Free jumping, is it bad for a bucker?

[Cavesson]

Hi,
The new horse I'm working with has been off for 4 years. I would like to free jump him before I start jumping him under saddle again. The only thing is the owner tells me that he got in the habit of bucking after jumping a fence. It is not pain related, he is just naturally a high-spirited horse. The only thing is if I free jump him there is no way to correct him immediately if he does buck. I want to put a stop to this ASAP. If I let him get away with it when free jumping is it more likely to carry over? Should I just ride him over some jumps and put a stop to it? The only thing is I would like to let him "find his feet again" the first few times without me??

Thanks

[Alterrain]

If he has had 4 years off, he may have forgotten he bucks after the fence.

[hrsgirl07]

i personally wouldn't free jump him....

do trot and canter poles then sneak in some raised poles and baby cross rails; if he offers to buck at any time, get after him right away!

[BK to some]

Hi,
The new horse I'm working with has been off for 4 years. I would like to free jump him before I start jumping him under saddle again. The only thing is the owner tells me that he got in the habit of bucking after jumping a fence. It is not pain related, he is just naturally a high-spirited horse. The only thing is if I free jump him there is no way to correct him immediately if he does buck. I want to put a stop to this ASAP. If I let him get away with it when free jumping is it more likely to carry over? Should I just ride him over some jumps and put a stop to it? The only thing is I would like to let him "find his feet again" the first few times without me??

Thanks

you could try lunging him over fences, and if he bucks, you have him on the line to correct him. i love free-jumping and lunging over fences. so you make him keep going around and around till he goes without bucking, then stop and pet him.

[SmokeyCB]

I would ride him over some crossrails/low jumps to get him back in the swing. I personally wouldn't do the free jumping if you have the concerns that you do. He would definitely need the correction from you. Hopefully he won't remember the bad habit, but if he does, you want to nip it in the bud.