My mare has been refusing. Help?!

[Eventinglife]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum.
Been having a bit of trouble lately with my *relatively* new loan mare. She's a 16.1hh, 19 year old grey mare who events. She used to do Novice and school round Intermediate, but she took some time out for a couple of years to have babies. She's been back in work since October and is now back at full fitness, but the last two events I've been to (my first ones. I love it!), we've been eliminated in the showjumping. My trainer has been working with us on getting a forward, bouncy canter and that's working really well, since she is really lazy. We've been jumping really well at home and she isn't bothered by fillers at all, but at our second event yesterday (Beaufort hunt ode at west Littleton) we had 3 refusals at fence 6, which was an upright with a blue wave at the bottom. We've jumped these at home and been fine with them, but she just slammed on the brakes yesterday.
It really shook me, because at our first one, we didn't even get past the first fence which was an over with a plank under it, which again, we've jumped before.
Yesterday, they let me go xc anyway as it was pc, but again, we had two stops at a step down, and then 3 at a little log on a downwards hill. Not sure if she just didn't feel balanced enough but she was really stubborn about it, which isn't like her at all. She is a really genuine mare with a really sweet personality, although she is far too big for me since I'm only 5ft! Any help is much appreciated, and I'm really sorry that my second post on here is such a rambling thing!

Thanks!

 

[Shay]

Your instructor is probably best placed to advise but there are some options to explore. Have you had her tack, back & teeth checked? In competition most riders tense slightly and you may be bringing your weight forward a bit pressing down somewhere you don't usually - that alone might explain a refusal as well. Might you be a bit tighter in the hand because of nerves and blocking her energy that way? Do you boot for competition and not at home? Might her boots be troubling her? Do you bit differently for competition? Ditto. Are you sure she is fully fit like she used to be? At 19 she is fairly old and having had foals is a fair way from where she used to be. Might she feel unequal to what you are asking her to do? You don't say what height etc - but might dropping down a level work? Could this be a lack of confidence in you as this is a new partnership? Or has she figured out somehow (they do!) that if she refuses 3 times in a competition environment she gets to go home. Hard to convince them otherwise as this is in fact what happens!

There are lots of options to explore but back to basics with a good instructor is the first port of call.

 

[Eventinglife]

Thanks Shay, we have had everything checked and boots, bit etc are all the same at competition as they are for home. The max I do with her is 90cm or so as I don't want to push too much as I know she is an older lady! The point about me tensing could be an idea, but I've watched the video back and I am riding as I usually do. Lucky me, I don't seem to suffer from the nerves once I get on!
Thanks for your suggestions, will be showing instructor footage in my lesson on Thursday.

 

[be positive]

Horses stopping at drop fences or those on a downhill slope are often protecting themselves as they know it will jar or hurt to do so, is the sj on grass as again it may well be the harder ground that is of concern, she is not ancient at 19 but will certainly be likely to have a few aches and pains which could be why she is not that happy jumping at a competition.
What she did when she was younger will have little influence on what she is now happy to be doing, she may be super at home but no longer keen to have the pressure of competing at any level through physical limitations, I would get her front feet looked at by a vet, xrays would be a good idea, as well as all the usual checks to ensure there is no reason for her to be reluctant to jump, but be prepared to find out that her competing days may be restricted.

 

[Eventinglife]

The showjumping is on grass too. That's a good point be positive. When we took her on loan we did have her legs and feet X-rayed to check that she was ok and they all came back clean. She does seem to enjoy herself at home, but do you think she just doesn't want the pressure of competing anymore? She certainly wasn't as exuberant in the start box as she was before she had foals (I used to ride her before when her owner couldn't ride for a while), but I put it down to being out of practice.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[be positive]

If her xrays were good that at least shows no reason for her feet to be behind it, my guess would have been minor arthritic changes that are not yet causing any obvious lameness but are niggling made worse by hard ground, jumping drops etc but probably not causing issues on a surface.
Do you use studs? she may need them if not, I had an experienced eventer in the yard and he really relied on them even over smaller courses on grass, so something else to consider, she may just be lacking enthusiasm but if she goes well at home and there is nothing physical it may be worth looking at every angle before giving up with your competitive aspirations.

