Correcting Steeple Chase Horse Problems
Players who are fans of the steeple chase have often seen horses jump up and down and avoid obstacles by jumping over them. One may think that jumping for horses is normal and nothing can go wrong. This is a wrong train of thought for many factors are involved in horse jumping.
In any horse riding stance, one has to assume that one knows how to handle the basics of horse riding. One has to correctly use the aids to help the horse jump correctly. If one uses the aids incorrectly, then the horse may refuse to jump.
Race horse jockeys are experts in using aids for jumping. One has to keep ones head up and looking forwards to the jump. The reins of the horse should be kept loose and not tight else the horse would suddenly stop and let the rider fly forward. One tricks to let the horse take a bit of control, but not the whole amount.
Refusals and Runouts
When the horse does not want to jump when prodded to or when the horse runs towards a different destination is called refusal and runouts respectively. These attitudes can be traced to a simple case of disobedience of the horse.
In the case if a refusal to jump, the jockeys have to handle it in away not to hurt the horse or make the horse afraid. Jockeys who let horses get away with refusals to jump or runouts imbed the thought of being able to do what they want in the horses mind. They would become conditioned to not jumping and their stubbornness level would keep on increasing.
Jockeys need to take each instance of a refusal to jump and treat every time as such and not let it build up. More often than not, there is usually a valid excise not to jump. It could be that the horse is not used to it and odes not feel the horse can cross over safely.
Correcting a Runout
Correcting a run out is crucial and must require the jockey to exert a strong force of will as well as pressure on the hors to make it stop. Run outs mean that the horse is afraid of something. Jockeys have to halt the horse and make the horse run the opposite of where they can me from to remind the horse to keep to the straight path.
Here are some tips on why the horse may refuse to jump or run out. Rides should take note that the steps taken may differ from horse on a case to case basis but these are the most common steps done.
a. Rider error. The owner or the trainer did not train the horse correctly and now sees the jump as something that the horse was not trained for. If the horse was trained from an early age to jump, it would carry on in the training. If not, the trainer would have to implement stricter measures or pull the horse from the race lineup permanently.
b. The jump is too big or unfamiliar. Horses should be brought in closer to the jump area and be allowed to view it so that it becomes familiar next time.
c. The horse may have had bad footing and hence the refusal of the horse to jump. Riders should take this into account and see if there really is slippery ground.
Player and owners of race horses realize that a horse with bad habits is a horse that could endanger the rider at any time that is why bad habit are to be curbed right away.