Stopping?

[Pumpkinseeds]

I previously had a very dirty stopper that would throw a shoulder and dump me any chance she got. After 3 years I sold her on and bought a 15.1 event mare to start to compete BE.

Our first few events went amazingly. However, after a month of owning her she has started stopping too. I know it is me that is causing this as she is one of the most honest horses I have ever ridden.

I am still struggling to see her stride but am not sure if this would cause her to stop? Any suggestions on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks in advance.

 

[glamourpuss]

If you are ‘missing’ regularly then that will be knocking her confidence constantly.
I would stop jumping for now, & enlist the help of a really good jumping instructor, who will help you both get your confidence back.
It might be that you need to return to basics such as polework & grids to get your eye in & hell you see the stride.

 

[Auslander]

I suspect you are expecting her to stop, and not riding the fence with conviction. If I were you, I'd stop trying to see a stride (They're her legs, and she knows what to do with them, so you don't need to worry about that bit for her), keep the fence very small, get a neckstrap that you can hook a couple of fingers under - then focus on looking over the fence, getting your leg on strongly, and letting her do her job. If you approach every fence as if she's going to jump it - she will. If you think she'll stop, she'll pick up on that, and oblige.

One of my current students is nervous, and although she tries very hard to fake it til she makes it, her nerves manifest themselves in exaggerated patting, "Good Boy-ing", and sighs of relief when he does something that she's scared of (and he isn't). The horse started getting worried, because he couldn't work out why her energy levels were going through the roof about things that he does without question anyway. She's beginning to get the hang of just expecting him to do stuff, and everything is finally coming together

 

[SpringArising]

You not seeing a stride wouldn't really cause her to stop unless you keep socking her in the mouth each time and she's had enough.

Are you riding into the fence confidently with real intention of getting over it, or are you sitting there tense thinking '$hit, she's going to stop!'?

Make sure you're sitting (at the very least) upright, if not back a tad (you feel such a difference in their way of going when you are slouching forwards vs. sitting back and keeping your legs on!). Think of it as driving her from behind.

I'd go right back to basics, cross poles and small uprights to get both your confidence back and always finishing on a good note.

With youngsters when I am teaching to jump I will sometimes do as little as two jumps if they've gone over nicely. It's so much more productive to do less in a calm, confident way and ending happy (both of you) than going over and over and over looking for perfection.