Fear of ditches!!!

[keyo140504]

Can anyone make any suggestions???

About a year or so ago, my horse had a real big issue with ditches. It took me and my instructor 3 hours to get him over a 2 ft wide and 1 ft deep ditch. After this long battle, the issue appeared to have gone away - up until that is a few months ago.

He has been given no reason to dislike them again. I took him XC schooling just recently & he refused point blank to jump the same size ditch. He runs backwards and does not respect my aids to go forwards. It's even got to the point where if we are out hacking, and there is a slight dip in the ground that he has to cross over, he throws his dollies! I have tried smacking him and backing him up with my leg but he just switches off to all aids.

I don't have transport so it is difficult for me to just take him out one Sunday to do ditch training with him. Can anyone suggest anything I can do at home or in the menage? I want to take him on his first hunt in a few weeks and am concerned that if I can come across one, we're going to get into serious trouble.

 

[4whitesocks]

Would he take a lead? That doesn't help you at home but it might just help get him over the initial spook of it without the battle...(sorry if you have already tried this!)

If he is a horse that will take a lead then find a buddy out hunting that will help you over them

 

[Skhosu]

Practise, Practise, PRactise! With a lead, over a variety of ditches.
You could try simulating one w/ feed bags but this never worked for me..
Do you have a friend who would like to go xc schooling? Or a local hunt? (will he take a lead?)
My pony is still a pain with them, but will go over them, particularly since we dug one at home!

 

[sorona]

Will he jump a water tray in the school? How about a water tray with rustic poles on the long sides of it and no wings?
Hunting is an excellent idea. Daugthers pony didnt like water jumps in XC or ditches but now flies them after hunting last season as a 5yr old.

 

[keyo140504]

Have tried the lead thing but it doesn't work.

Have never tried a water tray - they're sooo expensive!!

Could try simulating one at home with black dustbin sacks I guess, and some trot poles to simulate the ground lines.

 

[fjudge]

To be honest....i dont think the water tray will help. Skye pops over water trays, yet has a big issue with certain ditches. My dad dug a litle ditch in the area where we ride most days so skye could get use to it and jump it more often. Its a small ditch, with wings and a cross pole on top. She quite happily jumps that ditch however we put it now, but it will still take time for her to jump any ditches.

 

[sorona]

Go to garden cenre or Scats or somewhere and buy a couple of black trays that they use for putting plant pots in, they work a treat as a water tray and only cost a few pound each. i also use folded tarpaulin as a water jump. Unless you can dig a ditch in your field or take your horse somewhere with a ditch, it is difficult to overcome it but the more your horse is challenged at other aspects of riding and then accepts it, the more trust he will have in you that it is safe to jump a ditch!

 

[LEC]

I would just recommend finding small ditches, streams etc whenever you are out hacking. Digging a small ditch in the field can help as well. I find smacking my horse does nothing if they freeze on you. Just sit there say go by leaning forwards and keep your legs on. Lunging is also really good and this is what we do with our baby horses before taking them hunting (over rhynes) so they work it out without the interference of a rider. Keep moving your horse forwards so they keep thinking forwards. Sometimes I have a horse who won't jump it one way so ride them round to the other side to keep them moving and they will sometimes give in.

 

[Clodagh]

If he is good to lunge/long rein you can try that too, at least it doesn't matter how much he misbehaves.
My youngster hates water, and with her I just have to sit quiet and 'suggest' that we go forward. If I make a serious effort (whack or boot) to make her go on she just fights. With the sitting quiet and looking at the view we can ususally get in it in a few seconds now.

 

[Chex]

I have an irrational fear of ditches lol, which is why Chex hates them as well I think. I usually lead him over them, or close my eyes and kick kick kick! Not exactly the best approach, but it works for me.

 

[GTs]

3 hours of fighting over an issue is not really the way to solve a problem - small, slow steps and continuously working on it you will find yourself on my better ground.