In pain or just bored of jumping?

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sitting_pretty

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Hi all,

Wondering whether anyone has had something similar, my 11yo sport horse is well bred but I'm only an amateur who show jumps part time. We have jumped up to discovery but due to lameness (his and mine) we've taking things steady and on average go out 2/3 times competing a month.

He was lame through kicking his stable door for the first half of last year, but when we returned to jumping around August he was like a double clear machine and we had a great time together. He had a break from competing November through to February, jumped our first couple of shows start of Feb with one outing getting a nice DC. However since then things have gone downhill.

He's started stopping which he hadn't done in a long time, and nerves crept up on me which made me think it was me not riding him forward enough. However at this mornings outing I felt quite relaxed and confident but he just felt lethargic and uninterested. He popped round a clear round nicely to warm up but in the class (just a British novice) he stopped again. When I put my leg on it felt like there was nothing there, and I noticed he doesn't have his ears pricked like he used to.

I've booked for a Physio to come and see him this week (admittedly he doesn't see a Physio as often as he should), and I'm thinking perhaps we should have a good few weeks off jumping to see whether he can get his mojo back.

Interested to hear whether anyone has any similar experiences and what they did to move forward. Assuming he doesn't have anything physically wrong, I'm thinking of taking him to do some XC practice plus have a sponsored ride coming up. But I just feel like we could be hitting a brick wall with the showjumping! I really wanted to move back up to discovery as he seems to jump better when they're bigger, but it seems a million miles away now!
 
I suspect a visit to the vets may be worthwhile as from what you describe this is a change in behaviour..
 
Do you have lessons with a good instructor? What do they think?

When he stops, how does he do it? And how do you react?

Is he lethargic all the time?

I'd do a bit of a full review with him. Is he eating the right food - does he need a higher energy mix? Has anything changed in his routine or management recently? Does your saddle fit? Get teeth and back checked. Get some lessons or get a professional to ride him and see if they experience the same thing with him.

I'd consider a vet visit too - they can take bloods and do a work up on him.

From what you've written it could be any one of a number of things so I'd start the process of elimination and see where you get to.
 
To me it sounds like a vet visit for a work up would be worthwhile. This sounds like it's out of character and he has basically had a nice break anyway.
Is the lethargic way of going normal, or new.
If nothing is found it would be an idea to do something new like you suggest and mix up his routine.
 
My first thought would bepain/discomfort. He has just had time off, so he shouldn't be feeling sour/bored. I wouldn't bother with a physio at his stage, I would get the vet out and take it from there.
 
Thank you everybody, he's not a fizzy horse but usually in the ring I'm having to take a pull. He's already on Allen & Page power & performance, his feed has stayed the same for a year or so so no change there. Only thing I can think that's changed is our yard was supplying some pretty awful hay for a few weeks but we've got some new better stuff now.

I think I'm going to go for a full MOT - Physio, vet to take bloods or anything else and saddler. And this week we can enjoy some nice relaxed hacking! ��
 
book the vet in - before physio. any good physio would insist vet was involved anyway - you need a poor performance work up and then physio may be appropriate or you may need other treatment.
 
Absolutely do a full work up to rule out any pain or vet issues. But if that comes back blank - he could actually be napping. My daughter's ISH SJ'r had a 4 week break whilst she was away from home volunteering. When he came back into work I was really surprised at his attitude. He usually has such a good work ethic and is really keen on his work; but he came back bolshy and started to stop - which like you knocked her confidence. We did rule out pain first - but then a couple of lessons with a good instructor and some determined riding and we had our lovely boy back. Like a lot of 7 year olds (as he was then) he didn't fancy the end of the summer holidays! We learned and now don't turn him away without any work for more than a few days at a time.
 
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