At 08:26:14 on 17.04.10, Kat Luvs Her Gelding wrote:
Ok I have an older horse that I am riding to get confidence on before I step up to younger and harder to control horses. she's a great horse and all but she wont jump. I am not looking to do any high jumping on her because she is too old and I don't want to hurt her, I want her to atlessed be able to jump so i can improve my bareback riding (i don't like riding in saddles) I try to get her to step over poles on the ground but she always trips over them, i talked to a friend and she said to put lots of poles in a row to make her consentrate, it only worked a bit. so i put the pole off the ground a tiny bit but she can't step over it without triping or making it fall down - even when I get her to trot over the poles she can't do it. She is a great horse and will do anything I tell her to do and i can tell that she is trying. please help, if there is no way to improve her jumping than i will just have to wait until my younger horse is broken in.

At 15:58:01 on 17.04.10, lozzyhorselover wrote:
Something simillar happened in one of the books of Heartland, by Lauren Brooke, if u research t-touch and do that down her legs and pick them up and hold the toe of the hoof on the ground for a few seconds, it should make her aware of where her feet are, is she refusing jumps, well, is she scared of them? By doing t-touch down her legs and holding the toe of her hoof down, it should improve her co-ordination, so I hope this helps. Lozzy.xx

At 09:13:02 on 18.04.10, Kat Luvs Her Gelding wrote:
Thanks, she isn't scared of jumping at all, she dosn't care - its like she just doesn't see the pole and no matter how many times i walk her over it and she trips she never learns.

At 11:31:56 on 18.04.10, lozzyhorselover wrote:
Have you researched t-touch? that should really help with her co-ordination, and my tip about the toe of the hoof, i really hope she improoves Lozzy.xx

At 23:09:09 on 19.04.10, kibby wrote:
Hey, are you just walking your horse over these poles?

At 17:58:54 on 20.04.10, lozzyhorselover wrote:
kibby is right, are you? if u are, that will be y she is tripping, have u done it in trot, or even canter???

At 08:36:54 on 21.04.10, Kat Luvs Her Gelding wrote:
I started walking her and then troting her but she is still triping, i am to scared to put the pole up or making her canter incase she hurts her self badley, should i get her to trot over higher jumps?

At 19:04:42 on 21.04.10, YasandCrystal wrote:
Hi may I make a suggestion - that you carefully check your pole spacing to suit her paces. Ground poles in a row should be at least one large adult stride and a foot's (or boot's) length apart. If they are too close or too far your horse will always trip. You say your horse is older, could it have some arthritis? Thoroughbred types have that lovely 'daisy cutting' low leg action, so if the horse is a TB type it may need some encouragement to pick up it's feet over poles and this can be achieved through practice. If you are really worried the horse is going to actually fall down only start with 1 or at most 2 poles in a row and then build up slowly. Good luck.

At 19:07:10 on 21.04.10, lozzyhorselover wrote:
Good advice from YasandCrystal, I wouldn't push your horse on, and keep her in trot like you are doing now, honestly, I deal with things like these at my riding stables, and i REALLY reccomend t-touch, as i advised earlier.

At 11:51:09 on 22.04.10, kibby wrote:
This is what i would do (keeping in mind i am completely crazy and have no sense of fear or danger) i would go out riding where their are some logs (small ones) and i would canter (but trot would work) her over them, all horses gives logs the respect they need and therefore should teach her to lift her legs and give you the confidence she can do it..this is how we taught my horse to jump, but i had been jumping for a fair while and have (as my friends think too much confidence) if this makes you at all uncomfortable then dont do it! stick to what you feel safe doing.. good luck :)