What exercises do you use to improve your horse's jumping form? Pics..

Just Jump It · 04-20-2008, 11:07 AM

My OTTB has some form faults. Loose knees, flat, dosen't use her back and neck. I've been working her over bounces and grids, what do you guys recommmend?

highlandstep · 04-20-2008, 11:32 AM

Well i reccomend using this oxer thing my trainer uses. its like to crosspoles put together in an oxer and you keep making it wider beacuse its not tall but making it wider forces your horse to jump wider and put her back into it

Reitpferde · 04-20-2008, 05:08 PM

I just posted a thread regarding gymnastics. That is a great way to help your horse improve. With a gymnastics line, your horse if forced to use his back, hinds, etc. I have an OTTB as well and did that today.

tbtrainer · 04-20-2008, 06:19 PM

I would put a ground pole out about 7 ft before the jump...it should put her to the base of the jump, and she will really have to use herself.

Also, when setting up gymnastics, use bounces to a one stride, back to a bounce...

How's her flatwork? That really is the base for jumping properly...she needs to learn how to use her hind end properly and be round and supple.

royalrox · 04-20-2008, 07:23 PM

gymnastics with an oxer or two thrown in, making sure the back rail is a good two holes higher. Setting ground poles for the jumps further out (only by no more than a foot) as well as adding take off and landing poles

JBandRio · 04-20-2008, 07:29 PM

To increase the bascule - shorten the distances in your grids to force her to rock back and jump over. Also, use ramped oxers - more steep than normal. This will somewhat help the forearms as well, since the horse has to really lift the front end/shoulders to get out of the way of the jump.

For the knees, often jumping tall skinny xrails helps. The high sides forces the knees higher to clear it. But, if the horse just decides to jump higher instead of neater, it isn't going to be effective.

Verticals are about the worst thing for these horses to be jumping, as they don't encourage much in the way of a prettier form.

Just Jump It · 04-21-2008, 06:41 AM

Thanks evreyone for your great suggestions.

TB trainer: her flatwork is average. her trot is super, her canter is okay. We need more work on that.

04-20-2008, 11:07 AM	#1
Just Jump It Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MI Posts: 450 Images: 45	What exercises do you use to improve your horse's jumping form? Pics.. My OTTB has some form faults. Loose knees, flat, dosen't use her back and neck. I've been working her over bounces and grids, what do you guys recommmend?

04-20-2008, 05:08 PM	#3
Reitpferde Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central New Jersey Posts: 838 Images: 16	I just posted a thread regarding gymnastics. That is a great way to help your horse improve. With a gymnastics line, your horse if forced to use his back, hinds, etc. I have an OTTB as well and did that today. __________________ I have been Snowballed 2x

04-20-2008, 06:19 PM	#4
tbtrainer Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 6,375 Images: 354	I would put a ground pole out about 7 ft before the jump...it should put her to the base of the jump, and she will really have to use herself. Also, when setting up gymnastics, use bounces to a one stride, back to a bounce... How's her flatwork? That really is the base for jumping properly...she needs to learn how to use her hind end properly and be round and supple. __________________ Guess What??? SPLAT! you have just been snowballed! "I've been Goosed!" *In my experience, the best way to slow down a runaway horse is to bet on it...*

04-20-2008, 07:23 PM	#5
royalrox Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Springs, PA Posts: 3,388 Images: 286	gymnastics with an oxer or two thrown in, making sure the back rail is a good two holes higher. Setting ground poles for the jumps further out (only by no more than a foot) as well as adding take off and landing poles __________________ You don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows The present now will later be past, And the first one now will later be last -Bob Dylan Proud member of the thoroughbred club!

04-20-2008, 07:29 PM	#6
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,447 Images: 143 Blog Entries: 12	To increase the bascule - shorten the distances in your grids to force her to rock back and jump over. Also, use ramped oxers - more steep than normal. This will somewhat help the forearms as well, since the horse has to really lift the front end/shoulders to get out of the way of the jump. For the knees, often jumping tall skinny xrails helps. The high sides forces the knees higher to clear it. But, if the horse just decides to jump higher instead of neater, it isn't going to be effective. Verticals are about the worst thing for these horses to be jumping, as they don't encourage much in the way of a prettier form. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

04-20-2008, 11:32 AM	#2
highlandstep Full Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sherwood Park AB Posts: 99 Images: 2	Well i reccomend using this oxer thing my trainer uses. its like to crosspoles put together in an oxer and you keep making it wider beacuse its not tall but making it wider forces your horse to jump wider and put her back into it

04-21-2008, 06:41 AM	#7
Just Jump It Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MI Posts: 450 Images: 45	Thanks evreyone for your great suggestions. TB trainer: her flatwork is average. her trot is super, her canter is okay. We need more work on that.

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