Not quite right... SJ

Michen

Michen

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Took B to a local small venue for our first crack at 95 today (he's done one event at 90 three weeks ago which was the last time he jumped). I retired him before the last double as I actually felt we could get into a scrape jumping like that in to a double. He just felt so... Flat? He had a 2.5 hour wait on the trailer and by the time he came off everyone else had gone (two in my class) so there was absolutely no atmosphere. He was flat, backwards, lazy in the warm up and in the ring he just wasn't his usual buzzy self.

Can anyone with eagle eyes see anything to be concerned about (bar my riding!)? I know he's on the wrong leg (was hoping he would change). I don't think he looks sore or lame but my eye is not good for things like that. Don't think he's struggling with height as he popped that 95 spread from a rubbish trot quite casually!

Wondering if maybe it was lack of atmosphere/too long on the trailer. Maybe he's used to the buzzyness of eventing with trade stands around and people and lots of horses and he just thought this was all a bit dull? He's being very peppy and bouncy to hack at the moment so I was quite surprised.

Meant to be going to Blenheim eventer challenge on Thursday but I am a little worried now, I'd like to get my physio out before to look at him just in case and really don't want to let the team down or knock our confidence if he's feeling like this again. He hasn't been anywhere since eventing three weeks ago and generally he loves being out and about. Hmm! Video below and the one below that is how he usually is to jump... It doesn't look as bad as I felt but I know that horse, and that was not a normal Basil round.


[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AFr1UqaEXI8[/video]

Normal Basil below!

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj7ArtItIXY[/video]
 
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Did he drink while he was waiting? Jumping 80 on grass isn't really comparable to 95 off a surface imo, it looked to me like he was losing his bottle a little, perhaps finding it a bit harder going plus the additional height.
 
FfionWinnie said:
Did he drink while he was waiting? Jumping 80 on grass isn't really comparable to 95 off a surface imo, it looked to me like he was losing his bottle a little, perhaps finding it a bit harder going plus the additional height.
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Nope he didn't drink, good point. Should have bought some fast fibre for him to get some liquid into him like I do at events. He jumped 90 on a surface at Aston 3 weeks before and made absolutely nothing of it (and felt/rode like he did in the 80 on grass). He jumps 5 bar gates (out of the field!) for fun he's quite a scopey little thing. Hmmmm :( To be honest it was him all round, he warmed up flat and backwards (before jumping anything) and that didn't change when he went in the ring. Maybe he's tired himself out by being so exuberant hacking all week!!!
 
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Surfaces that are dry like that can be very energy draining. The only time I was eliminated show jumping in a BE was on a dry surface and my normally bouncy boy felt like a balloon someone had stick a pin in! We're you watching other people? We're they having fences down?
 
ycbm said:
Surfaces that are dry like that can be very energy draining. The only time I was eliminated show jumping in a BE was on a dry surface and my normally bouncy boy felt like a balloon someone had stick a pin in! We're you watching other people? We're they having fences down?
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Interesting. I've been trying to stick to jumping on a surface and finding events that do (Aston... West wilts in a few weeks) because I thought it would make our lives easier not having to worry about slipping etc. The surface wasn't at all deep, it's a really lovely school. There was only one other person in the 95 and two in the 85 (which we didn't do) and didn't really notice many poles....

He felt flat the minute I got on him really, even walking down to the SJ he just felt like he couldn't be arsed. Of course horses have off days but it was just strange given he's been so bouncy to hack all week. Good point by FW, wonder if he was dehydrated.
 
You know your horse best and if he wasn't on form then somethings up. Whether it was dehydration on the day or not, who knows. I would suggest hiring somewhere to see what he's like and if the same get a vet work up. My horse looked OK to everyone else but I knew he wasn't right as he wasn't making the distances. Turned out he had slightly sprained himself but wasn't obvious.
Also are you sure the arena was ok. I jumped at a local arena a while ago that was sand with rubber on top but the rubber was patchy and the sand was hard underneath as it hadn't rained for some time. I won't be jumping on that again as it was worse than grass.
 
