Jumping (or rather NOT jumping!)

[SouthWestWhippet]

My horse has started stopping in front of fences. This is very very out of character as she is normally very keen and wizzy of jumps. The stopping is fairly random - some days she will stop at 2' and the next day she'll fly over 3'6. Doesn't seem linked to fillers/spreads either.

At first I thought it was me but I couple of times I KNOW she has been in the right place, on a forward stride and I've had my leg on and she's still stopped.

Tack/teeth are fine and she's ridden in a very mild bit. Her back was done at the start of January and I was told it was really good/no problems. The only thing that has happenned since the back check is that she was pratting around in the indoor (loose) and she lost her footing and slipped over. I wonder if she has hurt her shoulder/back or something but her flatwork is superb at the mo and that is normally the first thing to go if she is out in her back or uncomfortable in anyway.

Could it also be that she is in 24/7 and getting bored?However she stopped at a competition recently where she was pretty excited. I'm usually pretty quick to blame myself if she stops and until last night, I haven't used my stick so perhaps she was taking advantage? Maybe she is just sour and sick of the indoor season? I don't catch her in the mouth over jumps BTW, my jump seat is usually pretty solid.

Anyway, any thoughts on why a perfectly good jumping pony would suddenly start to put the barkes on? Sorry for the ramble!
thanks

 

[KatB]

How often do you jump her? could be boredom, anxiety because jumping has become more pressured for her? Cut down how much you are jumping her, and perhaps get her back checked again if there is a possibility she could have pulled something.

Good luck!

 

[Rambo]

My first reaction would be pain. Get the vet out to check her out. He may find something, or if not, he may be able to 'eliminate' it from the enquiry by other means.

 

[Kelly1982]

My first reaction was that she is in pain so i would get her back checked again to be sure and my second reaction was how much do you jump?? And does she has a variety in her work?

I have known so many good horses that have been over jumped and one day have just put the brakes on and said 'no more'.

How much do you hack her out?? It could be just the school she is getting bored with if she is also in 24/7??

 

[BBs]

I would say pain also, a general chiro wouldnt necessarily detect something more deepseated.
A friend of mine has a lovely mare but had obviously badly jarred herself up somehow which caused all sorts of problem.
Chiro couldnt find anything but when the horse went to the vets they used heat detect equip and it showed up loads of problems.
Horse is now fit and well and jumping well after a lot of treatment.

Again, YO was only saying their good jumping pony started to stop for no reason they had the same treatment and although pony had to have a long time off it came back better than ever.

Equally, depending on how much you jump, do you do a lot variety in your work? every time you go out in the box do you always go jumping?

Its really hard but maybe get her checked over by your vet - she maybe feeling underpar, a splint could be forming anything.

Good luck with your investigations
Vx

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

thanks all,

she isn't jumped very often... usually once a week or twice if there is a competition (i.e. once at the competition and once in the school). However, I think I will lay off the jumping altogether for a couple of weeks.

She's hacked out twice a week, unfortunately it is too dark to hack in the evenings, so only on weekends. I do think she is bored though.

HOWEVER... from the posts, it seems I should go down the pain route (was hoping to avoid it as I've only just paid for the back lady to come out! oh well, typical horses! lol

).

I'll get her out and see what she says though, and then have a chat with the vet if she can't find anything.
Jenny

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll get her out and see what she says though, and then have a chat with the vet if she can't find anything.
Jenny

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd do it the other way round....vet first, then others

The vet may advocate jumping her on bute for a few days to see if the problem goes away. If it does, it will likely be pain, and they will start to look at exactly where it might be

 

[Lynz25]

My SJ suddenly started stopping which was completely out of caracter - similar story to yours would jump 3ft10 out in the warm up but wouldn't jump at all once in the competition or would jump a couple and then started cantering on the spot. His back was sore but no lamenaess. The vet ran some bloods which showed factors for muscle damage. All I could say to the vet was that I felt there was something wrong but unable to put my finger on it. He went lame about 6 months after he started stopping - now had to have a leg operation - personally I'd get your vet to run some tests especially as this is out of character