Jumping Advice Needed

[missparis]

I have now owned my horse for nearly 7 months and, I have been sidelined for a lot of the time due to poor health (Rheumatoid Arthritis in the knees). When I first purchased him, he was an absolutely angel. However, you know when you purchase a horse, they try you out for the first couple of months? Well I think he is just starting and gave me a grace period due to ill health and he now knows that I am getting stronger again

I was confidently jumping 1.10m, however, he has started to go downhill with me (just me, he has 2 other people that rides him and I should say that his back & teeth are fine and his had a master saddler out to him recently). It started in lessons and now he is becoming a serial refuser over planks even though he used to fine over them. My instructor, who is a pro rider, saw him throw me off and jumped on board and he attempted this behaviour once with him (stopped quite quickly as you can imagine!). Cut a long story short, I need to be tougher on him, have shorter reins, push him forward (he is a very lazy horse), and use my voice if need be on the course as he is taking advantage of my style of riding.

My dilemma is I have a comp on this weekend. Was planning on doing the 90cm and 1m class but am having a major confidence crisis due to this new behaviour shown at me. Should I jump the 80 and 90cm instead of the 1m? At the same time, I know that 80cm is way to low for both of us but I am just becoming terrified of the stops and falling off?

Cookies and a cuppa for getting this far!

 

[Daisychain]

Ride the height you are confident to kick on at!! Not a height which is going to make you back off the horse and him loose confidence in you.

Jumping is all to do with trust, it is 50% horse and rider. What is the rush to jump bigger?? Your doing it for yourself, you have no owners to keep happy!

 

[Paint it Lucky]

I would go down a level to get your confidence back. No harm in doing the 80cm, at least you know if he is naughty you can get him over the jumps from a walk, he doesn't have to be on a perfect stride etc. I would get your confidence back first before you attempt anything big. With the plank issue, why not try just jumping him over one plank on the lowest hole at home them gradually make the jump bigger. Make sure you give him lots of praise after he has jumped it so he learns to have fun again.

 

[missparis]

Thanks for the advice I am just worried that people will be looking as he is a fit 17hh that can easily jump a lot bigger bsja courses. I guess maybe sculling a bottle of rescue remedy may help too

Paint It Lucky - good advice but he only seems to run out on planks with me? It seems to be a naughty issue because he knows he can get away with it. But as you say, it is much easier to correct and be strong over a comfortable height of 80cm and he can jump it all from a standstill if need be.

In saying all of this, he really is a good horse and I know he is just trying my patience and once we get over these teething problems, it will all be rosey. It's just hard when you have come back from injury and I dont want to see myself sidelined again from falling off