My 7 year old thoroughbred mare is having trouble jumping. I go out and jump her and first of all she gets so hyped up that she walk and trot in place or start backing up and I can't get her to go forward no where, even if Im by the jumps or not. I do round pen her before I get on her, but it don't seem to help. Also, when im close to the jumps or around them while I'm jumping she won't trot, she'll either walk or canter. And, whenever I do leads with her sometimes she'll get them right, but on some spots when I am going a certain direction, she will only keep on the same lead, no matter if I slow her down to a trot and pick up a lead that way. Also, on the leads when I have her in a trot or a walk when she doesn't have a trot and I put pressure on her to pick up a lead and canter, she gets real defensive, she'll put her ears back and try to buck. Also, when I'm jumping sometimes she clear the jumps, but she'll hit them alot, I mean barely nick them up they fall down, she don't want to raise her feet up high enough. Can you all please help me???? Also, don't say that maybe jumping isn't her thing cause she loves to jump.

Hi Sara,

ok, it sounds like you have a few issues you need to address here! I have a TB gelding and got him when he was 7 as well so I will fill you in on what worked for me. Maybe it will help.

TBs are one of THE most sensitives critters out there, so while your mare may love to jump, she can get nervous and scared too at times. Do you jump her everytime you ride? If so, I'd change things up a bit and not do that. Spend some real time getting her to relax and listen at all gaits. That doesn't have to be boring. Take your jump rails down and work over the ground lines. Lots of bending, flexion, collection and extension will keep her mind busy and give you more tools to work with down the line. You can also use this time to work on your 2 point and other positions. With a relatively green horse, you need to be absolutely as correct as can be so as to not inadvertently hit her in the mouth or thump her on the back while jumping. Do you have a trainer available, even occasionally? I highly suggesst one to keep you on track.

Once your girl is consistently calm and relaxed, and there is no particular time frame for this- it could be 6 days or 6 months, try slipping in a little cross rail into the flat work. Example: warm up, do some collecting and extension work, circles, some serpentines at the trot working on bending, etc then pop over a tiny (and I mean TINY) little X. No matter what she does, remain calm and keep on posting your pattern. If she gets upset, go back to her "comfort zone". If that's the only little jump you do that day, so be it. Always end on a positive note and give her every chance to succeed!

My TB used to HATE picking up his left lead. He could canter a teeny tiny little circle on the wrong lead, as balanced as could be and happy as a clam. He'd react like your mare and get all pewy if I pushed the issue. So, pick up the lead she likes the most and canter a pole on the ground. As she strides over it, change bend and cue for the other lead. If she doesn't do it, and you have to give her time at this point to TRY, then come back to trot, and trot that pole and then ask for the lead you want. If you even get 2 strides on the correct lead, then reward her. Don't over school this particular thing. It will come in time. And as you two become more schooled, you can begin asking for the lead while you're in the air over the jump, but that will probably be a long time coming, so be patient.

As for her smacking the jumps- it sounds like you're getting her there too deep, too long or she is rushing and flattening out. To be able to clear it nicely she's gotta be able to rock back and push off evenly. If she's nervous and upset she won't care if she hits them, she just wants to get it over with. So this is where all your nice quiet, relaxing flat work will pay off. If she gets unhappy or tense, go back to whatever you've been doing that keeps her quiet and happy then try again.

Good luck!

Thanks, I try it!

One of the first things to check when a horse rushes the jumps--or actually gets agitated even if she thinks she's going to jump--is pain. Especially if your mare won't lift her hooves over a fence but clips it all the time. She may not be able to bascule over the fence due to pain somewhere in her body. 

 This horse clearly should not be jumping right now -- if you don't have a calm, relaxed walk, trot, and canter, there should not be any fences or poles added until you do.  It sounds very probable to me that she is experiencing pain or discomfort in her back, possibly stemming from saddle fit, hock or stifle issues, or problems in the back itself.  She sounds like she is very clearly telling you that at present she is not happy and not able to do her job, this is where a thoughtful horseperson takes a step back and works with a good vet and trainer to investigate what is at the root of the problems.

