Soooooo fed up!! Showjumping help please?????

C

Chipster

Active Member
Joined
10 December 2010
Messages
40
Visit site
I have had my horse for over 12 months now, and have been competing in unaffiliated SJ competition for about 6 months now doing mainly 75cm & 85cm classes!!

My horse has previous BSJA winnings, has a huge jump and is usually very keen but am really struggling with him refusing at fillers!! He is fine teeth, back, etc....

In 6 months I have only had 2 clears, the majority I am eliminated for 2 refusals!! I have had lessons and put into practice what I have been told to do, i.e lots of leg when I can feel him back off, smack with crop a couple of strides before, using my voice, etc, etc!!

I have a video if I can post it!! Not sure how to do that though!!

Just feel like packing it all in, how do you keep your chin up when this happend time & time again!! :(
 
What about asking someone else more experienced to get him going again, sometimes it becomes a cycle of you anticipating the refusal so allowing it. Often people think because they are kicking and shouting they are riding forward but in actual fact they have dropped the contact and are panicking the horse as they have no rythmn. Also you say you are getting lessons but are they an accredited coach? Sometimes people teach but are simply not qualified to deal with some of the problems thrown at them. What was he like when you tried him out? I ask because I have had the ride on a couple of horses from a well known eventers and it became clear quickly that whilst he could force them to jump anything they really didn't want to or enjoy their job and so no one else had any success.
If none of this helps what we do with our babies or any problem horses is leave spooky jumps in the school, we use umbrellas, feed sacks, anything we can find. We do work in hand with them, then get a lead over off another horse then do it on your own (about 10cms in height). They get used to schooling around all kinds of things and you get used to it so it becomes less of a panic when the fillers come out
 
Very very difficult to see your position from that angle but it looked like you might have been collapsing onto his shoulder?

You need to sit up and back more to enable his shoulder to come up. Good old hunting seat works wonders - take a look at a few eventers going cross country - good ones like Mary King, Toddy and Fox-Pitt - their upper body and lower leg positions are classic and never shift whatever the horse, jump or ground conditions.

Don't worry about getting left behind - put a neck strap on if you are and hang onto that!
 
I am no expert, but I think the canter needs to be a bit more forward and the jump he refused looked like you were looking at the jump opposed to riding forward if you know what I mean?
 
Mine started refusing like this as well (although wasn't always fillers, could be anything)... would always get elim for refusals and it knocked my confidence even further.

have you tried loose schooling him? to see if he's still sticky over the fences even without a rider on board?

Turned out mine had very mild spavin. Treated with the cortisone injections and is absolutely fine and jumping like a stag now.

Hope you manage to find a solution.

ETS: just looked at your vid and I could see he was going to stop at that filler. It might be that you have it in your head that he's going to and then you tense up meaning he tenses up and refuses.

By all means ride him forward into your hand and keep your reins short but it did look rather like your hands were quite fixed (presumably as a result of you tensing up). Make sure you are 100% committed to the fence, as he'll likely be looking to you for some confidence over the fillers.

Also, make sure you have a really good, bouncy, forward canter coming into the fence, when you came around the second time, you only picked up canter about 4-5 strides out from the fence. I would have asked him immediately for a really sharp walk-canter transition immediately as you turned away from the fence after he refused, and made sure your canter as you came around number 10 was a good one, then I would have have tapped him hard with your stick about 2 strides out.

This isn't meant to be critical, I hope it doesn't come across that way!

What does your trainer say?
 
Last edited:
Hey Chipster,

Firstly let me say he is a wonderful looking horse, and certainly capable.

It looked as though as you approached the fence and he put on the breaks, everything falls forward; your position, your hands. As Countrychic said, the contact then drops. You lose balance and control.
Try maintaining more effective control of the horse by sitting back and driving him forward with a strong leg and a deep seat. He will still jump well if not better if you keep a good contact and effectively make his stride bounce beneath you in approaching the jump.
It also gives horses more confidence and stability in their jumping if the rider is stable and confident in themselves.

Good luck!
x
 
Hi there- right I'm not instructor but I'll try.

