hey all -
need some exercises for my mare who likes to rush a couple strides out before the jump - stuff that I can set up at home (small cross rails, grids, poles, etc).
thanks!
A horse that rushes usually rushes to get it over with. Fear! Or it could be a lack of the necessary flatwork preparation.
So I would suggest that rather than set things up at home, you have an instructor set some distances for you, and actively instruct you over them.
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I had a young horse once that loved to jump and would rush to the fence as you describe. My trainer set up gymnastic exercises with lots of bounce poles. It slowed the horse down and made him more balanced. If you do a search for ‘gymnastic exercises for horses’ you could get some ideas.
Another common cause is the rider is holding the horse too slow (in an attempt to prevent rushing) and losing impulsion. The horse then feels they need to rush to build some power and momentum just to get over the jump.
If you set a cavaletti or very small jump (12-18") on X so that you go over it while crossing the arena (B-E, E-B), and a second jump on the centre line 8-12’ past the cavaletti set on the diagonal so that you can come off the 20m circle over the cavaletti very smoothly.
The exercise -
Start cantering a 20m circle over the cavaletti. This is not a big two point and release jump. It is a little extra lift of your horse’s legs as they do the canter stride over the cavaletti. Find the canter that allows your horse to take a smaller or longer stride in front of the cavaletti without slowing or speeding up. You should barely notice the shorter/longer stride as you ride the circle in your half seat.
If your horse chips and pops you forward, then get more impulsion in a more forward canter - it might feel fast, but you are riding a circle so just go for it and see what happens over the cavaletti.
If your horse takes a flyer, look for a rounder canter with more power. The flyer tends to come from too much speed and on the forehand. Balance and power from behind. This takes a bit of practice and your horse may need a lot of help to maintain it at first.
Once you find your canter readily, canter the circle, using the cavaletti as a check that you got the canter, and the next time smoothly come off the circle and ride to the diagonal (which should be a real jump of 2’6" or so). Ride the canter and pay attention to what happens with you and your horse because odds are you’ll stop riding that canter and revert to your old habits. Try again and really concentrate on riding that good canter to the jump the same way you did going round the circle.
If you set up a second diagonal on the other side of the cavaletti you can work the exercise on both reins. Do not jump the diagonal until you can canter the circle and have the good canter the first or second time over the cavaletti.
When you can pick up the canter, go over the cavaletti and carry the good canter over the diagonal then try adding the second diagonal and see if you can keep the good canter round the end of the ring to the second jump.
This is a deceptively simple exercise.
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Grids work great, but rushing can be a result of rider position or contact. Please make sure you are sitting tall and supporting but not driving with your leg, staying out of his face on approach (not dropping him but soft elbows), and trying to pick a distance when you’re too close and need to stay out of the way instead.
I love exercises that encourage rhythm. Set up 4 poles on a large circle and practice cantering them in different amounts of strides. Another exercise is to pick up your canter and go large on a light seat in a nice forward canter. Then pick a fence, sit tall in full seat and canter the smallest circle you can around it without messing up your horse’s balance in a more collected canter. Resume your light seat/go large and lather - rinse - repeat.
Set up two small verticals or cross rails about 5 strides apart. Canter the first one, halt, canter second one, halt. Turn around and do it the other way. The halt should be with your seat and legs, not pulling on reins. If you ever feel your elbows bending past your back, you’re doing it wrong.
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Grids and add V poles, I like to start with a trot jump on my grids to a bounce and build from there
I like to set up tight gymnastics and sort of trot in and let them do what they’re gonna do through the rest of it. My old jumper liked to get a little too speedy and letting her rush and make mistakes without my interference helped a lot. She was experienced and smart though so if I let her rush and get in super tight once or twice she’d ease up instantly the next time through. I like to do this with young horses too over small jumps so that if they really mess up they don’t get scared. Try to let them make mistakes so they learn what not to do and that a bad distance isn’t a big deal and don’t expect perfection from the rider
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Jump on a circle. And keep circling until the horse slows down. It may take 5 circles, it may take 20 circles, but circles work. Do not turn away; it teaches a horse it is OK to run out. Just keep circling. Then rest and circle the other way. Do not jump straight until the horse jumps softly right from the first circle. Then alternate circles and straight, and left and right.
PS: Do not make the circle so small that the horse falls down. The size of the circle is not what makes the horse slow down, it is being on a circle which, for some reason does.
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