French blinkers

M

mrsh2010

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 November 2011
Messages
766
Location
Oxfordshire
Visit site
Has anyone used them for XC before?

This weekend my lad smashed a 19.8 dressage (!)
Clear and calm showjumping
But then it fell apart. Spoke to the collecting ring and explained my previous outings and they'd agreed I could turn up and go. Well my lad turned up and went.... straight back to the lorry park. He spinner and rears. Although it felt massive to me (my nerves got me) my friends said it was most of the time just one foot off the floor and at 6-8"
I just can't get him to move forwards.
It's like he's panicking. It's definitely not excitement.
We tried with another horse as a lead but didn't work.
Tried again with someone leading us but he went up as soon as he felt the restriction.
Just don't know what to do. Going to take him xc schooling this week hopefully. But previously he's been fine.
But this weekend was the third time and by far the worse.

Most of me just wants to give up as it's just not fun. But once he's on the xc he's mega. Just slow. But speed we can work on.

Thanks in advance and ice cream to all that finish reading

Said test sheet to brighten the post

 
How old is he?
Is it worth getting someone else to have a go and seeing how he behaves in the start box with them?
Anxiety/tension isn't unusual at the start box, many grow out of it as they gain confidence - but there is also a % of horses that just don't like xc.

Take a step back and get some objective help, don't give up just yet!
 
Thank you

He's 14.

Will go schooling and keep it all calm and see what happens. He's usually great xc. But suppose the last 3 times something has happened and things have gotten worse each time. So maybe a calm relaxing play may help.
 
I have done a bit of stalking to get the background, often this type of behaviour stems from previous bad experiences, my guess is that while you have been gaining your confidence and getting back into jumping again he has now lost his, I have seen this happen many times when the rider starts off nervous, the horse is a total star and keeps going then once the rider feels able to progress the horse decides it has had enough and it gives up, either refusing to go or stopping if and when it does.
This is not being critical of you in any way just stating facts and my experience of dealing with many nervous or novice riders over the years, you take one step forwards followed by at least one backwards, literally in many cases.

I would go schooling and think of the lesson you had a while ago, let the horse go forwards, stop trying to overthink things, he is safe, knows his job but has to be allowed to get into gear in order to jump and regain his confidence, every time you are a bit left behind it will chip away at his confidence and make him question whether you really want him to jump, you are riding defensively in most of the 2 videos I looked at, he chips in extra strides and gets away with it but this does become energy and confidence sapping over time until he is where he is now saying I am not sure I want to do this, which is the only thing he can do to get his message across.

I am not trying to be negative about your riding, we all go through stages of being unsure, scared, nervous, it is how we deal with it that counts, get him going forward, having fun, forget about the dressage being perfect for now, often the better the dressage is the more reliant the horse becomes on the rider giving the confidence to go on in the other phases, get him somewhere to have a decent gallop, or at least a good open canter, try and trust him, get you body and especially your hands more forward, get hold of the neckstrap on the approach to a fence and give him his head, that is the only thing I would have done differently during the lesson it was the ideal time to take hold and get used to keeping hold going up and down the drops.

Keep going, take the pressure off yourself and him, going on a pleasure ride or xc in a pair would be ideal to help get his mojo back, he looks a lovely horse that should soon come back to helping you once he gets his trust back, every step now needs to be positive, purposeful and FUN.
 
I've had French blinkers on previous horse, but that was more for getting him to focus on fence in front and to try and get him a bit faster xc lol. They did work, but my issue was more for increasing speed/gallop rather than focusing, so after a couple of events i was able to take them off. Unfortunately speed didn't get faster (he was very lazy xc but jumped the moon!) but turned out he was a speed demon in sj.

OP, it can be worked on! I would go schooling and try and recreate a start box atmosphere, use 2 whips to try and stop the spinning. Or would not going near the start box until 5 secs to go and then try cantering straight through?
 
I'd be taking him out with another horse, schooling at first then do a few pairs hunter trials. Start off behind the other horse, once he's happy/building confidence move up together, then gradually ease ahead until horse is leading the other along. If horse wobbles, no problem and don't make a big deal out of it - other horse just comes back ahead until he's happy again.

Haven't seen any videos or anything but try, as much as possible, to let him jump out of his stride and keep the same rhythm. Think of it like athletics hurdling - the hurdle is just a big running stride, not a 'jump' you have to add in whilst trying to run too!

ETA I haven't ever tried french blinkers, but with him already resisting being led etc. I'd be concerned that they'd just add to the pressure he feels - might work short-term but sets you back long-term. XC needs to become fun again :)
 
As your dressage is going so well, could you not keep him doing lateral work all the time before starting the XC? If he's concentrating on moving his legs, then he won't (or shouldn't) have time to mess around at the start. Alternatively, pay a pro to take him around the XC for you to see how he is with them.
 
I just wanted to say, last night I had a communicator out to my boy, as I knew something wasn't quite right, this together with comments above, I am now feeling a lot better about the whole thing and now have an action plan in place. So thank you, even if you don't feel you've helped, believe me you have!!

I won't go in to the details, as I know not everyone believes, but here's my picture of my thoughts this morning, and my gorgeous boy

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top