Horse stuck like glue start box to fence 3

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brumbybob

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need help please. I have a 14yr, 17hh ex hunter - mindset of going everywhere in groups! Hacking on own was tricky but he's now great - but spooky. XC - have schooled, competed (intermediate, BE80s, Area 22 novice...just painting the picture) - and thought I'd cracked the napping end of season last year..but no, it's back..and with a vengeance.

We circle the start box, we canter through the box and may stop dead several times between said box and fence 1...which we climb...then crab as though stuck in glue and going nowhere to fences 2 and 3. Voice, body, spurs, stick...still in glue. Then he gives in - and flies, jumping all clear. It is insecurity; he is great in pairs; he is great if he can see another horse on the course. Want to enter some BE90 - and thinking need to have this sorted before then. Ended up rowing with him badly today til fence 7 - and then he went!! AAAAGH! It was a pace so I did the first 7 fences again after resting him - and got wild..and he knew I meant it...and went like a ferret down a rabbithole!! I was emotionally, mentally and physically all in tho!

I practice start boxes in training, at home...just need some more help as I'm not there yet.
 
does he hack alone? do canter work alone? i'd be super strict about doing everything alone with him for a while, if you aren't already. got to break that herd instinct, he's allowed it in the field but only there...!
if you aren't already, i'd be v v strict about him being truly in front of the leg at all times when you're in the saddle.
is he fine SJ, is it only on the xc? in which case, is it actually fear manifesting itself like this? strange if he's napping but only xc, most do it sj as much or more than xc from what i've heard.
 
It sounds like you've just got to work through it. Out hacking he must go first, and leave the group from time to time - trot away etc.

Keep hiring courses and making him leave a group - clinics would be good..

Sounds like you're winning though!
 
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Yes, he does hack on his own most of the time and do canter work/intervals on his own. He is reluctant to go out up front but will go - and is happy to take the lead if you say, train as a three. I don;t think I get him in front of the leg enough at the start of the XC and he def thinks backwards and collecting ring. If he naps so badly at fence 1 that you have to turn and represent, he is so enthusiastic and tries to cart you back to the collecting ring and the "safety" of the herd. Doesn;t do it in SJ. What is so frustrating, is that once he's going, he will jump like the proverbial stag and take on fences boldly that I just want to close my eyes at! A conundrum. I felt I gave him a hard time today - needed - but I would sooner invest more time into the technique of us being a partnership from the start. Thus asking for help.
 
Will he do a start at home from a halt rather than cantering in and out, I think he needs to be bounced off a bit like a racehorse will when the tapes go up so he sets off really in front of you instead of just building up as you head towards the first fence.
Plenty of walk to canter/ gallop possibly with a horse in front of you at first to help really get the message through to him.
In a jump schooling session try the same, walk and then go towards something small so you are not worrying about getting it right just power over the jump with plenty of encouragement and praise when he gets going.
 
I had this problem a couple of years ago but not as bad, got E before fence 2 at Eland as he wouldn't go away from horses in warm up. Cue lesson from BE accredited trainer, introduction to Mr Whippy short and with big flappy bit. Every time I felt him think or back off he got a slap. Only took 2 lessons to sort out, still carry Mr Whippy and give slap if going away from warm up if feel he's not in front of my leg. Consistency is the key though, do this every time he backs off.
 
You don't have to be stationary in the start box. My mare would go vertical when asked to stand still in the box. Thanks to an enormously kind and understanding start judge, I was given an immediate solution so walking round and moving forward, as they get to 5, I am walking in the start box so am actually away when they say go. That might help you as your horse is moving and focusing on you not his friends disappearing. The short stick will help as well. This was when I was doing BE and never ever had a problem...did help in the southeast it was nearly always Bill Allen who started me and knew us well!
 
What do you do in your warm up? I had a horse who was a little pig until I changed his warm up and got the adrenalin going in a good way. My warm up is all about getting them quick and sharp off the leg. Walk to canter, fast canters and if they think backwards at a practise fence they will get a crack as always must be thinking forwards. At the end I should be able to ask very softly and they take me forwards. Latest horse is the opposite so he has a much easier time of it but is still forwards and off the leg. I also had the largest spurs I could get away with and they do help!
 
Really interesting comments and has made me think. I think my warm-up is too chilled at a competition - a few fast canters from trot! However, at home, in training, I do lots of count downs, and 0-go,go,go so why I'm not doing this at warm-up I don;t know. The starter yesterday knows me and saw the problem on the first round. Advised me to go and warm-up and get him "excited" - which is I feel what is coming through in your comments. She also got me to canter round the startbox not stand in it and then straight out and through the 2nd time. This worked. I'm going to work on the technique in training (with an instructor) and then try and find some unaffil stuff (limited up here in Aberdeenshire) and concentrate more on my warm-up and less on what will happen once I'm in the startbox. I maybe get uptight about it and this transmits to him???

See the Mr Whippy mentioned by Pidgeon, what is is called? Also, re spurs, what is acceptable for someone doing BE at my humble level? I've just got on short ones at the min.

Huge thanku for all your thoughts - I was very despondent yesterday!
 
Mr Whippy is just a short jumping stick with quite a large flat end to it. Doesn't hurt but makes a nice noise when used. Worked a treat on Pidge but literally used it all the time for a week or two, schooling, hacking etc and every time he backed off or felt like he was going to he got a smack.
 
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