In all honesty, I don't think you rode your turns as well you could which didn't put him in the best place to take off. Combined with going up a size in class he looks as though he needed setting up a little better, in the other video the smaller fences are more forgiving when he isn't in the perfect line. He also looked as though he was behind the leg which as he he went round got progressively worse and makes it difficult for him to jump well.it certainly isn't horrific and you look a great combination but just perhaps caught out with a few accumulative things resulting in a not great round? Saying that my own horses have been a bit lacklustre recently so I do wonder if they are feeling the effects of the changing seasons which I find often happens.
 
No I definitely didn't, completely agree! I'm a bit useless and have never jumped at that height before ( a few months ago I was terrified of cross poles!). I'm more worried about how flat he was as soon as I was on board though, it was his whole demeanour. Rather than his actual jumping if that makes sense!!! Hmm, hopefully just an off day.


Piaffe19 said:
In all honesty, I don't think you rode your turns as well you could which didn't put him in the best place to take off. Combined with going up a size in class he looks as though he needed setting up a little better, in the other video the smaller fences are more forgiving when he isn't in the perfect line. He also looked as though he was behind the leg which as he he went round got progressively worse and makes it difficult for him to jump well.it certainly isn't horrific and you look a great combination but just perhaps caught out with a few accumulative things resulting in a not great round? Saying that my own horses have been a bit lacklustre recently so I do wonder if they are feeling the effects of the changing seasons which I find often happens.
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Hmm, I guess it's a question of how soon do I worry. I appreciate that all horses can have off days, so I guess if it happens again at Blenheim then I know to worry?

I think the arena was fine... He was lazy even walking down there.

dixie said:
You know your horse best and if he wasn't on form then somethings up. Whether it was dehydration on the day or not, who knows. I would suggest hiring somewhere to see what he's like and if the same get a vet work up. My horse looked OK to everyone else but I knew he wasn't right as he wasn't making the distances. Turned out he had slightly sprained himself but wasn't obvious.
Also are you sure the arena was ok. I jumped at a local arena a while ago that was sand with rubber on top but the rubber was patchy and the sand was hard underneath as it hadn't rained for some time. I won't be jumping on that again as it was worse than grass.
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Michen said:
He is yes but he's been a hyperactive ball of energy all week out hacking!!!
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If he's still like this during the week I would put today down to a blip and the conditions etc but if he's flat out hacking this week then there maybe something up. Fingers crossed for you.
 
Yes I will definitely be worried if he's flat hacking. He's going on bound exercise on Sunday so if it's a bit of boredom or whatnot (he does need a varied life which he gets!) then hopefully that will perk him up. Thanks, my fingers are crossed too!!

dixie said:
If he's still like this during the week I would put today down to a blip and the conditions etc but if he's flat out hacking this week then there maybe something up. Fingers crossed for you.
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He was sulking because he hadn't had fun doing dressage!!! more seriously he may have been switched off by the long wait, dehydrated or just had an off day, in the ring I agree with Piaffe19 you rode into the first off a dodgy line, you didn't get a great jump then allowed things to continue to deteriorate without really doing anything to improve matters, he ended up being in a flatter canter as the round went on and got in deep because the canter was not his normal bouncy rather forward way of going so each jump was progressively worse, he then backed off more so it got even worse.
When you have a round like this you need to try to deal with it at the time or it becomes more of an issue than it needs to be, easier said than done, I would now put it out of your mind unless he seems off over the next few days, give him a jump at home and ensure you get him in the "right" canter before you leave the ground, if he does not get the canter you want don't jump until you get it, the same at the next comp make sure he is in front of you before the first practise jump, if he is not do lots of transitions to get him there, when you go in the ring go straight into canter from walk, forget trot completely, and repeat a time or two if he has switched off and don't allow him to drop going round the course come back to trot and pick up canter rather than cruise around half asleep or on the wrong leg.
Having seen him jump he is one that relies a bit on speed to get him going be very careful you don't shut down the canter when the jumps get bigger as he will struggle to get over them from a "pretty" SJ canter think more towards xc power than sj canter.
 
Right yes confession to make, it's entirely possible that the jockey may have been in London mere hours before partying and therefore was perhaps feeling a little delicate!!!!

Maybe he did miss the dressage... I think he quite enjoys it really. I certainly felt like he had a huge sense of humour about it all at Aston!!


