When to give up?

[Bexx]

Just having a bit of a think about my horses future after our one day event. Ive done 3 in total now and had a similar day. Always starts with a sub 30 dressage and a clear show jumping. Onto the cross country and he is just so inconsistent. Some fences he is totally up for and super confident going into but others he just flat out refuses. Last time at northallerton he stopped at every single fence cross country but jumped them all second time. Today we went to another local venue and he stopped at 5 out of the 19 fences. I was really hoping to affiliate him this year but im starting to wonder whether he will just never be a cross country horse. Weve done plenty of training, have weekly lessons and regularly go cross country schooling always with an instructor on the ground. In training he jumps 1m easily but we are struggling to get round a 70cm xc at the minute. Is it worth persevering with him? Has anyone had a inconsistent cross country horse and managed to improve it?

 

[shortstuff99]

Does he refuse when you are in training?

 

[Bexx]

Does he refuse when you are in training?

Not always, hes super inconsistent. Sometimes he will jump scarier looking fences and then he will stop randomly at a log. Today he jumped the ditch combination like a total pro and then stopped some other much easier fences

 

[shortstuff99]

Okay, I was wondering if he was good in training whether it was a show stress/rider nerves thing. If he is inconsistent in training then the likelihood is he will probably always be this way. He could just be young and green and might gain in confidence.

 

[Muddywellies]

I'm not an event rider, but friends are. When youre training, do you actually ride an entire course, or is it always stop start, and concentrating on one jump, then move onto the next? I'm told that it's good to get plenty of practice riding over whole courses.

 

[Bexx]

I'm not an event rider, but friends are. When youre training, do you actually ride an entire course, or is it always stop start, and concentrating on one jump, then move onto the next? I'm told that it's good to get plenty of practice riding over whole courses.

We do a bit of both. If there's something specific I want to work on or if were at a clinic or lesson then its stop start but i also hire venues and walk myself a course and try and ride round it as if it was an event.
I'm just starting to wonder whether he would be more suited to pure sj

 

[Shay]

There is really no harm - and in fact quite the reverse much credit! - in recongising that the horse just isn't cut out for what you want.

We had a really complex and challenging SJ'r. He was (and later continued to be!) a cracking 148. But he was exceptionally complex to ride, had a poor history and we had concerns about just selling him on as a JA. Plus DD loved him. So when she turned 16 we tried to re set him to event. It was 2 years of really really trying but it wasn't his thing and no matter how loved he just wasn't happy. We sold him on to a family in sweden who loved him, understood him - and took him to FEI internationals. He was flying! We did not do the right thing by hanging on to him.

Its a mix - and I see from prevous posts that you are young and on medication for anxiety. It might be he doesn't like XC and you are picking up on that - or you are nervous in cometition and he is reacting. Either way there is no shame at all in either recognising that XC isnt his thing and changing your compettion goals to match him, or moving on to try to find something that truely loves XC (although they may not be as good at the dressage or SJ) to carry you forward over the course.

 

[blood_magik]

There’s nothing wrong with realising your horse might be better suited to something else.

I have one just now. He originally evented but was sold to us as a show jumper. He was so talented but so inconsistent - he’d quite happily pop a fence then refuse the next time he came to it or he’d go to a show and storm round the 1.25 but refuse a cross pole the next time we jumped at home.

I decided we weren’t meant to leave the ground after coming off four times in one lesson and now we do dressage. He’s much happier and much more consistent as a result.

 

[Michen]

I think if you really like the horse then as a last attempt I’d take him hunting to try and get him more confident and if that didn’t work I’d accept XC isn’t his thing (assuming you definitely aren’t the problem!) and sell him as what he is.

 

[cauda equina]

Agree with taking him hunting; a lot of professionals do it with less bold horses

 

[Goldenstar]

Hunting is the key with many horses and I would straight away find a strong pro and put them on the horses at some competitions and see what happens .

 

[ester]

Frank never went XC successfully on his own with me (had done with previous owner), would school fine, would lead pairs, a combination of nappiness, spookiness and clinginess/insecurity (girlfriend on the lorry, never tried without her, not enough unaff ODE to insist mum didn't bring her horse) in hindsight I think it would have helped as he was better doing other things without her. Usually what happened with regards to stopping was that he dried up on the way to a fence and there really was little I could do about it.

Great hunter, but that didn't improve things. Would happily to a course away from said girlfriend when schooling.

A lot of it was that things were differnent on competition day than when schooling, cars beside fences, advertising, fence dressing etc.

