Jumping - over faced my horse. Advice?

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lpenaluna

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My horse has gone from rushing the fences to jumping really sweetly. Hes just started backing off combinations (even at cross pole) He seems to die on the last three strides and im sure its stemming from unconfidence.

I did a stupid thing last night, he jumps single fences fine and I was thrilled he was jumping the planks and filler jump well at about 85 cm. So I put a pole on the next cup - big mistake - the wings are those fixed cup triangle ones that go from 85cm to about 1m 10cm and in my haze of adrenaline I didnt stop to think. Came down to it and horse backed off, almost stopped but still jumped it. Came round again, slammed on the brakes, and came round again and ran out. Clearly I frightened him. Had to put it back down again and took a few attempts but he was eventually jumping fine again.

I could kick myself, looking at the jump now I was crazy to even try attempt it.

I have a group lesson tonight and im terrified. Now instead of worrying about the rushing and bucing after the fence im worried he'll stop or put in a jump from almost standstill.

has anyone done this before? Did it work out ok?
 
i would just go right back down to v. small.... ive never experienced this but my horse can be like this where sometimes he just says no at a bigger fence. just drop it right back down to 75cm...so below its comfort zone and make it easy. in your lesson tonight i would just keep it small and dont push it.... just gain your confidence and the horses confidence back up and make sure you take time!
 
Agree with PourToi just go back to jumping very small fences for a while in a nice forward canter. Make sure you don't interfere in front of the fence even if you think you are on a wrong stride as at this height it really doesn't matter. Most important thing is to just get him forward into the fence. Don't worry all partnerships go through a phase like this and you will get out the other side!!

The only thing I would add - are you sure that you didn't change your riding into the higher fence or that you are not now worried when riding into combinations and this is transferring itself to your horse?
 
as above, just go back to jumping very small things that YOU are very confident to, then your riding will be calm and positive and he will cope fine.
if he's losing all energy on the way to the fence and you are sure that you are riding him correctly to it, i would get all the usual things checked (back, teeth, saddle, bloods for virus if necessary) because if he usually enjoys his jumping, but is now being very different even to small fences, there could well be a physical reason.
lots of small fences tonight, think of overlaying the 1 bad experience with 100s of good ones! good luck!
 
I'm sure something changed in my riding when I rode into the bigger fence. I was wary coming into it. When I see the stride I think I stop riding because if I interfere he goes too long.

I jump on my own so often have both parts of the combination set up already - he seems to look at the second fence and not the first. Guess hes trying to figure out what to do.

Knocking my confidence a bit - hope the instructor wont mind keeping everything at a cross rail for me tonight!
 
I have those bl**dy stupid jump stands too so I sympathise they go from 89cms (measuring the top of the pole not the mark on the stand) to 1.05cm so no wonder you had a bit of an issue, they were the worst thing I ever bought! Keep it small build more confidence and put more money back in the confidence bank. Not sure which HHOer it was said that think of jumping like every time you get a good stride thats £5 in the jumping bank and for every run out, flyer, or stop thats £5 out of the bank. So you just need to get you bank balance back in credit
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