[IheartPheobe]

So when Roger was young, his owners thought he'd make a really nice, fancy show pony. Before he was really ready for it, they started asking him to do all these things he shouldn't have to do as a baby. (Jumping pretty high, working a loot) They pushed him too hard.
Now he's really hard to handle a lot of time, and is really, really scared to jump. Every time he'll see a jump, he'll totally bolt. Being the total sweetpea he is, he'll jump it anyways, but it's really dangerous.. yesterday he actually galloped a couple of jumps.. he'd been doing pretty well so we tried a star, and I guess it was too much for him. :\ Are there ways to help him? (He doesn't like trotting poles, either, btw) Have you had cases like this?

 

[1dog3cats17rodents]

Perhaps jumping just isn't his thing. We recently sold a horse who had excellent form, nice gaits, and huge springs. But he was dangerous to jump. He mentally shut down and was a strong, hot, out of controlled animal. Even ground poles would have him sweating andtrying to bolt. He's now a happy low level dressage horse

 

[IheartPheobe]

Well the thing is he's actually really good jumping when he calms down, so I feel like if I could just get him to trust me all the time, then maybe he might learn to like it.. I dunno. :\

 

[StormyBlues]

I would say to start at the lowest thing, getting him to accept standing by jumps calmly, walking calmly over over a pole, then a ple between standards, maybe lift the pole up on the base of the standard etc. Just my thoughts

 

[ChingazMyBoy]

I agree with Stormy Blues, get him to stand near jumps quietly.

Then if you use wings, get him to walk through the wings without a poll or anything, then walk trot and canter. Then put a ground poll in there, do the same, walk, trot and canter. Slowly raise the ground poll a tiny bit. Taking things very slowly and praising him all the way. Don't expect big things from him, set smaller goals! Hope this helps.

 

[IheartPheobe]

Thanks guys for your input Just keep in mind I am riding him with an instructor (who owns him) so I've got to do what she asks me to do with him

 

[StormyBlues]

Maybe talk with her about it. You both(I'm guessing) have the best intentions for the horse in mind

 

[IheartPheobe]

she definately does im gonna talk to her about it tomorrow when i ride him.. was too cold to ride today so i just groomed him and took him out

 

[StormyBlues]

cool, good luck

 

[IheartPheobe]

well I rode him today.. we just trotted over poles (He was very calm!!) and walked over them.

 

[PontiMinto]

are you able to lunge him?

ok once you have him going over poles on the ground start introudicing raised poles on one end so the first pole the left side is raised a tyre high and on the second pole the right side is raised. get it?

once he is confident with poles make a tiny cross bar, (and i mean tiny) and just do a big circle then trot over it then go the other way and so on.

 

[starlinestables]

Whats his diet like? That could be a starting point. Calming down his diet is where I would start... Taking him off jumps for a while would be the second place I'd start.. He could still be worked around jumps just not over them. Then slowly start lunging him over poles and smaller jumps.

Is he like this with everyone? I hope you wouldn't be wearing spurs on a horse like that... )

 

[Paiges Golden Ticket]

agreeed with starlinestables.. take the 'heating' food out of his diet (if there is any) and add a calming suppliment. Then start with his tack.. Saddle maybe pinching when hes jumping, so he wants to get it over & done with as soon as he can. Bit might be pinching his mouth.
Then get a chiro & dentist out to him. See if hes sore anywhere..

Once you have ruled out sore-ness, then you can start working on behaviour. If he was sore, it WILL take a long time for him to realise 'hey im not sore anymore' so bare with him 2weeks before you start on the behaviour side.

Lots & lots & lots of flatwork schooling. 'Stop' when i say stop. 'Slow' when i say slow. 'Go' when i say go. Get him really listening to you. When this is perfected and his reactions are instant to your aids, then start with poles on the ground..

Scatter them around the paddock/arena and just flat school him around & over them. Keep him thinking. 'Stop' when i say stop. 'Slow' when i say slow ect ect.

Once he has perfected this. Add wings to the ends of each pole. And keep doing the same thing. Once he has perfected that, then raise one end of the pole.

Its going to be a looooong process. Taken me two years, and we still have a long way to go.

Another thing to think about aswell is.. are you holding him back and fighting with him??
do you tense up??
If you do, work on YOU before the horse.. you may find after saddle/chiro/bit/dentist has been checked and youve sorted yourself out, he may be a different horse..

I dont know you or your horses so dont take offence to any of this. I've just seen most cases its the tack & rider that have been the problem, not the horse

Good luck!!

 

[IheartPheobe]

Oh, no way!! I don't ever use spurs on him!!
I have heard that he is fast on the flat with everybody, but for me he only goes fast if I'm hard on his mouth. I'm the only one who jumps him so I dont know what he is like for anyone else.

 

[Tayz]

Hope everything works out!
Goodluck

 

[my2geldings]

Absolutely you can help him. Going to take time and patience but it's a matter of starting his training from scratch. Lots of ground work, lots of lateral work, lots of pole work before you can go back to jumping.

I would really suggest getting a trainer to get the basics done. Work with someone from the ground who will be able to help you with it.

 

[IheartPheobe]

He isn't my horse.. So I've go to work with what I have. (Just me, basically.)
I don't think we will be jumping for a bit..I'm trying to focus on flat as much as I can =]

 

[jumper123]

set up a small jump in the middle of the ring. then ignore it completely. just w/t/c around the arena, or whatever you normally do, when you school on the flat. then build up from there- poles, then wings, then a tiny jump, etc etc...

 

[IheartPheobe]

we work around jumps frequently. he doesnt care until we are going over them. =\
i asked roger's owner if i could come ride him two days ago, and her only reply was, "well.. I don't want you jumping him.." I'm not sure what she meant but it was too cold and wet to ride that day anyways so I didn't ask again. So either A) she doesnt want me to ride him anymore or B) she just doesn't want us jumping amyore.

 

[gypsygirl]

can you take lessons on him ?