Horse excited when jumping

pmason

Hi,
My 4 year gelding gets very excited when out on charity rides or anytime out with other horses. He charges into jumps and is hard to hold hi back when waiting our turn to jump. I don't want to put a stronger bit on him. Any other ideas that I could try?

Thnak you
P

convert

What is he like at home jumping? Is he the same or more relaxed?

If it's just when he's out hunting or on charity rides, it's likely that he's afraid of being left behind and wants to stay with the others, hence getting jumpy and excited. A lot of horses do it, young or not so young.

You need to try and teach him that waiting to jump isn't such a bad thing and that he won't be left behind. Maybe if you didn't jump all the fences, instead only jumping one every so often when there isn't as much of a queue might help him realise that he won't be left behind and help him to relax. Or if you had somebody who could ride at home with you and practice jumping together - i.e. you stand and watch them jump a few times, and then repeat it with you jumping and they stand and watch. And then you could gradually start standing 'behind' the fence as you would when at a charity ride. It might help him settle down.

I wouldn't go down the route of putting a stronger bit on him unless you're under a lot of pressure all the time when riding him.

pmason

Thanks Convert. Yes it seems like he is afraid of being left behind alright. He is fine at home. I'll give that a go next time somebody else is jumping with me at home.

Thanks a mill!
P

Ave Sodalis

Like convert said, if you have someone to jump with you at home, it would be great. Trot into the jumps, sitting up tall, keeping a bit more contact that what you usually would do. It's all about repetition at home. The main thing is, do not tense in anyway. Stay relaxed and calm.

When approaching a jump, with the other horse behind you, trot into it. About 2 strides away, canter, then, after about 5 strides, return to trot. Repeat this several times in different jumps. If you find that he is pulling, and getting to strong going into the jump, circle and approach it again. Repeat this until he relaxes.

Once you are happy at home, try moving to a new location (if possible) and doing the same thing. Often, horses are more excited when in a new place. That's normal. Do you have many friends who would be willing to help? If so, I would get them to enter the arena (if the arena is large enough) with you and walk their horses around, while you jump a fence but obviously not walking in your path. The above may then be applied i.e trotting, circling. He will soon learn that the other horses are not going anywhere without him.

ADDON

Try all the above..... and if the problem remains, try changing noseband.... I had similar problem and a grackle / mexican noseband made a load of difference.