She jumps clear alot, but somedays she just starts clipping them, her saddle fits fine, like today she did really good and only hit it three times out of the bazillion times i jumped her

I believe you have posted a few times about jumping issues with your mare (please correct me if I'm wrong!)

 To start with, if she is not picking up canter leads and not wanting to move into the canter she is likely suffering some sort of pain or discomfort. Does she willingly pick up her leads and move forward when you are lunging her in the round pen?

I would just work on flat until that is consistent. You can't expect her to jump well if she has difficulties on the flat.

How long has she been going undersaddle? It could also be that she is just not in shape for jumping. Riding her around the arena itself will not be enough. You need to do lots of circle work and lateral work to make sure that she is soft and supple and using herself. Any sort of strenghtening exercise sounds like it would be helpful, once you have cleared her for pain and discomfort.

I agree that this mare is obviously not comfortable. Have you ever had a saddle fitter check your saddle? I admit that I had always just bought saddles to fit me, padded up the horse, and rode. Recently, my trimmer (who is also an equine massage therapist and saddle fitter) noticed that Salem's muscling was uneven and his back was slightly sore. She looked at my saddle and said that it is far too narrow and is hurting his back. I've been riding for twenty years, so I'm certainly not a newbie -- I was just completely ignorant about saddle fit. Heck, my saddle looked like it fit fine. Salem had no white hairs, I could see straight through the gullet, etc. But I'm not a professional saddle fitter, and clearly I was very wrong.

 I agree with everything on here that has been said about saddle fit and think and just want to re-emphasize how important correct saddle fit is to your horse's happiness, soundness and performance!!!

I have rode her since she was four and now she is seven, i'm am definent that it aint pain and she is very inshape, she can go into a lead good on the left, but she gets hung up on that one and won't change. And she is very willing to go into a canter.

 I agree with everyone on the saddle issue. If you can rule out saddle discomfort and pain anywhere else, try pole work. put poles on the ground at various points in your arena. Let her walk around over them until they are not a big deal. When she is okay at the walk, ask for the trot. Go over the poles in all directions, on diagonals etc. and concentrate on your rhythm and her staying relaxed. Move up to canter when trot is okay. This may take months so be patient. Once poles are good put in small crossrails. At any point that she won't go forward, go back a step to something more basic again. Good luck!

sara9507:

I have rode her since she was four and now she is seven, i'm am definent that it aint pain and she is very inshape, she can go into a lead good on the left, but she gets hung up on that one and won't change. And she is very willing to go into a canter.

Having ridden her for that time frame doesn't rule out pain - their backs, shoulders and overall muscle tone can change a lot in that time. It is best to have your saddle checked every few months to make sure that it still fits.

The fact that she "gets hung up on that one and won't change" is indicative that there is something wrong that needs to be addressed before you can move forward.

Between the ages of four and seven a horse can still grow quite a bit, which could defiantly cause a change in saddle fit, especially since your say that your horse is in very good shape, she has probably filled out a lot since then.  You should seriously check for any discomfort before working on your jumping issues.  When you have done this, take some time off from jumping.  Work in the ring while the jumps are set up and have her focus on what you are asking her and completly ignore the jumps.  Get her to relax with flat work and then work to relaxing with ground poles, and then work your way up to relaxation over the jumps.  Being relaxed is essential foundation for any training.

I'm not saying that she hits them everytime or anything like that, just 6 times or so each time I ride her. Like the solid jumps she clears well its just the ones that don't look kinda intimidating for her. I can't afford real jumps so I use a tire and I screw a board onto that veritcally, them I put two screws in where I want my board to be placed on. I make two for each jump, then I place a board on top, so they don't look intimidating at all. I have her doing a flying lead change easily from left and change to right, but and can't do it the other way around and I think I ain't doing something right to show her to change to that side.

Sara - please see this thread for additional information: http://forum.equisearch.com/forums/t/68783.aspx