I’m at my wits end with my horse. He’s a show jumper and I’m pretty sure he’s never been taught to properly carry himself and I’ve been struggling for months to get him to be able too. He always rides around inverted with head high. At this point it feels like I’m stuck and I’m sure it’s also due to my lack of experience as a rider as well. I’m debating if I should look into a dressage trainer that can do training on him. I’ve never put a horse into training, so is this something that would be fixable with a trainer riding for a month? I don’t think my finances could do longer than that. Or is this a terrible idea? Would love some feedback
How long have you been riding for? What does “A show jumper” mean (height, level of competition?)?
I think you can fix this, but you’re going to need lessons with a dressage trainer. I also question the abilities of your jump trainer if they can’t help you here.
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I’ve been riding for about 3 years and before purchasing him he was showing at 2,6 at WEF. My trainer always tells me to ride him forward into the contact but I can’t get him to soften and carry himself correctly.
Some dressage lessons from a “Good” dressage trainer may be beneficial. Teaching you how to ride a horse back to front and teaching the horse to move from behind in a relaxed manner. Whether the horse could be “fixed” in a month would be anyone’s guess.
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Does your trainer get on and show you how to accomplish this with the horse?
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If this ^^ is the only direction and explanation your trainer gives you, sounds like you need a new trainer!
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How often do you ride each week? Assuming you’re jumping no more than twice a week, what do you work on in your other rides?
Do you have any video? Putting yourself out there isn’t for the faint of heart, but otherwise it would be hard to guess to what degree this is a horse issue vs. a you issue vs. a quality of instruction issue.
Heck I can’t believe no one has asked to confirm that he’s up to date on dental work with a correctly fitted saddle actually, there are so so many variables here.
To address your question, putting him into dressage training for a month probably won’t set you up to just go on your merry way without some adjustments to your riding. Dressage lessons are a good suggestion.
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Regardless of what you do with your trainer(s), I highly suggest picking up one of Jane Savois’ books! “Jane Savoie’s Dressage 101: The Ultimate Source of Dressage Basics in a Language You Can Understand” is designed to be cross-disciplinary and breaks down the jargon so you’re not sitting there wondering what combination of aids is really in a half halt, for example.
This second one is ostensibly about making jumping better but the focus is on exercises for thoroughness, connection, suppleness, and strengthening for self-carriage. It’s also in a vocabulary you and your horse might respond better to than picking up a straight dressage book.
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These are great books. Does your trainer have you do lateral work, shoulder in, shoulder fore, etc?
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I recommend asking your trainer to get on him and put him on the bit. If they can’t, then you know the problem isn’t you. I also suggest you lunge him in side reins before you get on. He needs to learn to relax and come over his back. You cannot/will not get his head out of the air with your hands. That’s not how it works. Riding him forward into the contact is terrific if you are an experienced rider and know how to take correct contact. If you’re just hanging on the reins, Mr. Horse is not going to cooperate, ever. I’m with the other person upthread who said we don’t have enough information. But you suggest that you are not the most experienced rider. Your trainer needs to get on the horse and evaluate him before trying to teach you the rudiments of putting him on the bit. You might do well to put him in training for a month and ride a school master type in the interim. You both will learn and the reunion will be smoother. Good luck.
ETA: dressage is HARD. It is for every rider and every horse. Please don’t give up if you are early in your journey. You will get there.
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It can be changed in a month by a good rider. Even then not for long probably as he is using completely different muscles.
What I an trying to say is something like this.
You jog a circle - easy.
Next time lift your knees to your shoulders. You can’t keep it up for long. You need time as well as the correct riding.
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You beat me to it 
OP:
3yrs is just the tip of your Riding Iceberg.
2’6" is Baby Jumpers, more like Hunter height.
What exactly is your trainer telling you to do to get horse “forward & into contact”.
Those words without suggested actions aren’t going to get you there.
30 days of Pro rides isn’t going to get you there.
FWIW:
I had a WB who was shown as a GP Jumper.
Both in Australia (where he was bred) & FL where he was sold/exported as a 7yo.
His canter depart was explosive - likely a remnant of his GP days.
If I held him, his GoTo was Up.
Not a full rear, but light in front.
At 17’3 this wasn’t acceptable.
My Dressage trainer got on once, experienced this resistance & told me she couldn’t ride him.
I appreciated this was a job-related safety issue for her.
BUT, we went on to correct the problem w/me riding, her on the ground.
The fix was to LET GO when I asked for canter.
