Curbing high enthusiasm while schooling xc

[grandprixer]

Hello all. Horse is 12, WB/TB, gelding, done mostly jumpers but some dressage. We’ve been trying to event him but have had a longgg injury/rehab phase. He want XC for the first time ever 2 years ago, we schooled around essentially a large pasture with some logs and a pond, but still good exp. Took him to a big facility right after that and schooled there. Mostly up to Novice with some random Training thrown in. He was very good - excited and enthusiastic but controllable.

The past 2 years has been a roller coaster of injuries. Finally he is sound and back in full work, fit, and ready to go. I took him to the littler facility last weekend for his first school in 2 years! and third time ever. He was brave and listened well, but had a party after every. single. jump. While he clearly had no malicious intentions, he is stupid athletic and with the added momentum of a gallop got some real air. Didn’t fall off, but it was close a few times.

I don’t mind him having fun. I love that he loves his job. I do not love being a lawn dart. He’s not super fit, I expected him to get tired and chill the f out after we warmed up well, but even at the end after 2.5hrs he was just more ramped up (we need a rolled eyes emoji?)

SOOO… to the point. I live far away from places to school anything, let alone xc. I don’t have a trailer, but have to get a ride elsewhere. It’s really hard to school xc for than 1-2x a year, excluding events.

Is there anything I can be doing at home to help this? I’m confident it’s an exposure/experience thing, but the best fix for that is schooling, which I can rarely do! I need home exercises.

Note: cannot put logs or anything around the barn, and it’s pretty in the city, so minimal trails or non-arena work.

[LovieBird]

I’d suspect maybe he’s unbalanced and maybe that’s riling him up. Other than that, I’d jump and halt after every xc fence when schooling xc.

[Scribbler]

I would still make an effort to get out of the ring as much as possible even if that means cantering on trails, no jumps. Get him fit and get both of you used to speed outside 4 walls.

[Hilary]

This might sound blasphemous, but if he’s brave and doesn’t need to school the jumps, don’t. Make sure he’s fit and can handle the terrain, but when you do school don’t do it jump by jump. Give him a course. Some of them do quite well when they get in the groove of a course, but when they school and jump and stop, they get frustrated because they want to keep going. Some of them need to go out and remember what logs and ditches look like on a regular basis but some don’t need to.

Making him listen to you after the jumps they way you do when schooling in a ring works too - he lands and listens. Doesn’t always mean stop, but circle, go forward/back and stay on the aids. No party!

[asterix]

So, I’m going to be an old curmudgeon here and say that i don’t really think you can reasonably expect him to learn a new job with essentially no ability to practice not just jumping xc but the fundamentals of being out and about on terrain at speed.
Are there exercises you can do in the ring to promote independent thinking and footwork and simulate things like corners or skinnies? Yes. But there isn’t any way to simulate cantering (much less galloping) on terrain to give him the mental and physical tools he will need to confidently but rideably tool around a beginner novice or novice track, long before he encounters a corner or a skinny on course.
If you really want to event him, you will need to find a way to ride outside of the ring in some capacity as part of your regular routine. It’s such a fundamental part of eventing.

[Hilary]

I didn’t mean she should stay in the ring - she said he was partying after jumps. She should work on galloping, pace management, on up/down terrain, water. ditches etc And also small jumps are less exciting. She may have better luck seeing if he can noodle over a small log and keep his lid on. But she may not need to do a lot of schooling if he is brave and understands the concepts. I don’t need to school my brave TB. But I like to because it’s fun. I had to school my chicken IDSH.

To Lovebird’s point, doing lots of riding out will improve his balance and if that is indeed the issue, he will become more confident and balanced and may stop the shenanigans.

OP, how is he on an actual xc course? Does he settle down into the groove, or does he get silly after each fence?

[asterix]

I hear you, Hilary, and I agree it’s good advice, but she says in her OP that she can’t really ride outside of the arena at all where she is and can only trailer out 1-2 times a year. I just don’t think it’s possible or fair to introduce a horse to xc if you can’t get them out on trails or in a field to learn those skills.

[Hilary]

Got it… missed that part about no access other than twice a year. I take for granted all the access to “outside” I have.

[grandprixer]

@Hilary

I didn’t mean she should stay in the ring - she said he was partying after jumps. She should work on galloping, pace management, on up/down terrain, water. ditches etc And also small jumps are less exciting. She may have better luck seeing if he can noodle over a small log and keep his lid on. But she may not need to do a lot of schooling if he is brave and understands the concepts. I don’t need to school my brave TB. But I like to because it’s fun. I had to school my chicken IDSH.

To Lovebird’s point, doing lots of riding out will improve his balance and if that is indeed the issue, he will become more confident and balanced and may stop the shenanigans.

