Fun showjumping form of napping?

[delbino7]

Please no negative comments I have a Welsh section d mare who's always been a handful. She's 15 and only 14.3hh so I don't expect too much of her but I this is driving me up the wall she's as fit as a fiddle, back, teeth checked regularly saddle fitted a month ago....

She's been going amazingly at home popping fences no problem so decided to take her to a few shows she's exactly the same in the collecting ring (75cm/80cm max courses) but as soon as she goes in the actual jumping ring she turns into an old riding school pony who won't go forward (at home it's a struggle keeping her slow and steady) her heads elsewhere, she stops and runs out at anything she can and she's really hessitant to go forward your lucky if we get a few strides of canter. Soon as she's back out of the ring (indoor or outdoor doesn't matter) she's a different horse again and back to her forward bouncy non refusing self, any help is appreciated.

Thankyou in advance for any ideas....

 

[smja]

Are you riding the same way at home/collecting ring and in competition arena? Lots of people (me included) change riding style unintentionally due to nerves, which affects the horse.

Can you practise going into different arenas at home? I.e. warm up somewhere, go somewhere else and jump?

 

[wkiwi]

As smja says, some people do ride differently when in the ring.

Also, sounds like her behaviour might be linked to bad experiences in the ring in the past. Can you go to a local show that will let you follow another horse around? (e.g. clear round jumping or similar; or maybe at the end of a class when they are about to have a break) just to make it fun for her again. Even having a person run in front of her could help sometimes (not jumping just in front of you though, which would be a health and safety thing). Also, maybe riding club/pony club would help out (not sure if you would have to be a member, but our local pony club was very obliging about me taking ex-racers for re-schooling long after I was too old for Pony Club).

I highly doubt that it is anything physical, because of her normal behaviour elsewhere, so it must be psychological in some way. Also highly doubt that she is nappy just because she doesn't want to jump, as she sounds like she enjoys it in all other places. Jump much lower than you would at home, and just see if she will trot over tinies in the ring until she gets her confidence back in the ring itself.