# Can a horse that rushes the fences be "fixed"



## BeauReba (Jul 2, 2008)

As long as you are getting frustrated, no she will never get better. Ask your instructor what she thinks will help the situation. Using ground poles, gymnastics, and halting exercises will help for sure. I knew an OTTB who used to zoom around the arena on the flat and o/f but settled down quite a bit after doing exercises and being ridden consistently.


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

i think it can be fixed. Its going to take a very quiet rider. Quiet hands, Quiet seat. and lots of suppling and steady work. hey try her out on those low cross rails...mix it up. It sounds pretty easy to fix.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Yes, it can be fixed. For example, the horse I ride (Daytona) used to rush to the fences. I fixed it (well, 90%; I'm still working with her) by just using soft hands, sitting deep into the saddle, & breathing. I also spoke with her softly as I went to the jumps, to calm her down. Doing circles & slowing your posting can also help.
Little squeezes with the reins (not applying too much pressure; just some little squeezes) also make it so they are paying attention to you.


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

Sometimes they are eager but sometimes they learn to rush because they got pushed a little too fast and are throwing themselves over to make sure they clear the jump - just take it down a notch to some small crossrails and see if it's the same story...


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## clover (Aug 7, 2008)

Clover was one who use to rush fences horribly. He was jumped way too high way too soon by the person who had him before me. The previous rider use to basically get him straight to the fence and then just use the crop on his butt all the way to get him over the fence. No wonder the poor boy wanted to rush. Then when I got him, he was my first horse and I was so use to pokey lesson horses, it took me a while to learn to use my seat and not my hands (which never worked!) to slow him down. Anyway, he did learn to slow down to fences, and does well when he is in consistant work, however, I have had to give him time off and when comming back, we always have to kind of start over with the fences. Although he learned to slow down to the fences, he will always have that tendency to rush if he has not been worked regularly (nervious habbit maybe or too much energy or a combination of both). So, you really have to decide if it is something that you are willing to consistantly work on. You said this is going to be your only horse, so if you want something more laid back, than maybe this is not the horse for you. but if you want a good challange, it sounds like you instructor feels you are ready for it and can handle it and this could turn out to be a great horse. I know that when I first started leasing Clover, it took a lot of convincing by my instructor that I was ready for a challange like him, but he turned out to be a great horse I ended up buying him a few months later and now, it's five years later and I love him to death!


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## xLaurenOscarx (Aug 11, 2009)

When My Horse Gets Eager Going 2 A Fence I Turn Him Away (Providing Its Not 3-4 Strides Before The Jump) And I Get Him To Trot Circles Around The Jump Untill He Relaxes. I Keep The Circles Gradually Getting Closer To The Jump. If He Gets To Eager Again I Make The Circles Away From The Jump And Gradually Bring Him Back In Again. Keep Doing It Until He Calmly Jumps The Jump On The Circle! Works Everytime For Me You Need Patience Though!


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

I ditto what LaurenOscar said. It sounds like your horse has confidence issues with jumping...actually the majority of the time a horse rushes is because it's not confident. They'll jump, simply because it's in front of them and their emotions are running away and they can't stop their feet.


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## NittanyEquestrian (Mar 3, 2009)

Agreed with the last two posters, you need to get it through her head that she cannot rush. The minute she rushes you can pull her up and make her halt, or you can do circles, etc. The key is to not let her jump until she's calm. If she starts to run away with you towards the jump it's better to sit her on her butt a few strides before the fence and make her stop than to let her rocket launch over it. Also, go back to ground poles where it is really easy to correct rushing. If you have to hold her in over a pole there's no danger of her knocking fences over and hurting herself or you. Start making up courses of just poles on the ground and trotting and cantering them like they are real jumps. If she gets rushy you can circle or stop if it's bad or use your seat and close your hip angles and sit up to slow her down before the "fence". If you can fix it on the flat and over the poles, progress to small x-rails, nothing higher than a foot and a half to two feet. If you can get her to not rush a 2 foot fence, then she shouldn't rush anything (except for needing a bit more impulsion for the bigger fences which is NOT the same as rushing). If you need specific exercises I can probably come up with a few for you just pm me. Good luck!


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## xLaurenOscarx (Aug 11, 2009)

I Personally Wouldnt Stop The Horse At The Jump Because That Would Encourage Stopping. Also If I Stop Oscar If Hes Being Eager Chances Are He'll Bull Off On Me Anyway Or He'l Just Start Prancing On The Spot Or Shooting Backwards Whereas If I Keep Him Moving On A Circle He Relaxes Quicker And Bettr
But I Guess Its All Down To Opinion And Horse!


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## RoyalsRebel (Sep 24, 2009)

Personally, I think this question is unanswerable by anyone but you, your trainer, and anyone else qualified you can get out to look at the horse.

Rushing depends on soooooo many things. She could be rushing because physically something is not right with her (something hurts, or physically she is not built to jump correctly) and so she has learnt that it is easier or less painful to jump quick. She could be rushing because she was pushed too quickly through her training or trained improperly. She could be rushing just because she feels it's more fun (OTTB's are notorious for it, as are any hot-bloods).

The main thing is you need to determine, is she happy when she is jumping? Does she _want_ to jump? Have someone watch her jumping - what does her body language say? If she is eager and happy to jump than likely it isn't a physical issue, if she's eager but when she gets to the jump looks upset or unhappy she may have something wrong. Make sure the horse is vet checked if you do decide you are going to buy her, that way if it doesn't work out, you know that you can re-sell her to someone who wants to do something else with her.

The biggest thing I can recommend if you think the horse is eager and are sure there is nothing physically wrong with her, is to go back to basics, right away. Spend 3-4 months on basic training _on the flat only_. You need to build trust and a respectful relationship with the horse first (trust is a huge factor in jumping), and you also need to reschool the foundations of her training - walk trot canter, suppleness, and also very important is muscle, balance, and straightness. The horse has to be moving off a solid base before it can be asked to jump straight, quiet, and in good technique. Poll-work, hill work, suppling exercises, teaching the horse to work from the hind-end for 3-4 months. Then you can slowly build back up to jumping - first by adding jumping wings to the sides of ground poles, then with small x's, then small verticals.

Rushing isn't ever a quick fix. It can take 6 months to 3 years in my experience, but never less than 6 months. The issue is underlying - either in training, fitness, or in physical ability. It can also take that long for you to build a true relationship with the horse in order to gain the trust required to ask it to do something so unnatural (jumping).

With horses I've dealt with, keeping the fences below 3' for over a year has been necessary. And as soon as the rushing starts again you have to go back a step, two steps, even back to just poles. Height isn't the issue, it's the underlying. But find out what the underlying issue is before you buy, and vet check if you do!

Hope that helps! Rushing is a very hard thing to overcome, but it can certainly be done with the right horse and the right amount of time and discipline!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I would try it. Stop the horse between jumps. Do downward transitions between jumps, lots of gymnastics. It won't happen overnight but yes, you can do it...


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