 

[ester]

Could be soft tissue issues going on with the feet though..

My main thought reading your post is that she isn't comfortable somewhere OP, if she is bilaterally sore you won't know unless you nerve block one side. I'd certainly want to make sure that pain wasn't the reason before trying to compete her again. Especially as you have ridden her previously.

 

[Eventinglife]

ester - had a friend who is a horse podiatrist look at her feet and all seems fine. Also had the chiropractor out last week and they nerve blocked her. Again, everything is fine. She actually appeared to fall asleep! She is the most laid back horse I've ever seen.
be positive - I do stud her for everything on grass to help with balance. To the drop fence thing, when I school over them at home she is fab. Will take on anything and is really bold. We also get a physio out to look at my horses every month so she's limber and in good shape.

Thanks for all your help, horses can be baffling!

 

[sheep]

ester - had a friend who is a horse podiatrist look at her feet and all seems fine. Also had the chiropractor out last week and they nerve blocked her. Again, everything is fine. She actually appeared to fall asleep! She is the most laid back horse I've ever seen.
be positive - I do stud her for everything on grass to help with balance. To the drop fence thing, when I school over them at home she is fab. Will take on anything and is really bold. We also get a physio out to look at my horses every month so she's limber and in good shape.

Thanks for all your help, horses can be baffling!

The podiatrist has no way of knowing what's going on inside though. Who exactly nerve blocked her and how? I'm fairly sure this is only something a vet can do.. in your shoes I would be looking at a full lameness work up, maybe expensive initially but more likely to pinpoint the problem if it is all out of character.

 

[siennamum]

that course at West Littleton was vile. 4 drop fences in the first 8 on the XC yesterday.
The SJ was on the side of a hill & twisty.
I'd have another outing & see how she is before worrying too much, I reckon only 10% of competitors yesterday completed the 90.

 

[ester]

Is your chiropractor a vet? They cannot have nerve blocked her otherwise (injection of anaesthetic into the hoof/lower limb/upwards as required).

 

[Eventinglife]

Sorry, stupid autocorrect on my iPad! It does this all the time. I meant vet, but the stupid thing thought I meant chiropractor and thought it was being helpful! Grr!
siennamum - I thought it wasn't nice too. I suppose number 6 for the showjumping was going downhill, so perhaps she just wasn't confident enough to jump. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[sheep]

Ooh that makes more sense. Maybe try stepping down a level and see how she goes, if shes been given the all clear? Hopefully all is grand soon.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum.
Been having a bit of trouble lately with my *relatively* new loan mare. She's a 16.1hh, 19 year old grey mare who events. She used to do Novice and school round Intermediate, but she took some time out for a couple of years to have babies. She's been back in work since October and is now back at full fitness, but the last two events I've been to (my first ones. I love it!), we've been eliminated in the showjumping. My trainer has been working with us on getting a forward, bouncy canter and that's working really well, since she is really lazy. We've been jumping really well at home and she isn't bothered by fillers at all, but at our second event yesterday (Beaufort hunt ode at west Littleton) we had 3 refusals at fence 6, which was an upright with a blue wave at the bottom. We've jumped these at home and been fine with them, but she just slammed on the brakes yesterday.
It really shook me, because at our first one, we didn't even get past the first fence which was an over with a plank under it, which again, we've jumped before.
Yesterday, they let me go xc anyway as it was pc, but again, we had two stops at a step down, and then 3 at a little log on a downwards hill. Not sure if she just didn't feel balanced enough but she was really stubborn about it, which isn't like her at all. She is a really genuine mare with a really sweet personality, although she is far too big for me since I'm only 5ft! Any help is much appreciated, and I'm really sorry that my second post on here is such a rambling thing!

Thanks!

