Feeling a bit low, wondering whats up? And why cant I see a stride....

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YummyHorses

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My gelding (7 years old - KWPN) has gone off a bit. Just appears unwilling, not overly forward and hard work to get going. I wonder whether its just the weather and he is finding just a bit too hot to do much. Anyone else experiencing this?
To be fair, I am not asking a lot of him (basic schooling with a few xpoles) and he hadnt been ridden for 4 days when I rode him today but he was just flat. No obvious problems to report ie back, lame etc. Ideas?

Also had a lesson today on my mare (always forward!!! no matter what) and just couldnt see a stride - just felt a fool as i can do when I am schooling her on my own. What do other people do to see a stride? What techniques do people use? I am a bit hit and miss and it is so irritating.

Just feel a bit naff as wasnt best of days - good lesson but couldnt have got so much more from it if I hadnt been a twit and then my boy was just a bit off which has made me worry.
 
My mare is a bit quiet at the moment. No signs of anything wrong, looking well and bright. She is working pretty hard, but I've upped her feed. I've put it down to the hot weather - I certainly feel it, so I'm sure it affects them.

I'm a bit hit and miss with seeing strides sometimes! I had a dreadful day today, went from some serious deep spots to asking the impossible in flyers
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. Then twigged that my canter was all wrong. I needed to just collect slightly but still ride forwards, so I had some room for adjustment, then it all came together.

I also find that jumping across fences at an angle helps me to get the right spot. Don't know why - perhaps I'm concentrating on the approach and the canter, and the jump just comes up naturally? I also notice that my horse makes a lovely jump over an oxer if jumped at an angle - bonus!
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I think it's the weather hun. If he doesn't pick up in a day or so then maybe have some bloods done (always assuming nothing else has been changed in his routine/feed/etc.).

No words of wisdom re. seeing a stride - is damned hard when I've got my eyes shut
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just ridden my horse tonight and he was flat as well. Shouldn't worry too much, I think the heat last week has drained them a bit. My chap is normally very strong when jumping(myler long shank combi) but as I was just schooling he had in a french link. He never pulled into the jumps, which is very unusual! Normally wouldnt dream of jumping in that bit but only wanted to loosen him up a bit. I find on seeing strides, easiest way is not to look for one! I dont do big fences(1.05 ish SJ) but do hunt over massive hedges. The horse will see a stride and just ride forward to the jump. I also dont look at the fence, that often puts you in too deep, i look at a point just past the fence and ride to that- or in a double, ride for the second fence in that combination at the first. Loose jumping also helps, as your horse will then have to think for himself and he will do a much better job. We all have a different way of riding and this works best for my horse. Out hunting I leave it to him, and they are the best take offs you will ever see.
 
Thanks everyone - some really good comments on stride. I think I get tense coming up to the jump panicking whether i will see my stride. When I dont I get cross with myself and it just gets worse. Think canter had a lot to do with it today - good at first but then went off so that didnt help.

For my boy, I am hoping its the weather as he has been so great recently and going so well - its really been the last 10 days that he has gone off and thats when it has been really hot. I will take it easy with him over coming days and see if that helps.

One last point - how do others target themselves? I feel a bit lost I guess. Have schooled at home for ages as havent been able to get out (work crap, house move, kids, money etc) and feel like I am treading water a bit - just not getting anywhere. Do you set yourselves goals - like qualifying or going to certain shows, getting certain colour ribbons? I feel I need to get a plan in place and am a bit new to this (did ponies as a kid, just got back into horses in the last year or so). Would be good to hear about other peoples plan for competing etc? And what variety people have in their schooling plan - loose jumping, hacking, jumping etc. And why?

Sorry - am being very needy!!!
 
Not needy, it's hard to find your way sometimes!

I guess it depends on what your longer term aims are. Roughly speaking - do you want a happy hacker, or do you hope to complete?

I find that having lessons booked and/or entries in for shows helps me to keep focussed. I try to have a lesson every 3-4 weeks in between eventing or dressage shows. My longer term goals are to do a 1* 3day event and to ride a Medium dressage test. In the shorter term, I'd like my horse to become more accepting and through in transitions, and for me to ride better SJ rounds! In the very short term, I set myself goals for schooling sessions, like 2 or 3 really good medium trots, or 2 good simple changes...

