Need lots of help - 1st event coming up!

[Mbronze]

Now I have put this in the Competition bit, but haven't had the response i want...i.e go for it, anybody think i should do it, even just a practice run, without stress?

As some of you may know I have got a new horse and bearing in mind she is 5 yrs old, we have recently been getting into a few disagreements.

She is fantastic in dressage, very balanced for her age, she can showjump very well, when i don't use spurs (i found this out when she reared then bucked me off after using them in a practice arena ..ouch)

However until today i have not jumped her over solid xc fences, went to Somerford Park on the farm ride with a friend whos horse to be honest isn't the bravest. And my girl started off not wanting to jump any of the (evil) fences even though they were only tyres...she spent a v long time getting into the water and every now and then she would be cantering along and suddenly stop (for her friend)

I didn't wear spurs because of the last fiasco that they caused, but initially used lots of gentle persuasion, trying to make her think it was her idea to go in the water and lots of praise. But occasionally i had to resort to a bit of pony club flapping, by the end of it she was going along, not looking at the jumps(i call it the sniff test), but jumping them.

I was really pleased, but i just wondered as I am doing Bradwall at the end of this month (eek) should i keep the xc training up or cancel my entry, or just give it a go, see what she thinks..Any thoughts are welcome

 

[icestationzebra]

Do you think that you haven't got the response you wanted because people genuinely don't think you should just 'have a go'? It is very easy to destroy a young horses confidence by overfacing them and asking too much too soon. I would prefer to have been xc schooling a couple more times and to have done a couple of unaff events first.
Sounds to me though like you have already made up your mind

 

[PaddyMonty]

Running young horses before the correct preperation has been done is one of the reasons for so many screwed up horses these days.

You get out what you put in. PATIENCE!!!!!!!!

 

[ecrozier]

What help were you looking for? There have been some quite informative posts on the other thread - I'd agree with those that said get her out again and try some more XC, maybe at some different courses before making a decision, but if she's not happy yet over XC course, it would be foolish to try an event. If you are desperate to compete, get out and do some dressage/sj or combined training while working on the XC.

 

[henryhorn]

By the sound of things your youngster just isn't ready yet.
We take ours XC schooling prior to a comp or we use a low level HT as first practice.
With one like yours who is being iffy we would take it round some more times following a braver horse, then probably do a pairs class.
A comp is not the best place to go schooling if you know you have problems, you're far better hiring a course o a quiet day.
I would not compete until your youngster is happily popping most things you show him. Layla did her first course last wek, she fell on her knees up the step coming out of the coffin the first time, hesitated a couple of times at things she hadn't a clue about like steps, but then second time jumped willingly and loved it.
If you get in a position where you have to back down and fail to do a fence, you're actually teaching your horse that is ok..
Don't be daft, take your time.