So Frustrated! please can I have some advice.

[Toyah]

Sat here feeling rather deflated and frustrated as I write this wondering what else I can literally do to help my mare and me! and would like some advice from outsiders, please. I am ready to give up on it all to be honest.

This year I really wanted to do well eventing, only 90 aiming for 100, last year the season was cut short due to an injury and up until then I was, we was having a blast.

She has all the scope in the world and beyond and yet her brain is the size of a pea and I cant get it in to her head at all.

I have had her since she was 2 and is now 10. So not a new partnership and I know her inside out. maybe that is the problem. She is a TB and very looky.

I have accepted she is always going to be hit, miss and maybe at events but I just want to complete.

2 weeks ago she went round Borde Hill no problem in the SJ, this weekend 3 refusals in the SJ ring and we were down and out.

We have lessons, lessons and more lessons. I have tried different instructors, her saddle is checked regularly so I dont think it is anything like that, its just, well I don't know.

So, do I keep plugging away at it, or decide to bite the bullet and find something I can have fun on, as at the moment I am just not enjoying it with her.

I am entered for another event in a couple of weeks, do I go for it and just see how it goes or get someone else to ride her, a professional maybe and see if its me that is the issue?


Please help. Any advice welcome.

T

 

[glamourpuss]

Sometimes horses just don't take to eventing. BE is a lot if money to spend if you haven't got a smile on your face at the end.
That said all horses have whoopsies, my lad (currently off injured) was doing fantastically unaff, stepped up to his first BE & I had to retire him at fence 3 of the XC because his brain had left the building. I 'exercised my chimp' (I.e wailed in my trainers horse box that I was crap & going to give up)....his next event he ce 3rd!!
Maybe get your physio to give her a look over to put your mind at rest, think about whether she was in season & then have a frank conversation with your instructor...they will probably know best whether or not she's got the right attitude to continue trying to event.

 

[Elvis]

If I were in your position I would send her to a pro for a month or so and see how they get on with her, if they are successful and they don't think she's too tricky then keep plugging away. If they say she is too tricky or they are unsuccessful I'd look at finding a more suitable partner.

 

[longdog]

Just to say I feel your pain...... It's no fun when they are so unpredictable. Maybe getting a pro to have a ride would be a good idea, certainly something I would try. You could just try & see if you can pick out any tiny thing that may be different between one event or another, sorry, no quick fix, I'm afraid. Good luck with it.

 

[Toyah]

maybe your right glamourpuss, maybe she is just not cut out for the eventing, but yet is good xc, just seems to be the SJ part we can't crack at the moment and are stuck in a rut. Will speak to my instructor and see what they think.

 

[TGM]

Do you video your performances so you can work out what has gone wrong? Is there a pattern to her refusing - jumps that are going away from the collecting ring, spooky jumps, her being in season? How is your position - are you getting behind the movement, in front of it, catching the horse in the mouth sometimes? Does she go better on hard or soft ground?

 

[paddi22]

i had my heart broken with one of my horses who is a gorgeous tb with tons of potential that would be a fab eventer if he had the right head. Just doesn't have the brain or consistency, and it was a difficult decision to give up the idea of eventing on him, but it was would have been so frustrating and a waste of money.

Got another one to replace him who hasn't half the talent or potential, but is brave, clever and consistent - we had a ball eventing last year, he loved every minute of it. He has his points to improve in dressage, but he is rock solid in the showjumping and xc. I have accepted that the tb is much happier just being a dressage horse and it works better for both of us! so frustrating tho! sometimes you just have to accept the horse you have.

 

[be positive]

You are not really giving a full picture so it is difficult to really advise, you say she is looky and hit and miss but in what way?
If the sj is the main issue, fillers, combinations where she spooks then jumps in badly so cannot get out, there is usually some link which can be worked on and improved but you need to find where the issue is in order to address it, being hit and miss is not enough information, unless she really is not established or experienced enough to have the confidence to jump if the rider gets something wrong.
Being analytical about how she goes in all situations, good and bad, would be a starting point, finding a trainer who can work on the weak points once they are identified and going out to do individual comps where you are under less pressure would also help.

