Can you make a horse bolder at xc/hunting?

[Bernster]

Have heard mixed opinions, so wanted to find out views about 'making' a horse bolder, braver over xc jumps. Can you really do this and how??

I've had my boy for 4 years (he's 12). Neither of us had done much xc before. He's a great little show jumper but not bold or brave xc. He tends to put in a dirty stop at anything that's a bit bolder or trappier (even if this means the entire hunt field disappears from view!). I've had a couple of falls xc and have really lost my confidence.

So this is what I've done so far: jump and xc lessons, xc course hire practice, some mini pairs HT, sp rides, hunting. I've had lessons on schoolmaster xc horses and hired hunter hirelings for some white knuckle action! I think I need to work on my seat/position more and am planning on having lessons with Chris Haywood. I am also going to ask him to take my boy round some bigger jumps.

Is there anything else I could be doing? Or should I accept that my horse will never by an eventer and should stop trying to turn him into a xc horse, when it's clearly not his first love?!

He's up to date with tack, teeth, back etc., has no problems over sj and is generally fit and keen, although he's not sharp.

Thanks for getting to the end - jammie dodgers and a nice cuppa tea for you

 

[jsr]

I recently went through a whole big trauma over trying to Drag Hunt my lad, finally I've admitted out of everything a person and horse can do Drag Hunting is the one thing we have to give up on. Disappointing BUT I have a fabulous forward going fun little horse who does XC, SJing,Dressage, hacks like a dream, gallops in open fields and beaches without drama, travels, has no vices, is never ill and is all in all the most fun perfect horse.

So basically if the one thing your horse isn't good at, despite all your've tried I'd admit it's not for you and just get on and enjoy all the other wonderful things you can do together.

 

[BigRed]

I suspect a part of this problem is that your horse has no confidence in you either...

I was fortunate enough to get my last horse because although she was good at Pre-Novice, when she was asked to step up to Novice she was not brave enough. They tried hunting her and filling her with bonkers food. None of it worked. Her owners were only interested in getting to Badminton, so they gave her to me. What a fabulous horse she was for me. 10 brilliant years together. I have no desire to jump huge fences, so her failure was not a problem for me.

 

[Bernster]

I suspect a part of this problem is that your horse has no confidence in you either... QUOTE]

Thanks for the feedback - do you have any suggestions which would help me to improve his confidence in me? Would appreciate any ideas, unless you feel I should give up on tackling the xc side of things?

I'm not wanting to jump anything big - he's stopped at 2'6-2'9 stuff, although has no problems sj at this height.

 

[Luci07]

I had one who was the same. I also tried every thing to get him going over a fixed fence happily and it never worked. He would follow but thats not exactly helpful if you want to event. I have evented a number of horses with varying degrees of success and done a lot of XC which I love - and he has to be the only horse I ever sat on who truly did not enjoy it. He would do it for me but it got to a point of almost having to force him so I stopped. He was too geniune a horse and would have ended up hurting himself. I also tried with different riders who were more experienced and they had exactly the same problem. Show him a fixed fence and it was like driving a car which is leaking petrol. Showjumping was different and he was always bold about that. Now I have always preferred XC to SJ so definately was not giving him mixed signals so I finally (after 5 years) decided that actually I do want to event, I don't want to do pure SJ so I sold him to a very nice couple. This horse would happily work over 1m 20 in the school without taking a breath and make it easy but show him a 90cm fixed fence and it was a different story.

 

[scarymare]

No, I don't think you can. I've had mine since a foal. He was always really bad, refused to walk over poles especially coloured ones etc. Now he's 6 and in a recent SJ (minimus) photo, he is giving the jump at least a metre as so spooky. Mind you, at the start of the season I have one with us going over a 2ft filler and my feet are above the top of the wings! Sold a totally opposite 3 year old to a friend (bold as **** walked over anything as a foal) and it's never blinked at anything - she is really nervous too!

