Hey guys - I have a 17 year old mare that thinks she's still 4!!! Shes super fit and super fast - and a bit toooo keen on jumping! This mare pops 6 bar gates for fun in the field on her own! My question is - anyone had any similar horses - that were too ongoing into fences - and if so did you ever manage to slow them down - refusals are not in her nature and shes not stoney mad - just loves jumping!!!! She rushes fences whether they be 1 inch or 6 foot - Im an experienced rider, so please no silly answers on can I ride etc etc - I have schooled her, tried trainers advice, used placing poles, gotten other people to ride her, shes only fed barley and pulp as hard feed and nothing changes her. Shes been like this since she was 4 but due to her age now, Im trying to ease her up a bit!!!
Any ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks a mil!!
2006-08-14 02:43:08 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
By the way - she is currently ridden in a Pelham Bit with two reins off. She may as well be in a snaffle for the difference it makes though!
Also - might be worth mentioning she is impeccably obedient on the flat - she only goes demented when jumping!
2006-08-14 02:55:32 · update #1
Noname - yeah Ive done all the bounce/gymnastic combinations going - as well as circling - nothing helps!!!!
Also i cant very well circle in a jumping arena!!!!! Trust me Ive tried the circling at home till Im dizzy!!! Thanks tho X
2006-08-14 02:56:51 · update #2
sounds to me like you have a horse alot of people would want... jumpers are big in demand - her age is just saying that she has been raised well and not hurting any
honestly you are not going to change her I dont think.. still I think there are really alot of people who would love her as a jumper or broodmare even...
2006-08-14 03:04:45 · answer #1 · answered by CF_ 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Have you tried going back to basics? I used to do this to stop horses rushing the jumps. Put up the wings but without any poles and just ride around them as if it were a course. Keeping changes of gait and pace within the gait. Do this more often than have the poles up.
Are you competing with her or riding just for fun? If she has competed in the past it maybe that she is anticipating the show atmosphere and getting high on that.
Barley and pulp isn't a balanced diet so that could also be a factor, try putting her onto a low energy cube with a small amount of pulp and some chaff. Something like Spillers high fibre. Don't feed the recommended amount as she sounds like she doesn't need it, instead add a good quality vit/min supplement.
My 14 year old gelding is a bit hyper as well he gets 24/7 turnout. Feed is a coffee mug of nuts, same amount of pulp and a handful of chaff. I use NAF seaweed as the vit/mineral and he is doing well on this. In winter it goes up to a scoop of each.
Pics on my page if you want to have a look.
2006-08-14 03:27:55 · answer #2 · answered by Olwen T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately it sounds like this is just the way your mare is. My sister had a pony exactly like your mare....hotter than all the fires of hell, to the point where people would look at my mother and be like "How could you let your daughter ride such a dangerous animal?"...even though the pnoy wasnt at all dangerous, just extremely forward going, and she'd been like that since the day she was born. When my sister was competing on her the mare was 19, and still behaving and going like a 4yr old. No amount of reschooling, polls, gymnastics, cavalettis, etc would encourage her to change her ways.
I think that as long as you're not scared, let the mare be, she's obviously enjoying life to the fullest, and i REALLY dont think she would continue jumping gates etc, if she didnt feel up to it.
If you're worried about her joints wise, you could add some MSM to her feed, it helps with things like arthritis (even if it isnt showing yet), there are, as im sure you know, special vitamens and mineral supplements for older horses.
But i think, just enjoy her, and enjoy the fact that she's feeling so well at her slightly advanced age!!!:)
Happy Riding!:)
2006-08-14 06:19:29 · answer #3 · answered by Kismet 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some horse rush fences because they are nervous about jumping. Try going back to trotting over poles on the ground. Do that for a few sessions then add a small crossrail after the poles. If she does well, then you can start adding more jumps, increasing the height, etc.
Just change things slowly, and always be ready to go back to a lower level if she starts rushing again.
Another technique to try is to set up a jump, ride towards it, and then circle. Riding circles and figure eights in front of jumps keeps the horse from anticipating the jump and getting over excited.
Good Luck!
2006-08-14 03:01:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I got my mare when she was 4 and had only just started jumping. She too used to rush and flatten over fences. Have you tried circling her on the approach to jumps when she starts to speed up and only taking her over them when she is calm?
Also my instructor used to get me to make her trot only on the approach to jumps, if she broke into canter then she would be circled away from the jump. She would then only be allowed to jump the fence if she remained in trot.
I know you've said in your question that you have tried placing poles, but have you tried gymnastic jumping where you have a series of low bounce fences?
2006-08-14 02:54:54 · answer #5 · answered by anon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try a shadow roll on her nose band
2006-08-14 03:26:14 · answer #6 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you try to compete her?
2006-08-14 03:16:57 · answer #7 · answered by blade_100705 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