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Horse Jump Trauma?

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jumps trauma
2K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  Galloping Bay 
#1 ·
Hay yall, bad news :( I was riding my 13 y/o gelding CJ and right as we got to the crossrails he darted and I wasn't ready. When I got back on, i got him trotting towards the jump, and I relieved pressure too early and he slowed to a walk and tried to step over it. However, these jumps are hollow PVC pipe, and too light to be jumps, because he bumped it with his right front knocking it into his left front, scaring him. I stayed on, but now he's really unsure about the poles.

When the incident first happened, he wouldn't even go over cavalettis, but I spent about an hour with him working on it on the ground and in the saddle, and I can trot over cavalettis in the saddle now, but I'm not sure what a jump will do.

CJ is a great horse and I don't want to see him never jump again because of my lack of ability.
 
#4 ·
No excuses allowed, ride him forward with strong paces and do not stop the pressure.m

I have had horses knock poles, get them caught between their legs, fall over fences and they learn from their (and my) mistakes.

I was riding a horse on a course with a renowned tough UK trainer.mthis horse was basically lazy and very blasé about jumping. We were working on a grid exercise and he was being very sloppy over it despite my best efforts.
The trainer told me to sit tight amd do nothing. The horse slopped over the four trot poles and was going to knock the first jump when the trainer cracked him one across his quarters. It came as a shock and the horse leapt,mstumbled. Went down on his knees and nose, regained his feet and got another crack - he ballooned over the next three fences and never slopped over grids again!

I never gave him the chance to consider the grid as being dangerous to him, just rode it with determination,
 
#5 ·
You seem to be getting him back on course again with trotting over the ground poles and cavaletti so you must be doing something right
Before you try him over a jump again be sure you've got him well and truly 'in front of your leg' and going with some purpose in his stride rather than fizzling out the moment he thinks you've taken the pressure off.
What you really want from him is for him to move a the pace/speed you've asked for and keep doing that until you ask for something else rather than you constantly nagging at him with your heels because he'll stop if you stop doing that
Filling the poles with sand helps with the weight and if you haven't painted stripes on the poles then doing that makes the horse more aware of them as he approaches the fence so less inclined to trip up over them
 
#6 ·
As a former hunter/jumper, I have never felt PVC pipe was suitable for jumping a horse over. First it can be dangerous if it break----I know of one local horse who was killed when she hit the PVC with a hoof and it flew into her abdomen. She bleed out before the vet could get there. Second if a horse hits a solid pole like a landscape timber, it hurts and he learns to pick up his feet and give enough thrust to clear that pole.
 
#7 ·
these jumps are hollow PVC pipe
In my opinion, PVC pipe should NEVER be used for jumping a horse.

Do you realize that PVC can shatter if your horse happens to step on it, or get tangled up in it? And those plastic slivers can embed themselves into your horse's legs? This is why PVC should never be used for jumps.

Use solid wood timbers of some sort. In this example, these are painted round wood timbers. The jump cups allow the timbers to roll off, if a horse hits them.


For a learning horse, it is more forgiving to allow the jumps to "fall apart". You don't want to jump a SOLID obstacle until your horse is a consistent steady jumper.

However, these jumps are hollow PVC pipe, and too light to be jumps, because he bumped it with his right front knocking it into his left front, scaring him. I stayed on, but now he's really unsure about the poles.

When the incident first happened, he wouldn't even go over cavalettis, but I spent about an hour with him working on it on the ground and in the saddle, and I can trot over cavalettis in the saddle now, but I'm not sure what a jump will do.
To me, it sounds like you are rushing his training.

Proper jumping horses spend months going over ground poles before they are ever introduced to caveletti. And then spend months on caveletti before they progress to jumps. It takes them time to build the strength, and develop the timing to accurately and confidently go over a jump.

I can certainly understand just wanting to have fun with your horse with jumps, but from the insecurity you are describing, you are going to run into confidence problems with your horse. Once they start doubting you and balking at jumps, the problem can escalate.

Take a step back in your training and don't think about jumping right now. Get him more confident over ground poles and teach him to place his feet. That also gives you an opportunity to work on your stability as a rider as well. Spend lots of time in your jumping position and strengthen your lower leg. That will make you more stable too.

Are you taking lessons with a trainer?
 
#9 ·
In my opinion, PVC pipe should NEVER be used for jumping a horse.

Do you realize that PVC can shatter if your horse happens to step on it, or get tangled up in it? And those plastic slivers can embed themselves into your horse's legs? This is why PVC should never be used for jumps.

Use solid wood timbers of some sort. In this example, these are painted round wood timbers. The jump cups allow the timbers to roll off, if a horse hits them.


For a learning horse, it is more forgiving to allow the jumps to "fall apart". You don't want to jump a SOLID obstacle until your horse is a consistent steady jumper.



To me, it sounds like you are rushing his training.

Proper jumping horses spend months going over ground poles before they are ever introduced to caveletti. And then spend months on caveletti before they progress to jumps. It takes them time to build the strength, and develop the timing to accurately and confidently go over a jump.

I can certainly understand just wanting to have fun with your horse with jumps, but from the insecurity you are describing, you are going to run into confidence problems with your horse. Once they start doubting you and balking at jumps, the problem can escalate.

Take a step back in your training and don't think about jumping right now. Get him more confident over ground poles and teach him to place his feet. That also gives you an opportunity to work on your stability as a rider as well. Spend lots of time in your jumping position and strengthen your lower leg. That will make you more stable too.

Are you taking lessons with a trainer?
I don't have a trainer. Also he's a well trained 13 year old horse that's been over a thousand jumps. This was just one time I messed up and let him get scared. And he really does great with placement of himself, this is not a green horse im training from the ground up.
 
#8 ·
While I agree that the plastic poles she was using are a potential hazard her problem revolves around her horse getting the pole stuck between his front legs and that can happen with wooden or plastic poles
She's asking for advice on how to work on not letting this happen again not about what sort of poles she should be using so can we not take this thread off track with a discussion about poles please
 
#13 ·
Make certain that the material isn't toxic, I've heard about cuts from materials like this can be.. oddly true, but it might not be pvc that is. Get assertive, he shouldn't be freaking out over something like this. It's more likely that you are not being assertive and confident.

You can make a track in the shape of a v pointing to the jump /\ and help him stay headed right and on track.
Good luck.
 
#15 ·
You're asking for advice and Foxhunter is giving it. I agree nix the materials you're using, I've heard bad things as well up and including some materials have left cuts that have gotten into the bloodstream. I only heard this through the grapevine, but take the good advice given.
 
#16 ·
Hi!

I've also got an "adult" horse that is quite nervous about jumping... and often loses his confidence with little things like that.

I'm no expert, but personally what I've found out that works out most with my horse is just going over trotting poles on the ground and then do the same but with wings on either side of the pole. Then what I usually do, I raise the poles about 20 cm of the floor and go over them like if they were trotting poles.

I think you're doing well doing what you're doing. I don't see why you shouldn't try some crosspoles soon, and if it doesn't work out just go back a step.
 
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