Being an instructress my thoughts are


She has pain related issue in the neck back or legs or elsewhere
She is plain bored of jumping ie stale
she is finding it too hard now
Medical reason arthritis etc
the ground is not right for her either too hard or soft
rider error
other related issue viral - heart - liver etc

I would get the vet down to an MOT followed by physio

the only time my mare refused was ground ( once only ) her back was out and she tried to jump and fell with me life changing injury. get her checked out before you do anymore

 

[Eventinglife]

HGA-12 - have had her checked over and all seems fine. Had lesson today and the verdict is that we lost power from the back end coming round the corner, so she wasn't confident enough to jump from that canter going downhill. Thanks for all your advice, it is much appreciated!

 

[Eventinglife]

HGA-12 - have had her checked over and all seems fine. Had lesson today and the verdict is that we lost power from the back end coming round the corner, so she wasn't confident enough to jump from that canter going downhill. Thanks for all your advice, it is much appreciated!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Out of interest does she travel, striding out well and in balance when hacking down hill on the road.

 

[Eventinglife]

AdorableAlice - yes, she does. Loads herself and practically prances down our hill (we gallop up it so she gets rather excited!).

 

[philamena]

that course at West Littleton was vile. 4 drop fences in the first 8 on the XC yesterday.
The SJ was on the side of a hill & twisty.
I'd have another outing & see how she is before worrying too much, I reckon only 10% of competitors yesterday completed the 90.

As well as everything else suggested, I echo this ^^^^^^
I was entered for the 90 at West Littleton as a quiet little outing between BE events. Walked the course on the Friday afternoon and withdrew. The courses were horrible (vile is a great word siennamum!), dreadful for any horse and rider needing a nice forward, smooth rhythm, and the ground was horrible - hard and rutted in places around take offs and landings. So I wouldn't judge her on that experience for starters!!!

As you say she's fine at home but different at competition, I'd start keeping tally of the ground conditions / surfaces when you're out and compared to at home and see if you can isolate any factors which make a difference. You need to get a bit scientific about clocking the different variables and working out where the correlations are with poor performance or good performance, which will help you to narrow it down.

Above all I would say do not underestimate that you will ride differently in competition, even if you don't feel nervous. Everyone does (apart from those pros who compete more than they ride at home so competition is more normal than riding at homw!!) and you can't underestimate this. After a break from competing, my mare went through a long phase of needing to be ridden quite differently out at comps than at home, or we'd get stops, including 3 at the first fence, although she'd always jumped brillantly before her break from competing (Been there on the eliminated at the first fence nonsense! Yuk!) The level of difference between how she needed to be ridden in a new environment versus at home, and the added allowance I also had to make for the fact that I ride differently at comps, was (or felt to me) enormous, and I went through several incredibly highly rated pro rider instructors before I found the one who really understood what she needed and helped me to ride in that way.

 

[Eventinglife]

Thank you philamena, that's really good advice, I wanted to withdraw but figured as it was pony club thing it should ride better. Boy, was I wrong there! Sounds like you've had a similar experience, and I totally get the elimination at the first showjump. It's when they look at you with a look that says they know exactly what they're doing!

 

[philamena]

Thank you philamena, that's really good advice, I wanted to withdraw but figured as it was pony club thing it should ride better. Boy, was I wrong there! Sounds like you've had a similar experience, and I totally get the elimination at the first showjump. It's when they look at you with a look that says they know exactly what they're doing!

Trust your gut on courses and events which will work for you. Provided all's fine pain-wise etc, the more you do the more you'll suss out what you and she need for your best chance of a confident time at a competition and you can be choosy about what suits you. Pros will drive half way across the country to do an event because they know the venue / course will suit a particular horse better than the event just down the road. There's absolutely no reason that we shouldn't do ourselves the same courtesy. So, for example, at the moment we want nice, flowing, bold courses, and while we're pretty good at warming up in busy SJ warm ups now (wasn't much fun when we were getting extravagant behaviour and stops!) I do know that I'm still not good (and unlikely ever to get good!) when I have to wait around, so I don't do busy SJ shows where there's loads of hanging around! Instead of seeing it as a disappointment or a failure that a particular venue or course won't suit us at the moment, I consider it a sensible approach for the horse's longer term development