tobiano1984
Well-Known Member
My lovely cob has been out to 2 BE80s now, placing 8th first time and 12th second time - would have been 6th if he hadn't had 8 too fast time faults..! Rider usually runs at Novice so over did the pace a bit...
Anyway - we have a few issues that have arisen. Dressage is OK, he's quite a tense boy and will do a nice test if he's relaxed but can hollow a bit and tense up. He's currently in a french link full cheek snaffle and drop noseband. Same bit with a micklem for XC - this is his and his rider's best phase, and he is fine in a snaffle. Their current issue is the SJ - he tends to get tense in the warm up (fine in the dressage and XC warm up, so assuming it is anticipation), and it's his rider's least favourite phase too. So starts off tense, and then always ends up knocking down 1-3 poles, usually on the smallest uprights. He tends to get quite strong - not fast, but just strong - and doesn't bascule over the fences, goes over with his head up and therefore either drops forelegs or drags hindlegs over it. Spreads are better as they make him reach and bascule a bit more. I've jumped him at home over considerably bigger (1m-1.20) and he rarely knocks anything, even in a snaffle, as the fence backs him off a bit and sits him on his haunches. But obviously with starting out in eventing the showjumps are not the biggest and he seems to just be in a hurry to get round. Interestingly his shape over the same size XC fences is much better - I guess because he's happy at his pace and both horse and rider are more relaxed.
So we've tried the usual schooling stuff - gridwork etc, and he's fine at home over this, but hasn't helped in competition. He works in a nice outline on the flat most of the time. It's not just eventing - he went out SJ the other weekend and had 2 poles in the 85 and 1 in the 95, for the same reasons.
Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, and what you've done about it, and what bit you've used? I feel like if the rider could bring the nose in a bit and and sit him back he would jump better and in a better shape. We're working on the tension - it used to be more genuine nerves (he is Formerly Emotionally Damaged Cob for anyone who has read about him) but now I think it's starting to be more anticipation. He is a cob cross (sports horse? type thing) and compact and so his neck easily shortens and head comes up.
Anyway - long winded way of asking what bit to try! I think just for 80 and 90, any bigger and a snaffle is fine as he takes the fences more seriously.
Anyway - we have a few issues that have arisen. Dressage is OK, he's quite a tense boy and will do a nice test if he's relaxed but can hollow a bit and tense up. He's currently in a french link full cheek snaffle and drop noseband. Same bit with a micklem for XC - this is his and his rider's best phase, and he is fine in a snaffle. Their current issue is the SJ - he tends to get tense in the warm up (fine in the dressage and XC warm up, so assuming it is anticipation), and it's his rider's least favourite phase too. So starts off tense, and then always ends up knocking down 1-3 poles, usually on the smallest uprights. He tends to get quite strong - not fast, but just strong - and doesn't bascule over the fences, goes over with his head up and therefore either drops forelegs or drags hindlegs over it. Spreads are better as they make him reach and bascule a bit more. I've jumped him at home over considerably bigger (1m-1.20) and he rarely knocks anything, even in a snaffle, as the fence backs him off a bit and sits him on his haunches. But obviously with starting out in eventing the showjumps are not the biggest and he seems to just be in a hurry to get round. Interestingly his shape over the same size XC fences is much better - I guess because he's happy at his pace and both horse and rider are more relaxed.
So we've tried the usual schooling stuff - gridwork etc, and he's fine at home over this, but hasn't helped in competition. He works in a nice outline on the flat most of the time. It's not just eventing - he went out SJ the other weekend and had 2 poles in the 85 and 1 in the 95, for the same reasons.
Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, and what you've done about it, and what bit you've used? I feel like if the rider could bring the nose in a bit and and sit him back he would jump better and in a better shape. We're working on the tension - it used to be more genuine nerves (he is Formerly Emotionally Damaged Cob for anyone who has read about him) but now I think it's starting to be more anticipation. He is a cob cross (sports horse? type thing) and compact and so his neck easily shortens and head comes up.
Anyway - long winded way of asking what bit to try! I think just for 80 and 90, any bigger and a snaffle is fine as he takes the fences more seriously.
