Hi, I have a Kiger mustang (large pony) and have recently begun jumping a little higher with him. Now all of a sudden he has been seeing a distance either short or long and changing his lead only in the front and jumping off of it hence calling it “popping”. He only does this during lines too, not on a single jump which is weird. I’ve had his saddle fit checked and a chiropractor out and he’s all good, also had his hocks and stifles injected last July. Has had no soundness issues, so I’m wondering if its anxiety? When he lands he is not cross cantering either.
Why did you inject his hocks? If it was because of unsoundness, he’s approaching a year since he was injected and may need more.
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I injected his hocks and stifles because we were having problems with clean lead changes last year (to the right, he liked to skip in the back) and because he had never had them done, and works 6 day a week with me , my vet said it couldn’t hurt.
So, did it help? If so, he was experiencing lameness. And might need another round 
Whether that’ll help the swapping in front is TBD - what does the vet say?
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After he seemed the same unfortunely, His changes still aren’t clean all the time to the right but I could live with a skip. When my vet comes to the barn I’ll have him take a look this week.
Honestly I wouldn’t go around injecting any joint without radiographs showing clear arthritic changes. What is the actusl diagnosis? I don’t see IA injections in the " can’t hurt" category and I don’t see them as prophylactic for overwork either.
Six days a week of varied but correct work including trails will not make a horse lame. On the other hand jumping multiple days in a row is too much for most horses.
I’m curious as to what hes actually doing. Do you have trainer with eyes in the ground? What do they say Or video?
It sounds to me like you are describing a horse coming into a jump on the forehand and kind of patting the ground before he jumps, not a real lead change. I would see this as a training and riding issue.
Also how high are we talking about? Cross rails moving up to 2 foot? Or have you gone over 3 feet? Different issues here.
When you say he doesn’t hesitate over jumps does that mean your jumps are not related distances, and your line gymnastic is his only related distance? In that case I would work on stride length which could be an issue with a mustang trying to match tb stride lines.
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Swapping off the lead in the final stride before a jump with a not-ideal distance often indicates general weakness or something achy, in my experience. Lots of the greenbeans will swap to their stronger lead when they’re learning how to jump from tougher distances. Hocks and stifles have also been culprits for me with swapping.
Is he more likely to do this on diagonal jumps where he’s jumping into a corner and will be changing leads?
IME, when they do what you describe they are having balance issues. Sometimes they grow out of it. Sometimes they need more ground work. Sometimes their feet aren’t properly balanced. Sometimes it just works for them. I used to ride a horse with a club foot who was perfectly happy doing it; he was an awesome jumper.
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Video might help. Does he do it with other people riding him as well?
It’s amazing how ingrained leaning can become without realizing it!
What is his history? How old is he? What has he done before you added h height? What does your instructor say?
How much flatwork do you do with him?
A whole lot of things to consider.
I agree with Sribbler about injections, especially since there was no change. That could mean you took the risk of messing with a joint unnecessarily.
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what happens when you get him to the jump at the correct distance and not short or long? Horses fortunately have self-preservation skills and swapping to save themselves from a scary long or an uncomfortably deep chip isn’t that uncommon.
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Many horses will do this the stride before takeoff to compensate for a distance that is consistently a bit too long. Try using placing poles before and after that will get him to the base consistently. Many horses and ponies are just not comfortable with the slightly gappy distance in vogue now for hunters.
Get to the root before it becomes too much of a habit because it is heavily penalized.
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Most of them swap to the stronger side off a too long and weak distance. If he doesn’t swap off front of single fences only out of lines? He’s probably on the forehand and way behind the leg , rushing at the jump and getting a way too long distance with no power behind. That is rider influenced, you need to ride between the jumps in a line as you do to a single, horse ahead of your leg on on light contact. It’s tempting to throw them away and chase them down the lines. Nothing personal, bet everybody on here has experienced trainer yelling at them for doing that.
BTW, this can happen even over cross rails or ground poles if horse gets there on a half stride, behind the leg with no rider support.
I am not discounting the soundness observations and vet advice above but that’s been covered so nothing to add.
Pardon my ignorance but what is a Kiger mustang? Do they typically do well at jumping? Some horses just aren’t built for it and have a naturally short stride forcing them to rush to get a related distance without adding. Can’t lift the forehand and power off behind, which can show up even over very low fences and definately limit scope for anything above 2’6” and a 10-11’ based related line. What are your lines set at? It is appropriate for Ponies to add a stride, two for Smalls, in lines set for horses.
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@findeight asked all the questions I had. Usually a swap-off is the result of shifting to the stronger side to push offf for a longer distance or giving itself more room on a chip. Sometimes it is in anticipation of a change of lead required on a diagonal jump. My champion low a/o mare anticipates the change a bit, so I always have to keep my eye well outside the ring for any diagonal jump.
OP, you say your horse only does this move jumping out of a line. Outside (longwall) or diagonal lines? Are you getting the prescribed steps in those lines? Does your horse have to work hard to get the step?
I also agree with those who ask about soundness.
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The Kigers I have seen are typically smaller sturdy horses with higher head sets that most closely resemble an Iberian cross. They come out of a closed mustang pool in Oregon I think. And tend to have a lot of dun factor and leg stripes. That Disney mustang was based on a Kiger.
Really nice all around horses. But not my first choice for a hunter jumper. I’m sure with heart they could do just fine up to 3 feet, as can Iberians. But like Iberians I’d expect them to excell in dressage, western cow handling, and other things that prioritize dexterity and collection.
You might need to work to get an easy ground covering canter.
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I do think it is that I am letting him get to flat and therefore be on the forehand, because what you are describing is correct in my opinion and on cross rails and 2 foot he’s perfect its now moving up to 2’6 to 3 foot I’m getting in the way and not helping him out. Currently, I ride by myself and usually don’t have an eye which makes it hard. And I only jump about once a week if so and rarely a full course of jumps usually it is like a set of 4 because I have a busy schedule. I’m going to see if I can attach a video or two.
first video : https://1drv.ms/v/s!AkX1OXEuxc3jiNxjxcuTfm-KSr4zzQ ( this is a good jump)
Second: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AkX1OXEuxc3jiNxkGDTaGm5_boMHmw ( this is the messy lines with some pops)
Nope diagonal jumps tend to be a whole lot better
Currently no one rides him except me
Does he favor the right? In the video where he didn’t swap he was on the right lead. In the video with the swaps he changed from left to right both times.
This is probably an indicator that he feels stronger and more balanced on the right lead and would rather jump from it when he has a lot to think about (like a line rather than just a single jump).
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Actually, this is the funny thing, on the flat he prefers left, naturally balanced on this lead, when I first started riding him it was a struggle for me to get his right lead but yes when he jumps he seems to prefer right. He gets cleaner changes from right to left , sloppier from left to right.