At first it felt counterproductive
But I stuck with it & he got so soft it felt like I just “thought” canter.
So a good trainer can give you the tools without riding themselves.
Let me add, I’d been riding school horses for 10+yrs, then my own horses for the next 15 when I got this WB.
Showed Hunters, Dressage (schooled to 3rd) & low-level Eventing (schooled to Training).
With a competent trainer you may find this is the horse you want.
Or not.
No shame in moving him on.
If riding isn’t fun, why are we doing it?
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Has he had his back/saddle fit checked? Do you have a massage therapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist working on him? Even if you find a good dressage instructor, he may be struggling to carry himself because he’s in pain. Always rule out pain first.
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Don’t give up!! You can do this. Everything worth doing takes time.
Check saddle fit and try a bute/Robaxin trial to make sure its not pain.
Find a new trainer that can show you how to get his neck down. I get it, I ride a giraffe. I put him in training even though I know how to get him on contact, he needed more consistency than I could give him to get it consistent.
Could you take lessons with a dressage trainer for a few months?
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When the US was winning everything in show jumping, it was the era of Bert DeNemethy. DeNemethy was a Hungarian ex-cavalry who introduced dressage to the US jumping team…which had been very much in the fox hunting tradition.
If you want to jump, my suggestion is to get lessons from someone who is successful at eventing. Eventing dressage will not curl up your horse like the current fashion in competition dressage. Find an upper level eventer who is willing to teach you.
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No, this isn’t going to be fixable within a month, because it’s unclear what’s actually causing this.
He could be trying to avoid the bit because of bad teeth. He could be in pain from a badly-fitting saddle, or need adjusted by an equine chiropractor. (One of my horses did this when his hocks needed injected due to early-onset arthritis.) You’ll need to eliminate anything pain-related before you can start to look into training.
A good dressage trainer can start the work to bring him through and using himself, but you’ll need to take lessons from them as well so YOU know what they’re doing, and why, and how to accomplish it, and I’m afraid that takes more than a month. There could be something in your riding - hands or seat - that’s causing this as well. If your hands aren’t steady and he’s very light-mouthed, he could be trying to avoid contact.
If this was my horse, I would start with eliminating all pain-related things first. Then, I’d start lunging him in side reins so he learns to balance, and how to use his back and core, especially over cavaletti. Not a lot at first; a few minutes a day is more than enough to start retraining his muscles. You can’t run a marathon after a week of training. Then, I’d find a good dressage instructor who could give me lessons on this horse, while also riding him so he learns how to properly come through and use himself. But again, it’s really important that YOU be part of this, because you need to learn how to ride him forward and into contact as well - and it sounds like your current instructor has no idea how to teach you that.
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You’ve made nine posts this year about saddle fit. It can be really hard to get that piece figured out but it’s so critical. You’re a fairly green rider, navigating a newer horse, and trying to make sure your tack works.
Can you get some lessons on another horse to simplify the pieces you need to focus on?
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Please do not longe your horse in side reins if you have never done this before.
You need to know how to do it properly or you could have a disaster on your hands.
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Wow so many great responses thanks everyone!
Just to clarify some things, I finally have a correct fitting saddle which was my step one. I also have a Bodyworker that works on him as well. I know I’m a novice rider but I just want my boy to move and use his body correctly, I’ve been trying to do it myself but it hasn’t worked. I don’t jump often… maybe once a month if that. Majority of my rides are flatwork. I’ve lost my desire to jump since I can’t move him off my legs well and I want a proper foundation. I know more than likely it’s 95% rider issue. I’m definitely wanting a dressage trainer to teach him and also myself how to correctly ride. I just feel defeated and like a failure. but I know it’s my lack of experience but still hard to not be negative on myself.
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You’re ticking boxes and looking for suitable help. That’s more than some people EVER do to fix a problem!
2’6" is baby stuff, speed bumps really. It sounds like this horse is green and you are too - it’s no wonder you’ve hit a rough patch! Even if he’s not green (did he ever do anything higher or more advanced?), you’re still green to each other.
I highly suggest GOOD dressage lessons for you. The suggestion to seek out an eventer is a good one - even an eventing coach that isn’t specifically the Dressage coach should be able to help you. I wouldn’t put him in full training if you can only do 30 days - I’d take that money and do lessons instead.
I’ll also suggest something I haven’t personally used yet but have heard RAVE reviews for working on basics and with green horses - the RideIQ app. It’s $30/month or so, less than one lesson, and has all kinds of good stuff. While you look for a coach and read some books, maybe using RideIQ will help as well.
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