Santa_Claus
Well-Known Member
Ok well Fleur is currently stumping us good and proper.
Short history is shes a 6yo KWPN mare imported as a 4yo and slowly brought on. Over winter things clicked in her brain and she started jumping consistent double clears in her limited outings easily qualifying BN regionals and local novice champ and by May I had her jumping confidentially around her first few newcomers at which point things went belly up.
At Bicton in May she jumped double clear the first class and then it went wrong from there, and I withdrew after our 3rd class (of 6 over 3 days) realising she was showing discomfort in her back. Got her checked out and there was some tension in withers which we had sorted and had saddle adjusted accordingly afterwards and then back done again and said now fine. We have also had teeth done at roughly same point.
Anyway brought her back in to work as she had a week off and started with the basics jumping wise and everything felt great at home, took her to Bicton a few weeks later and although warming up great each time never feeling in discomfort she jumped a total of 3 jumps in the ring over 3 classes at which point I packed up and came home early. She wasn't stopping at the fences themselves she was napping to the extent she would not go forward in a straight line towards the fences. That was the beginning of July.
Since then I have concentrated on expanding her routine to make sure it wasn't boredom. have jumped a maximum of once a week which was in a group lesson and over small heights concentrating on the rhythm and her shape over the fences and she has been great.
Anyway took her to local show on sunday and entered the 2ft9 as the dressage was running 1.5 hours late so thought we could 'fill' the time. It was a nice correctly built course and basically looked a small british novice so in her 'easy' range. Came round jumped 1 and 2 beautifully and then came round corner past entrance and she ground to halt. I have to thank the judge enormously (which i did) as she allowed me to continue even though Fleur was stopping at almost every fence, well napping away from them anyway (had warmed up beautifully!). I got her round the 9 fence course with probably 8-12 'stops' in total. Didn't lose my cool she did get a couple of whacks on the arse but only one at a time and I just used patience and determination oh and a bit of growling to get her round which included her jumping a couple from a standstill at angles
BUT the mad thing is you look at the photos and she is clearly enjoying herself, you never see a photo of her over a fence with her looking tense or 'cross' ears are always pricked. The photograher took one at almost every fence on sunday and these all showed her seemingly enjoying herself.
We then went on to do the dressage and although a bit green in places (only done 5 tests before) went nicely and came 3rd in the second novice.
So yes me and her owner and our yard owner (who is very experienced with 'problem horses') are all very puzzled. We have had as said her back, saddle, teeth checked and there is nothing obvious there. There is nothing else that is signifying discomfort or pain and this is only happening in showjumping rings!
we 'think' she is playing with us and is enjoying napping and seeing it as a game but i really don't know and am getting a bit frustrated with it to be honest as we all know she is capable and she seems to honestly enjoy it but we can't get everything to click back into place.
The plan now for the rest of the summer is to do more dressage hopefully go XC schooling a couple times and maybe the odd small RC showjumping class with the hope of building her back up from the ground up confidence wise.
Has anyone got any ideas/suggestions anything??
Going to dig out Sara Coppin's details as well as I think it would be interesting to see what she can 'find out' about her as we seem to be drastically missing something
Katie
Short history is shes a 6yo KWPN mare imported as a 4yo and slowly brought on. Over winter things clicked in her brain and she started jumping consistent double clears in her limited outings easily qualifying BN regionals and local novice champ and by May I had her jumping confidentially around her first few newcomers at which point things went belly up.
At Bicton in May she jumped double clear the first class and then it went wrong from there, and I withdrew after our 3rd class (of 6 over 3 days) realising she was showing discomfort in her back. Got her checked out and there was some tension in withers which we had sorted and had saddle adjusted accordingly afterwards and then back done again and said now fine. We have also had teeth done at roughly same point.
Anyway brought her back in to work as she had a week off and started with the basics jumping wise and everything felt great at home, took her to Bicton a few weeks later and although warming up great each time never feeling in discomfort she jumped a total of 3 jumps in the ring over 3 classes at which point I packed up and came home early. She wasn't stopping at the fences themselves she was napping to the extent she would not go forward in a straight line towards the fences. That was the beginning of July.
Since then I have concentrated on expanding her routine to make sure it wasn't boredom. have jumped a maximum of once a week which was in a group lesson and over small heights concentrating on the rhythm and her shape over the fences and she has been great.
Anyway took her to local show on sunday and entered the 2ft9 as the dressage was running 1.5 hours late so thought we could 'fill' the time. It was a nice correctly built course and basically looked a small british novice so in her 'easy' range. Came round jumped 1 and 2 beautifully and then came round corner past entrance and she ground to halt. I have to thank the judge enormously (which i did) as she allowed me to continue even though Fleur was stopping at almost every fence, well napping away from them anyway (had warmed up beautifully!). I got her round the 9 fence course with probably 8-12 'stops' in total. Didn't lose my cool she did get a couple of whacks on the arse but only one at a time and I just used patience and determination oh and a bit of growling to get her round which included her jumping a couple from a standstill at angles
BUT the mad thing is you look at the photos and she is clearly enjoying herself, you never see a photo of her over a fence with her looking tense or 'cross' ears are always pricked. The photograher took one at almost every fence on sunday and these all showed her seemingly enjoying herself.
We then went on to do the dressage and although a bit green in places (only done 5 tests before) went nicely and came 3rd in the second novice.
So yes me and her owner and our yard owner (who is very experienced with 'problem horses') are all very puzzled. We have had as said her back, saddle, teeth checked and there is nothing obvious there. There is nothing else that is signifying discomfort or pain and this is only happening in showjumping rings!
we 'think' she is playing with us and is enjoying napping and seeing it as a game but i really don't know and am getting a bit frustrated with it to be honest as we all know she is capable and she seems to honestly enjoy it but we can't get everything to click back into place.
The plan now for the rest of the summer is to do more dressage hopefully go XC schooling a couple times and maybe the odd small RC showjumping class with the hope of building her back up from the ground up confidence wise.
Has anyone got any ideas/suggestions anything??
Going to dig out Sara Coppin's details as well as I think it would be interesting to see what she can 'find out' about her as we seem to be drastically missing something
Katie