Wouldn't swap though.....

 

[BigRed]

I used to have a horse who was very reluctant to school. She would try her hardest to avoid going in the school and when I was finished she would leap out through the gate and refuse to let me shut the gate while mounted, that is how much she disliked it.

I found a good instructor who taught me in a school with a good surface and in no time at all, my horse was happily working in the school and improving.

The problem was not my horse, but the way I was working her. I would suggest you book some lessons with a proper XC rider/trainer and let them help you and your horse. You may well find that under their guidance you will both improve and your horse may get more confident. Good trainers can make a world of difference.

 

[skint1]

My daughter's boy is similar to yours, experienced at sj but not so much at xc and she herself is not terribly bold xc either, which as her mother I am glad about in a way.
They haven't been together very long so they're still finding each other and building trust and confidence generally

They've been doing the same as you, lessons with xc people, bimbling about on hired xc courses, fun rides, HT pairs, it's going a lot better for them both than it was. I would say that the fun rides have been particularly helpful to them. At first he was very looky and refused a lot, and really took against water complexes and ditches but as time's gone on they've really improved, probably because my daughter is feeling more confident and had some excellent tuition from xc rider and friends. She's still kept the fences low but he is now really very keen on the xc field

I really love this photo from their first xc lesson- this was after a couple of attempts!

and my favourite, when they got to relaxing and having a good splash at the water complex at Rabson Manor

eta I don't know if you can make a horse bold, we have a mare who actually is bold over xc, and she was just like that from 1st time she went over an xc jump as a 6yo, she doesn't get looky or refuse, she doesn't want to be interfered with too much, whereas Basil wants reassurance I think

 

[Honey08]

Usually the best way to improve a horse's xc is hunting, and it sounds as though you've done a lot of that, so perhaps this is just not his forté? When he refuses trappier fences out hunting are they big scarey things or not that bad?

You could do smaller farm rides and build up heights - start with tiny fences that are fun for him and build his confidence up. It could be that he is a show jumper!

 

[Bernster]

Usually the best way to improve a horse's xc is hunting, and it sounds as though you've done a lot of that, so perhaps this is just not his forté? When he refuses trappier fences out hunting are they big scarey things or not that bad?

You could do smaller farm rides and build up heights - start with tiny fences that are fun for him and build his confidence up. It could be that he is a show jumper!

We've done three seasons' hunting although not every week but I've generally interspersed with xc clinics and practice. He baulks at trappier ones (like tiger traps) but not that big, max around 2'9 poss. slightly bigger, so all well within his scope.

We do ok at the smaller easier stuff but seem to hit a snag (and I hit the floor!) when he's pushed out of his comfort zone.

I kind of was getting there already but it does sound like posters feel that a horse can be improved to a degree, and riding and lessons are helpful, but there may be a limit and a born sj may well just be that!

So I need to decide how much I want to event, in which case he may not be the one for me. I do love horse shopping anyway Wouldn't sell him as he's such a sweetheart and I love him to bits so am fortunate enough to be able to take on a second and poss part loan my lovely RC boy out to someone who wants to do more of the things he loves! Will keep up the lessons in the meantime though to build us back up again!!

 

[azouria]

I think I need to work on my seat/position more and am planning on having lessons with Chris Haywood.

Ooh, you must be from round my way - Chris is brill! I have lessons with his (well, ex now) wife, Pippa.

Don't have much to say on trying to get your horse bolder xc (others are much more experienced than me!), although i'm sure the lessons will help, good luck!

 

[Bernster]

Ooh, you must be from round my way - Chris is brill! I have lessons with his (well, ex now) wife, Pippa.

Don't have much to say on trying to get your horse bolder xc (others are much more experienced than me!), although i'm sure the lessons will help, good luck!

Yes - off to Great Westwood hopefully soon for some xc boot camp with him. I got in touch because of the recommendations I saw on this forum - very handy thing, this forum ! Will see what he thinks about our prospects