Spooky horse

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sherwood'

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we got a new filler for one of our fences and horse had not seen it before- and he stopped about 6 strides out and started snorting etc at it ( he is only rising 5!) I walked him up to it and he was still backing off so i let him have a look- trotted a circle and took him up over it and he jumped it fine and has done ever since.

my query is tho- you obv dont have this luxury in the ring ( =unless you go up to it before u start ur round)- should i have beaten him and made him jump it and have i made thigns worse by not repremanding him?

he wud be a nervous sort and hates to be hit? But i dont want to make it into an issue that this is how he reacts in the ring at something different?
 
He's still a baby. You were right to let him have a look first & I certainly wouldn't consider beating him over it! His confidence will grow the more often you introduce strange things.
 
Be firm at all times but at this stage you need to try an build confidence. Don't get after him too much but you may need to give a quick smack so he knows stopping is not acceptable. Just try and get him to see as much as possible and be crafty if you compete and get in the ring as quickly as possible and show him any spooky fillers. You have 45 seconds after the bell has gone to start.
 
i definately wouldnt beat him over it!! like you said hes still a baby technically. He'l get braver as he gets more experienced and more used to fillers etc. At the moment its very new to him still.
 
Work him in around the fences at shows and show him any spooky fences. My horse looks at the first few but I am confident and just keep reassuring her that they are not dangerous
 
I think you did the exact right thing!! I would never beat a baby over a fence or tell them off for being scared of something.

Like others said you need to build his confidence so i would use your voice calmly with him to reassure him its ok and i would ride him confidently into the jump as he will look to you for confidence at this age.

My friends horse was the same, you took her into a ring and she would be spooking all over the place at the jumps but as soon as you pointed her at a fence she jumped it fine.

By the sounds of it your doing the right things so i would keep going as you are. With a bit more experience the the spookiness will stop.
 
You did everything right.
Before xmas YO's son bought his fancy water tray back from Germany for me. Now its bright blue and fills up with water. I stuck it under a fence with a pole on top and although all my horses were like *WTF* I just continued to ride them strongly past.
Now Snoop is the same age as yours and he was like *umm SCARY* but I just would bring him back to a slower pace to go past it. Then proceeded to work around it as if it wasnt there - then when i came to jump it i would stand him next to it but not to actually say *here you are look at this* Basically I did his girth up or stood looking around chosing which fence to jump first *like i would do in the ring* i then proceeded to come round in trot and the little love popped it no problem.
Because i didnt make an issue out of it.
Now this could all change on Saturday as we have our BSJA debut. However, the first time i took him to the venue we did clear round SJing again i just trotted round the fences i thought he would find scary and just rode him posititive. I also used my stick to back up my leg. He grew in confidence and we finished our round with just a pole down.
You just have to be posititive but fair in your approach
smile.gif
 
Hi Rach,
I remember being told that instead of walking up to a fence to show it to them you instead school round it. The idea being if you bring them up to show it to them then you are sort of letting them know that its something to be afraid off or that you are worried about it, but if you school round it you arn't making an issue of it and that should make them more relaxed.
I have used this method since and it has worked for me!
Good luck. Hear he is going well for you!
 
Thanks i will try that- i jsut didnt want to be too soft on him and teach him bad habits!!! Yea he has been - keep fingers crossed!

R u enjoying having ur lady back in? when r u out again- r u jumping tonite with Nat?
 
Your not being soft with him - just be firm, fair and possitive! Beating wont help just be reassuring to him that its not a big bad monster going to eat him!
Yes its brill having her back in!
Had lesson on Saturday along with Nat and its the first she has jumped since Ecclesville arround end of August! We had been doing alot of flat work before she went on her holidays and she was a bit bored! She was squeeling with delight round the school and loving every min of it!! When she landed she stuck her head between her knees and gave a few bucks out of delight!
Fingers crossed going tonight for a wee school round before Sundays competition!
What about you?
 
ah very good- she is happy to be back in then and jumping! Did u like Eric?

Good idea to go tonite anwyay for a school before sunday! im sure ur looking forward to being out again! Hopefully get back to silverwood the next few weeks and maybe danescroft altho its annoying as 100's of ponies and horses on after so u never no when u will be on!

Enjoying it tho and having fab lessons with margie is really helping the confidecne- mine and his!!
 
He's brilliant! Really enjoying him although my legs were killing me on Saturday night and Sunday!

Glad yours are going well too - its just what you need! Its all about confidence and bonding! Plus you have him young so you can take your time and do it right!
 
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