Pony literally freezes in show jumping ring

[Alice1]

Help! I'm literally stumped by our ponys issues.

He has never been easy and gets very tense and appears to lack confidence in most areas. However, with a lot of encouragement over the last 4 years and lots of practice he has now gone from being eliminated at the 2nd fence at 55cm to now jumping BSJA Discovery and Newcomers very succesfully.

However, he does not move forward freely in the ring. He is fine in the warm up and at home, but as soon as he enters the ring he literally goes completely dead to my daughters leg and she has to virtually carry him all the way round. There is absolutely no impulsion there at all!

And the bigger the jumps are getting the harder he is finding it as there is just nothing in the engine!

Even when they go back to smaller courses he still has the same attitude.

I'm convinced its a mental issue rather than a physical one as he only behaves like this when in the ring.

Any suggestions/ideas would be greatly appreciated

 

[MyDappledConnemara]

This sounds like it might be sourness from competing. He may have signs of reluctance to load as well? I would try giving him a couple of months off competing, and at your first competition try to do something easy that he enjoys.

 

[Alice1]

This sounds like it might be sourness from competing. He may have signs of reluctance to load as well? I would try giving him a couple of months off competing, and at your first competition try to do something easy that he enjoys.

I had never considered sourness to be honest because he has always been argumentative and reluctant to move forward but he is definitely getting worse not better the more we go out so it could be an option.

With regards to loading this has definitely improved lately and he appears far less stressed when we arrive at the venue too.

I'm having him checked for ulcers and then depending on the outcome maybe take him to the gallops or consider hunting?

 

[Fiona]

Even take him XC schooling with another pony in front??? If that generates a lot more enthusiasm, then you know it isn't a physical problem.

If he enjoys that, then a month or so of hunting before the season finishes could be just the ticket.

Fiona

 

[Alice1]

Even take him XC schooling with another pony in front??? If that generates a lot more enthusiasm, then you know it isn't a physical problem.

If he enjoys that, then a month or so of hunting before the season finishes could be just the ticket.

Fiona

He hates being left behind so I'm pretty sure following another horse would light him up ...... In fact might be worth trying this round a course of show jumps too.

As for hunting I think you are probably right I'm just a little worried it might scare the life out of him and send him the other way. He's a bit of a wimp!

 

[Fiona]

Just stick with the xc and have some fun then

Best of luck..

Fiona

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

This sounds like it might be sourness from competing. He may have signs of reluctance to load as well? I would try giving him a couple of months off competing, and at your first competition try to do something easy that he enjoys.

This^ and also some develop a fear of the ring or the bell sound or the crowd.