Re-training Retrieve Over Solid Jump!

[3BW]

My girl's best exercise has always been the retrieve over solid jump - reliable and enthusiastic. This week in training she was so keen she took off early and bumped the jump quite heavily - both directions. Fortunately it was only a polypipe bar jump. We didn't train for a few days due to bad weather, but when we trained today she wouldn't do the jump. Happy to retrieve , but went around the jump. With lots of encouragement I could get her over - but certainly not happily. We have a trial in the morning - too late to fix it for then, but I will be working on it during the week. My question - how would youI approach the retraining ....a) lower jump to build confidence or b) higher jump to teach her to jump higher or c) just to running past jumps( rally style) ?

She is a very soft girl, and shuts down easily. I would love her to love the exercise again.

[Jumabaar]

I would be checking for an injury that might be making jumping difficult before doing too much jumping work with her. She may have been sore and hit they bar rather than just keen and now is avoiding the jump to avoid the pain.

[3BW]

No - I don't think the miss- jump was injury related. It was huge, but way too early. You know the type, where you hold your breath for ages hoping they can glide that bit further! She has been physically fine since, and been jumping on/ over things as bolts around the yard. Certainly doesn't appear sore. I am sure , though, that it hurt her to bump the bar and she doesn't want that again. Sensitive thing that she is , I suspect she thought it was some sort of reprimand . So now I have to convince her that it is ok to jump with a dumbbell.

Don't worry, we won't be doing too much jumping - just a couple of jumps a few times a week. .....but do I go high, low, no dumbbell....?

I am hoping that at tomorrow's trial it won't be an issue as it will be a solid jump- maybe she will think that is different.

[Ptolomy]

If you are sure she is not sore - then I would be leaving the jump at that height and making it fun by throwing food or balls or other toys - not a dumbbell, over the jump and telling her to "get it"

[3BW]

So, I needn't have worried about her not jumping...... In the trial this morning she was so keen to jump that she bombed by anticipating! It was a beautifully executed jump though, and plenty of enthusiasm. A shame though, as her other exercises had been really good - never mind.

Still, I would rather have the anticipating problem than the refusing one.

Thanks for the idea Ptolomy. If she still balks at the bar jump (the only jump I have at home) I will try this. It seems like it may be a bar issue, so for now I will fix it by putting a sheet over it to make it solid.