May sound harsh but he looks like he was taking the P*ss out of you, he didn't even look at the hanging filler or the planks - he flew them, he just almost clicked it was a filler and thought- 'hang on Mum!' and as you came around too it again (and I'm sorry for this) but you look resigned to the fact he wasn't going to jump it.
Obviously you've checked all the health issues so this is just a habit.

If he'd of done that to me (in the moment) I'd of given him a couple behind the leg and sent him in with pony club kicks and growling the roof off- not pretty but theres no point just going through the motions and allowing him to stop and be elliminated.

My advise would be next time out or in a lesson do a lower class (but not too low that they take the fillers out) and ride him in strongly if he stops, don't turn him away, it'll only be about 2ft make him jump if from a stand still or walk through it don't let him turn away. He needs to learn that the fillers aren't optional- he look like a clever chap whos worked out 2 stop and he can go back to the box.

He looks fab keep going it'll come- I hope what I've said is ok - I can only answer from my point of view.
 
Right, you need better canter, and more consistent contact, he is strung out and lolloping around like he was going to pasture. The reason he jumped the previous filler well, was the fact that you have ridden the corner well, he was short and bouncy and coming up in your hand. The one he stopped at, the corner was messy and you lost all impulsion.

Does he stop like that at home? If yes, don't turn away from the jump, if needs be get somebody to dismantle it and kick him through it, once over it, send him strongly forward and as you tap with the whip, don't pull up - let him gallop off. He needs to learn that whip and strong leg mean FORWARDS this very second.
 
IMO you have an inconsistent canter there, he is looking like he can't be bothered and you are letting him get away with a minimal effort. He looks like that course should be a breeze and no trouble at all, it is certainly well within his capabilties.

I'd get some lessons to really get that canter more forward going , rhythmic and get those hocks under him. His erratic rhythm is causing you to collapse on top of him when he slows / stops unexpectedly.

You both look like you will be a lovely partnership once you can get this ironed out.
 
I think some flatwork lessons would really help you.
Get him listening to you, and get that canter going! He is obviously a very capable horse, but he's lolloping about like a 30yo and looks totally dissinterested!
You could see he was going to refuse way before he got to the jump, and as pointed out by others, you'd already given up by then!

You need to be positive about a fence, even when mine come in off a terrible stride, I always think, 'we can do this!' (obviously if it's not dangerous).

I don't mind how a horse goes over it, as long as it does. Don't worry about what you look like either!

When you are really riding him, he goes really well for you, comes up to the contact, waits and listens, then responds to your aids, but you seem to have lost a bit of faith and half the time you look really deflated and expectant that he's going to refuse!

I would deffo have some flatwork lessons and work on getting that canter inbetween hand and leg!

I'd love to see some videos when you have got your mojo back, I think you caould be really great together :)
 
From watching your vid, it looks like you are not riding him enough, you look as if you are just sitting there.....perhaps he was cheeky when you first got him and now you're a bit scared to interfere too much?!

Firstly how do you get on at home?
If you are being eliminated at lots of shows then maybe you should practise at home getting clears before you take him out.
He needs a more consitant canter, it looks like you let him speed up and slow down as he pleases, also he's motorbiking round the corners, try pushing him over with your inside leg and outside hand so you get more of a steady rounded turn. His canter looks quite bouncy and looks to be throwing you foward and out of the saddle alot, you also look like your not giving over the fences enough, but that again could be because you are scared if you dont sit up soon enough he'll be off!
He clearly has the talent and understanding of what to do, but because you're not asking he's not doing!
I would be interested to know how he is when you jump at home, ie. at comps are you nervous so stop riding?
And also how he is for someone more experienced.

Good luck with him he looks like a gorgeous horse!
 
