“Stage fright”

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skye01

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Hi everyone,
This has probably been done to death by now but I’m really interested in everyone’s thoughts.
I brought my boy 5 years ago ( he is now 11) from a competition yard, they had only had him for 8 weeks due to someone not wanting him, that aside they thought he’d make a great eventer/ all rounder and so did we!
So for the first few months we had no issues jumping at all, after about a year he started stopping in the show ring.
5 years later we have put it down to stage fright! He will happily train up to 1m at home and arena hired etc, and he damn loves it yet I can’t even get him going around a 70cm course competing. He if fine in the warm up but then Put him in the ring and he is just so backwards ( he is normally super strong and forward, wearing a pelem) Every now and then we can get a course out of him, I won the style jumping and qualified for championships (!!) we went and got eliminated at the third jump :(.
We have had everything checked, different riders etc.
I take him out as much as possible to shows, clear rounds, arena hires etc and the only difference I get is in the show ring.

What are your thoughts on stage fright and is there any way to work around it? His dressage is exceptional so I tend to stick to that now, but would be lovely if I could do a course on him every so often!
TIA xx
 
What's he like if you go away from home for training, arena hires, lessons off site etc?
It could be your riding that changes even just subtly
 
I do think stage fright is a thing, but I also think it can come off tension from the rider. My little cob was always flashy at local dressage competitions but as soon as we went to area festivals or regionals he went really "cobby" and boring, and very very quiet. Some of it was him being phased by the bigger atmosphere but some of it was me being nervous because it's a championship.

I suspect your riding changes slightly. Maybe a bit of nerves or tension. And other riders maybe get on expecting a stop because that's what he does at shows. If you ride expecting a stop you tend to get one!

Have you tried a pro at competitions, or someone who doesn't know the story? Also have you schooled at your competition venues?
 
Roxylola said:
What's he like if you go away from home for training, arena hires, lessons off site etc?
It could be your riding that changes even just subtly
Click to expand...
He is absolutely fine !!
I can even train at the competition venue and he will be perfect but when it comes to competing he says no.
 
I seond dressagecob’s enquiry - have other riders tried him in the show ring And he behaves the same?

Do YOU feel any different in mood/temperament between training in arenas and entering a show ring?
 
I've known this happen with BS ponies. Having been competed too much too young they work out that if they refuse they get to go home. They never do it schooling. Rarely do it competing HC. It is really only when the round "counts". From my experience with this - they've gone sour - but they are also bright enought to realise when you can effectively beat them round and when you can't. How they work that one out - no idea. But they do.

I'm sorry to say I have never known anyone resolve this - but in fairness I only have experience from a competition perspective. If you have bought a horse to compete and it won't, there is a limit to how much you keep going before you sell to a non competative home and move on. It sounds like that has already happened with your boy.

If you do try to get him right its going to be a long haul, and you might never be able to get in tune with him to get an SJ round out of him. You say you bought him becuase you thought he would make an eventer - that might be the key. Does he go XC really well? Can you get a really decent Dressage? In which case he might be worth persevering with knowing you will never get a clear SJ but hoping that your dressage score will be high enough and you'll go clear XC.

Stick to what he enjoys. Do at some point get a vet to check there is no soreness etc. But I suspect - simply from experience- there won't be. To me he sounds competition sour. Wait a few years- it takes a long time to forget. You've been reinforcing his reason to balk for 5 years- it will take that long - if not longer - to convince him not to. Back right off. If he's happy with dressage stick to that. Otherwise hacking, fun rides etc. You might be able to use a love for XC to coax him back toward jumping SJ. But you may never convince him. If you are determined to compete SJ you might want to move him on to a home better suited to him.
 
DressageCob said:
I do think stage fright is a thing, but I also think it can come off tension from the rider. My little cob was always flashy at local dressage competitions but as soon as we went to area festivals or regionals he went really "cobby" and boring, and very very quiet. Some of it was him being phased by the bigger atmosphere but some of it was me being nervous because it's a championship.

I suspect your riding changes slightly. Maybe a bit of nerves or tension. And other riders maybe get on expecting a stop because that's what he does at shows. If you ride expecting a stop you tend to get one!

Have you tried a pro at competitions, or someone who doesn't know the story? Also have you schooled at your competition venues?
Click to expand...

We have tried huge amounts with my nerves and how I ride about it etc but there just seems to be no rhyme or rhythm !
Yes we have had a pro ride him and he done the same thing :( x
 
Shay said:
I've known this happen with BS ponies. Having been competed too much too young they work out that if they refuse they get to go home. They never do it schooling. Rarely do it competing HC. It is really only when the round "counts". From my experience with this - they've gone sour - but they are also bright enought to realise when you can effectively beat them round and when you can't. How they work that one out - no idea. But they do.

