# Picking up feet over jumps



## madginger (21 January 2008)

Other than lots of gridwork does any one have any ideas to get my horse to pick her feet up over jumps?

We had a session yesterday jumping about 3 ft but on nearly every single jump she was knocking the poles with her front feet, not enough to have them down but she just wasn't clearing them well, we even lowered the jumps and she seemed to know and still did the same - is this just a lack of respect for them or do I need to get the poles out?


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## Nats_uk (21 January 2008)

I will be interested to see what other peoples suggestions are as I am having the same problem with my horse. 

The suggestions I have had are lots of grid work - especially bounces and also try putting diagonal poles on top of oxers.


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## Safina (21 January 2008)

Are you unbalancing her on take off? Try to keep a light seat on the approach then just release her head and neck with your hands rather than throwing your weight forward. Stay soft throughout the bascule then land gently and don't sit up too sharply.

Apols if that is what you are doing already!


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## kick_On (21 January 2008)

get poles out and takes of brushing boots............. plus i would go xc training aswell


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## JessDoesItBetter (21 January 2008)

in my experience you can sometimes teach a horse to be more careful in front, but if they're careless behind they tend to stay that way. There are lots of excersises you can use to encorage your horse to be more carefull, and they may work. I would advise you to get a good trainer that really knows their stuff and they will be able to look at the way your horse jumps fences and try out different excersises. Perhaps afterwards ask their honest oppinion on whether your horse will ever be carefull over poles.
I once had a horse given to me to produce and sell.  Once i started jumping her i noticed that she wasn't very careful, so i took her to my trainer (caroline moore) and after a few lessons where we tried every excersise under the sun caroline told me that my mare would never make a showjumper as she didn't have a good techneque and in her case it couldn't be improved on.  It cirtainly wasn't what i wanted to hear but i appreciated her honesty and it allowed me to decide what to do with the horse.


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## madginger (21 January 2008)

I have tried without boots and I'm too scared to go x-country!! She does try and rush the fences as she is really keen so I think that pole work would help her to slow down as well.

We could be a bit unbalanced because of the rushing - I try and turn her in front of the jump to try to remain in control, but everytime we point in the direction of a jump she speeds up!


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## madginger (21 January 2008)

I am also looking at having a few lessons in a couple of weeks time so this should help, but I just really want to know what I can do at home when I am on my own


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## Safina (21 January 2008)

That may be it - my horse was a serial knocker and I just assumed it was his fault and his way of jumping. Was not until I put in some serious SJ work that is became apparent that he can jump fine, its my balance/weight aids shifting so much that cause him to unbalance and knock things.

Its because he used to rush and flaten at everything I used to feel safer getting my bum in and out the saddle so quickly. Now he is softer, rounder and controllable we are working on my position - if I am soft and balanced we clear everything just fine.....if I move my weight too much/too quickly bam, everything comes down!


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## Safina (21 January 2008)

Try jumping 2 X poles on the highest hole they'll go on a 20m circle. The sharp angled X poles will encourage her to lift her front legs and jump roundly and the circle will help you establish rhythm and straightness. She'll also get bored after a while and stop rushing!


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## madginger (21 January 2008)

Sounds familiar! It will be interesting to see what happens once we have a few lessons!

So any ideas how to slow things down a bit and remain in control!?


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## kick_On (21 January 2008)

errrrrrrrrrrrr..

sounds that you have more than one issue going on here... I would suggest that you go and do lots and lots of pole work. lots of transitions (so you have control) work on getting balenced canter and then lessons without stirrups to improve your seat  - so not much, but you will get there........

The issue with rushing is probably more that one things, one pony is keen, you getting nervous and tranferring that through your seat, then shoulder roll froward so ponys knocks out front poles.

So when you get it wrong, it knocks your confidence and will get worst, I would go get regular lessons and set your goal with your instructor and it will improve


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## madginger (21 January 2008)

Thanks - I think that this is the motivation I need to get those lessons sorted out before things get worse!


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## lastresort (21 January 2008)

V poles into an upright or a pole balanced on a oxer meaning a pole diagonally lying over the 2 poles if you know what I mean.

I have never found grids to help pick up feet really but these things will

these both work for me


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## Safina (21 January 2008)

not a fabulous method but someone I know lays a coat or jumper over the jump....sure gets them picking their toes up but I'm not comfy with this approach.


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## ecrozier (21 January 2008)

I was jumping the other day having had a lesson previously with a different instructor than the two I normally use (one myself, one through RC) She was trying to get me to push my horse on into a more 'forward' canter, so I was practising what she told me to do over a fairly big fence for us, we had an upright at about 70cm leading us into and oxer at about 1.05.  He KEPT knocking out the front pole on the spread with his front feet.  A friend of mine was watching and said he was going a bit flat coming into the first element so I went back to how I was previous to that last lesson, and he cleared it straight away, so if your horse is coming in too fast I'd say that could wall be what is causing her to touch the poles.  Grids etc should help her slow down and you might find she gets more careful.  Also are they plastic or wooden poles?  My lad is much more careful over wooden as he knows they hurt more if hie hits them!!


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## kick_On (21 January 2008)

polework helps rider improve seat eps with fast or rushing pony and also does build a trust connect between rider and pony and half the issue here is rider confidence (which can be fixed). And if you build rider confidence the world will open up............


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## madginger (21 January 2008)

They are wooden poles, in the past if she knocks one down or touches one she is more careful the next time and clears them well but for some reason yesterday she just didn't seem to bother, she was a bit nappy as well which didn't help so maybe it was a one off. 

It will be interesting to see what she is like this week. If she is still the same then I will try some gridwork or v poles to try and get her to slow down a bit and maybe stop me from being left behind!!


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## MagicMelon (21 January 2008)

Is she young? If so, could be a simple case of letting her figure it out on her own. My welsh cob has only recently begun jumping clear consistenly as a 6yo! 

If she isnt young, what about either raising them in height (maybe she really is just now respecting them) or making them really spooky.


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## KatB (21 January 2008)

Grids with short distances and /\ Poles to get them lifting their shoulders up and using their front end works very well.


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## ann-jen (22 January 2008)

My last lesson my instructor had me jumping through a line of HUGE crosspoles with a spread of crosspoles in the middle. It gives the jumps the illusion of being a lot bigger than they actually are, but also because the sides of the crosses are so steep they really have to pick up in front to clear it. With the ends of the poles on the top of the stands the middle of the jump was probably only about 85cm but according to my instructor Jenny was jumping at least 1.10m over it! It doesn't half make you sit up and think about your position too which was more why we were working on it but my instructor mentioned at the time that it was useful for horses that sometimes trail a front leg. 
Hope its of some help.


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## Jade2007 (23 January 2008)

A trick my instructor taught me is to have two poles over the jump in a v - a bit like poles to stop your pony from running out but they meet each other. Have the point sticking out and try your best to jump the middle (highest part).
Not sure if that's any help


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