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  Discussion on Finding distances to oxers any tips?
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Member:
Kiwi

Posted on Friday, Oct 28, 2005 - 2:19 pm:

I am having a horrible time finding the correct distance to large, square oxers. It's really sad since everyone who rides my horse has no problem jumping him except me. After crashing and burning several times at some oxers, I sent him off to a professional who never had an issue. Yesterday I went to take a lesson at her place on my horse, and I crashed right through the fence. She chalked it up to him not really trying to make an effort for the tight spot and me getting ahead of the horse. Although I was to blame, she felt that the horse should have tried instead of being a drama king about the whole situation. I asked her for the solution to riding oxers and she said practice, practice, practice. But I don't want to jump his feet off my horse with such practice. I know when I approach an oxer and I feel no suitable distance, I freeze or worse yet, take back causing him to stop or better yet, make a move and he is still behind me. Anyway, I think it's a mental thing with me now. Any suggestions to help me find distances to oxers?
Member:
Green007

Posted on Friday, Oct 28, 2005 - 2:23 pm:

Set up a series of low jumps approximately 2 strides apart from one another. Make the first jump a cross rail and all the rest oxers with cross rails in front. These can be tiny jumps. The point is for you and your horse to develop your eyes together for takeoff spots. Have a good ground person there, and learn how to wait, wait, wait for your horse to jump. Don't jump for him. Just let the oxers come to you.

Nice and low, take your time with this exercise and have lots of patience, not only with your horse but with yourself. Then, one day, you will come up to a big square oxer and will be in tune with each other after all the low key practice over the oxer gymnastic.
Member:
Green007

Posted on Friday, Oct 28, 2005 - 2:34 pm:

In case it wasn't clear in my first post, don't set up the gymnastic all at once! That is what the ground person is for - to help you set up and tear down jumps as you perform the exercise. He or she will set up one jump at a time, until you have up to five oxers in the line. If your or your horse have trouble, make the jumps easier. As you both rise to the challenge, make the jumps harder. With practice, you may be able to jump a gymnastic line of square oxers at some point! Once you've done that, whats one little measly square oxer?
Member:
Sswiley

Posted on Friday, Oct 28, 2005 - 6:07 pm:

Here is one that works for me.
Usually when you get ahead of your horse, you are paying attention to when the front end should, or might leave the ground. Focus your attention on the hind end. Start by doing it just trotting over cross rails. You will find yourself getting very comfortable riding to the base, but in the event the horse leaves further out you will have a lot of power and a good secure seat. You can do this very effectively with the higher fences. You will never get ahead and you will always have an engaged horse that can jump out of any spot.
Try it with Debbie's grid too.
Member:
36541

Posted on Friday, Oct 28, 2005 - 8:47 pm:

When I am having stadium problems, a cross-country reminder never hurts, especially with a drama horse. Maybe you have access to or can build a small but really solid oxer of logs or RR ties. This reminds you both that you jump clean for a reason. IMO, a more solid fence, if sized appropriately, always helps a horse and rider work together better
Member:
Kiwi

Posted on Saturday, Oct 29, 2005 - 6:19 am:

Thanks Debbie, Shelley and Stacy! Some really good exercises. I love the grid work with oxers, and I'm going to try that one my next jump school. Shelley, once you start at the trot with the crossrail, do you make the fence bigger once he and I are comfortable and do you still stay at the trot? I always hated trotting fences but I think its because I wasn't getting to the base and getting ahead. Sounds like a good exercise. And Stacy, I agree I can gallop at a big solid vertical cross country with no problem but the stadium always gets me. Thanks for your help! I was just getting down on myself for not being able to ride such a great horse but now I'm determined to improve myself so I can get over this "phobia"
Member:
Sswiley

Posted on Saturday, Oct 29, 2005 - 1:18 pm:

Sorry about being so brief.
It's more of a frame of mind and a body position than a step by step approach. When you ride the hind end you ride the rhythm of the back legs, the result is engaging the hind end and moving the center of gravity back. When the horse leaves the ground, the shoulders rise to you as opposed to you moving forward over the shoulders. Also,if they stop you will be much more secure.
I use this visualization when I galloped the big prelim cross country fences. I actually find it easier to do at the canter, but it is equally important at the trot. Now I am thinking I have confused you with too much information !!
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