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HELP!I don't think my horse likes his job.

789 views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  Smilie 
#1 ·
Hi, I have a 9 y.o. gelding. Last July I bought him in hopes of him becoming an eventer. Over the coarse of this year. I have broke,trained,and made this once nag into a show horse. Just last month he started his eventing carrer. I'd take him xc schooling 1 every 3 weeks. He just got 3rd at his first event but latley hasn't been so nice. He's been a dream on the flat but once i jump he's a mess. He will randomly take off and rear and buck and spin and just act horrible. He's not scared b/c he's been showjumping sometime now. I feel like he's lost intrest but dont want to sell him. PLEASE HELP:sad::)
Thanks in advanced!
 
#3 ·
To me it sounds like there's definitely something going on, pain wise.

When a horse who is usually happy and interested in his work begins to act up as you described, that probably means he is in pain. I agree, have him checked by a vet, because happy and hard working horses do not just suddenly "lose interest" in their job and misbehave without a reason.
 
#5 ·
You either have a horse that is physically miserable or has a serious training deficit. You can push a horse too hard and too fast without enough slow, stabilizing work and 'blow him up' to get this kind of response. We see this all of the time with barrel horses and roping horses. It is also not uncommon in cutting and reining horses. Every performance horse has a level of pressure that they will blow up under when you exceed it. And, as already mentioned, he can have a pain or discomfort issue that is making him act out.

It has little or nothing to do with how he likes his job. It is up to you to make that job pleasant for him as long as he has the physical ability to do it. You cannot ask a horse to do what is impossible for him to do. But this sounds like he has the ability and has been soured by lack of slow NON- DEMANDING training or is physically uncomfortable.

One thing is certain -- He is either physically or mentally miserable doing what you ask.

I would check him over completely physically. If you or a Vet cannot find a problem, then, I would ride him hard on the flat in a completely non-demanding way and not even ride around jumps. If he is fine with flat riding, you have simply blown him up over fences and need to take a BIG step back with less demanding work.

Sometimes it can be pretty difficult to differentiate between physical and mental fatigue or burn-out.
 
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