Moving up

[Spud_amp_Saf]

In order to prepare, I would suggest you up the difficulty of the track you are jumping around - not just the height. Learn to adjust for half strides, how to add, how to leave one out, jumping a straight fence on an angle, inside turns, etc. Start working on these elements now over smaller courses so you are not totally overwhelmed when the jumps go up. The quickest way to ruin a scopey and game horse’s confidence is to lie to him too many times.

If you can, try to watch the good horses and riders get around at 1.15m at the shows and get a feel for the types of tracks. Would also be useful to walk a course with someone who is riding.

I see a reference to your coach being 85 - I am not sure how active your coach has been on the circuit in recent years, but jumpers, like hunters, have also changed since the good old days. Courses are a lot more technical now than in the days of the past, and really require excellent rideability to be successful.

[grandprixer1]

[QUOTE=Spud&Saf;8320201]
In order to prepare, I would suggest you up the difficulty of the track you are jumping around - not just the height. Learn to adjust for half strides, how to add, how to leave one out, jumping a straight fence on an angle, inside turns, etc. Start working on these elements now over smaller courses so you are not totally overwhelmed when the jumps go up. The quickest way to ruin a scopey and game horse’s confidence is to lie to him too many times.

If you can, try to watch the good horses and riders get around at 1.15m at the shows and get a feel for the types of tracks. Would also be useful to walk a course with someone who is riding.

I see a reference to your coach being 85 - I am not sure how active your coach has been on the circuit in recent years, but jumpers, like hunters, have also changed since the good old days. Courses are a lot more technical now than in the days of the past, and really require excellent rideability to be successful.[/QUOTE]

inside turns, collecting, and extending between jumps is what we are working on now. He is already quite proficient at slanting fences, due to my sometimes lacking left leg:D We are also working on consistent distances off of strange turns or adding or leaving out.

Yah, my trainer’s old, but she knows a good bit about modern day jumpers. She also designs the courses for the schooling shows around here. And watching anyone better then me ride is already a hobby, that is how I learned how to do automatic releases (correct ones)

[mfglickman]

[QUOTE=fishjumper;8320267]
inside turns, collecting, and extending between jumps is what we are working on now. He is already quite proficient at slanting fences, due to my sometimes lacking left leg:D We are also working on consistent distances off of strange turns or adding or leaving out.

Yah, my trainer’s old, but she knows a good bit about modern day jumpers. She also designs the courses for the schooling shows around here. And watching anyone better then me ride is already a hobby, that is how I learned how to do automatic releases (correct ones)[/QUOTE]

So does your trainer mostly train hunters and want your horse to be one? (Paraphrase your OP here: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?475515-Keeping-calm) or does she know a good bit about modern jumpers? My head is, literally, spinning trying to figure out how to respond given all the conflicting information.

[grandprixer1]

[QUOTE=mfglickman;8321891]
So does your trainer mostly train hunters and want your horse to be one? (Paraphrase your OP here: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?475515-Keeping-calm) or does she know a good bit about modern jumpers? My head is, literally, spinning trying to figure out how to respond given all the conflicting information. :([/QUOTE]

She does mostly train hunters, but she does not want him to be one. It was a hyperbole because she wanted him to go slow, do wide turns, and be very huntery. I asked her about it and she said she wanted that to teach him to chill a little and to focus on good changes and distances, so she does not actually want him to be a hunter. She does know a lot about modern jumpers.

[findeight]

Know you don’t want to wait but why not just finish the year out where you are with a few more schooling shows, maybe try to haul him to one that’s not in your home barn, see what you have.

He’s only been to the one in barn schooling show plus the one before you bought him last spring and did not do well there. Then, IIRC, you moved from the PNW to Ark. He’s had an eventful year and is still quite young and green. Slow down.

Also sounds like you need to hit the flatwork more then jumping if turns and adjustability are in question enough the trainer wants to use calming paste to insure he gets around well.

Based on where you are with him after you upcoming schooling shows, you can formulate a plan of what direction to go after you recover from your brain/spinal surgery scheduled for January (?).

Dont get ahead of yourself, he can’t keep up with you unless he has the foundation installed over a good long time.

[enjoytheride]

[QUOTE=fishjumper;8322210]
She does mostly train hunters, but she does not want him to be one. It was a hyperbole because she wanted him to go slow, do wide turns, and be very huntery. I asked her about it and she said she wanted that to teach him to chill a little and to focus on good changes and distances, so she does not actually want him to be a hunter. She does know a lot about modern jumpers.[/QUOTE]

Does she want him to be huntery or does she want him to not tear around mostly out of control while people ringside gasp in horror? Is your trainer setting a foundation for years to come on a young horse and trying to be delicate with you?