I'm hoping that one of the horse-people on this forum might be able to help here.
I have a beautiful filly who was 2 in May. She's absolutely beautiful, very friendly and I love her to bits. However, she has recently discovered that she can jump and will now jump anything - including out of the field - to get where she wants to be or to say hello to whomever she wants to talk to! There really doesn't seem to be any reason for this - she is defintely not doing it to run away from anything. She'll do it whether or not she has a 'friend' out with her or not and she's neither dominant nor bullied, just a pleasant pony who gets on with anyone. I cover her in natural fly repellant so she's not getting bitten and she has plenty of grass in her field (to be on the safe side I even put a section of hay out). She stands at about 14 hands now and the fencing is now over 5 feet tall but there doesn't seem to be anything she can't clear - it's not even like she just clears it, she literally sails over. Luckily she's nowhere near a road where she's turned out. As I say, there seems to be no reason for this at all, apart from the fact that she's an active, healthy filly who has discovered a particular aptitude for jumping!
I would be really grateful if anyone could shed some light on how it might be possible to stop her jumping out. On a positive note, I now know what an amazing talent she has, but I do worry that she'll think she's invincible and try jumping something ridiculously high or wide. I don't agree with tethering and 10 foot high fences aren't an option!
Thank you in advance for any ideas you have.
Rachel xx
RE: Jumping filly
Rachel,
I can't offer you a solution, because basically i don't think you have a problem, but that's another matter. What i will do is try and show you that you are not alone.
We, my wife and I, had a late cut 5 year old Irish Hunter gelding, practically straight of the boat from Ireland. They jump anything out there that shows tallent and he had splints as big as your arm!!! He was so intelligent it was frightening and ruled our lives for 31 years. He was only 5.2 hands but was able to clear 5ft from the standstill and we were reluctantly ordered out of a very good teaching yard, because he insisted in jumping over the manage wall at 4'6", into the manage, to join the lesson there, just because he fabcied one of the mares there. He was able to jump way beyond the ability of my wife, who was a Prix St George dressge rider and once, after having cleared all the fences in a very prestigeous jumping event, silenced the cheers by carrying on in a staright line and jumping a 6' fence out of the arena, just because he felt bored.
My advice is totally unhelpful, enjoy your luck, if you can't handle her, then be prepared to lend her to someone who can; you have a rare tallent there, lucky lass!!!
Leo
RE: Jumping filly
[sm=rollaugh.gif][sm=rollaugh.gif][sm=rollaugh.gif][sm=rollaugh.gif][sm=rollaugh.gif][sm=rollaugh.gif]
You have to love them though dont you - Leo your Gelding put me in mind of the Dennis the Menace movie with walter matteau made about 12 years ago. Its the things he did that were potentialy dangerous but you could see the funny side of it because it is all done in innocence!
Rachel, I wish you well with your filly. Maybe if you put a few small jumps in her field?
She sounds wonderful though.
Maxine xxx
RE: Jumping filly
Thank you both for your replies:)
Leo - your gelding sounds like he was lovely. I bet the person taking the lesson was none too impressed when he jumped into the menage!
Maxine - thank you. She's beautiful and I love her dearly. She was a very unexpected surprise - we bought her mother, who is pure fell, and started to get slightly concerned when she put on excessive weight. I phoned the vet to ask for advice, thinking I was feeding her totally wrongly, and got the shock of my life when the vet said she was pregnant!
I put my gelding in with her today, and thankfully she stayed put with him. Hopefully she'll save her talent for a few years time!
Many thanks again for your posts.
Rachel xx
RE: Jumping filly
ORIGINAL: Leonardo
Rachel,
I can't offer you a solution, because basically i don't think you have a problem, but that's another matter. What i will do is try and show you that you are not alone.
We, my wife and I, had a late cut 5 year old Irish Hunter gelding, practically straight of the boat from Ireland. They jump anything out there that shows tallent and he had splints as big as your arm!!! He was so intelligent it was frightening and ruled our lives for 31 years. He was only 5.2 hands but was able to clear 5ft from the standstill and we were reluctantly ordered out of a very good teaching yard, because he insisted in jumping over the manage wall at 4'6", into the manage, to join the lesson there, just because he fabcied one of the mares there. He was able to jump way beyond the ability of my wife, who was a Prix St George dressge rider and once, after having cleared all the fences in a very prestigeous jumping event, silenced the cheers by carrying on in a staright line and jumping a 6' fence out of the arena, just because he felt bored.
My advice is totally unhelpful, enjoy your luck, if you can't handle her, then be prepared to lend her to someone who can; you have a rare tallent there, lucky lass!!!
Leo
i had an irish mare just like that once - unfortunately she would only clear solid fences on the cross country course, and would just go through showjumping fences!!!! and i wanted to showjump!!!
rachel - a companion sounds like a good idea, should help her to stay put!
emma x x