My horse had never balked at jumps until this past year. He only does it sometimes and other times he will go over the jump. To be sure I am using the right term, we will be heading toward the jump and just as we approach he decides to avoid it and go off to the left of the jump. The only thing I can think of that may have changed is that I am really trying to maintain an even pace with him and he tends to rush jumps. When I am trying to slow him down am I doing something wrong that causes him to say “forget it, then I’m not going over.”
You have a contact problem.
My guess is that you are pulling with the reins too much, trying to regulate his pace. In response, he’s trying to avoid that ‘‘pain’’ by rushing and pulling you over the jump, or balk away.
I’ve seen this happen a lot of time.
Also, there is slow, and then there is Slow. Maybe your horse cannot go that slow. You need to find a pace that both of you will be comfortable jumping from. Going too slow will ask more strength and power from your horse.
If I were you, I would work on my pace and contact over ground poles and work a lot on straight gymnastic lines for a while.
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This is something really to be answered by someone with eyes on the ground. In an attempt to keep him from rushing, do you have him in a pace where he lacks impulsion. Are you too much in his face. Are you sitting straight? Are you using your left leg?
This is not called balking, it is called “running out”.
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What you are describing where the horse goes around the jump is called a “run-out.” Run-outs are rider error. This is a steering issue which may stem from a contact issue.
Regardless of the underlying cause it is important to get your house to the base of the fence, even if your horse tends to rush. If the horse stops then you can discipline the stop, but you cannot discipline a horse for not jumping if they never got to the fence.
Gymnastics with placing poles are great for horses that rush, especially if they include bounces before and after one or two strides (ex. 9 ft placing pole, 9 ft bounce, one stride with placing pole, 9ft bounce, 9ft placing pole) this will force the horse to keep the same stride length and they also allow the rider to be soft and let the exercises maintain the rhythm.
All of this is more helpful with a trainer present who can tell you what to do in the moment, something that is impossible to communicate online.
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What is the height of the jump? I agree with others that you are not riding the horse well enough to the jump and then he is running out. Run outs can be for a lot of reasons. How is your steering? If you try the jump again with an open rein opposite from the side he ran out, does your horse go over the jump? What does your trainer say?
Another possibility is that he may be in some slight pain and that is causing him to avoid jumping. My horse started to stop at higher oxers, but not low verticals, and after injecting his coffin joints, he jumped everything beautifully once again.
I’m with walnutgroveeq run outs are steering problems. The only thing I can add to the good advice you’ve already received is to focus on straightness.
Sore hocks? That was the main symptom when my horse needed his first injections.
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