Does your horse refuse (SJ)???

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siant2

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Im trying to retrain my TB who has an occasional sharp refusal SJ - always down to misjudging her strides and she is not confident to jump on a bad stride and she is not quite listening to me!

Now i get quite upset when she stops as i feel like its 1 step forward, 2 steps backwards but she always jumps it again second time and its usually only happens occasionally.

I also always fall off when she stops as she is sooo sharp.....

Anybody else have a horse like this - how do you cope? Do you fall off 2? How long do you perserve before you decide that enough is enough! Its so frustrating as on a good day she can do two double clears and win!

Im wondering if I am overreacting!
 
Sorry I wasnt asking about how to stop her refusing....im having regular lessons with a very good trainer and we are working on her and my issues. Thanks for the advice though! Just asking for peoples experiences with their own horses.
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Hi Prettybay, this sounds very familiar. I have a ex racer who is very sharp and random with what she decides to jump or not. I have a very good instructor, who alongside my desire not to fall off has improved my position 100% but we still have a long way to go. Everytime I get to the point where I start to question if this is what I want she will do something fantastic and remind me why I love her so much!...its a long road but dont give up! :-)
 
I read in WFP's book that he thinks growing up to believe a refusal is a cardinal sin, has helped him a lot.

In this vein, I would keep jumps so small you can hop over them and do your upmost to get her over them.

My horse never stops so I am lucky in that respect - but if it works for him, it can work for you!
 
Thanks avtherchav! My trainer wants to give her another 6 months of regular jumping lessons to see if she improves! I really want to stick with her and get us both confident in one another! I think it makes it worse that I broke my arm in Feb following a fall SJ - so just getting over that fear as well! Its just sooo frustrating when things were going perfectly the last month and then SJ today we went backwards with 2 refusals! (which she hadnt done since April!)
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I know these particular refusals were due to the fact that she rushed and panicked for some reason then got her strides wrong - the other 20+ jumps today were perfect! So frustrating!
 
This thread is defo helping me to realise that someone else has the same problem!! Av was amazing when I took her SJ to a new venue a while ago- helpful, enthusiatic and forward going- we came third, the next week we went back to a venue we have been to a lot, in the 2ft 9 she was an idiot and we had a silly nappy stop, 3ft I rode really positively and she stopped dead the stride AFTER the fence that she stopped at in the first round and I fell off!...however it is so easy to focus on the negatives, I am trying to focus on the positives and remember how far we have come rather than how far we have to go. I find Av infuriating, frustrating, rewarding and fun all at the same time (its very confusing really!)
 
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I find Av infuriating, frustrating, rewarding and fun all at the same time (its very confusing really!)

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I know exactly what you mean> I dont know if you have the same - but i have to be very very quiet showjumping my mare so its hard to 'kick on' and she gives no warning she may stop..... As my instructor advised not to kick as it pushes her out of her natural rhythm and makes her more stressy and anxious! So its very difficult to ride other than just try and keep her calm and support her rhythm and alter her strides! God im glad she doesnt do it everytime I jump her - or I would sell her now!
 
My first horse was a brill cob whose motto was over or through, however as he wouldn't get past prenovice, I bought another to get me that bit further, and what a shock would drop you without any warning, good stride bad stride. Sometimes he'd go on a real long one and I'd catch him - I swear he held a grudge, would wait a few fences and then drop you with no warning. Broke nose, ribs finger, and worst both heels and an ankle. I think the record was 4 falls in a lesson. After 18 months, and falls too numerous to count on a rugby teams fingers, he went to a pro-eventer, who gave up after two events. He now hacks and does a bit of dressage and loves it. In retrospect I should have given up ages ago but I'm a stubborn sod. now have mad beastie who tows you to a jump. Still the last horse taught me an enormous amount (esp don't land on yer feet!!!)
 
Hi, I don't know what your showjumping trainer tells you to do re your position but i have lessons with a famous ish showjumper who tells me to grip with my thighs very hard. I was dubious at first as it goes against everything been told about riding before but its amazing how much more stable it makes you feel in saddle. My horse doesn't refuse very often but can be very strong and this really helps with control and on odd occasion she does refuse it makes it much easier to stay on too.
Don't give up though I agree with just sticking to smaller jumps so she gets more confidence in jumping off wrong stride and more schooling so she listens to you when you want to alter stride. good luck
 
My YO who teaches hubby and I sometimes believes running out or refusing are the worst sins in riding! He will make hubbys horse omar who does refuse things jump from a standing start rather than let him get away with it. He doesn't mind if you flatten the jump but they WILL go over it!!
Maybe sticking with smaller fences and doing lots of work over poles, changing strides and things might help her to trust you - omar will always refuse if he doesn't feel he's "right" so hubby has been working really hard on this.
Hovis on the other hand will try anything, on any stride from any distance - usually with hilarious consequences!
 
Have you tried free schooling her over the some fences and poles? Might make her more confident in her own ability.
 
I have this problem currently with my mare although it is random and unnecessary. Now when I'm riding at home I do nothing to set her up, I put her in a rhythm and she has to sort the rest out. Then at competitions when I do ride for the stride etc, if I get it slightly wrong she is much more able to sort it out for herself.

I would do lots of small fences so both of you have lots of confidence before you progress.
 
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