RANT!

[FreddiesGal]

Am i the only one that gets annoyed when i see this?! : Horse refuses, rider carts horse back to the jump, and then smacks said horse at the jump?

To me this is just making your horse associate jumping with being smacked. By the time the horse has been trotted back to the jump, he doesn't know why he is being hit!

How do you handle a refusal?

 

[Kadastorm]

it depends, if the rider can feel the horse backing off then i agree with giving a smack to reinforce the leg aid.

if the horse stopped for no reason then i may have given him a smack at the fence.

if it was a young horse who has not jumped very often then no i would not smack him, i would come again and keep my leg on.

each horse is different and each situation is different.

i wasnt riding the horse and couldnt feel what was going on and i wasnt there so i dont have a right to comment really. i also dont know the history of the horse.
if the horse was being smacked repeatedly then maybe i might question it but from what you say, its not the case.

 

[LouS]

I just try not to fall off.

 

[Kadastorm]

I just try not to fall off.

like.

and i agree

 

[FreddiesGal]

I just try not to fall off.

LOL! this is already the best answer

 

[Littlelegs]

I agree with kadastorms post.

 

[mulledwhine]

I was jump judging last week, and spoke to a rider who fell off when her horse refused and then proceeded to hit it whilst she was off, unacceptable IMHO if she had rode it better, she wide have jumped it and stayed on.

Tooany people are quick to blame their mount

 

[Kadastorm]

I was jump judging last week, and spoke to a rider who fell off when her horse refused and then proceeded to hit it whilst she was off, unacceptable IMHO if she had rode it better, she wide have jumped it and stayed on.

Tooany people are quick to blame their mount

i agree, i should have added that bit in. if my horse was to stop because of rider error, then no i would not give him a smack, i would come round again and ride properly.

 

[FreddiesGal]

Just seems to me that too many people forget that horses do us a huge favour just by letting us ride them, and one slip us from them results in a smack. Yet when we mess up the horse is so forgiving..

 

[cobmum]

I was jump judging last week, and spoke to a rider who fell off when her horse refused and then proceeded to hit it whilst she was off, unacceptable IMHO if she had rode it better, she wide have jumped it and stayed on.

Tooany people are quick to blame their mount

Ive seen this too, i walked over took her whip and said now your turn for being a bad rider Yes i am bold as brass!!

 

[Kadastorm]

Just seems to me that too many people forget that horses do us a huge favour just by letting us ride them, and one slip us from them results in a smack. Yet when we mess up the horse is so forgiving..

i understand what you are saying and i agree that they are very forgiving when we mess up, but if a horse stops for no good reason and is being naughty, a quick smack as a reminder and to reinforce the leg aid is better than letting him be naughty and get away with it which could cause more problems.

 

[Littlelegs]

I agree its entirely unfair if its a complete fault of the rider. But its not always that easy to tell. I'd expect a good jumper to make an effort even if the stride was a bit dodgy or the rider wasn't perfect on the approach, but at the same time I have seen horses get their teeth socked out over half the course then be punished for refusing. But its not always clear cut.