Horse Rushing to Jumps

Question
Hi, my horse is an appendix quarter horse gelding -16.3 hands, and 15 years old. I ride him in a special snaffle that has rounded edges so it doesn't pinch his mouth, as it is very sensitive. He has full turnout. His saddle has been checked to make sure it is not pinching him, along with his martingale and bridle. His back, teeth, and feet have also been examined to make sure there is no soreness. He loves to jump, but can get very anxious and tends to rush them. I have been schooling him over very small cross rails, though in the past I have done 3' courses. I've tried going back to basics (lots of ground work)-I do a lot of work at the trot before jumping; I extend and collect, go over ground poles (which he is fine with), and work on transitions. I have been jumping the small, wide cross rails from a trot. When I approach a jump (especially one on a diagonal) he throws his head up and starts running. His hind quarters swing out and he gets very upset. My instructor just tells me to keep coming, but sometimes I am unsure if that is right. If I make him stop, he'll sometimes jump up on his hind legs (not a full rear). He has gone through periods where he will happily jump, and other times (especially with weather changes), he becomes very anxious. I feel like he's a quivering ball of anxiety under me. Sometimes, if we keep doing it, and build up his confidence, he will settle and jump it okay. I talk to him and am pretty calm when he gets upset -I try to remain relaxed. He's done it enough that it doesn't get my adrenaline rushing. Do you have any advice on what I can do to help him? I am very concerned about what I may potentially be doing wrong. I don't hang on his mouth, don't come crashing down on his back over a jump, or catch him in the mouth over a jump. I have been working with him to increase his confidence, as he has become increasingly spooky. I should probably mention that he does not only rush over fences -he does it on the flat sometimes, too. He'll start trotting from a walk and I have to calm him down, and his canter sometimes breaks into a gallop. I have learned to anticipate his speed increases, but sometimes he is too much to handle. It's not stubbornness I think, just anxiety. Because his mouth is so sensitive, I would prefer not to go to a more severe bit, nor do I think that it would fix the problem. My instructor just says he's weird, and needs consistent forcing over the jumps to get him to not rush them. Other people have ridden him, and he's even worse with them. Is there anything that I can do? He is such a great horse -always willing, and such a sweetie. Sometimes he just loves to jump (ears relaxed, consistent speed, willing, doesn't run out), and other times his anxiety is frightening. He's never refused a jump. If you have any suggestions on how to keep him calm, that would be great.

Answer
Hi Megan!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE appendix horses.  They are just the best!  When you say ground work, I'm wondering what that is???  If it is based on the Buckaroo/Vaquero tradition of Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrence...totally cool.  If not, we need to get you hooked up with real ground work.  I'm pretty sure you need to make some adjustments,  because once you do, many of these issues of confidence, leadership and partnership will be gone.

Never, EVER go to a fence when your horse is tense, running and out of control.  It just continues to reinforce the behavior.  There is something that is being missed here and your horse is a wreck!  Not only is this a hazard for the both of you, you are asking, just begging for injuries!  NEVER jump out of tension.  YIKES!  Don't pull him to a stop either.  Get relaxed circle off the fence, and go some where, don't just keep circling, this does nothing to ease the tension your horse is feeling, just ride the whole arena, weave in and out of the course, roll him over his hind quarters, disengage the hinds, do a one rein stop.  When he first starts showing tension BEFORE he flips his head upside down, BEFORE he starts to run, turn off the fence and allow him to coast to a stop while you are rubbing him soft.  Then walk and trot, from the buckle.  Roll him over his hinds to a one rein stop, moving all over the arena.  Keep this pattern up and then choose something to flow over, smooth and relaxed.  Again, if the tension comes up, roll him off in another direction, work from the buckle, do some collected work, keep riding with relaxation as the primary goal.  Angle or Angle/angel combinations make lots of humans tense, make sure YOU are not part of the tension equation.  I want you relaxed and breathing especially going to the fences where you have been having trouble.

Now, Megan here are the things that will really help your horse...I want you to learn what real and real quality ground work is all about.  It is part of you and your horses education that has been totally missed and you are really needing it now.  Learning how to build confidence by using a flag/tarp/slicker, a lass rope, teaching your horse that he can control his energy and emotions and that you are a leader he can trust will change both of you forever.  This way of being around a horse is not just a western horse thing...it is a horse thing.  It is communicating with a horse in a language the horse understands, because we are all riding the horse first and the saddle second.  Check out the "Ground Work" DVD by Buck Brannaman.  Start going through this information and we will talk about it as you need more help and clarification.  This will make huge changes in you and your horse.  Check the web and see if Buck or Ricky Quinn will be in your area and attend a clinic.  You will be amazed at just how good your horse can be when he really knows what to do with his feet and when he knows you have a plan he can trust.  

So, give this stuff a try and then give me a shout and let me know how things are going.  Remember, no jumping with out relaxation first!

Smiles, Denise

Do some other things with your horse also.  Trail ride, take him camping, learn how to rope off of him, chase a cow.  All of these things keep him fresh and build real confidence.  -D