Please help with my gelding...

[ktlu]

Hi,

I am new to the forum and need some advice on one of my geldings.

He is an ex-racehorse (flat) who was gelded at the age of 6. He is now 9 and I have had him 2 years.

I have brought him on slowly to jump, he had been going really well and even now he is some days.

Basically the problem is...

I can take him out one day and he will jump so well I am delighted with him and I can take him out the following week and he will barely jump.

Last week he took off for a team chase fence and changed his mind half way over, put down on the fence and pulled his front legs back over. Needless to say he scared himself, he jumped another one after a couple of stops and we called it a day.

I cannot understand how he can be so different from week to week.

I have checked all the usual bits, teeth, saddle, back etc... and cannot understand what it could be.

I don't think it can be a pain issue as I can't imagine he would ever jump well. So I can only imagine it is in his head.

I would really appreciate any advice, maybe you have had a similar issue???

Many thanks


Katie

 

[LaurenBay]

How often is he jumped? My old share used to do this. We gave her sone time off and she soon got her mojo back. As soon as she refuses any fences or gets lazy jumping we know its her telling us she needs a break from it.

 

[bumblelion]

My exracer was gelded late too, must have good bloodlines and have been quite successful! I find my boy's pretty similar! He doesn't compete but some days he'll fly over a jump (he did flat and hurdles) and then other days he just seems to lose all confidence and refuses and gets his knickers in a knot!! The more you push, the more stressed he gets! No matter how much confidence i try and give him! Luckily I'v had my boy 5 years now, so can read him like a book and on days like that we go for a hack If we find a nice little log we may pop over it, but I make it fun and not serious! Saying that I didn't buy him to be a showjumper so he has no pressure put upon him to jump!

 

[jadeturner]

Does he have any other intermittent symptoms or behaviours at all, both under saddle and on the yard etc?