Tips to Get a Horse Off the Forehand on the Flat and Over Jumps

My name is Natalie and I am the proud owner of a lovely 1/2 TB, 1/2 Clydesdale 15.3hh hunter type horse. Lila has just turned 5 and we are progressing to 1 meter plus courses. She is a great hunter and has already placed 2nd in a local hunter series.

Although Lila makes a lovely bascule over the fences, I find she is rather ‘flat’ in her canter and tends to become more and more on the forehand as the hunter round progresses. I feel that because of this, it is harder than necessary for Lila to clear the jump and she often rubs the poles as a result.

What can I do to get her front end up and off the forehand to make for lighter, easier jumping?

Thank you!

Whenever someone asks me a question about jumping, I always reply by first talking about dressage. So, let’s start with turns on the forehand and leg-yielding. These exercises will teach Lila to step further underneath her body, and to carry her weight more in her hindquarters. Lateral work makes horses stronger and more supple. Next, teach her how to counter-canter. (Do this in a large arena first, until you are sure you can make the turns required by smaller arenas.)  When you turn, think about a weathervane, where you are the spindle, and Lila’s body is the vane. Keep her straight, and use one leg and the opposite rein to produce gentle curves. Do not make the curves too sharp at first, or ask her to hold it for too long.

Use gymnastics to help her lighten her forehand, especially bounces, and later on, double bounces. Once she is adept at double bounces, build an obstacle 57 feet (a short 4 strides) away from the double bounces and canter back and forth, especially from the obstacle to the gymnastic. This will teach her to keep her balance even after she has jumped a few fences.

Good luck!

If you found this helpful, you might be interested in a post by Bernie that deals with a similar issue: “How to Improve Your Horse’s Front End and Jumping Technique.”