Horses lacking confidence

[jemimahughes3]

I have an 8yo mare who is very talented, has masses of scope but lacks confidence in herself. She’s been produced slowly but is naturally a worrier, I’ve had her for about 14 months and she’s much calmer than when I got her but she’ll always revert back to worrying if something goes wrong. I compete in eventing and she’s done some Novices this year but we’ve stepped her back down to 100, which she should find so easy, and she got eliminated today at a fence she jumped in the level above last year. She is very bold but when she doesn’t understand something she seems to lose her head and not comprehend how to attempt it. She is such a lovely mare and so sweet natured and genuine so it doesn’t feel like she’s doing it to be naughty or mean she just genuinely doesn’t understand the question. But yet when going schooling she never questions anything and is so bold, it just seems to be when it’s a fence she hasn’t seen and can’t work it out she loses her head. Very frustrating!! Just wondering if anyone has any advice or experience with horses similar?

 

[LEC]

Essentially xc jumps are all the same at whatever level so if you nail the basics they pick it up. Water is water, it just gets more complex and has more complexity as you go up the levels. Same with a table to skinny……

Its tricky to comment without seeing the horse, but sometimes a lot of problems can be papered over by a bold rider and a horse which believes in its rider until they changes and then often the wheels come off.

I suspect the horse hasn’t been give enough tools to solve problems quickly and nor have you. Not sure what area of the country you are in, but essentially you need a good trainer to help you develop those tools.