training/experience suggestions

[ponyupmom]

What are your best training tips/experiences for a horse that rushes fences?
I have a lovely horse that shows a bit of anxiety during course work. She will rush fences in a line, but not if taken singlely. If we do a lot of work at low fences she will get rather bored and not rush so much, but the minute we put them up she gets anxious. And its not that she can't take them, she is extremely athletic and forward, and even if placed badly will jump anything. She is an OTTB and is 11 years old. She actually would make a lovely eventer, but her rider wants to do hunters. We have been riding in a french link and just recently moved to a regular D, but would prefer not to bit up any more. Besides if you pull, she just gets pissy. What are your suggestions?

 

[HeavyChevy75]

What I would do and we have done with other horses...

Take the fisrt jump. Halt. Make her stand there for 30 seconds and trot the second jump. Once she stops fidgeting and being anixous start cutting that time down.

OR break up the routine by having the rider going down to a trot, circling and taking the fence.

Others will contribute but that is what I have done with a rusher.

I am not a big believer in the bigger bits.

 

[Robin]

What are your best training tips/experiences for a horse that rushes fences?
I have a lovely horse that shows a bit of anxiety during course work. She will rush fences in a line, but not if taken singlely. If we do a lot of work at low fences she will get rather bored and not rush so much, but the minute we put them up she gets anxious. And its not that she can't take them, she is extremely athletic and forward, and even if placed badly will jump anything. She is an OTTB and is 11 years old. She actually would make a lovely eventer, but her rider wants to do hunters. We have been riding in a french link and just recently moved to a regular D, but would prefer not to bit up any more. Besides if you pull, she just gets pissy. What are your suggestions?

Has the trainer ridden her? If so does she do this to them or another rider?

 

[ponyupmom]

Has the trainer ridden her? If so does she do this to them or another rider?

Current trainer does not ride, anymore, but horse does this to anyone you put on her including Steuart Pittman, former trainer.

 

[HeavyChevy75]

What about finding a trainer that does ride?

BTW..I am not a trainer just saying what helped with a couple of horses that I have ridden recently. Trainer that I use does the same thing.

 

[Robin]

Current trainer does not ride, anymore, but horse does this to anyone you put on her including Steuart Pittman, former trainer.

What did Steuart have to say about said horse? I recommend him highly, did he give suggestions to you? training or discipline change?

 

[Robin]

need a little more information.

How long have you had this horse, did you/your daughter start it or was it already trained when purchased or aquired?

Rushing can be from a few things.
pinching saddle {pain}
rider not balanced too far over {forward} or behind the horse
jumps too close there are some good folks in here with experience bu having a trainer to evaluate the horse could be a benefit.

 

[BZHorseMomE]

What are your best training tips/experiences for a horse that rushes fences?
I have a lovely horse that shows a bit of anxiety during course work. She will rush fences in a line, but not if taken singlely. If we do a lot of work at low fences she will get rather bored and not rush so much, but the minute we put them up she gets anxious. And its not that she can't take them, she is extremely athletic and forward, and even if placed badly will jump anything. She is an OTTB and is 11 years old. She actually would make a lovely eventer, but her rider wants to do hunters. We have been riding in a french link and just recently moved to a regular D, but would prefer not to bit up any more. Besides if you pull, she just gets pissy. What are your suggestions?

Not all horses are meant for the discipline someone is trying to ride them in. However, if a horse is rushing a fence I'd wonder if the horse has been properly conditioned on the flat first. Has the horse been asked to jump before he can do simpler gymnastics exercises. Is the horse going over the first fence in the line nice and taking of to the second because the rider is catch the horse in the mouth. Is the horse rushing because he is pulling with his front end and diving over the fence vs pushing off with his hind end. There are really to many possibility without actually seeing the horse go. It could be horse or rider causing the problem.

 

[Robin]

Not all horses are meant for the discipline someone is trying to ride them in. However, if a horse is rushing a fence I'd wonder if the horse has been properly conditioned on the flat first. Has the horse been asked to jump before he can do simpler gymnastics exercises. Is the horse going over the first fence in the line nice and taking of to the second because the rider is catch the horse in the mouth. Is the horse rushing because he is pulling with his front end and diving over the fence vs pushing off with his hind end. There are really to many possibility without actually seeing the horse go. It could be horse or rider causing the problem.

exactly
rushing also comes from someone training too quick and skipping the steps to get the horse to where the rider wants to be.

 

[BZHorseMomE]

exactly
rushing also comes from someone training too quick and skipping the steps to get the horse to where the rider wants to be.

Not all retrievers know how to retrieve and not all horses know how to jump. It is a step by step process and not the fastest to learn to jumps wins. Definately, agree with Robin that sometimes it can be a tack or soundness issue as well. Way to many variables to answer this on a forum. Do you have any video you could post??

