line-height:16px}.cbp-horizontal>ul>li>a{font-size:15px;padding-left:15px;padding-right:15px}}.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-hrsub-inner,.cbp-hrmenu ul.cbp-hrsub-level2{border-top:1px solid #cecece;border-bottom:1px solid #cecece;border-left:1px solid #cecece;border-right:1px solid #cecece;background-color:#fff;-webkit-box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.15);-moz-box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.15);box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.15)}.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-triangle-top{border-bottom-color:#fff;top:1px}.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-triangle-top-back{width:0;height:0;position:absolute;left:-1px;border-bottom:13px solid #cecece;border-left:13px solid transparent;border-right:13px solid transparent}.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-hrsub-inner .cbp-column-title,.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-hrsub-inner a.cbp-column-title:link{font-size:14px;line-height:18px;color:#131442;font-weight:700}.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-hrsub-inner{font-size:13px;line-height:17px;color:#131442}.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-hrsub-inner a,.cbp-hrmenu .cbp-hrsub-inner a:link{color:#131442}.cbp-hrmenu>ul>li.cbp-hrmenu-tab-6>a{color:#00ce00}.cbp-hrmenu>ul>li.cbp-hrmenu-tab-7>a{color:#be0000}#iqitmegamenu-mobile #iqitmegamenu-shower{text-transform:uppercase;font-size:13pt;padding:14px 15px;background-color:#fff;color:#000;border:1px solid #000}.cbp-mobilesubmenu{width:94.5vw;background-color:#25272d;color:#fff;border-bottom:1px #000;border-left:1px #000;border-right:1px #000}#iqitmegamenu-mobile .iqitmegamenu-accordion>li ul a{border-top:1px #4b4d58}#iqitmegamenu-accordion div.responsiveInykator,#iqitmegamenu-mobile .iqitmegamenu-accordion li a{color:#fff}.button{float:none!important;border:0;padding:6px 14px;background-color:#292a2f;color:#fff;font-size:13px;text-transform:uppercase}@font-face{font-family:FontAwesome;src:url(https://cdn.equishop.com/modules/przelewy24/views/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.eot?v=4.1.0);src:url(https://cdn.equishop.com/modules/przelewy24/views/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.eot?#iefix&v=4.1.0) format("embedded-opentype"),url(https://cdn.equishop.com/modules/przelewy24/views/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.woff?v=4.1.0) format("woff"),url(https://cdn.equishop.com/modules/przelewy24/views/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.ttf?v=4.1.0) format("truetype"),url(https://cdn.equishop.com/modules/przelewy24/views/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.svg?v=4.1.0#fontawesomeregular) format("svg");font-weight:400;font-style:normal}#randomBanner{margin:20px 0;text-align:center;position:relative;display:inline-block}#randomBanner button{position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;padding:.7em;background:rgb(0,0,0,.5);color:#fff;border:0;transform:translate(-50%,-50%)}
Published: 2016-03-04 13:22:37 Categories: Guides
There are many reasons for which a horse does not want to jump over an obstacle. An effective rider is capable of identifying source of the problem and how to change the situation. In order for everyone to become this rider, let's take a look at a few most popular horses' "problems" occurring while jumping. We will try to show you solutions which will allow you to change such upsetting (both for the rider and the horse) situation.
Causes:
In reality, there is more than one reason for which the horse is tearing at an obstacle.
Solution:
Note!
Fighting with your horse before an obstacle, changing the curb bit for a rougher - will not solve the problem, they can only worsen the situation and prolong the process of "fixing". The habit of tearing at an obstacle might take roots and be harder and harder to eliminate, despite the fact that its cause is long gone. In such a case, it can be a hard, even Sisyphean job.
Causes:
Solution:
Is really simple. Like above, you can start with shorter approaches, so that your horse would not have time to wonder. Also, ask a coach that will tell you how to use aids for help. We recommend to ride with closer contact, at a canter in full seat, to "ride" the horse well to the obstacle and help yourself with a jumping bat on a foule before the obstacle and the voice, uttering a motivating command of your choice loud, clear, and short (for example "Go!" or "Jump!"). However, remember that the jumping bat is supposed to strengthen the actions of your aids, not to replace them! At first you will most definitely have to make a few jumps from stops, but do not give up - after few tries, your horse should jump over the obstacle easily.
Another crucial thing is where you look while approaching the obstacle. Often "lowering your sight" before jumping results with resigning in the last moment. For a horse who learnt to resign this little "mistake" might be a sufficient cause of such behaviour.