What I ended up doing (partly as I had a broken arm at the time) was to put my instructor on him for 2 hunter trials to see what she thought. The first one he took her by surprise even knowing him fairly well at that point. He was always great leaving the start then he dried up at the first (her words were I don't know what happened he warmed up great (inc over bigger stuff), he went out the start box forwards and straight then that!) He got told he was jumping it and did and went round the rest, albeit a bit sticky. Two weeks later he went round again with her much better, no stops.

It helped me make the decision being able to watch him with a pro. Yes she got him round, no, I probably didn't ride well enough at the time to replicate that.
So I called time on us attempting individual XC, there was loads of fun stuff we could be competitive at, we stuck with pairs XC and still enjoyed schooling and did lots of combined training.

So from pro I got more knowledge, and a great picture of my pony where I don't have to over analyse my own position

 

[Red-1]

Yes, I had this with Charlie Horse. He would clear Intermediate XC fences in training, as they tended to be island fences or at least in an area he had cantered round prior to jumping.

I hired courses, had others give me a lead, at first it seemed so random. Eventually I narrowed it down to fences where he couldn't see the landing. He simply would not take off until he knew there was somewhere to land.

I did a winter hunting and team chasing. He was fine there, over big fences, as he could see other horses landing, so the landing must be safe.

I was a strong rider, so up to BE100 he was uninspiring to ride, but we usually won a numnah (!). He would just chip one in to double check there was a landing and then go. But, I wanted to go bigger than 100, so he went to a pro for part of the summer, where he was more fluent, but still not happy.

At Novice, we did a couple to see if he would step it up when faced with a challenge, but he hated it. I decided to sell to someone who wanted a stupendous horse (great SJ, safe as houses to hack) but after some kerfuffle when people came to try (long story) Mr Red decided to buy him for himself and learn to ride on him. I bought one who wanted to event. Both happy.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I would try a pro on him for a couple of competitions to see if they can give him some confidence

 

[LEC]

I would want a pro taking him out xc schooling for me. One who is a trainer who can help you take over the reins.

I just would not even be bothering to go to a competition if my xc schooling is slightly dicey especially at 70cm. Its just a waste of money and demoralising. I also HATE the answer take it hunting as so many variables and I say this as someone who comes from a hunting background.

 

[J_sarahd]

I would agree with everyone and say a pro or the very least someone with a good amount of eventing experience. It’s what I nearly did with Badger because he was being so inconsistent to jump everywhere - at home, cross country schooling, show jumping schooling. And I felt I was getting nowhere and nearly sent him away for schooling livery as I felt I wasn’t confident enough to bring out the best in him. Can’t tell you what happened to make him change, as now he’s a confident little thing (forever, touch wood!!), because I don’t know.

 

[oldie48]

A trainer friend of mine used to work on a n old fashioned breaking yard, he says they used to find out what a horse enjoyed doing and sell it for that discipline. Doesn't happen now but tbh I do think they tell you if they aren't happy doing something. If there's no pattern to the stops XC eg doesn't like ditches/water then I'd say he doesn't like it. You really want a horse to take you into a jump xc, one you can trust to help you out.

 

[Bexx]

Thanks for your replies everyone, just for some background, he has been regularly ridden by a pro and xc schooled by them although never taken to a hunter trial or anything. Im confident its not nerves on my part, im relatively experienced and have evented 100 on previous horse. His stops aren't dirty or out of the blue, i can tell about 8 strides out that hes going to have a wobble so I'm not worried about falling off. Ive been careful that everything weve done so far he can pretty much step over so heights not an issue either.
It just seems a shame as once he gets going and its fences he like he seems to really enjoy it. He hasn't been the easiest to bring on and can throw a tantrum occasionally. I do really like him and I enjoy jumping him a lot so ill give some of your suggestions a go and if not ill see ifbhes happier with another career ?

 

[Bexx]

Just thought I'd post a quick update after this thread. So the weekend after I went up to my trainers yard for an xc lesson where she gave us some tips. She also suggested hunting but im not really into that but there was a hunt ride on the next day. Instructor took her 4* horse and we followed on henry, he loved it and jumped everything with a lead from Skippy.
This weekend we went to a local venue for the 70cm show cross. Well Henry was amazing and jumped his first ever double clear! Im so proud of him. So the plan now is to do as much fun stuff as possible with no pressure and see where that takes up next year. He just needs more.confidence and to enjoy it, so although he will never be a world beater I do think he will grow in confidence so im feeling quite hopeful

 

[cauda equina]

Lovely photo! Fun stuff with no pressure sounds perfect
It's funny how once you stop worrying, things often just sort themselves out

 

[SmallSteps]

Ah wonderful. I tend to overly positive but honestly reading your first post when you said he stopped at every fence then next time out he stopped at 5/19 I thought great, he's already making big progress!