After watching the video I wouldn't bother working on getting him used to fillers I don't think they're the problem. His canter is going nowhere, you have to train at the lower levels the same as you would ride the higher so ask yourself could you jump 1.20 out of that canter? He is switched off, at home lots of schooling getting him to change the tempo of the canter but always remaining bouncy, much more in front of the leg allowing you to keep a contact and stop his head being stuck out in front.
The refusal was coming from about 4 strides out, instead of leaning forward, fixing your hands and smacking him you need to sit up and drive him forward, implusion not speed, hold him firmly between your hand and leg and fully commit to the fence.
Watching you I think he has knocked your confidence so you are happy for him to dawdle round and grind to a stop rather than have the horrid shoot you out the front door stop but this is allowing him to call the shots. As someone else said get determined, you might look a fool but he has to learn stopping is not an option.
I think I would get lessons from a show jumper, if this is where you are having problems then get someone that specialises. I find they teach differently to eventers.
Good luck
 
I think you need to improve your canter firstly, it looks a bit neither here or there, bit like your just a passenger rather than really riding him into the fences, I don’t mean increase the speed but more impulsion and sit your butt back down into down into the saddle, unless you have a very good supportive lower leg, have a bit more drive which in turn will give you both more confidence, that’s just my initial thoughts while watching you go over the fences.

As for fillers, if he’s not sure about them (obviously he's not otherwise he wouldn't just be doing this at fillers and for this length of time), yes there's taking the mick but obviously he's not keen and has now learnt if he's not sure about something, he gets away with it because you then get eliminated rather than tackling that issue there and then.

So go back to basics at home, meet him half way and reduce the heights of your fillers, use what ever you can that you think he won't like (hanging rugs over your rails for example) you need to build his confidence up from smaller fences, will have a positive effect on you, you’ll no doubt have a better approach, both of you will be more forward thinking, doesn’t matter how he jumps it, so long as he’s getting over it, each time he does, he’ll gain more confidence and improve this jump.

Remember to be assertive and be in control, use your voice, take your spurs away (if you use them) and give him a good kick if he’s starting to back off and growl at him, he'll learn that when you say it's ok, it really is ok but at the same time he has to do as he's told.

I don't believe in punishing a horse with the crop after a refusal, what good is it then apart from making the rider feel a bit better, apply the whip on the approach (if you really need to) I wouldn't in this situation until he's built his confidence up over the smaller fences, then if he's starting to back off apply it then (there's no excuse then) make him jump it from a stand still if needs be (which you can do if its a smaller fence).

I'm sure you'll tackle the problem really easily once you get to grips with a few things.

Good Luck :)
 
Thanks guys, your feed back has been great.....

He is so perfect in every other way!! I knew it was me, and I think I have just got really dishearted with it all!! He is great at home, but I think I ride him more confidently at home too!! I now have lots & lots to work on....

I am going to a show jumping clinic tomorrow, so I will try and put your recommendations into practice...
 
quick idea try using planks instead of fillers for starters and put them in a small grid preferably in the middle of a triple or more and he should be focusing so hard on the line he should get used to id... just an idea : )
 
just watched vid, i think you need some more impulsion try sitting back really driving with you seat maybe even speak to a teacher about spurs as long as you get taught how to use them... I think with you sitting forward its easy for him to take control. x
 
after 2 1/2 years of not doing so well, getting eliminated, falling off etc etc! on my done lots won lots bsja(with previous owner) pony i finally seem to have worked out how to ride her!!

our schooling is great just the jumping which was a problem! i found if i got a really bouncy forward (not racing) canter round a course she jumped great, also got told she was taking the p**s out of me! so some good growls and lots more leg, more like attacking the jumps got her out of the stopping habit, and now i can ride her round at a good pace but not especially fast. as others have said getting off your ponies back and jumping it like you would cross country helped too!

do you have spurs on? i found that helped in getting her attention at a jump!! i think you need a more forward canter as well, looks a bit slow and lacking energy at times! lovely pony though!!

good luck, don't give up!! :)
 
Firstly, your horse is lovely. Please don't sell him and lose faith!
I am no expert, but personally think his canter needs to be a little more forward and bouncy, and he seems to drop his shoulder when he refused that last jump, so hold him until the last minute, and carry your hands to hold him. If you can feel a dirty stop coming in, give him a boot, and a tap on the shoulder if need be.

Hope this helps, and keep at it, you both look fab together.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top