Anyone want to lend an ear?

[lucemoose]

Well, my little ginger thing I bought for peanuts as a bucker is now unravelling herself as quite a complex little character..
Her history is that she was just abroad from 4yr-6yr old and was placed or won in classes up to 1.20. All her riders were male (verified by print out) came over here, registered BSJA but never jumped by a lady down south, and then I bought her. Since having physio, not having a saddle for months and me just trying to do things 'right' I didnt start jumping her until last month. We hack happily, she will bound over logs, ditches and water..do anything I ask her to do and is a very willing little redhead.
1st lesson- the buck comes back with a vengeance but only 2 refusals and pow she can jump!
2nd lesson- warm up like a pro, then we go and jump a course without seeing it 1st (instructor trying to replicate what we would do at a show) and we refuse EVERYTHING. oh, and buck. We can either get up to a fence and then toss the anchors out or we can turn a corner to a line and stand up and wave. Next time around, one stop as I over checked..mare is shaking and trembling like a leaf, her face is fraught in the photos.
Hack to a school with jumps- 2 refusals and PLENTY of these bucks and lots of standing up and waving to her fans, but all in all she takes me to fences and is exurberant about it.
Last week back to the school again- 2 refusals and only a handful of bucks, mare lets herself be checked into a fence and nearly jumps me out the plate a few times. Soft eyes and calm to stand afterwards. Only time she frets is when after a refusal she is asked to canter on again, she shuts down and I have to walk a pace then ask to strike off.
At the weekend we went to the instructors to loose school her. My God Ive got a lovely jumper on my hands, she has fabulous paces for a carrot topped jughead and did bounces, fillers and flew everything. Relaxed demeanour and very free with her back.
Just today I lunged her over barrels and a tarpaulin, she hesitates but a click will get her over.
I dont ride with a whip or spurs, no martingale and always a snaffle variation. She has gone from a grackle to a cavesson(albeit a rope one but hey)

Im just wondering if its going to be possible to get this mare back jumping in an arena competitively again- or has she totally shut down? Im hiring a school again this week but have also entered a teeny HT in the hope that her panic stems from some vicious riding in the past, and from her being overcooked and a combination of a laid back fellow redhead rider and the freedom to bowl along may tempt her?

Ideas on a postcard or just a sympathetic uuumm hmmm will do!
Thank you.

 

[monica987]

ummm hmmmm

Have you only tried her on a surface? What is she like on grass?

 

[clairel]

She sounds to me like a very worried little lady!
I would really take my time with her jumping tiny fences until she has regained some confidence.
Don't suppose that really helps you much but I wouldn't fret that she will never jump competitively again... horses are wonderful animals and capable of turning things around with a bit of sympathetic handling!
Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Sunny08]

Your horse sounds like my old mare - she had been over jumped and though had an impressive record at 1.30m but from when I had her anything above 2.9 and she would just stop. She was ok at home with a few fences but when we got to course scenario or competition and she just shut off and would buck, rear and spin. In all honesty I stopped trying as she was so upset by the whole thing and would get so anxious I simply never took her higher than 2.9ft and then sold her on to a happy hacker for the rest of her days - she was 12 at the time. It was a hard decision to make as in schooling like your mare when she choose to, God could she fly! I don't know about your mare but if she finds it too stressful my question would be - is it worth it? You have my full sympathy! - It is a tough place to be in!!

 

[kerilli]

hmm, i second the vote for tiny fences. i would take her somewhere and do a teensy clear round (as in, a foot high or something) so there is no pressure or tension at all. actually i think i'd probably trot her round if she was happy, canter if she's happier doing that. tons of praise. even do it a few times and then take her home, let such a positive easy lesson sink in.
out of interest, what saddle do you have on her? because on one like that, i'd make sure she was as comfy as feasibly possible, guaranteed, and there are a few makes i'd avoid.
very best of luck, she sounds amazingly talented. time heals everything with horses i think, you are just going to have to be super patient and I think she'll reward your kindness and patience.

 

[lucemoose]

[ QUOTE ]
ummm hmmmm

Have you only tried her on a surface? What is she like on grass?

[/ QUOTE ]

surface and grass, jumped on both x

 

[lucemoose]

[ QUOTE ]
She sounds to me like a very worried little lady!
I would really take my time with her jumping tiny fences until she has regained some confidence.
Don't suppose that really helps you much but I wouldn't fret that she will never jump competitively again... horses are wonderful animals and capable of turning things around with a bit of sympathetic handling!
Good luck and keep us updated!

[/ QUOTE ]


thank you, we will go play with poles on the floor and plenty of pats!

 

[lucemoose]

[ QUOTE ]
Your horse sounds like my old mare - she had been over jumped and though had an impressive record at 1.30m but from when I had her anything above 2.9 and she would just stop. She was ok at home with a few fences but when we got to course scenario or competition and she just shut off and would buck, rear and spin. In all honesty I stopped trying as she was so upset by the whole thing and would get so anxious I simply never took her higher than 2.9ft and then sold her on to a happy hacker for the rest of her days - she was 12 at the time. It was a hard decision to make as in schooling like your mare when she choose to, God could she fly! I don't know about your mare but if she finds it too stressful my question would be - is it worth it? You have my full sympathy! - It is a tough place to be in!!

[/ QUOTE ]

thats my worry- that even the tiniest thing will be too much for her to cope with. Thank you im glad that theres other people out there with horses like her

 

[lucemoose]

[ QUOTE ]
hmm, i second the vote for tiny fences. i would take her somewhere and do a teensy clear round (as in, a foot high or something) so there is no pressure or tension at all. actually i think i'd probably trot her round if she was happy, canter if she's happier doing that. tons of praise. even do it a few times and then take her home, let such a positive easy lesson sink in.
out of interest, what saddle do you have on her? because on one like that, i'd make sure she was as comfy as feasibly possible, guaranteed, and there are a few makes i'd avoid.
very best of luck, she sounds amazingly talented. time heals everything with horses i think, you are just going to have to be super patient and I think she'll reward your kindness and patience.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats why i thought this diddy HT would cheer her up, she has no hangups about rustic fences or demons over them.
she has a made to measure saddle from the bespoke saddle company- its being rechecked again today and was last checked two weeks ago- saddler thought I had swapped the mare as she was sooo relaxed and loose.

thank you