Getting a green OTTB started over fences

[Mcl1]

Hi everyone,

Looking any and all advice and tips on bringing along a green horse over fences. Horse is a just turned 6 yr old OTTB, only raced twice as a two year old, he was given to me by a pro friend who did an amazing job getting him restarted. I got him last July after not having sat in an English saddle for 8 years. He is at home so as of now I am doing it all completely on my own (rural area with no h/j barns close by) although I am hoping to maybe haul him out for a few lessons here and there if I can find somewhere relatively close that is a good fit.

He has great flatwork (I could trot him all day and would be smiling ear to ear the entire time) although he is a very forward thinking horse so we still need some work on collection and downward transitions. Jumping wise, he jumped a bit before I got him but mostly just popping over things here and there. I jumped him a little past fall but this spring/summer will be my first chance to really start working with him over fences on a consistent basis.

I have no real timeline for him, he is here to stay, so I really want to take my time and set him up for success. My ultimate goal would probably be 2’9-3 ft adult eq classes at local shows and play around in (very local) hunter derbies. If he ends up being more of a jumper type, that is fine too but I would trot every single jump of a course before I let him be the stereotypical TB flying around a low level jumper course out of control. But again, no rush on getting him to a certain level at a certain time, my goal is just to make him the best horse he can be.

I have come to realize how valuable grids and gymnastics are for both of us because I don’t have to worry about setting him up for a good distance and they have helped him realize that getting a little bit under a jump is ok and doesn’t require a four legged antelope leap to get out .

I was just curious to hear how other people go about getting a horse started over fences and how you progress (I.e., do you start with singles and work up to a course from there? Start with Grids/gymnastics? Etc…) and any advice or tips. I have ridden plenty of green horses in the past, but this is the first time I am starting with a blank slate on my own and I don’t want to mess it up. Like a typical TB, he is all heart and very brave o/f so I feel a lot of responsibility to give him good, fair rides and not to put him in situations where he has to bail us out because I know he will try.

Also, interested to hear how often people jump their young/green horses. I grew up riding at barns where you could only jump in lessons so jumping was limited to once a week by default. I obviously don’t want to jump his legs off or overwhelm him, but I have also found that trotting over a crossrail at the end of flatting and then being done for the night has helped him not get worked up like jumping is a “big deal”. I try to ride him 6 days a week because he really thrives in consistent work, but at least one or two of those days I try to get him out of the arena and doing hill work / riding in the fields.

Finally - a major struggle for us has been lead change anxiety. I do not ask him for flying changes yet because I have wanted to wait until I am confident he is strong and balanced enough (and he has never been schooled on flying changes prior to me either). But, when he lands on the wrong lead he tends to get very rushy and will blow right past a simple change. This will then translate to him being “up” and anxious about jumping. I have temporarily ‘resolved’ this by setting jumps in a way that whichever lead he lands can be correct. But, obviously that isn’t a long term solution. If I over exaggerate my ask I can usually get him to land on a given lead but not always. Do I focus on flatwork and get his changes down before emphasizing jumping? He does occasionally throw his left to right change on his own, although he often misses behind. His right to left change is definitely not as natural to him, although he has thrown it out a few times. And/or, do I work on asking him to land leads?

Here are a few videos of us, please feel free to critique and provide any constructive criticism:

I usually keep things to crossrails - 2 ft range, but here is one where I put the jump up a bit (my mind told me this was 3’6, my measuring tape says 2’6 ):

IMG_6671

Small line - mostly just because I want to show off how cute his little long and low cool out trot is:

IMG_6798

Cantering a single and a bit of canter work after:

IMG_6575

And just a little more of his cute trot:

IMG_6360

[nutmeg]

He’s a great looking prospect. I hope some proper riders chime in soon or I’ll have to give you my presumptuous thoughts from the groom’s perspective . Which are all good. He’s just the sort that looks like maximum fun to bring along.

