*sobs* My horse isnt fixed

I would take him right back to basics at a show environment, you know he can jump a big fence so you dont need to prove anything there... take him in the 2ft 6 and TROT him round if necessary, if he keeps crashing through everything his nerves will be shattered and yours, you are not admitting defeat going smaller. I should change your trainer for a different perspective. Good luck.
 
TBH it sounds like he's a bit bored of smaller tracks. put it up to him and do the BN. It can't get a whole lot worse and if he's thrown in at the deep end he'll quickly realise its sink or swim. if he sinks he'll appreciate jumping 85cms a bit more to get his confidence up. i recently did the same thing with a 5yr old i've been schooling and it made such a difference...new found respect for fences and because he's working harder in the ring he doesn't have a row
 
don't give up. take him back to somewhere outdoors, see how it is.
some horses just hate the claustrophobia of jumping a course of sj indoors. my A mare was one, she detested it and got totally mental, but was great outdoors. she'd do gridwork and loose jumping indoors, but not courses, unless i wanted no control. eventually i learnt my lesson and stopped fighting, realised that there was no point. sometimes you have to just concentrate on your goals (eventing, hardly ever has indoor sj, only at Bishop Burton in my experience!) and accept that certain horses just don't take to certain things i reckon. where is it on Thursday, back indoors again?
 
certainly sounds like he has a problem with being indoors. what is the lighting like at NH compared to where you do the clinics ? is it darker (like wix) can he actually see properly in the ring ?
jays have inter sj next sat (8th) 2ft start, then 2ft 3 & 2ft 6, on sunday they have open 2ft 6 start,then 2ft 9, 3ft & 3ft 3.. or if you want to chuck him in the deep end as some have suggested, towerlands have an senior progressive/advanced on sunday 9th, think it starts at 1 metre. dont know if you have been there but visibility in the indoor is very good
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But tbh although he is jumping absolutely fine at home, you need to be getting tis out, and he still sounds very wobbly/unsure out, which although the courses still arent big, makes your life difficult when you are trying to keep him straight/concentrating on where you are going and amke sure evrything is happening in the right place at the right time! G will jump 1.15m at home without a care, but is still incredibly green and stupid outside, and until I am completely happy and sure he is confident when he is out, I wont be doing any more that Intro/BN/95cm unaff height, as its is not worth the crashes we may have!! The fact he is still crashing through fences seems to me he still isnt 100% switched on to you and what he is doing when you go out. You need to go to as many outings as possible, even if they are just 2'3, and work on control and accuracy. So for example, take him out clear round. Jump every fence and halt afterwards, pat him and canter on again to next fence, same again, until he is learning to look at and for the next fence. You know he is talented, you just have to take really tiny baby steps and make sure every I is dotted and T is crossed before you progress!! Chin up, you are doing a great job, just relax a bit and take the pressure off yourself!
 
The first thing I would do personally is go back to where you were at the weekend and hire it with the jumps... That way there is no pressure (no matter what anyone says, a competition changes your riding slightly in my opinion), and you can go back to jumps if he does not jump them well. Perhaps even take your trainer with you so they can assess him from the ground in this situation.

I wouldn't give up on him, but if this is how it is making you feel then I would agree with what others have said to a certain extent: I would take the foot off the pedal with regards to competitions and spend the entry money on hiring out these arenas with jumps until you feel you are working with him in these situations.

If he is reacting like you have described then I would say he was worried about something, and until you reassure him there is nothing to be worried about, you will never 'fix' him completely.

I would keep taking him out to the dressage competitions and that would be good to get him out and about with others still, but definitely stick to hiring out the arenas until you feel happy riding him over the course, not what your trainer thinks you should be feeling
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sorry to hear about your problems!

isnt it interesting though..this thread shows how much peoples opinions and methods change....you get told one thing by one and the opposite by another!
 
I would forget about doing SJ competitions indoors, I really would, it is just too difficult on a young horse that has a large stride.Give yourseleves a chance and just stick to jumping outdoors in nice large arenas, where you have plenty of time to turn, balance the horse, and set him up nicely ! He will be fine I bet once outdoors again! There is no problem with doing gridwork or clinics indoors, thats fine, but doing competitions indoors is impossible- where you have 15 fences crammed in and only a metre or two to set your horse up for the fence, it just wouldnt be doing any young, large striding horses any favours.
 
Thanks everyone, yet again loads of really useful advice.

I am still unsure of where we go from here, if in fact we go anywhere. I think he is too good for me and I am just confusing him. Tempted to let him go to someone who can do him proud
 
You have lots of advice on how you might proceed and im sure your trainer will be helping you too. I am very much in the same boat as you with my mare (except she is slightly older) she jumps well at home but i just cant get her to go right in the ring!

I have to say that alot of it is my attitude. You sound like you are getting very frustrated and starting to doubt that you are good enough to ride him. I know i feel that same way and as a result when i go to shows i always put pressure on myself, thinking i HAVE to do well. Or, we have been working for so many months and i should be able to do X, Y and Z by now.

Take a deep breath and calm down. Try and take the pressure off yourself... we all have goals, its just that some horses take longer to get there than others.

You have two options... try and keep the faith and keep plodding along, or admit defeat and try something else. In the short term at least, i think you now the answer.

Your welcome to PM me if you ever want to moan about things....and im sure after a few days you'll realise its just a 'blip' in the whole scheme of things. Keep your chin up! Good luck!
 
Naw dont be silly, he is making great progress, is 10 steps forwards, 9 steps back, and all that!! Come on,*gives madhector a kick up the backside!*
 
Sorry to hear about your problems
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I know how you feel. April jumps well over 3ft at home and in lessons but I have only worked up to about 2'9 at outdoor shows. I just jump for fun though and have no real aspirations (on April anyway as she's too old).

Yesterday I took her to her first indoor show and only did 2'3 as I would rather have a positive round over small fences than having a bad experience over bigger fences.
She was overwhelmed and went a bit goggle eyed at all the stuff in the arena but went clear so next time I go I will do 2'3 and 2'6 and take it from there throughout the year...

I used to get bucked off going over cross poles so even though she is old, she is just as inexperienced as Jerry.
I would bore him to death by going to small classes and clear rounds at as many events as you can. Once he is doing the small classes nicely then he will find the height no problem as he is definitely capable. It's just all too exciting for him!!

Good luck xx
 
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I am still unsure of where we go from here, if in fact we go anywhere. I think he is too good for me and I am just confusing him. Tempted to let him go to someone who can do him proud

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No way! You are a lovely rider. He is just overwhelmed and goes a bit out of his mind in the indoor environment (I don't blame him, I do too!!
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Go back to basics and get him going nicely over small fences (at shows!) then when he gets back in his comfort zone you can start increasing the height xx
 
Please don't give up. You and I were looking for horses at the same time, and the ones you went to look at were all the ones I was going to go to as well. You've ended up with a horse suited to your much greater capabilities - if I had Jerry I'd never have lasted 5 minutes. How far you've got with him has been really inspiring to me.

You come across as a very confident and capable rider and easily up to matching J. Do not give up on him or on your own abilities. I know everyone says the best ones are the quirkiest - and that's all very well until you're the one they're being quirky with; I know it's not easy! But he's got bags of talent and you need to get into his head and figure out why he's so inconsistent. It could be confidence - maybe people suggesting doing little fences are right - or maybe it's not that at all. Maybe, unwittingly, you are riding/thinking differently there. Or maybe there's something at the venue that unsettles him. Perseverance is the only thing that will get you through this. No-one here can offer you exactly the right advice - only trial and error and a bit of luck will do the trick with him.
 
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