Quadro
Well-Known Member
As title really i said i would post it and here it it
Background info first: I have been having a bad time with topaz recently after some bad falls at fences i are confidence together has taking a battering i asked her to ask him if he had any issues with jumping and to explain that i would never ask him to jump anything he was not capable of!
Hi Charlotte
Firstly what a wonderful eye Topaz has, isnt he kind and bright. He is very intelligent but also a worrier and that is what I am getting from him right now. I see that he is six from your question and feel that you have sort of got stuck at a development stage if that makes sense? He certainly loves the jumping and is so very fast, in jump offs he is fabulous, the problem is that he is rushing things at present and has lost confidence in himself poor lad.
This is true in the few times i have put him against the clock he has always won, and he does rush his fences.
I feel that for ages he rarely knocked a thing down, now he is knocking a lot down and he is worried that it is his fault, I honestly feel that if you gave him a two week break and brought him back you would find a difference horse. It is almost like he is going I am no good, I knock them all down, I am rubbish, poor lad, and I can see that is what he thinks himself, not what you tell him!!! It is said in horse language not copied.
Not sure about this his prob is more stopping than knocking but the stopping did all start with knocking a fence so maybe this is why??
I feel that he loves the jumping but for the two weeks concentrate on dressage, now I know that you will be sitting there saying but I dont want to do dressage but I feel that certainly at walk and trot he would be absolutely fabulous, he is bouncy and sure footed and would do well, I just want to distract him from his tension and worries, ease his tension by asking him to do something entirely different and then bring back the jumping when he feels better, I really do think that this is just that he has got slightly stuck and needs to be brought out of that head and have it replaced with another frame of mind. Charlotte I really hope my funny explanations make sense, I just write what I get and that sometimes comes across oddly.
Yes i am thinking "NOOOO NOT DRESSAGE!
, he is very bouncy and has a fab trot but a poor walk.
Now the reason I say dressage is that he would be fine to do an actual low level competion, maybe instead of something he was booked to do, do the dressage walk and trot instead, because he is MORE than capable of this, but I want him to succeed for himself and you, because that will lift his spirits and stop him worrying. He really is a lovely lad and so genuine that it hurts him sometimes being so thoughtful and nice.
I think i will do a local prelim test (not sure he is lovely though he nips constantly!)
Dont get me wrong her Charlotte, he is still all horse and can and has bronced (might have miss spelt that but you know what I mean, getting stuck not going forward or back and completely stressed) like a quarter horse, but that was years ago when he was 4 he doesnt do that now, but that would have been pent up frustration at not knowing what was expected of him. He and you are so used to him getting everything really quickly, that this feels like a big problem, it isnt and it can be over in a few weeks by distraction, giving him something new to think about and then re-introducing the riding. Please dont be tempted to take him further and further at the dressage for now, this is what he can ALREADY do, rather than giving him something else to learn. In education speak we are giving him different activities to consolidate his present learning and allow him to progress! Can you tell I used to be a teacher (humans not animals!!!)
He does have "episodes" where he shoots backwards and spins round and i agree that it is to do with him not being able to cope with the situation. (i wont be tempted to take him further at dressage i can assure you )
I went back to the question at this point and tried to explain everything to him, another worry he has at his present level is I cant see over the other side of the fence he is worried (being a worrier by nature) about what might be over the other side, I have told him that you wont ask him to do anything that he cannot cope with but again get the feeling I just cant at present, so another thing would be to build some big fences at home, like walls and non see through ones, and then lead him up stand for a few seconds and then round the other side, so he can see there is nothing on the other side to frighten him. I feel that this has all come from a water tray the other side that he caught his foot in and it scared him the water splashing up over his feet so maybe through a number of water trays or even long line (I was writing lunge, but have been told dont do that I am afraid you need to long line so you walk through the water to so you show him it is nothing for him OR you to be frightened of!!!) Sorry I am being so bossy in this reading Charlotte but I want to get his worries all through to you, he talks very fast and I am having trouble keeping up with his lovely active head! Lastly know that he is a worrier, he is already the horse you dreamed of in terms of his capabilities he does love jumping but just needs a few weeks break to reset his confidence so that he doesnt feel he has let you down. He is very concerned with looking after you too, he would never, ever willingly hurt you and would do his best to arch and twist over something quite high to make sure you stay on board.
Now this is VERY true and weird it is water trays that have been a major issue for us, and he is very naughty on the lunge just bucks so we have stopped doing it.
He hates you falling off, and although I can see that has rarely happened it really panics him. So even some pretend falling and showing him you are OK?
This again is true it has no been a regular occurance for us and i think it does panic him but im not sure about the pretend falling
I know that I have appeared really bossy here and apologise again, but hope that all the little exercises combine to take you both to the next stage. Please know he is one of the most earnest boys that I have met, and for a youngster he is amazing. Charlotte he is so loving towards you a lot of this is about doing better for you and pleasing you, so when you have given him the sessions we have talked about reassure him all the time yourself, he definitely hears and listens. Just keep building his confidence and all will be fine. Just give it a few weeks to happen. (I know that you are set to do things over the next two weeks and that will wreck your schedule but I feel it would be worth it although I am just the medium the choices are always yours!)
She is right that i have a comp planned for next Sunday and a lesson next Tues (i might just take the other boy now!) I am going to take her advice and just do flatwork and i am impressed by the whole reading and "moved" by it if you know what i mean the water tray freaked me out the most i can tell you!! I am going to get one done on my other horse now!!!