It is important to mind the horse while approaching an obstacle and to not wait for his "quirks". You are in charge in this team, so you have to decide. Thus try to energetically approach the obstacle, not allowing your horse to speed. If the horse gets excited and tries to escape your control - immediately perform a volte. Jump only when the tempo is right. Why is it so important? Because a horse who knows that he can "lead us astray" surely will do that. If you will not allow him to control the situation and each of his attempts end up with failure - eventually he will stop testing you :)
If you jump obstacles that are too high, for which you are not ready yet, you will always feel scared and insecure when the moment of taking off is approaching. That makes no sense, because if you are not sure if you want to jump or not, your horse feel it even more :) In such case, it is good to go back to the basics, improve your jumping technique and balance until you feel more certain. You can always change the obstacles' height. Remember that the higher the obstacle, the more visible your mistakes during the jump.
Calm horse that never causes trouble loses his enthusiasm during jumping. He is spiritless, it is hard to force him to approach the obstacle energetically. He often stops before the obstacle and eventually jumps from a stop. His jumps are not energetic and he often "taps" the poles with his hooves or even knocks them to the ground.
Causes:
Solution:
Exercise: jumps at a trot
Arrange a little straight rail or an envelope (50 - 60 cm) with pointer at a trot (approximately 80 cm). Try to approach is at an energetic trot and try to make the horse jump it.
Note!
For a moment before jumping, it is good to catch the crest and give the horse a lot of ease on the reins. Why? The horse while approaching at a trot will "jump" from under us and you, instead of hanging on the reins and hit him with a bit on his teeth, will keep you balance and will not cause him pain, at the same time not punishing him.
If the horse stopped before the obstacle, it is good to help yourself with the stronger calf and jumping bat, performing a jump from stop. However, at the next approach, knowing that your horse resists, get ready. React earlier. Use your aids stronger - seat, calf and jumping bat additionally.
If the horse performs the jump extremely lazily and lousily, use your calf and jumping bat once more, right after landing, so the horse will run at an energetic canter. It is good to pat him, so he will not get nervous, then shift to a trot and try to jump again. Surely you will feel that the horse is more interested in the jump, and his trot will be more energetic.
Some horses stubbornly jump not through the middle of an obstacle, but diagonally, for example starting closer to the right end of a pole and landing closer to the left. It is not necessarily an effect of the rider's mistake while approaching the obstacle, sometimes it is just the horse's bad habit.
Causes:
Solution:
In general, why does jumping diagonally can be a problem? You will find out if one day you will painfully hook your leg on a pole. It is also a problem when you jump really high obstacles. Diagonal jump is longer than jump in a straight line, so it will require stronger take off and longer phase of flight from your steed. Thus, why would he lose strength, necessary on the parkour, on such longer jumps?
If your horse has recently started jumping diagonally, it can be a slight signal for us that there is something wrong with his health. Start with thoroughly checking his hooves, navicular bones, hocks, back muscles, spine etc. Push all the mentioned places, observing the horse's reaction. Maybe there is something wrong with him that is not possible to see at the first glance.
If you are sure that your horse is fine and he just acquired this undesired habit - below, we present you with an exercise that will help you teach your horse again. However, remember that you have to be patient. Like we mentioned before, teaching the horse a "new" habit, which will eliminate the old one, takes a lot of time and requires long and systematic work.
Exercise: restricting poles after landing behind the obstacle
Arrange a low (50 - 60 cm) envelope or straight rails, with time raising it to medium (70 - 80 cm). Behind the obstacle place two poles creating the "V" letter like on the picture below. First, make a distance of approximately 1,5 - 2 m between the closer ends. When the horse understands what it is about, you can extend this distance.
Start from jumping at a trot, then at a canter, until the horse will be able to jump perfectly through the middle between the two poles. If the horse ignores them, you can replace them with cavaletti, or just raise two ends of the poles (those 1,5 - 2 m away from each other) leaning them on some blocks, tires etc. That should force the horse to respect them and be more mindful.
While jumping, do not use your hands too strongly, allowing the horse to get rid of this diagonal jumping on his own.
Causes:
Solution:
Below, we present you with an exercise that will be perfect not only for the unexperienced horse, but also for the unexperienced rider on the school horse. Additionally, the below arrangement prevent the horse from moving zigzag between another obstacles in the line.
Exercise: track from poles between the obstacles
Do not arrange high obstacles. Start from jumping at a trot, then change the distance between pointer and envelope and try to jump at a canter.
Most important rules concerning elimination of the horse's mistakes during jumping:
Also, remember that the very basics in jumping is always the helmet. Therefore, it is good to invest in a high-quality helmet that would take the impact, having all the necessary certificate and meeting all the European standards. You should also purchase a solid vest that would protect you from the most serious injuries during falls.
We hope that our tips will prove helpful! Soon we will publish next part of this article, discussing other types of mistakes made by the horse on the obstacles :)