Refusal Fixes?

TeddylikeSecretariat

TeddylikeSecretariat

Active Member
Joined
9 August 2011
Messages
43
Location
Central Scotland :)
Visit site
My horse has always been a little bit of a stopper, and now we've started competing to a high level, I need to address the problem even stronger... There's nothing medical wrong with him, we've checked, and he always jumps it the 2nd time round...
I'd just like to know if there are any exercises to prevent him from stopping/running out, or at least keep him confident!
He's very into his jumping, loves every second of it and is very good at it, I'd just like to get this little problem sorted!!
Thanks so much
 
What do you call a high level? if the horse is not confident jumping and regularly stopping it is often best to drop a level until it is jumping consistent DCs then try moving up.
Otherwise plenty of good schooling on the flat to make sure it is really listening, gridwork to instill confident jumps and stride patterns, always trying to keep him in front of the leg and enjoying the job not looking for the option of running out or stopping.
 
be positive said:
What do you call a high level? if the horse is not confident jumping and regularly stopping it is often best to drop a level until it is jumping consistent DCs then try moving up.
Otherwise plenty of good schooling on the flat to make sure it is really listening, gridwork to instill confident jumps and stride patterns, always trying to keep him in front of the leg and enjoying the job not looking for the option of running out or stopping.
Click to expand...

I jump at newcomers! Not a particularly "high level" but still.... I'm not sure, because he's so happy jumping at that height as he FLIES round courses with no problem.. Then just gets to one fence and freaks out sometimes! He did the same thing jumping 75 cm courses - he's even done it jumping cross poles warming up... He's completely up to it - I wouldn't push him any further than newcomers...
 
If it's not physical, I would suggest it's rider error tobe honest. Do you have instruction at all? It might be better someone being on the ground or even getting it videodto see what is happening and is there a pattern? Could you be inadvertently 'dropping' him at the fence?
I know I went through this with my horse who used to jump anything, albeit he was always spooky but generally pretty genuine. We had a couple of confidence knocking moments and to be honest, his refusals then probably stemmed from me not riding as confidently as I previously had. I actually then took up doing more ODEs XC and i think this helped us both.

More often than not it is down to something we are doing as a rider so that is certainly where I'd start. You did say he "flies" round - is he actually rushing (which would indicate lack of confidence)?
 
Even if a horse "flies" round a course, there could still be confidence issues.

Get a good instructor, look at yourself and the horse.
You could be giving the wrong signals.
Go back to basics and smaller jumps.
Ensure a rythem and nice stride.

Is it a typical kind of jump or in a particular place?

In flying round is horse getting too fast and too deep and scaring himself?
 
I know that if I'm not feeling confident, or if I'm not concentrating fully, then he's more likely to do it... He does it more XC because of spooky things... Once he's warmed up properly XC then he goes perfectly :) It probably is rider error.. I've not had a riding lesson that he's stopped at anything for a while... I don't have much of an opportunity for lessons unfortunately!!
We'll see what we can do..
Thanks so much everyone!!
 
TeddylikeSecretariat said:
I know that if I'm not feeling confident, or if I'm not concentrating fully, then he's more likely to do it...!
Click to expand...

This is more like to be the issue, i'd imagine.

I had a little mare that was actually a great jumper, but had a bit of a stop in her - which meant my trust in her was zilch. When it was good, it was very good. But the moment either of us had a wobble it was a disaster.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top