Have times changed, book arrived
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Oh god rapping! 
it can be relatively mild (not in my opinion but in comparison to other methods) hitting them on the legs as they go over so they think they have hit the pole and it hurts them so intention is next time they will tuck their legs up tighter right up to tying prickly gorse around the top pole, barbed wire or even some electric tape just above the top pole. Nice eh? I have even known some 'trainers' to use an electric pig prod to remind the horse to get itself up and over the jump cleanly and quickly.
it can be relatively mild (not in my opinion but in comparison to other methods) hitting them on the legs as they go over so they think they have hit the pole and it hurts them so intention is next time they will tuck their legs up tighter right up to tying prickly gorse around the top pole, barbed wire or even some electric tape just above the top pole. Nice eh? I have even known some 'trainers' to use an electric pig prod to remind the horse to get itself up and over the jump cleanly and quickly. Actually Kp I would love to be able to agree with that - but unfortunately it really does work and does nothing to destroy their confidence at all - if only that were the case the practice would have died out years ago.....but that relatively mild form of rapping is alive and well along with the even worse methods I have described I can assure you - still being used with great success and might well account for your own horse's overly keen and clear jumping style.
It's wasn't that long ago tacks were being found in boots along with bandages sooaked in irritant solutions and other nasties were being found in Professional jumpers tack lockers
Rapping is still very much on the go, many horses who are young who over jump are usually trained by this process is a quick way to get youngsters lifting their legs without the tedious training of it over SJ.
Rapping is still very much on the go, many horses who are young who over jump are usually trained by this process is a quick way to get youngsters lifting their legs without the tedious training of it over SJ.
The author also mentioned the use of tacks as being wrong in principle and practice.
Plus chaining fences together as the trade marks of the artisan and not the artist, those who want to make a quick profit with semi trained animals, those unsuited to the job, inferior or 'damaged goods'
It obviously used to go on in the uk. @Cortrasna not just Ireland.
Plus chaining fences together as the trade marks of the artisan and not the artist, those who want to make a quick profit with semi trained animals, those unsuited to the job, inferior or 'damaged goods'
It obviously used to go on in the uk. @Cortrasna not just Ireland.
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As I understand it, someone stands next to the jump with a long whippy stick, and as the horse jumps they whip the stick upwards and "rap" the horse on its forelegs to keep it careful.
I believe that this was done to Ziggy, as was "shocking" where they put a strand of electric over the jumps. As a result he came to me bolting-scared of coloured fences.
I believe that this was done to Ziggy, as was "shocking" where they put a strand of electric over the jumps. As a result he came to me bolting-scared of coloured fences.
What puzzles me is if a horse doesn't have the necessary skill or interest why force it? If I don't have the necessary skills to do a decent dressage test why force me to a point where I hate it?
I always thought popping over a descending spread encouraged the horse to be aware of its back end.
I always thought popping over a descending spread encouraged the horse to be aware of its back end.
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Rapping can be used for front or back end depending on how the poles/whip/boots (insert method here) to tidy them up.
Sad practice but unfortunately it gets results hence the constant use
Sad practice but unfortunately it gets results hence the constant use
@Cortrasna lots of crap practices are used just because they always have been so that in itself does not convince me.
Some horses may do well despite being rapped but how can anyone say the practice helped as opposed to just didnt harm? Genuine question. Why do people think it works?
Others seem clearly traumatised by it. Even just on this thread 2 owners have described fearful reactions due to rapping.
Some horses may do well despite being rapped but how can anyone say the practice helped as opposed to just didnt harm? Genuine question. Why do people think it works?
Others seem clearly traumatised by it. Even just on this thread 2 owners have described fearful reactions due to rapping.
Rapping works because they learn to give jumps more clearance and be more careful with their legs... horses who have been rapped tend to over-jump which is seen as a sign of scope and therefore potential. I suspect that some of the ones who remain traumatised are the ones who never learned, or had the scope, to give the poles enough clearance... maybe they never learned that they could jump and not get hurt, so the fear remained. I don't know about the UK but it's still commonplace in Europe, particularly when free-jumping youngsters in preparation for competitions. Horses as young as a year old are sold for vast sums of money on the basis of how they perform down a jumping lane. Various aspects of their form are important but excessive height clearance is seen as a particularly desirable quality.
Using tacks etc under boots and bandages is still an issue in showjumping. So much so that you are checked for this in FEI competitions. In France when my boss competed in international classes I had to remove the horse's front and back boots before they went into the ring so that the FEI officials could check for sharp objects in/under the boots and signs of irritation or injury on the legs.
Using tacks etc under boots and bandages is still an issue in showjumping. So much so that you are checked for this in FEI competitions. In France when my boss competed in international classes I had to remove the horse's front and back boots before they went into the ring so that the FEI officials could check for sharp objects in/under the boots and signs of irritation or injury on the legs.
Some people see it as tapping the coronet of the offending dropped leg with a thin hazel stick.
It can be seen in National Velvet in the jumping training scene apparently, but to me it looks like just a lunge whip. The man isn't right by the jump and its a hedge.
