nemo_
Well-Known Member
First of all, sorry if this turns into a long rambly post! 
I am meant to be going to a ODE tomorrow, but have decided not to go. We went to a combined training show on thursday, and only just managed to get into my dressages in time due to a series of unnessecary stressful events
, and after a very bad practice the day before, was pretty pleased with my scores, both being over 65%. So then went onto the sj, had 2 poles in the 2'6", which was quite unusual for him and then the 2'9" was a complete disaster, he was obviously not happy in the warm and refused a couple of times, I got him to jump it nicely and went into the ring. We skid into the first jump and things just went downhill from there, resulting in us getting eliminated, he's not really the type to refuse like that, so he was definitely not feeling himself and I think he knocked his confidence in the warm up. Might have something to do with no studs (was on grass) due to lack of time after the series of stressful events. So, back to the point, have decided not to go tomorrow as it's 3', and if he has lost his confidence then I don't want to make it worse, but v. supportive not particularly horsey dad thinks I've wimped out and am using this as an excuse not to go 
I really do wan't to go, but having only just got my boy confident again after two years, after his old owner pushed him to a level he was not confident at. So now I don't know whether I've wimped out, do you think I did the right thing? 
I am meant to be going to a ODE tomorrow, but have decided not to go. We went to a combined training show on thursday, and only just managed to get into my dressages in time due to a series of unnessecary stressful events
, and after a very bad practice the day before, was pretty pleased with my scores, both being over 65%. So then went onto the sj, had 2 poles in the 2'6", which was quite unusual for him and then the 2'9" was a complete disaster, he was obviously not happy in the warm and refused a couple of times, I got him to jump it nicely and went into the ring. We skid into the first jump and things just went downhill from there, resulting in us getting eliminated, he's not really the type to refuse like that, so he was definitely not feeling himself and I think he knocked his confidence in the warm up. Might have something to do with no studs (was on grass) due to lack of time after the series of stressful events. So, back to the point, have decided not to go tomorrow as it's 3', and if he has lost his confidence then I don't want to make it worse, but v. supportive not particularly horsey dad thinks I've wimped out and am using this as an excuse not to go I really do wan't to go, but having only just got my boy confident again after two years, after his old owner pushed him to a level he was not confident at. So now I don't know whether I've wimped out, do you think I did the right thing? 
You are listening to your horse and that is the best thing you can do 
