X-C. Odd question.

[Peanot]

I know that it is an odd question but I have a warmblood, as most of you know, and we do mostly sj with some dressage. Well if you`ve read my posts, you will know that I decided to have a go at eventing. We started doing some x-c schooling and she was a little sticky and spooky but after a couple of schooling trips, we competed in 2 x HT`s. We had 2 stops in the first and the following month at the same place we went clear, although it was only 2`3"-2`6".
I took her around an intro/pre novice course, schooling and some fences, she stopped at the first time and others she flew over. She went over a few with a lead too first time. But her big qualm is with ditches.

I decided to go to a big agricultural show and we jumped the BN and she had the penultimate fence down, but I was really pleased and so got the sj bug again.
My question is this: I would still love to have a go at eventing but I feel that she needs more work with this. Has anyone taken their horse x-c, and they were sticky but got better, then had a few months without x-c, then went x-c again?
I want to know if she will have remembered the fun, or whether we will have to go back to square one to all the stops again and her gaining her confidence as I don`t think that I want to go through all that again.

 

[tigers_eye]

I think you could put both her and youself off if you go straight out and do end up having a few stops. Can you practice at home with some folded up tarpauline, or even better a black water tray? Keep popping back and forth over them until it's no issue at all - even encourage her to not be worried about stepping on it. You would probably be fine with one schooling session then, maybe even try to find a sponsored/pleasure ride at a venue you know has a good selection of fences - then it is fun for all. Try not to make an issue of them, if you can start over a ditch small enough to walk over, thenjust pop over them without chasing her into them. She should be able to look at them (don't hold her head up so she can't see it) but you shouldn't look into the ditch! Best of luck with her, you sound like you really care about what she wants to do and finds most fun!

 

[Shrimp]

I think what you need to do is to go out and get lots of practise of XC schooling with plenty of ditches water etc. because as they do more, they become more confident and less green as all it is is experiance.
My horse was the same, so we did lots of schooling so he was used to the different fences that would face. When we came to do our first event (intro) it took us a minute to get away from the start box and over the first fence as he was not sure what he was doing and the atmosphere was completely new etc. Once we got over the first fence, the penny must have dropped and he realised he was jumping. After that he was off and he flew round the rest of the course with just a little hesitation at a ditch. Then he had nearly two months off due to injury and he went to his second event and he couldnt wait to get out of the start box and get going! He obviosly remembered what he was doing. Now we have trouble getting in the start box as he just wants to go!

You need to get out and about and stick at jumping the height that you're both happy with untill you have built up both your confidences and then tackle another competitions or have a go at a HT which should be no problem to you even if it is small just to get the experiance.

 

[Peanot]

Thanks for that Tiger`s Eye, but I don`t think that I explained very well. I will take her out schooling a couple of times but I am on about if we have to start with her looking at everything and us having to start from scratch as when I first took her, she stopped at a teeny log!

She was going a lot better the last time I took her out and so I am asking if after a break, if she will not be as bad as the first time I took her out. I have made a make shift ditch at home with black plastic and bricks on the outside and she jumps this ok. It`s anywhere else with the open ditches, she doesn`t like. When we are sj-ing and there is a water tray, she doesn`t even hesitate.

I hope I have made it clearer this time. Thanks for taking the time to write.

 

[Peanot]

That is good to hear. I`ve seen you at Catton a couple of months ago motoring round on Shrimp, so I know what you mean.

 

[tigers_eye]

I expect she'll be fine - having read both your reply and initial post better I'd say def go on a sponsored/pleasure ride as you don't have the pressure of keeping up with others as if you were doing pairs/team chasing, but she will have others around her to encourage her that it's fun. I'd set off confidently expecting her to jump everything and enjoy it - try to go with someone who you KNOW won't stop or give her any bad ideas like that. If she's a bit sticky at the first few fences don't worry, give her as much encouragement as she needs - I think it is more confidence building for a horse that is dithering a little to have a smack and jump a fence properly rather than lurching over and frightening themselves(hope that makes sense and doesn't sound like I'm condoning beating a horse itno a fence so it jumps out of fear!).

 

[sj_xc_hannah_]

what i would probably do is do lots of xc schooling to the winter/autumn then most xc courses close (at least they do round here) and carry on with your BSJA through the winter.

H xx

 

[icestationzebra]

Do you hunt? Great for getting horses to be that bit bolder and take you to a fence.....