How do I stop my horse from Over Jumping?

Question

I got my horse as a green broke gelding who bucked ad reared and bolted and kicked and bit. He has come a LONG way since then and doesnt do any of those things any more. About 5 months ago I started him to the completely new, jumping. He has done very well and seems to enjoy jumping. I have rode him over a few jumps and it never fails that he over jumps by a mile! When I lunge him over a jump he does it perfectly, when I ride him over a jump, he will jump 3 feet higher than needed and it totally throws me off cause he like over jumps but when he over jumps he doesnt do it smoothly. I have lunged him over jumps loads and loads of times but havent jumped him too much when I have been riding. So my question is how do I stop him from over jumping? Or will it go away with more practice, since he hasnt been jumped before with any previous owners? He will occasionally jump them smoothly while I am riding and when he does you wouldnt even have to hold on hes so smooth (: Thanks!

2011-07-11T10:27:43Z

Okay, thanks for all the tips. One of you said if I slow down before the jump then he will over jump and yes, this is very true, if he slows down he kinda like jumps straight up in the air like a deer :D Yes, I think practice will help but so far, its been to hot to ride much, like heat index of 112 the other day! Thank you again!

heeelllo · Accepted Answer

Sometimes when horses are going to slow into the jump the horse tends to over jump the jump. Try and make him go more forward into it and see if that makes a difference. More practice will also help you a lot. If he over jumps a jump, push him forward and keep going over it until he doesn't jump it so high. 

Hope i helped, Good luck :)

Anonymous · Answer

Go back to pole work and cavalettis first to get him striding properly, to collect and extend in trot and canter. From there on you could move to having a placing pole before the fence to indicate to the horse when to take off.
Grid work is also an excellent exercise to teach a horse rhythm, balance, striding and jumping according to height.

Also remember that good flat work is the basis for good jumping, so you must have your flat work down first.

Some lessons would help you both, you may also be hindering him in some ways without realising it. He does sound to be jumping awkwardly simply out of greenness, but he may also have quite a scopey jump that you need to learn to move with and not to hinder.

Remember he's green, so it's plenty of practise that will help him to improve.

TJ · Answer

I'm not much of a horse trainer or anything, but I know I had similar troubles with my horse, and just with constant jumping he got better. I think with many it's a confidence thing, and the weight of a person on their backs and mouths throws them off a bit, so they're not sure how much work to put into it. So long as you make sure you set him up right for each jump, don't rush him at them, and give him his head and ensure you get off his back for the jump, with time he'll get used to it and settle down. It was the case with my horse.

Anonymous · Answer

you should jump him over in and outs and combonations to make him stop and learn that he can;t jump that far

cymrais am byth · Answer

you could put a placing pole in front and behind, this might help

How do I stop my horse from Over Jumping?

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