Background info first: I have been having a bad time with topaz recently after some bad falls at fences i are confidence together has taking a battering i asked her to ask him if he had any issues with jumping and to explain that i would never ask him to jump anything he was not capable of!
Hi Charlotte
Firstly what a wonderful eye Topaz has, isnt he kind and bright. He is very intelligent but also a worrier and that is what I am getting from him right now. I see that he is six from your question and feel that you have sort of got stuck at a development stage if that makes sense? He certainly loves the jumping and is so very fast, in jump offs he is fabulous, the problem is that he is rushing things at present and has lost confidence in himself poor lad.
This is true in the few times i have put him against the clock he has always won, and he does rush his fences.
I feel that for ages he rarely knocked a thing down, now he is knocking a lot down and he is worried that it is his fault, I honestly feel that if you gave him a two week break and brought him back you would find a difference horse. It is almost like he is going I am no good, I knock them all down, I am rubbish, poor lad, and I can see that is what he thinks himself, not what you tell him!!! It is said in horse language not copied.
Not sure about this his prob is more stopping than knocking but the stopping did all start with knocking a fence so maybe this is why??
I feel that he loves the jumping but for the two weeks concentrate on dressage, now I know that you will be sitting there saying but I dont want to do dressage but I feel that certainly at walk and trot he would be absolutely fabulous, he is bouncy and sure footed and would do well, I just want to distract him from his tension and worries, ease his tension by asking him to do something entirely different and then bring back the jumping when he feels better, I really do think that this is just that he has got slightly stuck and needs to be brought out of that head and have it replaced with another frame of mind. Charlotte I really hope my funny explanations make sense, I just write what I get and that sometimes comes across oddly.
Yes i am thinking "NOOOO NOT DRESSAGE!
, he is very bouncy and has a fab trot but a poor walk. Now the reason I say dressage is that he would be fine to do an actual low level competion, maybe instead of something he was booked to do, do the dressage walk and trot instead, because he is MORE than capable of this, but I want him to succeed for himself and you, because that will lift his spirits and stop him worrying. He really is a lovely lad and so genuine that it hurts him sometimes being so thoughtful and nice.
I think i will do a local prelim test (not sure he is lovely though he nips constantly!)
Dont get me wrong her Charlotte, he is still all horse and can and has bronced (might have miss spelt that but you know what I mean, getting stuck not going forward or back and completely stressed) like a quarter horse, but that was years ago when he was 4 he doesnt do that now, but that would have been pent up frustration at not knowing what was expected of him. He and you are so used to him getting everything really quickly, that this feels like a big problem, it isnt and it can be over in a few weeks by distraction, giving him something new to think about and then re-introducing the riding. Please dont be tempted to take him further and further at the dressage for now, this is what he can ALREADY do, rather than giving him something else to learn. In education speak we are giving him different activities to consolidate his present learning and allow him to progress! Can you tell I used to be a teacher (humans not animals!!!)
He does have "episodes" where he shoots backwards and spins round and i agree that it is to do with him not being able to cope with the situation. (i wont be tempted to take him further at dressage i can assure you
)I went back to the question at this point and tried to explain everything to him, another worry he has at his present level is I cant see over the other side of the fence he is worried (being a worrier by nature) about what might be over the other side, I have told him that you wont ask him to do anything that he cannot cope with but again get the feeling I just cant at present, so another thing would be to build some big fences at home, like walls and non see through ones, and then lead him up stand for a few seconds and then round the other side, so he can see there is nothing on the other side to frighten him. I feel that this has all come from a water tray the other side that he caught his foot in and it scared him the water splashing up over his feet so maybe through a number of water trays or even long line (I was writing lunge, but have been told dont do that I am afraid you need to long line so you walk through the water to so you show him it is nothing for him OR you to be frightened of!!!) Sorry I am being so bossy in this reading Charlotte but I want to get his worries all through to you, he talks very fast and I am having trouble keeping up with his lovely active head! Lastly know that he is a worrier, he is already the horse you dreamed of in terms of his capabilities he does love jumping but just needs a few weeks break to reset his confidence so that he doesnt feel he has let you down. He is very concerned with looking after you too, he would never, ever willingly hurt you and would do his best to arch and twist over something quite high to make sure you stay on board.
Now this is VERY true and weird it is water trays that have been a major issue for us, and he is very naughty on the lunge just bucks so we have stopped doing it.
He hates you falling off, and although I can see that has rarely happened it really panics him. So even some pretend falling and showing him you are OK?
This again is true it has no been a regular occurance for us and i think it does panic him but im not sure about the pretend falling
I know that I have appeared really bossy here and apologise again, but hope that all the little exercises combine to take you both to the next stage. Please know he is one of the most earnest boys that I have met, and for a youngster he is amazing. Charlotte he is so loving towards you a lot of this is about doing better for you and pleasing you, so when you have given him the sessions we have talked about reassure him all the time yourself, he definitely hears and listens. Just keep building his confidence and all will be fine. Just give it a few weeks to happen. (I know that you are set to do things over the next two weeks and that will wreck your schedule but I feel it would be worth it although I am just the medium the choices are always yours!)
She is right that i have a comp planned for next Sunday and a lesson next Tues (i might just take the other boy now!) I am going to take her advice and just do flatwork and i am impressed by the whole reading and "moved" by it if you know what i mean the water tray freaked me out the most i can tell you!! I am going to get one done on my other horse now!!!