I'm sorry to say I have never known anyone resolve this - but in fairness I only have experience from a competition perspective. If you have bought a horse to compete and it won't, there is a limit to how much you keep going before you sell to a non competative home and move on. It sounds like that has already happened with your boy.

If you do try to get him right its going to be a long haul, and you might never be able to get in tune with him to get an SJ round out of him. You say you bought him becuase you thought he would make an eventer - that might be the key. Does he go XC really well? Can you get a really decent Dressage? In which case he might be worth persevering with knowing you will never get a clear SJ but hoping that your dressage score will be high enough and you'll go clear XC.

Stick to what he enjoys. Do at some point get a vet to check there is no soreness etc. But I suspect - simply from experience- there won't be. To me he sounds competition sour. Wait a few years- it takes a long time to forget. You've been reinforcing his reason to balk for 5 years- it will take that long - if not longer - to convince him not to. Back right off. If he's happy with dressage stick to that. Otherwise hacking, fun rides etc. You might be able to use a love for XC to coax him back toward jumping SJ. But you may never convince him. If you are determined to compete SJ you might want to move him on to a home better suited to him.
Click to expand...

this is really interesting I’ve never heard of this before !! We don’t know anything about him being young, we’re pretty convinced it wasn’t too good, but he was green and I’m sure he hadn’t done huge amounts. We gave up being competitive with showjumping around a year ago and just done it for fun when I felt like it.
He absolutely loves his fun rides etc but cross country is the same unless it’s pairs ? I have now stuck to dressage and fun bits he enjoys doing. I put him up for sale but decided i do not want to split with him purely for the fact he won’t jump in a show ring when I can go out and have general fun at arena hires etc every so often :) It is just very weird that sometimes he will go clear and look lovely and other days he says no! We have had everything checked pretty recent and they said no problems.
When you say wait a few years, do you mean stop jumping completely? Xx
 
PurBee said:
I seond dressagecob’s enquiry - have other riders tried him in the show ring And he behaves the same?

Do YOU feel any different in mood/temperament between training in arenas and entering a show ring?
Click to expand...

no I didn’t funnily, it’s only when it kept happening on repeat I started feeling nervous. I have worked massively on my “emotions” when competing to help him as well, even when going round with the most positive mindset I could possibly have he likes to stop ?x
 
I’d say one of three things:

1. Underlying veterinary issue... probably nothing too serious, but enough to tip him over the edge on a show day.
2. As above... he’s figured out that if he stops he simply is removed from the area and gets to go home.
3. Also as another suggestion, he doesn’t want to do it anymore.

How I’d tackle it would be totally dependant on how much cash I had spare.

Firstly I’d be tempted to give him the once over with saddler/dentist/back, but using different people to normal (especially different back technique), to see if they can find anything.

Second, send him off to a pro for a month/six weeks to be competed, and see how he goes. If you are female, I’d try to find a rider similar size to you.

thirdly, you could try going to repeated clear round shows... I’m talking poles on the ground/30 cm type stuff.

equifeast cool calm and collected may also help you.

or if you have a bottomless pit of money, get him in to the vet for a head to toe work up
 
charterline said:
I’d say one of three things:

1. Underlying veterinary issue... probably nothing too serious, but enough to tip him over the edge on a show day.
2. As above... he’s figured out that if he stops he simply is removed from the area and gets to go home.
3. Also as another suggestion, he doesn’t want to do it anymore.

How I’d tackle it would be totally dependant on how much cash I had spare.

Firstly I’d be tempted to give him the once over with saddler/dentist/back, but using different people to normal (especially different back technique), to see if they can find anything.

Second, send him off to a pro for a month/six weeks to be competed, and see how he goes. If you are female, I’d try to find a rider similar size to you.

thirdly, you could try going to repeated clear round shows... I’m talking poles on the ground/30 cm type stuff.

equifeast cool calm and collected may also help you.

or if you have a bottomless pit of money, get him in to the vet for a head to toe work up
Click to expand...

The mare here at livery jumped really well at home, at schooling or CR but was inconsistent in competitions, I felt it was in part her riders nerves, in part her slightly stuffy attitude generally, she was jumping 70/ 80 reasonably well, moved up to 90 ok and then started to stop more consistently in the ring, still fine at home, vet check found nothing obvious, so went in for a full work up where it was found she had very minor KS, she also showed a tiny improvement to how she moved when her hock was nerve blocked, 4 vets were looking and only one thought she was lame after flexions it was that slight.

She had the hocks injected, rehab to improve her core, open the KS and we have taken her barefoot as I felt the slightly puffy fetlock joints may benefit, she no longer has any filling in the joints, is moving really well, jumping better than ever at home but the next step cannot be tested until we can compete again, hopefully she will be more confident and can get going, I think having a full work up is worthwhile as the added tension of travelling and the competition atmosphere can just bring any minor niggles to a head, a few will go the opposite way getting buzzy and the adrenaline kicks in but many more will shut down and stop trying.
 
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