Please help - confidence crisis

mudmonkey17

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2005
Messages
1,390
Visit site
Please can anybody offer any advice?

Have had my 17yr old gelding for 2 1/2 years and have ridden him for almost 5 years so trust him completely and he hasnt got a bad bone in his body. Generally a very forward going cob type but safe with it.

However lately he has been a handful to ride and on the cross country course we now have no brakes. He is fine in the school and when we jump in the school, which is maybe once every week or 2 week, he is great. Jumping up to around a metre (dont want to push him any further due to his age).

Did a hunter trials of around 80cm in april and he was fab. We moved to new yard just before this and this yard has a 2'6" xc course with around 20 jumps. Since going on this he has become strong, spooky and having quite a few run outs, always to left side.

Did novice hunter trials where the second fence was a big table that he ended banking and struggling over as tried to jump from an almost standstill. Ended up with me hitting face on his nexk and him tanking off at top speed. We withdrew from the competition and just popped a few easy ones towards end of course which he jumped lovely.

Now he is still doing the same thing back at home. Jumped this morning and on the whole jumped well with only a couple or runouts and only tanked of twice so a lot more in control. Then over one of last ones he had similar incident to the table incident and ended up hitting the fence hard with back legs. He ended up with cuts under where boots were and torn boots and i have got yet another balck eye.

Thinking he has somewhere lost confidence or maybe feeling my lack of confidence and just being naughty? Have had physio out recently and teeth done and he has been fitted with new saddle.

Just dont know where to go from now as got a one day event next weeekend. Do i pull out or just go and do the dressage and sj?

Thanks for reading if you got this far and any advice greatly appreciated xxxx
 
Maybe this is his way of telling you he has had enough of going XC. I know that horses work a lot longer these days, but that doesn't mean ALL horses do - maybe he has just had enough now.
 
He may have had enough, personally i'd try him on a smaller course and see what his reaction is, if fine, he's probably struggling with bigger stuff and needs to wind down, but if still same, he's either lost his confidence or taking the pee. If confidence then he will take time to get it back, again a smaller course will help x
 
He may have had enough, personally i'd try him on a smaller course and see what his reaction is, if fine, he's probably struggling with bigger stuff and needs to wind down, but if still same, he's either lost his confidence or taking the pee. If confidence then he will take time to get it back, again a smaller course will help x

Ditto
 
Thanks for those replies, whether he had enough had crossed my mind though he seems keen still just having the odd runouts etc. Going to speak to instructor about it and get him to craven to pop round there and see what he does.
 
Top