Tag Archives: jumping

Why does my jumper stall out after every fence?

Posted on September 20, 2010 | Leave a comment

Question: Hi April, I have a really big problem that’s getting worse. My horse stalls out after every fence. We jump one fence and he just quits. I can get him moving again but he just keeps doing this over and over. I can go over one fence and he does it okay but he won’t do a line of them. Help me please! My instructor doesn’t know what’s wrong with him either. Is he sick?

Answer from April Reeves: No Angela, he’s not likely sick. He’s likely trained to do that, and you trained him. I know what you’re thinking right now “Gosh, no April, I’ve never trained him for that!’ but we unconsciously train our horses to do many things we don’t want them to do.

This is a typical scenario when you first learn about jumping. You aim at a jump, pray the horse will keep going, and then immediately stop the horse after you go over the fence and take a look at your accomplishment. If that isn’t training a horse to stop after every fence I don’t know what is!

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Posted in English Riding answers, Hunter/Jumper

Tagged counter canter, english riding, Equine Behavior & Problems, Gallop, horse forward, horse training, hunter, Jump, Jumper, jumping, Lead Changes, Rein back, Stride

My jumping pony needs to be calmer: how can I do this?

Posted on August 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

Question: I have an 8 year old jumping pony. She is 14.2 hands. She seems to be picky on her jumps. She has the one plank that is red and white and she refuses it all the time. When I mount her she may sometimes take off or start rearing with me. After a jump she may sometimes take off but after that she calms down a little. She is scared at almost everything. Once at a show a man started fanning himself with his hat and she whipped around and then continued the next jump. She needs to learn to be a lot calmer but how? Help me.

Answer from April Reeves: This is such an important question and if you read my past posts you will see I say the same thing over and over again. Let’s review this, as we keep coming back to it, time and time again.

Why do horses lose their nerves? Why do they get edgy and do things we don’t want them to do? I want you to really think about this question, because if you can’t answer it, you can’t train or ride your horse past where you are now, and it’s likely you will get worse. The question poses a problem, and within every problem lies the answer. Now – start thinking…

What did you come up with? See if it matches anything I’m about to say.

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Posted in English Riding answers, Equine Behavior & Problems, General riding answers, Hunter/Jumper

Tagged April Reeves, behavior, english riding, Equine Behavior & Problems, foundation training, horse forward, horse training, jumping, spooky horse

Hard bits: where to go from a twisted D ring snaffle?

Posted on June 16, 2010 | Leave a comment

Question: My horse tends to get very strong while we are jumping. I have a twisted D ring but I just feel as though i cannot stop him. Do you have any suggestions for a bit that is not too harsh, yet will help me slow him down? My trainer told me to look into a D ring with hooks but they are all very expensive.

Also, I read some other answers to similar questions like mine, and all the answers state that it is all the riders fault. I would just like you to know that I am a very good rider and I am never harsh on my horses. I just simply cannot find an appropriate bit, and am looking for suggestions. Your help is appreciated!! Thanks! Olivia

Answer from April Reeves: Hello Olivia. Thanks for asking me this question, as I will be honest and keep it real, but it may not be what you want to hear. I urge you to consider my answer, as it is the only way you will fix your problem.

My first suggestion: consider another coach and get the softest bit you can find. I kid you not, and this is why:

When a rider comes to me with a problem like your having over fences, it has nothing to do with bits and everything to do with lack of a good foundation on a horse (and rider). You won’t solve the problem with a harsher bit: it will only slow down the horse for a few days until that bit also becomes useless, as his mouth gets tougher and tougher and he gets stronger and stronger (ie: his brain). I’m not being mean: I’m just keeping it real.

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Posted in English Riding answers, Equine Behavior & Problems, Hunter/Jumper

Tagged behavior, bitting, bold jumper, collection, english riding, foundation training, horse too fast, horse training, hunter, jumping

Should I buy a 2-year-old Appendix Quarter Horse with potential hock problems?

Posted on December 21, 2009 | 7 comments

Question: I am looking at a 16.3 hand 2 yr old appendix quarter horse gelding. His owner is a college student and can’t afford him anymore so she is selling him for a reasonable price. When he was 1 a bone spur was found on his hock. His owner had him injected with hock injections and has kept up on proper shoeing and neither her nor the trainer have seen any signs of the problem since. He is now 2 and is broken. He has been shown (hunter under saddle, equitation, and showmanship) and has won a good bit of money, and is ridden/worked everyday and hasn’t been injected since. I’m wondering if he could’ve grown out of this or if it is going to give me any future problems, i already have a horse with a badly injured back so i don’t need another hurt horse. I plan to do hunter under saddle, equitation, showmanship, some western pleasure, and some light jumping (around age 5) he will be worked just about everyday and shown almost every weekend. PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Answer from April Reeves: Ouch, there are many things you have written that suggest to me to look somewhere else for a horse. I’m not a vet but after all these years there are certain training methods that show up in physical problems down the road, and riding before the age of 3 is the most prominent.