Having said all that, I found that having very 'set' aims or plans doesn't always help - last season I tried to plan everything out, but then got despondent when my horse went lame. In the same vein, if I get on to school thinking i'll work on a particular thing, sometimes you have to be prepared to change plans if the horse feels different.

God, I'm rambling.
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Yes, I do have variety - I try to jump once a week, or twice in the week before an event, school at least twice, and hack the rest of the week (during the summer). I think all variety is good for horses if it helps to keep them (and us) interested in their work.

Chin up - give yourself a break and then try to get a lesson or show organised - there's nothing like it for breaking the boredom IMO
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Thanks Milliepops. Great ideas. Definately competition. Went out last winter and competed british novice, discovery and amateur 1m. Have qualified 2nd round for the amatuer and won a novice. Compete at Merrist Wood. Just this year not gone out and therefore been going round in circles at home which has got BORING!!

Am gunna use some of your targets when schooling and plan a few shows from september onwards. Inspiration!!! Thats what I need.

Where do you compete?
 
From the expert on 'Horses In The Heat' ....

I live in Australia =)-

Horses do feel the heat, especially if it is humid and it can make them totally flat/lack luster. Some horses seem to cope much better than others, and he can claim to be dutch (bred at least) and therefore not suited for the heat. So don't worry, with the first cool day and he will probably be jumping out of his skin.

If it seems to be really effecting your gelding give him a break, just do easy hacks. I know on some hot days here the thought of standing up and walking to the fridge for a cool drink requires incredible effort/ mental motivation. I can imagine his willingness to work in the arena is probably similarly effected!
On the really hot days (100 F or 37 C) my horse likes to have his legs/stomach hosed (lots of blood vessels near surface and therefore cooling) before we go out for a quiet wander and when we get home a total soaking before being left to dry sans rug...it takes about 10min!

Re-seeing a stride - I can never see them! So all I do is make sure we have a nice balanced, forward canter and 3 strides out leave it up to him. I still ride forward/confidently into the fence but I dont try and 'find THE spot'.
Generally this works out fine and we have a nice jump, he does do the ocasional flier but that is more his personal preference for flying rather than anything else.
When he does get himself in really deep I find that he pays far more attention for the next few fences and jumps them better.
As has been mentioned before loose jumping or on the lunge is an excellent way for them to develop their own 'eye' for a stride and if they get it wrong it is easier to get themselves out of trouble without your weight and they can't blame you!


PS out of curiosity, define 'hot' please. ;-)
 
When my horse is unwilling we quite often find his blood's not right like now he's on antibiotics for 3 weeks
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If your gelding doesn't pick up it might be worth getting a blood test done, there are quite a few virus' floating round at the mo.

I sometimes have days when i can't see a stride and it really annoys me. I had one of those days yesterday when i was doing a derby and i ended up with 2 down cos i planted the poor horse at the bottom of the jump
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but i think it's cos i try too hard to get the perfect spot, in a jump off i have no trouble at all so i'll tend to turn up a bit shorter to fences and then i'm fine. I also have to tell myself to keep moving round corners cos then it's alot easier to get a stride. Someone once told me to look at the top of the fence then the bottom and then straight ahead of you and then you'll see a stride every time, I never remember to do it but i think from previous attempts it does work
 
Well not as hot as you I suspect! Think its been around 25 - 30 ish which i find too hot unless i am lying on a beach. I have hosed him down instead of riding a couple of times. I suspect its the heat but could also be boredom. He isnt getting a great deal of variety to his week - he isnt great at hacking out and i dont have anyone to come with me. I went out for the first time the other evening but he spins, goes up and generally acts like a prat. Gunna have to think through how i manage him going forward.

Interesting comments on the stride - i think i do set my eyes firmly at the bottom of the fence. And when i do cock it up i often get too deep. It has been the canter as well - tends to fade out as i go round the course. I think its because i spend too much time focussing on the jump i have just got over and congratulating myself that i got the stride right rather than pushing on and getting on with the next jump. Reflecting too much!

Am over to the yard tomorrow and am gunna see where i am looking and see if i can change that and ride away from the fence more.

Why is this horsey thing so bloody tough - all the pros make it look so easy......i just wanna be like them!!!
 
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