OP, how is he on an actual xc course? Does he settle down into the groove, or does he get silly after each fence?

He’s actually really funny about small jumps. He’s way worse over them! Little starter and BN logs are an invitation for a party, but he gets all business and is actually way better towards the upper end of novice and what we’ve played with in training, I think because he takes them more seriously and knows it’s more risky to goof off.

Note that he has never actually done a real course, or been to an event - the instant I put money down to do a show, he’s lame! So we’ve signed up for a bunch but never gone.

I actually have video from our most recent adventure, let me try and figure out how to get it on here just for fun.

[grandprixer]

Also, having only gone xc 3 times, I don’t know how fair it would be to throw a real course at him without trying to school more. He’s seen logs, banks, and some other basic stuff, but not hanging logs, coops, or other “fancy” jumps. He’s honest and brave as long as it resembles something we’ve done before, so I’d hate to encourage a refusal by skimping on schooling.

[LovieBird]

@grandprixer

Also, having only gone xc 3 times, I don’t know how fair it would be to throw a real course at him without trying to school more. He’s seen logs, banks, and some other basic stuff, but not hanging logs, coops, or other “fancy” jumps. He’s honest and brave as long as it resembles something we’ve done before, so I’d hate to encourage a refusal by skimping on schooling.

I’d just keep schooling until you feel comfortable with how he’s going. No need to rush things.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

See…I would school MORE. He needs to get out a few more times so it isn’t so exciting. So he is throwing a party after each jump…you need to give him a job. Jump a jump and circle, pull up etc. Have a PLAN and execute it…and change it up so he doesn’t anticipate. Often when they party after a fence it is because you are celebrating too and are thinking we are done. You have to change that mindset. He doesn’t know he is done…keep him thinking so he doesn’t party! Then make a fuss over him LATER after you pull up. I have more than one horse I cannot PAT after a fence…or I get neck swinging party bucking :). So I just say good boy, maybe a neck scratch and leave the patting for when we are walking. It will get better the more you get him out but you are right…you can’t let them party too much after each fence!

[grandprixer]

@bornfreenowexpensive

See…I would school MORE. He needs to get out a few more times so it isn’t so exciting. So he is throwing a party after each jump…you need to give him a job. Jump a jump and circle, pull up etc. Have a PLAN and execute it…and change it up so he doesn’t anticipate. Often when they party after a fence it is because you are celebrating too and are thinking we are done. You have to change that mindset. He doesn’t know he is done…keep him thinking so he doesn’t party! Then make a fuss over him LATER after you pull up. I have more than one horse I cannot PAT after a fence…or I get neck swinging party bucking :). So I just say good boy, maybe a neck scratch and leave the patting for when we are walking. It will get better the more you get him out but you are right…you can’t let them party too much after each fence!

That’s a GREAT point! Now that I’m thinking about it, I heartily reward after a fence, especially since xc has been such a big deal to get to for us after all the injuries.

[jonem004]

How are you responding to this party? Are you pulling him up and letting him rest? Growling at him and using a pulley rein? Ignoring him and going straight right into trot circles in shoulder-in?

I know staying on is job one, and that can be hard enough! But have a plan for correcting this behavior with work. Preferably something you can go right into while you get your reins arranged and your stirrup back. I prefer work to something punitive like a smack with a crop because I don’t want to start a fight I might not win, and he’s not bad (he did jump the jump). But this is serious work and he does need to knock that off before you’re the one rehabbing an injury!

[bornfreenowexpensive]

@grandprixer

That’s a GREAT point! Now that I’m thinking about it, I heartily reward after a fence, especially since xc has been such a big deal to get to for us after all the injuries.

Lol. Yeah it is hard not to celebrate yourself. And you absolutely want to tell them they are good and give them positive reinforcement after each jump…but just be a bit more subtle.

[CindyCRNA]

Someone help this woman post the video! I would love to see it. My big guy can be a turkey monkey after a jump if I get him in a funky spot to it or I catch him in the mouth after. It’s hard not to be tense when you expect to get bucked off after every jump! He needs more exposure and I’m sorry where ever you are at makes that difficult.

[grandprixer]

https://youtu.be/0IH3sRI3tn0
https://youtu.be/TxZwhKKkMQw

Sorry for the wait was out of service range lol. Here it is.

[findthedistance]

I think he’s better to the bigger fences because they force you to ride forward to them. The trouble seems to happen when you get there a little backwards and holding – he’s protesting the hand. Arriving with enough impulsion and then having a plan for after the fence would be my first steps.

[Nancy1]

It seems like when you are concentrating on the next fence he is better behaved. You should try and do a clinic of a couple of days in a row. Then he should get the hang of doing little courses. And I would spend my money on clinics and schooling before going to a show.

[RainWeasley]

^^ agree that he looks like he is protesting any head restriction/backwards riding.