[ThreeWishes]

Same. As the poster above. I’m certainly no trainer. Just remembering lessons I’ve taken on my own young horses developed with a trainer.
First. Love your horse. Second. There are so many grids you can set a horse up for success and learning depending on whatever training goal you’re addressing. Single comment I’ll make as an ammy who has NEVER developed my own young horse. Is … I tend to quietly stop my horse at a calm halt after a gymnastic. Before I moved onto cantering the turn.

[JenEM]

I really like gridwork for green ones, because it basically sets them up for success and shows them what they need to do. But that also can be tough on your own, because you really have to have someone to help adjust/build up as you work.

At home, a single fence with a placing pole on either side would probably be where I’d start. Low, straightforward, just setting the horse up for success and figuring it out on its own.

I’d also canter a LOT of poles. Like most rides canter a few poles because the horse can figure out the step and distance, and you can also get a feel of what that will feel like for that horse.

[punchy]

He looks super cute and fun.

Everybody is different, I don’t think there is a wrong way to go about things. One thing I’d watch out for is with grids, they can get rushy, and ottbs often get hot the more they jump. So, I might do a single jump repeatedly in a nice big circle and focus on keeping a nice even canter. (This will also help him keep the correct lead and associate the bend with the correct lead). I also like to do long lines for the same reason—a nice entrance, a quiet sit and count, a nice quiet exit.

I wouldn’t worry about flying changes right now. Let him get stronger —he’s going fast straight, he needs to be able to hold himself up slow and circle. So flat work slowing down that trot, circling, etc. to build strength and coordination. Good luck, what a fun project!

[mdp9]

He’s super cute!

There are lots of ways to approach this and don’t worry too much about messing him up.

Trot into some lil crossrails focusing on keeping him straight. Put a course together of a bunch of single (small) jumps and let him canter away, down transition to trot, and then trot he next one. Keeping him straight. Just keep swimming even if it gets messy. When that gets easy, trot into the line and canter on over the second one. Rinse and repeat.

Sprinkle in some trot poles, placement rails, gymnastic-y exercises, as you feel like it.

I have the young ones do the same things the “big” horses are doing, just smaller. The current 5yo OTTB I’m working on it hopping the liverpool, jumping skinnies, and doing the same courses my Prelim horse is doing, just much smaller!

At a low height, you can totally jump more than once a week. Or incorporate some poles into your flatwork.

Don’t even think about lead changes for now. Getting a good balance and doing a simple lead changes will lend better to working on flying lead changes later on.

Lastly, work with a trainer who can give you real-time help! Good luck!

[LCDR]

This will sound strange, but I swear my 6 yo TB mare learned by watching many other horses jumping. She moved into a stall that was about 20 feet away from the the jumping arena and spent her days looking out at other horses and people taking lessons. Prior to that move, she had not jumped in an environment other than alone.

[CBoylen]

@Mcl1

But, when he lands on the wrong lead he tends to get very rushy and will blow right past a simple change. This will then translate to him being “up” and anxious about jumping.

Halt until this goes away. Or turn the opposite direction. 99% of tbs have a good change, ignore the change until you have good corners.
As someone said, a lot of grids tend to make the tbs a bit rushy as they get bored. Mix it up.
You are on the right track in the occasional jump added to your flatwork as no big deal, but vary the timing, trot one, flat some more, trot one. I don’t canter singles or ins until they are quietly trotting in and cantering out of a whole course.

[Ponyplusaninch]

I adore lots of trot fences mixed in with pole work. So maybe you trot an x on one side, canter away, halt. Pick up trot again and then trot over 5 trot poles on the other long side. Things that keep them thinking about their feet (all horses need that) and then thinking about steady, consistent rhythm regardless of what gait they’re in. Heck there’s even a ton you can do at the walk with poles.

This is one of my favorite books: https://www.amazon.com/Polework-Pilates-Horses-exercises-training/dp/B0BVCTPP31

Last thing to remember is especially at this age, keep it short and keep it fun. I still struggle sometimes to know when to “stop” so I try to have a small, tangible goal in mind at the start of my ride after I’ve sensed where the horse is mentally that day (ie 2 smooth trot in/canter outs over an x-rail). Hit that goal, donezo. Treats and pats, long stretchy rein. If it’s accomplished in 15 minutes it’s accomplished in 15 minutes.

