I finally got O out for her first real freejump since I've had her! I have a video of her freejumping (or well, running at a small jump in her field as a young horse), so I know she has technically done it before, but I wanted to get her going over some real height and see what exactly she had in her in terms of scope. I've been disappointed in her form but pleased with her enthusiasm, so it's a little bit of a toss-up.
I set the stride a little bit short in hopes that she would compress, rock back, and fold up better, but she didn't take the exercise quite how I was hoping until the very end. I set a canter pole to a xrail, then one stride to an oxer with no ground rail. Her thing is to get up close to the base of the fence and jump over her shoulder instead of fold up in front. She has plenty of scope to get over the jumps... her form isn't exactly textbook though. Next time I freejump her, I'll set the stride longer and make BIG WIDE oxers so she has to stretch for it!
I set the stride a little bit short in hopes that she would compress, rock back, and fold up better, but she didn't take the exercise quite how I was hoping until the very end. I set a canter pole to a xrail, then one stride to an oxer with no ground rail. Her thing is to get up close to the base of the fence and jump over her shoulder instead of fold up in front. She has plenty of scope to get over the jumps... her form isn't exactly textbook though. Next time I freejump her, I'll set the stride longer and make BIG WIDE oxers so she has to stretch for it!
Sorry for the shaky video and crappy stills... it's a bit hard to be the lunger and the videographer! Next time I'll plan that better and set up a camera at the end of the arena instead. The oxer is about 3'9". The last time through on the video was her best effort. I really don't like how she rolls over her shoulder instead of makes an effort to snap her legs up and forward, but hopefully this will improve some.
One thing I can't fault is her enthusiasm. She took one loom at the chute and went LET'S DO THIS. She was more than happy to go through the chute, stop and look at me while I adjusted things, trot off when asked, and pick up the canter whenever she rounded the corner and the chute came into view.
Balance, balance, balance. I like the canter she has coming around the corner, but she tends to flatten out and speed up in her enthusiasm. I think the form will improve some with a very, very balanced and bouncy-ball type canter coming to every jump... and we will have to do lots and lots of gymnastics with lots and lots of oxers and bounces. The Easyshoe is about to be released as well and I'm eager to get my grubby little paws on those.... I think they're going to be a GREAT option to try on her. They might help her form out too!
She looks pretty great! I'm no expert but isn't the flattening out and speeding up common when free jumping? They have nothing to tell them to keep shape. Either way, she is turning into quite the horse!
ReplyDeleteIt is common in an enthusiastic greenie, which is why I set the shorter one-stride; usually that helps tell them to compress and rock back in prep for the second jump. Next time I'll stretch the line out a little and make a big rampy oxer and see how that alters her form if she has to stretch out instead of compress inward!
DeleteShe looks really good! She definitely has potential. I bet she has you a little bit excited, for good reason! :)
ReplyDeleteI was jump setting for Dom Schramm once and there was a horse that had just started his jumping carrer. He jumped over his shoulder soooo badly that he hung his front toes. Dom said that the best way school a horse to use its body is to make a oxer, then seperate them as much and then make kind of like a liver pool. A couple times jumping over that and it ended up being as wide as tall (2'6 maybe?) He started jumping normally
ReplyDeleteThat's a good one!!
DeleteThis is awesome! So she's on a lunge rope there too? Free jumping must be pretty fun for her since she's such a goer and is so enthusiastic about everything!
ReplyDeleteNo lunge line here! She's loose in the arena.
DeleteI have a bunch of clients who can't wait for the Easyshoe either. Have you been to on rod their clinics?
ReplyDeleteShe's looking good towards the end there!
ReplyDeleteI like it! I think she is a decent little jumper!
ReplyDeleteWow! Definite improvement and clear enthusiasm. Why no ground pole for the oxer, though?
ReplyDeleteShe's looking great! And she sure does love it!
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