 

[ponyupmom]

Not all retrievers know how to retrieve and not all horses know how to jump. It is a step by step process and not the fastest to learn to jumps wins. Definately, agree with Robin that sometimes it can be a tack or soundness issue as well. Way to many variables to answer this on a forum. Do you have any video you could post??

We have had this horse about 2 years, first my son evented her and then lost interest. She is now in a lease with a 14 year old girl. Yes S.P. had more control over her, he is a man and not a 95 lb. kid, but we were training her for XC and he just said she was bold and very brave. Yes she would probably be more suited to the jumpers or XC, but we are trying to retrain for hunters. She was ridden hunters before with the same issues. She has very nice scores in dressage, but yes like many horses she can be heavy on the forehand and not really like to use her butt. She is not a "greenie" but just has a little too much go. We do lots of gymnastics with her. She is not marish, but she def. has mareattude, she is queen bee. lol. I think she knows what to do, but doesn't like being TOLD what to do, hence the pissy stuff when you apply too much rein. Just thought other riders/trainers might have ideas that worked for them. She has been vetted recently and they can't find anything. As for the rider, she is a very good rider with nice form, soft hands, a good seat, and loads of patience. Any suggestions would be helpful, we won't come back to haunt you later.

 

[FrmGrl]

May I recommend having BZhorsemome or Devine help you out. They both have experience in this area and train in the H/J arena. Perhaps a lesson or evaluation from one of them can help you out. The horse I have now had that problem when she came back from a two week trial and is now wonderful thanks to BZ!!

 

[devinej]

i have lots of excercises for this issue....i've dealt with it a lot with retraining horses. i'll just describe a couple:

first - does she rush away after the fence too?

so, firstly, i would try this:
set up a little x rail, trot towards it. as soon as she takes the first step of rushing, do what you can to bring her back to a walk, halt, and calmly walk away from the x rail. over and over until she doesn't rush, only then allow her to jump it. Focus on the calm factor, want her to associate calm with jumping. do what you need to do to stop her, but make sure you reward her with a calm attitude and long rein.

once you can do this at a trot, try it at canter.

Another:
lunge her over a short standard jump or cavaletti. does she rush this? lunge her just over it, then pull her up so she stops and looks at you. do it over and over till she jumps it nicely and stops nicely for you. if she does a particularly nice one, give her a treat. reward her when she does it right! then ride her, don't do a lot of warm up, go straight to the same little jump, and do the same thing - short approach, then stop. see if she is still calm about it. if she's not, go back to the first exercise. same deal, if she does a nice one, tell her, pat her, treat her asap! treat is a quick way to the horse understandin what the right thing to do is!

main thing is, do not let her jump the jump when she is rushing. stop her, pull her up, for real get serious, then let her walk away on a loose rein, calmly. we want her to start associating calm with jumping.

 

[devinej]

also - does she soften to the bit? know what a one rein stop is? go on a light contact like for dressage?

and video would help

 

[HeavyChevy75]

I think I know who you mare is. Let me PM you and confirm.

 

[BZHorseMomE]

Some youtube or video examples of the rushing would be great. It really is hard to explain or evaluate the rider and horses situation with video. It might be a quick fix or a retraining issue. There are so many ways of getting the horse to relax before, over, and after the fence, but without actually seeing the horse it is hard to give you a game plan.

 

[ponyupmom]

Some youtube or video examples of the rushing would be great. It really is hard to explain or evaluate the rider and horses situation with video. It might be a quick fix or a retraining issue. There are so many ways of getting the horse to relax before, over, and after the fence, but without actually seeing the horse it is hard to give you a game plan.

Just thought I would put a plug in for a very accomplished instructor, Shannon Long, who helped a great deal with my mare's rushing. Found out we didn't need to retrain the horse, just the rider. Got her to sit and really relax and in just one lesson she was happily going over fences of various heights practically on the buckle. She definetly could see what I was not seeing and was able to help the rider really focus on the job at hand. Thanks to the forum for all your suggestions, they might still come in handy.

 

[Robin]

Just thought I would put a plug in for a very accomplished instructor, Shannon Long, who helped a great deal with my mare's rushing. Found out we didn't need to retrain the horse, just the rider. Got her to sit and really relax and in just one lesson she was happily going over fences of various heights practically on the buckle. She definetly could see what I was not seeing and was able to help the rider really focus on the job at hand. Thanks to the forum for all your suggestions, they might still come in handy.

 

[HeavyChevy75]

That is GREAT!!!

 

[BlissfulJumper]

Just thought I would put a plug in for a very accomplished instructor, Shannon Long, who helped a great deal with my mare's rushing. Found out we didn't need to retrain the horse, just the rider. Got her to sit and really relax and in just one lesson she was happily going over fences of various heights practically on the buckle. She definetly could see what I was not seeing and was able to help the rider really focus on the job at hand. Thanks to the forum for all your suggestions, they might still come in handy.

That's great. I think I know who the mare and girl is and almost suggested telling you to her to sit deep if it is the same girl I use to ride with( name starts with M) she had the same problem with another pony she rode.