help with young horse & jumping

[emily_22]

Hi, I own a QH gelding he is 6 yrs old, , and after a bad experiance with the jumps will not jump any more

We were doing a practice jump for a jumping test, (only a little one) but he would not go over it! I made him go over it after the 5th try, he steped halfway over then decided to go back he pulled the jump down then spooked at the fallen jump & ran backwards pulling a couple of rails with him then he fully shied and took off.

He is a real pussy of a horse he shies at everything and anthing, he is definatly not a couragous horse, because I also own a welsh mt pony & you can tell when he gets scared because the white shows in his eyes but he keeps going! he braves it out, although it might just be wisdom of years.

he has alot of potencial in being a good alrounder. but I want to do some smallish jumps (no taller that 1m) but I cannot get him to go over one any taller then a foot. i need surgetions on how to get him to go over a larger jump.

I also want help on how to make him more brave.

 

[TB lady]

Hi, I heard that a B-complex vitamin calms a horse down quite a bit.That may be just what you need, if he is calmer then he is able to think more clearly and mabey then he would be more open to try and jump again.You might also got back to the very start, like almost retraining him to jump, start with trotting poles and work your way up, that might build his confidance.
Hope this helps and good luck

Jenn

 

[milkmaid]

Basic.

You want him jumping "smallish jumps" - about "1 meter"??? That's a 3 foot jump. That is NOT small. Especially not for a "green" horse. Depending on your QH's build, he may not even be able to do that. You can't get him to go over even "1 foot"? - that's 12 inches. Pretty good size for a horse with little to no experience when you start pointing him at a strangely-painted fence.

Start with trot poles on the ground. Literally, poles on the ground. Maybe four, spaced every 3-4 feet or whatever the spacing is. Can't remember off hand. You work on that for a couple weeks. Then you start gradually moving the poles up, and you keep him at a crossrail (an "x") for a few more weeks - or more, depending on how he's doing in confidence. A horse like this, you may be jumping 18" - no more! - for a year.

Basically, you're over-facing this horse. That means you are asking him to jump much more than he knows how to do and is comfortable doing. There's a lot more to jumping for the horse - and rider! - than just "point-and-shoot". Especially on a green horse, with (no offense intended) a "green" rider too.

 

[Alan]

TB Lady and Milkmaid nailed it already, but I'll restate it again for you. Your horse needs confidence and his trust in you that your not going to get him hurt. I would start all over with ground work steping over a pole on the ground with no stands around at a walk and build him slowly to a trot and then a lope. Then bring in stands and do it again at a walk with the pole on the ground. When he is comfortable, move the pole a couple of inches off the ground. (2 inches not 6,8 or 12). Again start at a walk and work to a lope. Do all this either leading him or lunging him, not on his back. Your building his confidence and trust in you. Take your time and have patience.

Good luck,
Alan

 

[TB lady]

Hey milkmaid and Alan it sounds as though great minds think a like eh.


Jenn