I'm working with a very talented jumper who keeps "ballooning" over his fences. Because of this trait, he misses distances, takes poles down, and pulls his rider forward after landing. Are there any exercises that you know of to help teach him? You were soo helpful with the last problem, that I was hoping you could help me with this. Thank you. (Pat)
Hi Pat!
This problem can have several different causes, so I could probably help you the most if you could send in a video of this happening. I do have some ideas for you that should help you even without a video though! Start by reading this article on the horse that jumps too high... (Click on Question Title above to read full answer)
"Feel the hindleg in your hand, a steady hand. Today we have this fashion for hand riding, don’t copy fashion, what is important, is correctness. You must have elasticity from your shoulder to the horse’s mouth, a straight line, a steady connection and elasticity of hand." ~ George Morris
"Suppleness means that the muscles contract and de-contract, and this has to go through the entire horse, it cannot be blocked in the middle of the back, and it also has to go through the rider." ~ Susanne Miesner
I see a few issues here, that are likely contributing to the fact that your horse isn't naturally engaging his hind legs and carrying more weight behind... (Click on Photo/Question Title above to read the rest of the answer, and the critique of this photo.)
Any issues you have at the canter are usually there at the walk too, but just don't bother you as much because you're not going very fast. And it's easier to fix things at the walk.
"The most repeated mistake is the riders' weight taking off before the horse and often with catastrophic results - The rider that learns to look after the Engine, Line and Balance of his horse on the Approach and allows his horse to make the decisions about where he takes off, repeatedly puts in a smooth and confident performance" ~ Lucinda Green
"The absence of a correction is not a reward to a horse. The only thing that is a reward is 'good girl' or a pat on the neck or giving them a sugar. You can’t train a seal without fish." ~ Robert Dover
"The more soft and gentle my aids are on cross country the better, then I can really speed up, slow down, turn – a balanced turn – have my horse absolutely under the centre of gravity. That’s what I need in a pirouette, and that’s what I need in a line of fences, where you have a narrow one uphill, down two strides, turn, there the horse must be in balance." ~ Ingrid Klimke
The horse's loin area (behind the saddle) is loosened and suppled with each good lateral step behind. Just one reason of many why lateral steps are a very important part of training horses.
Practicing movements incorrectly will create an ingrained habit in both horse and rider that can be hard to break at a later date. Make sure you have eyes on the ground (whether that is in person, or virtually through online coaching) to make sure you are on the right track.
With any related distance when jumping, make any needed adjustment early on in the line, and then focus on riding the rhythm and quality of the canter, while patiently waiting for the jump to "come to you."
Is there any chance you can tell me how to fix this obnoxious habit, and perhaps what might be causing it? I have a hard time keeping my right hand closed, and even though my reins are the same length (they’re laced, so I can count the lacing on each side), my right one inevitably feels too long, and my arm gets stupid. 😂 Is it just a bad habit, or a posture issue, or ...? Also, are my hands, even my left, too low? (Kayla)
Hi Kayla!
Your bad habit is one that many riders struggle with! Hands that turn downward like your what your right hand is doing here make the connection feel rigid to the horse. Even if your arm is relaxed, your horse will feel the "block" where your wrist begins to turn downward. And when horses feel this block, they will invariably stiffen and resist. So this is definitely a habit that you need to break!
One of the best ways for you to beat this problem is to... (Click on Photo/Question Title above to read the rest of the answer, and the critique of this photo.)
"And here I say to parents, and especially to wealthy parents, Don't give your son money. As far as you can afford it, give him horses. No one ever came to grief, except honorable grief, through riding horses. No hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle." ~ Winston Churchill
"You want [the horse] to relax in halt but as soon as you put your leg on, switch on and go forward. When he goes into trot, just give him one more touch with your leg to let him know you really want him to go forward. When you are going forward and coming back, ask yourself was it the reaction I wanted? If you are doing it halfways, then you are always compromising with him." ~ Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
"So many riders think only about the physical aspects of training and I hear too many times from riders, ‘well my horse just needs to get stronger’. I ask myself constantly what about the mental part? My idea is that the physical part is 25 per cent and the mental part 75 per cent and I find myself asking each and every day, did my horse really understand what I was asking for?" ~ Steffen Peters
"When you do something too much, too long, it’s called drilling. That’s not a good word with horses. If it’s not perfect it's ok. We have tomorrow, we have next week. Don’t be excessive with the horse." - George Morris
A good contact with the horse's mouth usually only occurs if the rider also has good contact with their seat and legs. When a rider tries to keep rein contact with their legs completely off, the horse will usually resist or try to avoid the rider's hand.
Let's say that you are are running at the Intermediate level here... So you are hunting red numbers! What part of the drop fence at A would you aim at with the plan of best setting yourself up for success at the C element? What part of the up bank at B would you jump to give you the best line for the final element? And at what speed would you approach this complex? (Click on Discussion title above, to join in or read this educational discussion)
"I really want to emphasize that a rider first rides a horse with the legs and seat; then come the rein aids, as a support to the seat and legs. These three things together subsequently determine the quality contact that leads to the complete harmony and understanding between the horse and rider." ~ Johann Hinnemann
Slipping the reins in the final strides in front of a drop into water must be done gradually and inconspicuously. Too much or doing it at the last second, and you will effect the horse's balance.
When working with a horse that does not have a great natural lengthening, make sure that you don't ask for too much too soon. Compare this to a singer who is training their vocal cords… They gradually expand their vocal range until they hit their limit. This helps to prevent them from overextending themselves, and builds up confidence in their abilities.
If you ask for too much angle in any lateral movement (more than your horse can handle at that moment,) you risk impeding the balance and fluidity of the movement, which should be one of your top priorities.
Look at the difference in this horse's musculature and carriage with time and training! What are the improvements that you notice from the top picture to the bottom? (Click on Discussion title above, to join in or read this educational discussion)