[skydy]

@CBoylen

Halt until this goes away.

@Ponyplusaninch

I adore lots of trot fences mixed in with pole work. So maybe you trot an x on one side, canter away, halt. Pick up trot again and then trot over 5 trot poles on the other long side

I agree with the above quotes (written by trainers who are much more experienced than I am.)

Trot in, canter out and halt after a few strides coming away. Praise, then walk or pick up the trot. Repeat. That should help with the rushing and keep him listening to you.
His changes will come with time and more work with poles and on the flat. I wouldn’t push the changes right now. It sounds like he’s already starting to worry about them and that can really become an issue.

[Bristol_Bay]

I have zero advice, just

[EventerAJ]

One of the best things you can teach a green OTTB when starting over fences is a straight line halt after the jump. Try to be smooth, not rough or ugly, but Get It Done the first time so you can be softer after each attempt. Use a neck strap-- I prefer a racing yoke, or martingale yoke strap-- to hold with your reins, so you will limit the amount of mouth pressure you can apply, and instead pull on the base of his neck (which many OTTBs respect quite well).

Start with a pole on the ground. Trot over it, and smoothly halt after. When the halt is quiet and prompt, canter over it and halt within 8 strides. Make it smoother. Then halt within 6 strides. Make it smoother. And so on, until you can halt quietly at 4 canter strides. When your horse is anticipating the halt, correctly ridden, as soon as he feels you sit up on landing he will lift his shoulder and shift his weight behind, expecting the downward transition. Then build your ground pole to a small crossrail, and repeat the exercise. It’s about the halt after, the jump should be boring. Teaching an OTTB to wait on landing is invaluable, especially when they can do downward transitions from your body (& neck strap) with minimal mouth pressure. Often with OTTBs I will “bit down” instead of bitting up. Try a mullen mouth, myler comfort snaffle or nathe if the horse is either too reactive to a 3-piece snaffle or hides/blows through it.

I would do pole work several times a week, but I still usually only jump my horses once a week. With a really unconfident horse I might jump more often (usually just 1 fence, once or twice), but most of what I want to accomplish on a green horse (balance, rhythm, straightness, rideability) can be achieved with poles.

[NaturallyHappy]

I did not see a placing pole to the cross rail in the gymnastic. If you aren’t using one, I would start so you get to the base of that cross rain for a predictable distance every time. A long, flat trot will produce a weak jump in…leading to quick through the gymnastic. I like your horse very much.

[HipNo34]

Just here to say “OH, he’s CUTE!”

Wishing you a great journey with him,

[Mcl1]

Thank you all so much for the advice and the kind words! It’s makes me so happy to hear that other people see his potential as well. He is not an easy horse but I am so grateful for that because I wouldn’t have had the chance to own him if he was. I was never planning on getting back into horses but I ended up buying a property that just happened to be set up for it, and my friend knew she could enable me with my soft spot for “quirky thoroughbreds” - he was actually getting legged up to go back to the track if I didn’t want him because he was…”unsellable”. He is SO much fun under saddle, he just needs very consistent work and a lot of mental simulation to thrive.

Also, on the ground he is an absolute menace 24/7. I have honestly never met a horse with a personality quite like his - he is what I would imagine a heavily caffeinated, 1,000 lb Belgian Malinois puppy would be like. He LOVES human interaction (good or bad - he doesn’t discriminate)…but hates being touched (you can imagine the challenge that those two personality traits combined create). He will pick up and throw or bite literally anything within his reach (including humans and his emotional support mustang), and he feels as though being asked to stand still for more than 2 seconds is abuse. Luckily I have a situation where his antics are very manageable but I could see why they would be challenging in a boarding barn type situation. He lives right in our backyard, out 24/7 in a 4 acre pasture with a 6 yr old mustang gelding and they play constantly and provide us with endless entertainment.

All the responses inspired me to go stock up on landscape timbers so that I can do more pole work. He definitely has the tendency to get rushy so I will be careful not to over do it on the grid work.

