Horse Upset when free schooled

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Sophskies

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I fresschooled my horse for the first time last night, we did some joining up work, walk trot and canter and then I popped her over a few jumps. She lacks confidence when jumping and refused to do it on her own at first, but she went over a few with a little bit of encourangement. After this, however, she went up into the top corner of the school (furthest away from us) and stood looking really upset. She refused to eat anything on returning to her box, not even a polo or an apple which are her favourites and completely turned her nose up at her dinner, just stood with her head down. She's usually very affectionate and an absolute pig when it comes to food so this behaviour is totally out of character for her. It seems free schooling really upset her and I just don't understand why. She's 9 and I've had her since she was 2 so she generally trusts me completely. She's been lunged before just never freeschooled. Can any one shed some light on why she felt like this or does anyone have past experience of anything similar? Thank you
 
Some horses hate loose jumping because I think they have nasty memories of it from their youth.
I do loose jump mine now and again but TBH if one hated it I would not do it.
 
I was her groom at a racing yard before I bought her so I know there's no bad past memories, Goldenstar but thanks for your comment :) I guess this could be the case Tiddlypom but usually she's so laid back about everything, even when she's had a real telling off for something naughty she's never been this upset. it just doesn't make sense :( I want to figure out what it is as I know free schooling is great for upping their confidence with jumping and helping them to improve their balance etc. but obviously can't do it if it's going to invoke that reaction.
 
I think maybe if you do it again, if she was happy with the walk trot canter, start with poles on the ground and get her o follow you over them. And just do that for a few sessions until she is totally confident with what you're asking.

You say she needed 'encouragement' what kind and how much, only ask as one persons encouragement is another's chasing around waving whips in the air :)

But then if its not necessary, don't bother again :)
 
I yelled "up" or "go on" at her a little when I thought she was going to stop and made sure she could see the whip behind her, just like I do when I lunge her. I'd never run at her waving a whip, I think she'd have a heart attack!
 
If she is not confident she may have seen it as you chasing her over the fence with no option of escape, now she may see you as an aggressor.

Go back to ground work and i suggest starting with small fences which you may be doing, if possible lead her over and perhaps try lunging over before turning her loose. Remember when you are on her she has your legs around her as a comfort blanket so when she is on her own she hasn't got that so it may be making the situation worse not better.

However i would advise you perhaps ask someone who knows you and your horse as we dont and therefore we cant really give you the correct advise for you to continue working with her, besides more groundwork. I would get a proffessional involved probably.
 
I wonder if mares just don't get the free schooling thing. My geldings think it is a hoot and really enjoy it (except for one that gets too much in the spirit and just jumps out) but my mares don't really get on with it.
 
RebelRebel said:
I wonder if mares just don't get the free schooling thing. My geldings think it is a hoot and really enjoy it (except for one that gets too much in the spirit and just jumps out) but my mares don't really get on with it.
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interesting thought. we used to free school the youngsters at the yard i worked at and a couple of the fillys did take a bit longer to get the hang of it, but then we had a 19 year old mare at my first yard who thought it was christmas and her birthday in one when we loose schooled her. (she thought she was the fastest racehorse ever and flew over the fences) ive seen geldings stand by the gate and refuse to move or get real sulky as well, i suppose it just depends on the horse but it does make you wonder are mares more likely to struggle with the concept of loose schooling?
 
To be fair to the horse, expecting jumping on the first session of loose schooling was probably a bit much. I would establish responsive work loose in walk trot and canter before introducing even poles, and not even think about jumps until she was happy with that.
A heck of a lot to expect on a first loose schooling session really.
 
Easy answer, if she gets constantly upset then just do free school :) With a bit of work she should be fine though! My 7yr loves free schooling and free jumping os much. My 26yr just like 'ughhhh do we have to?!'
 
Agree, if it upsets her that much, and you clearly know her well, don't risk her losing trust in you by trying again. I tried my boy once and he just was petrified with no direct contact, although he's 16 and done everything. It just wasn't worth upsetting him over.
 
I would say that she had either tied up or had a touch of belly ache if she was stressed. Horses live for the moment, once back in her stable with food, the free schooling would have been forgotten about, the food would have been the current thought. So, something must have been wrong with her to make her turn her nose up in the way that she did.
 
lhotse beat me to it. I was going to say that I really don't think horses refuse to eat over something that happened in another time and another place. They live in the moment, as lhotse said. I've seen them not eat when stressed *at that moment*, i.e. a barn buddy being taken out to ride, but not refusing food due to being stressed by something else somewhere else. The horse must have been in some kind of pain or discomfort when she went into the stable.
 
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