Last ditch attempt.

[showjump]

Sent my horse to my trainers yard.

Went to a show on tues and he was really naughty, stopped at a fence 100 yards away from it, because there was a scary fountain. Then stopped at the next, again! (Hes a very experienced horse) He has been naughty at nearly all the last 4 shows we've been to. This was the final straw, so dropped him of at my trainer yard on the way home.

The nail on the head was when he launched up the ramp looking very happy with his dayd work, or should i say lack of?!

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

oh how awful hun - is he fine at home???? xx

 

[showjump]

Yep, and took him for a lesson and couldnt of made him stop if i tried. Little s*d.

What really upsets me is afew months ago he was really on form would of won at least 5 classes, and i let him down in the jump offs. Now ive sorted myself out, hes jibbed on me.

He was at my trainers for 3 years so hopefully she can bring him round? Dont know where to go next tho, just feel like packing it all in tbh, has been no fun at all for the past few months.

 

[wizzi901]

My horse was fantastic and jumped at Grade A for several years, however he was retired to me in his early teens.

Do you know this capable horse wouldnt go clear for nearly a year, his old owner even came over to the mainland (he was from channel islands) to see what I was on about!!

She gave him a good talking to, told me to be tougher and he never looked back, he is ancient and retired now but that year was a nightmare!! - he knew every trick in the book and would either go and win a class against ponies!! (he was 16.1 and can turn like nothing you have seen) but other days, wouldnt jump a stick!!!

Its time and trust and an understanding and I have to be honest and say a good LONG break from jumping in the ring. Mine used to pop the practice fence all day and then go in the ring and stop at the third, no amount of whip power, shouting etc would do it, he just didnt want to play.

Give your horse a total break from it if you can, if not sell him and get something else, without the break they get sour and its just frustrating. I am assuming here that he can get some confidence from you and its not a "new partnership" issue and he is sensing your nerves?

I did in the end have some fantastic results over the years, but that first year I really wondered what I had taken on!!!

 

[oofadoofa]

Ooooh, I had one of those and ended up selling him last year. When he was good he was so good and would usually win. when he wasn't in the mood he was a total nightmare! I got eliminated at the 2nd fence one day, walked him out of the ring straight into the trailer and took him to my trainer's yard. He got on him and beat 9 bales out of him, and he was fine again for a bit, then did it again a few months later. I got my trainer to ride him at a show and he did the same thing with him, so I know it wasn't me (which did make me feel slightly better at the time). I feel your frustration though - naughty horse!

 

[Jazzelle29]

Um, just a thought, but why not try to understand your horse's psychology and think about WHY the horse might be "naughty" rather than putting human feelings onto the horse, beating the crap out of it, or ultimately giving the horse up and selling it on to an uncertain future?

Usually horses chuck the towel in because of discomfort, misunderstanding or lack of preparation and ability....often on the rider's part.

You guys should take a long, hard look at yourselves.

 

[Elle123]

ditto to Jazzelle29. With my mare she was really tense having real problems with an outline in dressage and spooky stops in jumping. It took me to give her a month off and very slowly bring her back into work. to the point of just walking in and out of poles. Just developing trust and that partnership. Now i can push her forward with my leg as she she trusts that i will not get her into trouble and we are slowly taking steps forward.
However i know me and my mare are a match, like 2 peas in a pod. Some people just clash with their horses and it will never work. e.g a sensitive mare with an aggressive rider will not work.
is there an incident which has made him lose his confidence? Maybe take him too a couple and just pop the warm up fence a couple of times. It is totally up too u of course. I do not know your horse, u do. Get back, teeth, saddle etc checked.
hope it helps
Elle
x

 

[wench]

or they can be very naughty at times. My horse is not over jumped and has a wide variety of events that he competes in. Went sj a month ago, he was wonderful. Took him again on Sunday, he was an git! Nothing had changed, just didnt want to do it that day.

 

[Jazzelle29]

Wench- horses can't really be "naughty". That would suggest a degree of planning/human thoughts or emotions- ie "anthropamorphism".

Horses are reactive animals and live totally from moment to moment. Just because they wen't well at one show doesn't mean they will go well at the next.

They can be affected by environmental factors etc etc. "Naughtness" is a symptom of an issue- not the issue itself. Something would have changed between one copetiton day and the next.

Its not about the jump/trailer/spooky thing- its about the underlying strength of trust and preparation through thorough, structured training and desensitization to the common objects and situations that horses may come across.

 

[wizzi901]

No disrepect but they CAN be naughty!! You have clearly never had one like this, how fortunate for you. Some ARE long in the tooth to say jumping and simply dont want to play anymore, you cant force them but you can give them a long break and see if they come back fresh.

I had several very experienced people try my horse and he was the same for everyone and it really was "naughty", no pain issues, we checked, no other issues we did black box the lot, he just had enough, they are not machines!