Showjumping Refusing at 3rd jump at shows!!

Maz&Baz

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I have a lovely SECTION d who is a brilliant jumper and jumps anything at home...
Get to a show and usually the first and second jump is facing towards home and he jumps no problem. Then usually the third is facing away and he refuses... most the the time he will jump it when i try again bur sometimes won't and gets eliminated. When he goes over it he jumps the rest of the course no bother including the ones facing away from home. It's really frustrating me... What can I do to stop him from doing it! He was jumping 1m05 clear last year and yesterday stops at 60cm!!!
Any ideas? He will jump anything st home... When he refuses he gradually slows down when you turn...
 

blitznbobs

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Trade in for a non welsh?

Yes this pretty much - my first competition pony was a Welsh d - he had this trait - I remember one particular ODE when we were first in the dressage clear show jumping and as I headed off cross country I got 3 refusals at the first tiny fence... the starter came up to me and suggested I was being cruel making him jump and told me to go put the practice jump down and do a couple of goes - to get the ponies confidence up - I turned him round and saled over the 3ft 6 oxer that was in the collection ring — to cries of ‘oh he can jump’ from the pitying starter... I loved that pony and that was the day I decided to do pure dressage ... it was that or trade him in for a non welsh model.

I did try taking him to the local horse ‘guru’ who assured me he’d fix this issue - he fell off 3 times before walking off swearing cos he ‘needed a fag’ ... maybe yours isn’t as stubborn as mine was but if it’s Welsh it probably is.
 

ester

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I know enough that jumping wise have two options win, or find something to make a fuss about and get eliminated. Though this one sounds like it comes with additional nappiness to go with the fuss.

I think for some it can make a difference how sweet you can keep them, by not jumping at home etc. Funnily it’s why I started the dressage too ;), though actually I’d love to give it another go now as I ride so much better than 10 years ago.
 

HappyHorses:)

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Taking the welshness aside, is it only at competitions? Is it towards the collecting ring/exit? Wondering if it's napping towards the other horses?

If you feel genuinely its learnt nappiness then go into a 50/60 and, be it ugly, sit up and kick on. He can do that height from a stand still and needs to learn forward no matter what.

I love my welshies to pieces but give them an inch and they will run a mile giving a two fingered salute at the same time 😂
 

Shay

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If he is slowing from that corner he is telling you long in advance he isn't going to go unless you make him. It might party be a Welsh D thing - they can be stubborn lovelies. Its partly a schooling / effectiveness of rider thing. Happy horses has a point - but you sometimes need to be quite brave to do that in a show because you will always get folk who think you went overboard about it.

An instructor on the ground is probably the best help. You might be more determined in your riding for the first fence or so to get going, but become less effective giving him the chance. Or you might be anticipating the refusal. Try to find shows where the first fence is not toward the collecting ring. Go to clinics and clear rounds where you can work on being more effective. It sounds like he can do it - he just can't be bothered and you don't have the tools right now to get him through that.

It is seriously disheartening. You can get over this but he is never going to be a warm blood I'm afraid.
 

Vodkagirly

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Is it definitely napping eg always when turning away from others or could it be a lack of impulsion from not riding corners effectively?
Either way I would stop competing for a while and focus on getting the issue resolved as it's easy to accidentally reinforce the behaviour in a competition setting and stick to arena hires where you can work through the issue with an instructor.
 

Maz&Baz

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Thank you all for your replies! Some days he won't stop and is amazing and will work up to 1.05m height and win everything he can be a winning machine. But some days usually when we haven't been competing for a while he starts this slowing in the corner to where the other horses are.. What can I do about this because at shows he goes dead to the whip and leg and nothing works. I haven't used spurs and wouldn't like to as he is very all over and I would hate to accidently jab him by mistake from me losing balance. At home and when schooling in arena hired he is 99% of the time perfect! Happy New year to you all and thank you x
 

Maz&Baz

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I will add that we are 10594020859584792% there's no pain issue😂 he has had every scan possible literally and has been treated for ulcers 2 years ago. Saddler only 2 weeks ago and teeth 3/4 month ago and physio 3 month go.
 

awelshandawarmblood

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If he's anything like mine its the Welsh bi-polar disorder - one day he's a machine & the next, same fence, sun in the same place in the sky, wind blowing from the south west, he'll bin me off over his head with a sliding stop :rolleyes: He's had a full work up, teeth, back etc & no issues, he's just being quirky! Which is annoying as no 'this is how to fix it' solution! But, what I've found helps is to keep jumping to a minimum so that the novelty factor is there for him - happens much less often that way.
 

shortstuff99

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I will add that we are 10594020859584792% there's no pain issue😂 he has had every scan possible literally and has been treated for ulcers 2 years ago. Saddler only 2 weeks ago and teeth 3/4 month ago and physio 3 month go.

Hmmm I still wonder as my old SJ horse had an injury in her fetlock joint and the only issue she showed was starting to refuse jumps at shows only. Was fine at home/training etc but after a couple jumps in a course would start to slow just like what you are describing before a fence. It would be something to consider unless she has always been this way from the very start.
 

Dynamo

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I LOVE the idea of Welsh bi-polar disorder! That has really put a smile on my face, thank you. Mine is on a points system... plus one point for something good, minus one point for something naughty, and if he can reach 10 points he can have a treat... like the star chart with kids... Nope, he has NEVER achieved ten points, or rather we've been at 10 minus points, but never ten plus points, even though some days he might get several plus points in a row. They can't do it. It's written in to their passports... "The law of Welshness: must be naughty at least half of the time." And oh so gorgeous and loveable too.
 

awelshandawarmblood

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I LOVE the idea of Welsh bi-polar disorder! That has really put a smile on my face, thank you. Mine is on a points system... plus one point for something good, minus one point for something naughty, and if he can reach 10 points he can have a treat... like the star chart with kids... Nope, he has NEVER achieved ten points, or rather we've been at 10 minus points, but never ten plus points, even though some days he might get several plus points in a row. They can't do it. It's written in to their passports... "The law of Welshness: must be naughty at least half of the time." And oh so gorgeous and loveable too.

That's brilliant!! I'll have to have a go of that with my toad! Haha! I'm sure its on here I saw my favourite description of them "Welsh cobs: One hoof on world domination, other hoof firmly on the panic button!" lol!! You just don't get it unless you've got or have had one :D
 

Mule

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Mine had this. He used to be extremely nappy and hated to leave other horses. I worked on getting him confident moving away from other horses.

I think he would refuse at the third because I had relaxed slightly. I was aware I would have problems getting him to start so I'd be very determined but after a couple of jumps I'd relax.

I had some interesting times on xc when he'd run backwards :rolleyes: I got eliminated lots of times. He would rear if the whip was used. His former owner told me of how he napped so much one time that he sat down in a ditch:oops:

Take the opportunity to school with other horses and start moving him away from them. Then start jumping away from them. It was a right pain but he did get over it. It took lots of practice and I was at a disadvantage with him as I was just learning to ride. He's fine now so, it can be solved (with determination and patience).
 
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welshstar

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Sat here laughing as all the replies could be my welsh! Been there with being a rosette machine (we was first or last). He’s now decided he hates indoor jumping (he never liked it too much) and won’t even go over a tiny cross clear round jumping. He’s jumping 1m at home and won over the summer jumping outside.
I’m afraid I can’t help though as I took the easy route and got a Connemara to jump!
 
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