Train Your Horse To Stay Calm When Jumping with Flatwork Over Fences

Hi there. I have been doing some jumping training to compete in Show Hunter (in New Zealand) and my horse is getting stronger rather than softer. In flat schooling without jumps I can get him soft in self carriage. Add jumps into the equation and I struggle to get him to trot to the base of the jump (only if I pull on him) otherwise he bounds the last stride. I also struggle to get him to canter evenly, without rushing to the fence. These are really low fences. I feel like I am pulling on him too much coming into the jumps and then of course we get horrible distances and then he gets really strong on the other side of the fence and bears down. Little bit frustrated as I’m trying to be really soft with leg, but we’re in a bit of a downward spiral right now and the competition season is well underway.  Hope you can help, thank you!

This is not an uncommon problem and that is why I always advocate “Flatwork Over Fences.” Many horses are great on the flat and as soon as you start jumping they come unglued. What I would do is, on a daily basis, use lots of poles on the ground.  Single pole, line of poles, bending lines, all relating to horse show courses.  Do all your flatwork but incorporate lots of poles.  Then transition to cavaletti’s or really small jumps, 6-8 inches arranged like the poles were and incorporate them daily with your flatwork.  You cannot jump your horse every day, but you can work him daily over 6-8 inch “jumps” without any measurable concussion and I advocate this to everyone.