Napping at competitions!

[Traks]

I know this is a fairly common issue but it’s our first year competing regularly with my daughters pony and we are having some issues at competitions, occasionally at arena hires too.

She is grand jumping at home, at pony club lessons/rallies, was excellent at pony camp this summer etc but she is napping more and refusing fences at competitions. It does tend to be more at fences with fillers or coloured planks, height seems to make little difference…they comfortably compete at 60/70, she can go higher at home or rallies but we’ve not competed higher than that. And often the fences away from the gate etc…I know fairly classic stuff!

My daughter is learning this is part of life but we had 2 eliminations this weekend in both classes at the same fence and it’s starting to get her down. A Couple of months ago she won both her classes so it’s very difficult as she clearly is able! She is trying to ride more positively, getting her straight, letting her look at the fence and not coming in too fast at it.

I am sure there is an element of nerves too…they go out a lot though but it’s becoming a case of her expecting this to happen now which I don’t think is helping. She did the same on a baby XC event we did in summer.

We have lessons with pony club most weeks and she’s usually fine with the group, I think it’s jumping by herself she starts to struggle. We did a XC hire with her instructor recently on our own and she pretty much refused every fence first time before then being fine to jump it once she’d “seen” it once if that makes sense? Obviously can’t do that in a competitive environment!

Is it possible surface makes a difference? She seems to jump better indoors…she is 14, does have hock OA but has had Arthramid injections in spring which have really helped. She absolutely flies fences generally it’s just seemingly competitive events or if she’s alone she struggles. I will get her saddle checked again as it’s been a good 6 months…teeth fine and she has physio last month with no real issues. We’ve had her 18 months and she’s been an amazing confidence giving pony for my daughter, however we’ve gone the other way now and she just wants to get going now!

Any suggestions would be helpful, thank you!

 

[Orangina]

When you say she was winning a couple of months ago and now is napping it makes me think it could potentially be pain related. If pony was super honest before sometimes the first thing that goes when they are in pain is confidence being on their own. Has pony had another lameness work up since having the arthritis and refusing starting?

 

[lizziebell]

If it’s not medical/ health, then I’d consider putting competing to one side for the moment. Concentrate on private one to one lessons at as many different venues as you can hire (but same instructor). Sounds like you need to build confidence between the partnership.

 

[Traks]

When you say she was winning a couple of months ago and now is napping it makes me think it could potentially be pain related. If pony was super honest before sometimes the first thing that goes when they are in pain is confidence being on their own. Has pony had another lameness work up since having the arthritis and refusing starting?

No she was occasionally napping and refusing fences before this but they hadn’t done a lot of competitions before really, she was a bit of a “stopper” with her previous owner too I think. But that could have been because of her undiagnosed OA is guess? Will never know.

No she hasn’t but I did wonder this….

 

[Traks]

If it’s not medical/ health, then I’d consider putting competing to one side for the moment. Concentrate on private one to one lessons at as many different venues as you can hire (but same instructor). Sounds like you need to build confidence between the partnership.

Thank you, yes we have several arena hires booked over the coming months so will see how that goes.

Is it possible they also learn that they can stop with certain riders? I’ve not had anyone else try riding her which was another thought I had

She also has a small cataract in one eye the vet noted…could that make her more looky with particular fences?

 

[lizziebell]

Is it possible they also learn that they can stop with certain riders? I’ve not had anyone else try riding her which was another thought I had

Absolutely, and sounds like she’s learnt that stopping is an option with her previous owners too.
Rule out medical first, then go back to square one with a good private instructor. Be clear with them and honest about past/ current issues and what you want to achieve. It can be a vicious circle that rider loses confidence because pony stops, but pony is stopping because rider isn’t confident. It may even be a case of going back to poles and raised poles just to get pony and rider confidently thinking forwards.

 

[Traks]

Absolutely, and sounds like she’s learnt that stopping is an option with her previous owners too.
Rule out medical first, then go back to square one with a good private instructor. Be clear with them and honest about past/ current issues and what you want to achieve. It can be a vicious circle that rider loses confidence because pony stops, but pony is stopping because rider isn’t confident. It may even be a case of going back to poles and raised poles just to get pony and rider confidently thinking forwards.

Thank you! We will definitely do this, it’s so bizarre because she charges around the course with so much confidence and enthusiasm and then a particular fence she doesn’t like the look of and she ducks out the side. We had the other issue in that she was too fast before and scared my daughter but now she’s worked hard on control and getting her back after each fence…it’s just so disheartening x

 

[frankieduck]

This might be an unpopular opinion but when things like OA come into play I think it can be harder to know if they’re just playing up or sore, if only they could talk! Do you think in your heart of hearts your daughter has perhaps outgrown pony a bit in way of confidence and ambition? I think I’d want to have a good think whether pony was truly enjoying her job or would be better suited to babysitting the next nervous rider that didn’t want to be out jumping and competing, perhaps she’s ready for something a bit keener that wants to be out jumping too? Never an easy one especially as daughter had put the work in and obviously very attached, I sympathise with you wholeheartedly.

 

[Traks]

This might be an unpopular opinion but when things like OA come into play I think it can be harder to know if they’re just playing up or sore, if only they could talk! Do you think in your heart of hearts your daughter has perhaps outgrown pony a bit in way of confidence and ambition? I think I’d want to have a good think whether pony was truly enjoying her job or would be better suited to babysitting the next nervous rider that didn’t want to be out jumping and competing, perhaps she’s ready for something a bit keener that wants to be out jumping too? Never an easy one especially as daughter had put the work in and obviously very attached, I sympathise with you wholeheartedly.

I hadn’t actually thought about it like that, thank you. We have had a very busy summer, the most work we’ve had her in since we got her and she is out every week doing something. She is super keen to the fences that’s what is so strange about why she suddenly ducks out. She’s quick against the clock too so on a good day, they are hard to beat.

Just seems to be happening more often now we are pushing her that bit more I guess. We have a busy week with pony club this week and will see how that goes…I do think I’ll probably take her back to the vets too and get her front end checked as the physio did say months ago there could be more arthritis there too based on how she is sometimes on a circle. Highly likely she has got more arthritis if she has it in her hinds I guess…at least then we’d have a better understanding. I don’t think we’d part with her either way, we are all too attached! And no idea how we could afford the next one as we will be in 14.2 territory which is unaffordable sadly for us.

Oh it’s so tricky!