Rapping - don't get me started there are several extremely well known older generation show jumpers in the UK who were well known for this practice & also for the tin tacks in bandages
I have no doubt that rapping still goes on today & the so called "pinch" fetlock boots are just a new form of torture for the poor horses who wear them.
there are several extremely well known older generation show jumpers in the UK who were well known for this practice & also for the tin tacks in bandages I have no doubt that rapping still goes on today & the so called "pinch" fetlock boots are just a new form of torture for the poor horses who wear them.
@Cortrasna lots of crap practices are used just because they always have been so that in itself does not convince me.
Actually KP I wasn't trying to 'convince' you of anything? Not sure how you got that from my post - I cant see anywhere that I was seen to be encouraging, recommending or trying to convince you that rapping is to be encouraged?
My horse was wrapped in Ireland, it didn't affect his confidence, he couldn't of got anymore confident, sometimes he was that bold he'd be daft with it. He would never ever back off a fence and I mean never, but stand someone right next to the wings and it really changed him, you could feel him physically tense up and he'd prat about more than usual and I'd really have to give with my hands, which again was really unusual (horse was a tank) it was something that never happened much as no one really stood that close to the wings and if they were I'd ask them to move, but warm ups could be interesting if people stood right on the wings. He does have quite a colourful past though so it might not just have been the rapping. He was a very clean jumper and rarely knocked a pole.
Popular use doesn't convince me that it works, not doesn't convince me that you like it. It was clear from your post you don't like it. By 'works' I don;t mean a horse was rapped and ended up a great jumper - I'm sure many do jump well despite rapping - I mean a horse was rapped and ended up a better jumper than he would have been trained without rapping.
In the field of sport 'science' (I use the term loosely) people have always sworn by all manner of nonsense.
In the field of sport 'science' (I use the term loosely) people have always sworn by all manner of nonsense.
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ETA I think some horses genuinely hate hitting fences and some aren't bothered. I know Oscar's history from aged 2 and he was never rapped. But he hates touching poles and gives everything a lot of clearance. On the odd occasion he catches a pole he jumps much more carefully afterwards. Lisa on the other hand was more than happy to plough through jumps! She just saw them as obstacles in her way to get over or through and had no sense that she need to jump cleanly. Ploughing through heavy wooden poles HURTS. But she wasn't bothered. Rapping would not have helped her - she was effectively a self-rapper! And Oscar is careful anyway without being rapped.
So I can imagine that if you get a horse and rap it, it will immediately lift higher next time but maybe you don;t need to rap to get that effect - they will all hit a pole sooner or later anyway. And the ones that don't like it will learn to be more careful.
But this is just my opinion. I could, of course, be wrong.
So I can imagine that if you get a horse and rap it, it will immediately lift higher next time but maybe you don;t need to rap to get that effect - they will all hit a pole sooner or later anyway. And the ones that don't like it will learn to be more careful.
But this is just my opinion. I could, of course, be wrong.
No to sure on this.
Ginger has scope to spare and with the right rider (a SJ not a girly DR like me) has jumped 1.20 with ease. However he is a lazy jumper and will leave a leg behind and take a pole on landing he will throw a fight buck and kick out but it does not stop him taking it out the next time and the next time and.... you get my point. So he doesn't like it but still does it.
And for the record he was never rapped came to me from flat racing and never even seen a pole
Simple Movements
Circles, when you start them you may be surprised by the curious oblongs that you make. *I still am in a big unmarked area!
Rein back * mine only knows this inhand. Or if I stand by a fence. In the book you were expected to strike off in canter after on either leg.
Riding in formation two or four riders together keeping shoulder to shoulder. * yes done this in pairs.
Triangle exercise if anyone fancies having go. It looks at if you ride round a triangle and have to do a tiny circle at each point, or a pirouette? No diagram.
Square exercise. Mark a square and canter a circle round it.
Turn on the haunches
Apparently the continental school didn't have a Shoulder In or Shoulder Out movement. Shoulder out was travers and shoulder in was renvers.
Half Pass and Full Pass, or sideways for any nh/ western people.
Figure of Eight - with a simple change of lead at x.
No mention of leg yield or turn on the forehand.
Circles, when you start them you may be surprised by the curious oblongs that you make. *I still am in a big unmarked area!
Rein back * mine only knows this inhand. Or if I stand by a fence. In the book you were expected to strike off in canter after on either leg.
Riding in formation two or four riders together keeping shoulder to shoulder. * yes done this in pairs.
Triangle exercise if anyone fancies having go. It looks at if you ride round a triangle and have to do a tiny circle at each point, or a pirouette? No diagram.
Square exercise. Mark a square and canter a circle round it.
Turn on the haunches
Apparently the continental school didn't have a Shoulder In or Shoulder Out movement. Shoulder out was travers and shoulder in was renvers.
Half Pass and Full Pass, or sideways for any nh/ western people.
Figure of Eight - with a simple change of lead at x.
No mention of leg yield or turn on the forehand.
Cavallitti
Yes or no?
Its mentioned in the book and I just came across it again.
I was taught that this is dangerous to stack because the horse could get is feet caught and fall and not that great to use as they could roll if knocked?
So I have only jumped non fixed cross poles but I have jumped solid xc which don't fall down.
Yes or no?
Its mentioned in the book and I just came across it again.
I was taught that this is dangerous to stack because the horse could get is feet caught and fall and not that great to use as they could roll if knocked?
So I have only jumped non fixed cross poles but I have jumped solid xc which don't fall down.
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