i have a TBgelding and he is doing SOOO GOOD now i can have do flying lead changes and he's slow...but i don't want exercises that you have to jump jump exercises over gorund poles or with ground poles
Answers:
I'd set up a series of trot poles or cavaletti to get him doing gymnastic work. The nice thing about these exercises is they are not as hard on his legs/body as actual jumping is. You can put trot poles in the center and do figure 8s over them.
You should do a lot of grid work. Like with bounces and one strides.
lots of gridwork! This will make him pay attention to where he is putting his feet. Do trot and canter poles with him daily, changing them up as he gets the hang of it. (you can cross them over eachother, put them at angles, ect) What also really helped with my jumpers is (call me crazy) trail riding. Ecspecially where there are lots of roots or up and down hills. That will not only make him aware of his feet, but is also great for building the muscle needed for jumping. Hope that helped! Have fun and be careful!
Crossrails. Or, if he doesn't pick up his feet enough I suggest evenly spacing out poles on the ground and having him trot over them, this will help him learn.
Your TB would really benefit from some dressage work. All horses do, especially jumpers. Not to sound like a sales pitch but in dressage they learn not to get too fresh and excited from jumping, they still have to listen. Its also good to keep them balanced, they can turn faster without "motorbiking" (i.e. they will bend into turns) and they can support their own weight and yours far better. Also, you can rate your speed more easily as you are pacing and approaching jumps. That said here are a few exercises you can do:
Figure eights with ground poles at all gaits
Figure eights with two cavallettis at each end of the figure
Circle bending exercises
Large serpentines in the canter can make flying lead changes more automatic, but start with walk/trot and encourage the bend of his body.
You don't just want slow, you want engaged, esp for TB's who tend to flatten out and disconnect the front from the back end! Try asking for collection and engagement by half halting and circle/volte work.
If he is responding with the collection work, try extending him to really get him to engage and work.
Then try some lateral movements which can actually come in very handy when jumping. When a horse is sensitive to leg pressure (such as required in lateral movements, as well as balance) he can move himself over if hes not shooting for the jump correctly, before you get there.
Ground poles and gridwork are great but you want to mix it up with work on the flat to keep him engaged and in check. I see a lot of people who neglect their flatwork and it shows, both in the lack of control but also in their horses. Too much jumping can really hollow out the back, lead to injury and/or sourness and create a disconnected (and in the long run a sway-backed) horse.
I think someone already suggested hacking which is phenomenal. Horses get tired of arena work, they (just like us) can really need a vacation from the routine. Hacking keeps horses mentally much happier and ready to really work. You can build muscle by jumping stumps and such, be sure you know what's on the other side for safety sake. But the best work out for muscle building is cantering up hills, it keeps the cardiovascular system in great shape. Hills and dressage, at least from my experience, are probably the best ways to take your horse from a stable buddy to a really fit riding mount.
take him out onto state land, if you have any near by, or just get lost for a while with another horse riding friend, start up on a endurance or trail race with them. you should try jumping natural material, such as logs and bushes.
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