@EventerAJ - That is a great tip about the neck strap - I am going to order one tonight and I am looking forward to working on that exercise. It can definitely be a challenge to get downward transitions without being too heavy with my hands which he is very reactive to, so I think having alternate pressure will definitely help. I am open to trying other bits with him too, I have tried him in a D-ring w/copper rollers, a Mullen mouth pelham with a roller and this jointed happy mouth type Pelham (and a hackamore which was a hard no from him) and so far he is has been the softest and happiest in the happy mouth pelham, but I have been wanting to try a mullen mouth version of it.

Just for fun, here are some clips of him in his natural, chaotic element -

This is how he reports in for meals every day:

IMG_1773

No explanation for this :

IMG_1196

He has VERY strong feelings about rain:

IMG_5489

IMG_5490

Trying to casually slide back in behind his tiny little boss after going on an unauthorized solo adventure:

IMG_4860

[EventerAJ]

Even on horses who don’t use a neck strap, I often use a “neck rope” (typically baling twine or some thin cord). I like the loop big enough that I can hold it in a normal sitting position at all gaits, and it comes into play when I pull back about 2-3". It’s an obvious reminder to me when I’m using too much hands, and gives a clear signal to the horse to lift the base of the neck (and for gods sake slow down, if I have to pull hard!). Just riding with a neck rope like this has allowed me to teach several horses to go bridleless-- not something I really set out to do, but they are so responsive to the neck rope and my seat that the bridle becomes unnecessary. Those horses were often particular about their mouths, fussy in contact, and demanded you had soft elbows and LET GO.

This 15.2 Storm Cat grandson could be a little bit hot, but melted like butter when I trusted him enough to take the bridle off. He had been off the track for a little under a year in this video.

Hank bridleless jumping

[Mcl1]

@NaturallyHappy I will admit I stopped putting them out because if he knocked them out of place I would have to get off and readjust but that is a stupid excuse to not set him up for success. I am working on training my (not horsey until our mustang won him over) husband to be the jump crew .

[CuriosoJorge]

@Mcl1

he has never been schooled on flying changes prior to me either

If he worked at the track enough to run twice, he was taught how to change.

[Mcl1]

@CuriosoJorge Yes sorry, I should clarify that he was not schooled on changes post track life, I know he did them on the track.

[beowulf]

This is a nice horse. I think you’re going to have a ton of fun with him.

Starting a green horse over fences depends on the individual. I’ve had some I’ve introduced to jumping via lunging/in hand because I felt they could benefit from figuring it out without a rider, and some I’ve just gone and popped over a cross rail at the end of each ride because they were strong and confident enough to carry the weight. I generally try to get at least one or two XC sessions in hand, to get them confident. They get a treat after each effort. I think this shows them jumping can be a fun game, and I also think it shows them to look forward to the next fence.

Watching the video, I think this is a horse that would benefit tremendously from cantering poles. His canter is not very strong behind and in the grid, he gets anxious. I would canter him more, trot him less – and add trot + canter poles into your daily flat routine.

When starting all my OTTBs over fences in the ring, I make them canter over a ground pole and halt 3-4 strides after. Once they can do this reliably, I raise the height but the ask is the same: rhythm, balance, straightness.

My young horses get somewhat of a non-traditional start to jumping in that we have a large bridle path that has an alternate route with log piles - anywhere from 6 inches to 2’3". They are expected to walk or trot over these log piles any time I take them on a hack. They learn pretty quickly to be economical and nonplussed, which is my goal.

My ring has 5-6 walk poles at all times, and also a handful of single poles and cavalettis. Any time I’m schooling the flat, they’re going over poles. N=1 but I think this approach is why my horses have never struggled with the SJ phase; it actually tends to be our strongest phase even though I rarely ever have an SJ-focused lesson.

Regarding flying changes, he is not strong enough behind to do this yet in a ring, even if he was trained to do this on the track which he likely was. Work on building up the strength of his canter, work on the rhythm and the straightness, and the changes will come.