Getting horse to stretch through neck over jumps

[TrytobePC]

I have a question to ask about what exercises you use to get a horse to stretch out over a jump with their head and neck.

I have a serious pistol of a jumper, but he is very cautiously careful… jumping 3’ over 2"3" jumps. However, i there is something more scary he wil curl his head and neck, almost like he wants to watch the jump as he jumps it

For example, looks more like this http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Olympics+Day+4+Equestrian+oH7vIY1Rteel.jpg (Obviously NOT us!)

Or this http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/040/5/a/5acea989bae7b0c98c3bc42b922e9063-d4p693f.jpg

I’m pretty good with my hands and arms, and this horse is jumped in a rubber snaffle, but never “takes” my hand. He is also spring loaded so I am trying very hard to not get a head at ALL otherwise I’d be much more independent with my arms and really push the reins at him, which might end up being what I need to do…

I was just curious if you had any good exerices for me OR the horse that would help learning to jump big, yet over a jump instead of just out.

Horses current ability level is around Level 0’s (2’9")

thanks!

[EdgeBrook]

we’re working on this with one of our young belgian WBs. we spend time in the stretchiest trot imaginable (head on the ground moving from his hind end stretching through his neck & back) and work over small fences in a figure-8. asking him to stretch out/down over the fence. we’ll move to a canter once he starts to learn to reach down at the trot over the jump. then the jump will get bigger. wash.rinse.repeat.

[SquishTheBunny]

I know a flat exercise that may help. At the end of your ride get your horse well into your hands. Circle, and push the horse into a forward relaxed trot.

Slowly let out your reins, with the idea of allowing your horse to follow the contact. Don’t let a loop in the rein happen, so be patient as it may take a while. Once you practice this for a few days, your horse will start to understand that when you loosen up slowly on the reins, they are to stretch down into the contact…not to back away from it. You can also do this exercise at the canter once your horse understands it.

Then, on the circle, trot poles like this. Then add in verticles, oxers etc without giving away the contact (just softening it, and allowing your horse to follow it).

Its not going to change your horses natural way of jumping, but the idea is to accept the light contact and stretch into it, instead of backing away from the bit when you drop the reins.

[eastendjumper]

Hillwork may help produce longer muscling that woud carry over to the jumping, too, but my vote would be that as long as all the basics are in place, and the horse is happy and rideable, I wouldn’t worry very much about his jumping style if he’s more comfortable going that way. (Perhaps too, another rider in his early training hit him in the mouth, especially if he jumps that big, too, and it may take time for him to trust being able to stretch a bit over the jump).

How is he flatting? Does he evade the bit at all, or does he accept contact well?

[RugBug]

Low, wide oxers and stretchy work that as already been mentioned