HELP headshaking on contact before a fence (sorry long one)

[nikkinoo]

I recently took one of my horses to a show, she was very lively so to speak, came back to me no problem but every stride was a leap, I was maintaining a contact but she just kept shaking her head as if to say "let me go let me go"

As soon as she locked on to the fence and 3 strides out I would just leave her go but at a speed I was not particularly happy with, (they were only 2'0, then at 2'3 she was worse) I didnt attempt to do bigger class as I was thinking things could get dangerous.

she is usually really good and "knows her job" I am thinking maybe it is because I havent jumped her for a while but then before xmas we went on a hunt and she hasnt been the same since then (really wound and spooky out hacking so given up doing that)

she is riden in a snaffle (we have plenty of breaks but just all this leaping and prancing on the spot, like a coiled up spring ready to explode)

I am really starting to loose confidence in myself and jumping. she was bought to give me confidence, I was told I rode her really well, but that is not helping.

she had her teeth done 6 months ago and I had them checked yesterday and they are fine, saddle was fitteded a few months ago and her back was done about 4 months ago.

we have been doing grids and polework but again she just starts getting wound up, she tried to jump 3 trotting poles in one go,she did settle after a while, it just takes about an hour of work before she starts to listen (and is not even sweating)


Her new thing now is to clamp her teeth when taking of the bridle an totally panicking herself, do you think she would benefit from a hackamore? for the hedshaking and obviously the clamping her teeth on the bit?

Im getting to the point where I really dont want to ride her and end up making pathetic excuses.

 

[*hic*]

Ok as you're now asking about the hackamore let's tackle the bridle issue. Are you always careful, taking off the bridle, not to bash her teeth with the bit? That can cause them to hold the bit.

As for the jumping - what does your instructor say? If no instructor then you'd be as well getting some lessons to see if that helps. As an off the cuff thing how about sticking up a couple of smallish jumps on either side of the school, just off the track and then cantering round and round and round trying to keep a consistent canter, then adding in jumping one jump but not every time, then jumping both of them - alternate them so that she doesn't know which one she is jumping next.

 

[DuckToller]

How old is she? Was it her first time hunting? I had a similar problem with my horse. He got completely wound up hunting, flinging himself about, head in the air, and for months after he was dangerous and horrible to hack out. Even now if I hack him in the winter and he sees other horses about, he gets himself in a state.

If you have others to jump, I would leave her for a while, take the pressure off yourself and give her some time to settle. This is what an experienced friend suggested I do - she calls it dialling out the behaviour!

Alternatively, you could spend lots of time with poles and grid work, just circling in front of a small jump, then approaching, and every time she goes to take hold, circle her away again until she gets the message. Do this for as long as it takes, not letting her jump, riding figure of 8's in front of the jump until the penny drops. You must be 100% committed to this though - absolutely no rushing allowed, ever, or she is turned away from the fence and circled quietly.

However I reckon just some time out might achieve the same - depends on your set up and time commitment etc.

It's a really tricky thing to sort - mine just gets such an adrenalin rush whenever we go anywhere, he can't help himself but I don't compete him and when he gets in a state over hacking, I just don't ride him out for a while.

 

[grouchymare]

Is it possible that you are actually shortening her stride too much before a fence because she is over excited & feeling so bouncy? If you then release the contact 3 strides out you will encourage her to accelerate and flatten over the fence.
My mare always used to rush the last stride, especially over smaller fences and I made it worse by releasing her too early. We did lots of grids with her, and used lots of fillers etc to make her back off the fence a bit. My instructor also used to stand in front of the fence, only moving to one side at the very last moment, used to frighten the life out of me but seemed to work!! I also found that the bigger the fences, the more my mare would actually let me ride her into them, instead of her taking charge.
I have replied to your post above re hackamores but although I really like them on some horses I'm not sure it would be right for your mare if she is shortening her stride and leaping as may just encourage her to go behind the contact. Good luck with her, hope you can start to enjoy jumping again.

 

[nikkinoo]

thanks for the advice, she is 10 years old, I did do the circling and cantering passed the fence and it took her an hour to settle before she would start jumping tidy,
but it is the same every time she sees a jump, when I start a session, maybe I just need to keep doing this for a few weeks (not everyday though)

and hopefully this will stop the headshaking at stroppyness

 

[sykokat]

Ok. It sounds like she is just over enthusiastic. If I were your instructor, I think I would be telling you to do lot's and lot's of flatwork, making sure you are doing lot's of transitions, circles, changes of rein etc. Asking her to bend and soften. Don't even think about jumping until this is established. Then add a couple of fences into the school but not to jump. Putting her in a hackamore is a big jump from a snaffle. Hackamores are very severe and need careful use. Hope this helps.