I don't think there is any point just plugging away when you are both not enjoying it but a different approach may be worth trying.

 

[Deleted member 104317]

Had the same problem with mine. Green XC when we got him and having perservered he's finally grown in confidence - surprisingly far better having made the move up to 1m. I ride more positively and he has to concentrate! Maybe stay at unaffiliated and keep plugging away for this season? Sounds like she's proven that she can do it and when the results do come they will be even more rewarding

 

[Toyah]

I can't work out the pattern, have looked at videos but nothing springs up. she isnt a nappy horse and her being in season has never affected her at all. lucky in that respect. I have learnt to keep my position and never get in front of her as I know she will use that. Lovely contact and even if the striding is correct she will still do it. Maybe its a lack of confidence, I don't know.

 

[TGM]

Are you brave enough to put the videos on here to see if someone can spot what is going wrong?

 

[Bantry]

Sell, sell, sell! Or retire, or loan her out. There are so many easy horses out there who are reliable and genuine. Horses that you could progress with and begin to make long term plans for. aiming for Badminton grass roots? If you haven't been able to get consistent results with her after this long it highly unlikely that pattern will ever change (and its probably not your fault either). Life is too short and you might be doing the horse a favour too!

 

[Toyah]

You are not really giving a full picture so it is difficult to really advise, you say she is looky and hit and miss but in what way?
If the sj is the main issue, fillers, combinations where she spooks then jumps in badly so cannot get out, there is usually some link which can be worked on and improved but you need to find where the issue is in order to address it, being hit and miss is not enough information, unless she really is not established or experienced enough to have the confidence to jump if the rider gets something wrong.
Being analytical about how she goes in all situations, good and bad, would be a starting point, finding a trainer who can work on the weak points once they are identified and going out to do individual comps where you are under less pressure would also help.

I don't think there is any point just plugging away when you are both not enjoying it but a different approach may be worth trying.

SJ is defo the main problem, the thing is if the striding is wrong she won't always go, if the striding is right she won't always go, so feel like I am going round in circles. its as though something just switches in her brain and tells her she can't do it and yet I am riding for my life giving her the confidence to go.

 

[be positive]

If there really is no pattern consider having a workup done, was the injury something that could have left something to cause her any discomfort, a physio check if not done recently would be worthwhile, as would looking at foot balance, one of mine started stopping on the odd occasion he had a slight but significant reverse pedal bone rotation which was a total surprise to the vet as he seemed to have well balanced feet, he was sound but xrayed as a precaution the results showed why he was stopping and easily remedied.

 

[Jesstickle]

To be honest if she has always been like it I would conclude she doesn't enjoy showjumping and not do it. They don't all have to do everything in my world, many horses have a preference. I know that is probably not a popular opinion and people will say keep going with the vet, lessons, picking everything apart but if she likes hacking and dressage and XC and does it all with no bother then why can't she just do those things?

I suppose that is an old fashioned approach and I guess I got it from my Mother who is old fashioned so feel free to ignore me!

 

[paddi22]

is there a chance it could be a physical thing? I had one who was a lovely natural jumper but was tense round showjumping courses. Turned out he had arthritis in his hocks and his issues showed up when he really had to go back on his hocks and do turns etc on courses. He was 100% cross country so i hadn't thought there was an issue.

 

[glamourpuss]

Lots of fun can be had on a horse that doesn't like to SJ. Pure dressage, team chasing, hunting just off the top of my head.
You might find that by keeping her sweet & having fun she may come around to the SJ

 

[Fun Times]

I am going to come at this from the opposite angle of some people. You say you have lots of lessons. You have obviously been working hard to fix this problem. You have perhaps become a little fixated on it and have practiced a lot. Is there a chance she is bored of sj as a result? I used to own a bsja mare that had with previous owners been show jumped a lot and she had gone stale. She would fly anything xc but take her in a sj arena and almost guaranteed to get eliminated. How often are you jumping her between runs?

 

[lannerch]

Some people just need to know when to quit with a horse, you have had her a very long time and she's still not doing what you want, to be brutal she's not the horse for you.

