napping at a comp

[katem]

Hi all,

Newbie here. Iv never used a forum before but today I got a bit stuck and would love to hear your opinions and advice.

I have a 7 year old welsh x new forest. I broke him as a 4 year old. He's been great and together we have come so far. However I lost my confidence jumping last year for some unknown reason. We haven't really done a lot, a bit of show jumping and xc training but no competitions. Anyway, to gain some confidence I have had some lessons with Lawrence hunt which have gone great. Dillon is jumping well and im so much more confident!

So I thought I would enter a jump cross comp. We went and did a training day which went well and the comp was today. He warmed up well, popping the fences. However when I went to do the course he wouldn't even jump the first fence!!!! I got disqualified and went back in the warm up after and he was a really good boy again!

Only thing I can think is that he was napping to the lorries!

Does anyone have any advice or experience with nappy ponies?

Thanks in advance

 

[be positive]

I would get out to do clear rounds a few times, no pressure you can usually keep going until you get round and build up the confidence, your own as well as Dillon's, the napping is most likely him lacking confidence, you may feel that you have your's back but he probably will take longer to get over last season.

 

[katem]

Thanks for your reply. Will fine one round me. Hes fine sj and dressage but obviously yesterday was a step too far too soon. Im gutted. Hopefully we will get there. I want to event him

 

[be positive]

Sorry I thought it was napping in general not just xc, pairs would be the best way forward for that to get him going and build up his confidence, xc schooling with others so he has to leave them and go off alone at times once he has jumped a few with them, it needs to be fun for him do as much as you can with that view and he should improve.

 

[katem]

Thank you. I think that is what I will do. I'm going to ask a friend with a sane pony to take us and see if they will help. Im also going to get him hacking around a friends national forest ride on his own and see how we get on. I live on a main road and he is not good with buses or tractors so I have to have someone walking with us. I suppose that doesn't help.