I think when I got on him and warmed up and he felt rubbish I just kind of gave up and didn't correct it, he felt bad enough that I nearly withdrew him and didn't jump at all. I thought he would perk up in the ring and when that didn't happen it just all went a bit wrong and I didn't help matters you are right. Agree re speed I will need to watch that. Actually that was a good deal bigger than the 90 at Aston, even though only 5cm more. We shall go to Blenheim and give myself a kick up the backside (and perhaps Basil too!!!). Thanks xxx






be positive said:
He was sulking because he hadn't had fun doing dressage!!! more seriously he may have been switched off by the long wait, dehydrated or just had an off day, in the ring I agree with Piaffe19 you rode into the first off a dodgy line, you didn't get a great jump then allowed things to continue to deteriorate without really doing anything to improve matters, he ended up being in a flatter canter as the round went on and got in deep because the canter was not his normal bouncy rather forward way of going so each jump was progressively worse, he then backed off more so it got even worse.
When you have a round like this you need to try to deal with it at the time or it becomes more of an issue than it needs to be, easier said than done, I would now put it out of your mind unless he seems off over the next few days, give him a jump at home and ensure you get him in the "right" canter before you leave the ground, if he does not get the canter you want don't jump until you get it, the same at the next comp make sure he is in front of you before the first practise jump, if he is not do lots of transitions to get him there, when you go in the ring go straight into canter from walk, forget trot completely, and repeat a time or two if he has switched off and don't allow him to drop going round the course come back to trot and pick up canter rather than cruise around half asleep or on the wrong leg.
Having seen him jump he is one that relies a bit on speed to get him going be very careful you don't shut down the canter when the jumps get bigger as he will struggle to get over them from a "pretty" SJ canter think more towards xc power than sj canter.
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He is very fit so don't forget that he may require longer warming up than you may normally expect for sj, at an event he will have warmed up for the dressage so may require far less for the next 2 phases, you will have atmosphere at Blenheim so that should help and if you could go for a "hack" or spend longer warming up than you would just for sj it may make a difference, maybe an early night would also be helpful!! hope it goes well.
 
Michen said:
Right yes confession to make, it's entirely possible that the jockey may have been in London mere hours before partying and therefore was perhaps feeling a little delicate!!!!
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Ha! So it was the jockey that was dehydrated then and not the horse? :D An early to bed night before your next outing??:)
 
The jockey was very dehydrated but fuelled by bacon butties, I still maintain that the horse was the one acting like he had been out the night before not the rider :D!!!


gunnergundog said:
Ha! So it was the jockey that was dehydrated then and not the horse? :D An early to bed night before your next outing??:)
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Thank you!! X

be positive said:
He is very fit so don't forget that he may require longer warming up than you may normally expect for sj, at an event he will have warmed up for the dressage so may require far less for the next 2 phases, you will have atmosphere at Blenheim so that should help and if you could go for a "hack" or spend longer warming up than you would just for sj it may make a difference, maybe an early night would also be helpful!! hope it goes well.
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He is lovely :)

My observation would be that you maybe need to lighten your seat a bit. From what I could see it looks like you are quite upright with a slightly driving seat.

Feel free to ignore as I know that different horses like different styles, it just looks like if you were to be a little more forward in your body position along with a bit more canter it could help :)
 
LJR said:
He is lovely :)

My observation would be that you maybe need to lighten your seat a bit. From what I could see it looks like you are quite upright with a slightly driving seat.

Feel free to ignore as I know that different horses like different styles, it just looks like if you were to be a little more forward in your body position along with a bit more canter it could help :)
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Any observation is helpful! I haven't had a proper lesson in months and definitely in need of one. So I have been really focused on sitting up as before I was riding with this awful hunched back style seat, I've probably gone too far the other way now. I'm very inexperienced jumping wise having only really properly started this year (before that it was about 15 years ago!) so I have lots to learn and improve, B is very patient!

Thank you I shall take that on board!!X
 
Mentioned the coat thing to my SJ coach today and he says one of his clients has a horse he can get utterly nothing out of when it's changing its coat and it's down to a big drag on protein apparently!
 
FfionWinnie said:
Mentioned the coat thing to my SJ coach today and he says one of his clients has a horse he can get utterly nothing out of when it's changing its coat and it's down to a big drag on protein apparently!
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I've always found that mine go a bit flat when changing their coats - seems to affect Millie more in the spring than autumn though, weird.
 
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