Regardless of the bone spur, anyone who has started a horse that young and works it every day is setting the horse up for back issues down the road. No, there is never a guarantee of this, but your odds right now of having a horse with back issues are 50% and in my books, that’s 50% too much.

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Posted in Health & Nutrition

Tagged colt starting, hock injections, Hock Injury, horse training, jumping, Riding too young

Using Natural Horsemanship in Hunter/Jumper training

Posted on September 16, 2009 | 1 comment

Question: Can you integrate Natural Horsemanship into jumper training? I read your dressage article on blending them, but I have an 8 yr old hunter – Dutch Warmblood – thoroughbred cross mare who continues to spook at fences at shows. She’s not what you would call hot, but has lots of get-up-and-go. What Natural Horsemanship exercises or training can I start on to get my mare less spooky with more even tempo? I have tried all the traditional methods with little to no success. She also tends to walk over me too when I lead her. Thank you April.

Answer from April Reeves: Of course you can integrate NH into your program! In fact, hunter/jumper is one area of traditional training that really gets a boost and solid foundation from NH. All my H/J students go through this basic foundation before advancing into fence work. There is no technique or method in particular that works with hunter/jumpers better than dressage horses: the methods are universal to all disciplines.

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Posted in English Riding answers, Equine Behavior & Problems, General riding answers, Natural Horsemanship

Tagged behavior, english riding, foundation training, gait, Groundwork, hunter, jumping, Natural Horsemanship, spooky horse

How can I get my Oldenburg to not over-jump everything?

Posted on June 23, 2009 | Leave a comment

Question: My 6 year old Oldenburg over-jumps everything then lands in a big heap with a grunt. These are 18″ to 2′ jumps. On occasion when she jumps correctly she is lovely and talented, but has this over jumping quirk that manifests itself especially over a new fence. We have changed fences, flowers, coolers, etc without long term success. Help please!

Answer from April Reeves, Horseman’s U.com: Many horses jump too high when learning. There are many reasons for this:

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Posted in Breeds, English Riding answers, Equine Behavior & Problems, Hunter/Jumper

Tagged horse training, jumping, Oldenburg, warmblood

What can I do to place higher in my ‘hunter over fence’ classes?

Posted on December 24, 2008 | Leave a comment

Question: I can’t seem to place well in the hunter classes, even the small ones. When I enter, I try to start slowly and not get too anxious about the whole course. I try to let the judge see that I am not nervous. My horse has a hunter build and movement as I place well in the ‘hunter-under-saddle’ classes. What could I do to improve this?

Answer from April Reeves: Many beginner and intermediate riders in the hunter divisions blow their placings before they get to the first fence.

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Posted in English Riding answers, Hunter/Jumper

Tagged April Reeves, hunter, jumping, show ring

My horse jumps ‘too bold’. What is that and how do I correct it?

Posted on October 26, 2008 | Leave a comment

A Bold Jumper

Question: I was told that my horse is too bold when he jumps. What exactly is that? How do I correct it? He does run at jumps and I have trouble stopping him after. How should I be riding this?

Answer by April Reeves: What is a horse that is ‘too bold’?
A ‘too bold’ jumper is a horse that uses way too much enthusiasm when approaching a fence. His strides increase in speed, he tends to ‘flatten out’ and charge, causing the horse to miss the height he may need to get over.

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Posted in English Riding answers, Equine Behavior & Problems, Hunter/Jumper

Tagged April Reeves, bold jumper, jumping

Is the Appaloosa good at jumping?

Posted on October 24, 2008 | 4 comments

Question: I’m thinking of buying an Appaloosa for jumping and cross country. Is this breed good at jumping?

Answer from April Reeves: The Appaloosa can be a fairly good jumping horse. Let’s go over some of it’s attributes.

First, the original foundation Appy’s had really good bone. Their legs were almost indestructible, and because of their spotted coloring, they tend to have great feet. Their bone joints seem to take a bit more abuse than many of the other breeds, especially their back hocks.

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Posted in Breeds, English Riding answers, Hunter/Jumper

Tagged Appaloosa, April Reeves, jumping

Horse rushes and refuses jumps, and is getting worse!

Posted on October 20, 2008 | Leave a comment

Question: I have a 4 year old mare who is getting really bad and I need help NOW. She rushes jumps to the point where I can’t stop her and is now running full speed past them and refusing. My coach said that we need to practice more, and to jump her 6 days a week. We have been doing that, but she is getting worse, not better. What am I doing wrong? My coach is getting impatient with her.

Answer from April Reeves: I don’t usually answer questions like this as they make me absolutely stunned at how stupid people can be, but this one I have had in various forms lately, so sit down and listen! I’m telling it the way it is (I’m afraid to ask what age you broke her).

First Thing To Do

FIRE YOUR COACH! I’m not kidding. I am absolutely disgusted at any coach who jumps more than 2 times a week (a level 3 I might add). Do it NOW! Or that thinks it is okay to jump a 4 year old (mare jumps up to 3′ 6″).