[GotaDunQH]

It could be a pain issue as Coaco said, OR he could just be chumping you really bad. He needs to learn or RE-LEARN how to rate himself between jumps and that needs to happen by going back to basics on flatwork; especially if he's getting dangerous as you said. It's time to nix the jumps and work on rating, stride length, collection between jumps, and listening to you when you ask him to do all those things mentioned just mentioned. Like I said, if he's not listening to your relax, collect, and rate cues in between jumps...then you need to instill this on the flat first.

How often do you do just simply flatwork? Do you jump each work session? Did this change come on all of a sudden or did it progress over time?

Jennifer

[Fire]

My horse rushes pretty bad when I start to jump him. It worked like a charm to haul him to a stop after every jump. Then he realized he can't just fly over them blindly. It does take a lot of force to go from a flying canter over a jump to a complete stop so you'll have to pull him pretty good but probably only once or twice before he gets it. Jump, stop, hesitate for a second, then take off again.

I also agree on just running him. Works with my horse every time he gets fast, I push him hard and fast and ride him far harder and faster than he intended to go. He gets the point pretty quick.

[dacowgirl]

I would go back to the basics. Loose the jumps. Do some arena work. Slow her by bending her off. Right. Left. Right. Left. Apply inside leg pressure. Work on circles.

Don't jump when he is taking off because 1) It teaches your horse that pulling out from you is okay. 2)It's unsafe.

Don't go back to the jumps until you're able to work him in the arena at the canter with no issues.

[farmeress]

I too agree with those who say back to the basics...for you and the horse.

Truly...without a video...one can not see if it is the horse...or a rider caused problem...which it could be either...or.....

[JumpingDreams]

I ride a horse like that. She loves to rush jumps at times. Sometimes it's me, sometimes it's her. Usually half-halts work for us if she is starting to rush toward a jump at a trot. At the canter, I'm usually the problem. But I was told, if she keeps rushing the jumps, make her stop before the jump so she doesn't think she can just get away with rushing them all the time. If I am to halt her in front of a jump, I got to do it before we are a stride away other wise I'm more than likely to be left behind. But that might not work for all horses.

[dacowgirl]

Originally Posted by farmeress

Truly...without a video...one can not see if it is the horse...or a rider caused problem...which it could be either...or.....

Exactly. It's hard to say from what the OP said, therefore I still encourage going back to the basics!

Good luck!

[dacowgirl]

Originally Posted by GotaDunQH

It could be a pain issue as Coaco said,

Jennifer

Okay I'm confused.... sorry to be ignorant but how does it resemble a pain problem?

Are you saying he may be in pain therfore unable to be comfortably collected; and so he just takes off?

Sorry, just trying to understand.

[TotallyMoi]

I appreciate all the input!! my coach will be riding tomorrow, hopefully finding out if its me or him. i have a feeling its just him with loads of energy as he is wonderful at every other gait (and even for my partboarder) i think he just takes advantage. but im super glad to hear many possibilities. im deffinatly going to try stopping before/after jumps when he rushes. and tons of circles...

[Coaco]

The pain issues are wounderfuly compelex at times and from the sound of the first post, Horses who have pain with work will ither quit working, run from it or have other behaivor problems.

Some times if a horse assosiates pain with a certin task (ie. jumping) or discomefort with a rider, it will rush to get it over with. and every horse is different in how they react to discomefort, pain and confusion. heck his jaw could be stiff or he needs his teath floated for all I know (this could also cause the refusal to give to the bit)

as has already been said with out video we are all just guessing here AND I will always give the horse the benifit of dout about pain As im a body worker and have a lot of training in the area. with sudden changes in behavior 80% OF THE TIME there will be some form of pain. even just a shift in saddle fit form unfit horse to fit horse could be the problem.

[sanity]

Like everyone said, I'd recomend back to basics, and the stoping before and/or after.

Sometimes exagerating your half halt can be more effective than constantly pulling (not saying you are, just an example) they get accustomed to it and lean right back at ya, but if you firmly half-halt (almost like you intend to trot) and give and repeat each stride if you have to. I find the key here is to give -before- they have much chance to resist you and you can be more subtle as needed.

The other thing I've found to work was setting up a grid of 4-6 bounce and one stride jumps, set on a short distance. I used to have a TB (non-raced) who would at the beginning of the season rush into (as in, you couldn't turn him away from) and out of jumps, and this worked a Treat. First time through he would rush in, I'd ask him politely to slow down (which he'd ignore) only to discover he didn't have enough room, could get a little sticky there but he quickly realised to get through comfortably he had to slow down when asked and shorten his stride and it never took more than a couple of tries to get the message across. He would be much more polite in general after that, and I never rode him cross country in anything other than a full cheek french link. I do advise caution though, begin small enough that he Can get himself out of a tricky situation (being too close on take off mostly in this case)

Trying to run it out of that TB did not work at all. He spent three quarters of an hour galloping around a 12 acre field and was still quiet happy to continue doing so... I stuck to grids after that.