If you want to event Sell her to a hacking fun ride dressage home, and buy one that enjoys doing the job you want to do.

I did I never looked back, although all the years I percivered with the wrong horse , (who used to jump at home no problem then get me elim usually pretty quickly in the sj ,The rare time we survived the sj then always by the 4th fence cc!) did my confidence show jumping no good whatsoever .

Good horses cost the same to keep as bad horses. Go out and get one you can have some fun on.

 

[siennamum]

sounds like she is inconsistent, not unfit for purpose. That makes me wonder whether it is physical. I am having amazing results with a herbal supplement, which is levelling out environmental/metabolic factors with one of my horses, try: silverlining herbs - you're nothing lost. I do not work for the company and am not advertising, I just think there are subclinical issues sometimes, which can really affect horses and herbal remedies can really improve them.

 

[Toyah]

Thanks for all your replies, and advice. I have lots to think about from reading all of these, hopefully I can come to a decision.

 

[PorkChop]

I really feel for you, remember it is supposed to be fun. We spend a lot of money on our horses and if eventing is your passion then maybe it is fairer to find a horse more suited. I hope it all works out for you.

 

[Kelpie]

Just another thought before you change your horse - consider changing your trainer! Who do you have lessons with and how often? What have they said about your issues? Will they come to a show with you? Even if the trainer can ride can they really teach you? Have they sat on your horse?

 

[Goldenstar]

I understand more about this situation than perhaps I would like to admit.
First thing don't assume that the horse is not carrying a physical issue you have had her a long time and made a big commitment to her so I would seriously consider a lack of performance work up by a vet with experience in this type of work.
I would then go to a fresh pair of eyes a BE accredited trainer or similar ( personally I would go to Gill Watson if I had this sort of trouble ) and arrange a short intensive course say three or four days working twice a day thrash the whole thing out and try to get some insight and then Decide whether to part with her to a hacking or hunting home and look for another .

 

[oldie48]

Does she jump well when you are training or is she always inconsistent? My daughter's horse would jump beautifully in lessons but in competitions (had moved up to novice) never did as well and the more she tried the worse it got. Her excellent trainer came to watch her and saw the problem immediately, rider was a bit tense, not getting a good enough canter and tended to ride defensively until she'd had a fence down, at which point she started riding!! Daughter was completely unaware that she was riding differently, nothing wrong with the horse at all except he needed riding, not one that would pop round on his own. But if you're confident it's the horse and not you, get rid, at 90cm most horses worth their salt will pop round on any stride.

 

[wench]

After having been in the same position myself, I would firstly send the horse to a pro for a month, to see what their opinion is. If they think the horse is tricky/something wrong with it, I would then get a full veterinary work up done and go from there

 

[Dukey]

I've been there I worked so hard with my TBx I had owned him since he was 4 and worked really hard on lessons and professional riders. He too was so hit and miss. He is a very talented horse and has a real natural jump. If he was with a professional who would get him out most weekends I think he'd settle down but like you I just wanted something I could have fun on up to Novice level. I still own him but was lucky enough to had two. He mainly does dressage now and I have a sharer who showjumps him. I bought a ID, who is a big girl and not the eventer 'type' but she's so much fun and can move brilliantly. I feel safe on her where as my other boy was starting to make me nervous she'll take me to Novice but she isn't the type that you thought would have!
I would try everything you can but if she hasn't got the mentality to event then it may not happen. If you're willing to try another discipline then you could go down that route otherwise I'd look at a more suitable partner...

 

[smja]

It's not just about striding, it's about the quality of the canter. Over fences that are well within horse's scope, striding is the less important of these two factors.

 

[unicornystar]

I have a totally new view of how to rate a horse now since losing my TB, talented, scope to burn, and yes brain size of a pea....unpredicable, talented, unco-operative......stunning looks, bolshy, jumping ability, nappy.....the list goes on, he had lots of pluses and lots of negatives but being a TB we NEVER had consistency. He would win easily one week, then another week ditch me! - I now have an irish youngster, he will never be jumping 1.40! he wont get to elementary BUT he is FUN, safe and CONSISTENT and wins reguarly or places and other than that he is just EASY TO TO!!! x