I have a 13 year old Arabian mare who I’ve been training to jump in anticipation for pony club this summer (I have just joined this year). She is super mellow, and does anything I ask, but we’ve been having a bit of a refusal/stopping problem. I started with trot poles and adding a cross rail at the end, which she’s been super good with but when ever I try to remove the trot poles, all of her confidence goes away. She’ll jump it once and then not again. I’ve ruled out all medical problems, so does anyone know any exercises or tips to break her from this habit? I want her to gain confidence, without asking for too much at once.Thank you!
Do you have a trainer you work with? I would start there.
Have you checked that her tack is correctly fitted, and that she is not experiencing pain anywhere?
Refusing is often caused by lack of confidence, or not being correctly trained to the aids (mostly, forward from the legs). Are you sure you are not accidentally giving her conflicting aids, such as grabbing her mouth?
Confidence is gained by only ever asking her to do things which:
- she can physically do;
- she understands;
- she is not afraid to do;
- you are reasonably confident you can MAKE happen.
Right now you need to stick to jumps that are so small, you can walk over them. That might mean poles on the ground.
You need to work on her response to your forward leg aids, and start mixing in things that will make her question you (e.g. put some cones or fillers with the “jump” that she has to walk over). Only when you have a consistent forward response to your leg, even when there are scary things, can you expect to go over jumps. Then make them so small that even if she refuses, you can kick her over from a walk.
You must continue this process until you can confidently trot and then canter around a course of very small obstacles, and even introduce some new ‘scary’ items, knowing that she will go every time.
Only then should you raise the jumps so that an actual jumping effort is required.
Yes, I have a trainer, and she’s advisng me to just stay small and give her more exposure so she’s confident. Her tack fits her well, so I know that isn’t the problem. Basically what we’ve been jumping has either just been a poll on tthe ground or a cross rail that is about 6" off the ground, nothing big I just want her to get over it. I’ll be out to school her soon so I’m planing on just putting a pole on the ground with standards by it, and asking her tl w/t/c it each way until she’s confident. If she’s feeling good, ill raise it to the first hole on the standard so its low, but she has to think a little bit more. Not sure if this makes sense but it seems like the best approach for now.
The problem is, none of us can see what is going on when your mare is stopping. Your trainer can see that so they are best to give you proper advice for your specific situation.
Don’t take away All the trot poles. keep a placing rail to help her (and you) know when you are going to take off.
Not enough information to offer meaningful advice. Without seeing the horse, can’t tell if she is physically capable of jumping in the first place, her typical breed Confo makes it difficult to rock back to jump. You say she’s sound, her age says she should be entering the “arthritic changes” phase of life. Arthritic hocks do NOT create a limp but it hurts to rock back to jump. Might not be helping you.
Have had a few and seen even more older horses, not show jumpers, that would jump a log on the trail but were terrified of jumping cross rails or navigating them at a walk in a Trail class. Even a few right off the plane from Europe that could jump a regular course. Go figure…
I guess they feel trapped being forced into the narrow vee between the standards, which makes sense, coming in over poles gets them going and keeps the brain busy. Approaching them without the poles lets them look at it for awhile and decide they are scared. Think putting the poles on the ground between the standards is a good idea to build her confidence going between things. Might be better to make the crossrails lower in the middle too so the sides aren’t as high and she won’t feel trapped.
And don’t ask her to do just the X rail if you think she might stop, she’s learning something other then what you intend if you let her keep failing.
The fact that she jumps just fine with trot poles and only stops without at least tells us that she is willing to jump a bit. The trot poles give confidence because they dictate the take off spot. So by her becoming unconfident when you remove them means that she needs more help still. I rarely introduce jumping with trot poles but do often use a placing pole. Same effect. Set 8-9’. When you do jump without one…make sure you have a ground rail generously rolled out and that you do not jump ahead. Grab mane or a jump strap always and wait on her. Many many Arabs are just fine for low level jumping.
The trot poles going into the jump set you and the horse up for success. If the trot poles are set correctly, they ensure that the horse will reach the actual jump with the right stride to take off in a balanced way, from the right spot. They stop the horse from sucking back or from rushing, and they allow the horse to find the right stride and take-off even if the rider is not contributing much. You can put a horse down a line of trot-poles to a rail on a loose rein, if you want, or with your arms out wide as a balance practice 
or without stirrups. Same is true of a well-built gymnastic line (by which I mean a line of jumps set out at the right stride distance for the horse).
Without the trot poles, the horse and rider have to figure out the right stride as soon as you turn down the line, and keep it. If you cannot get that stride and keep it, without accidentally asking the horse to halt just before the jump, the horse will come in at the wrong distance and either give you a bad jump (too close, too distant) or just refuse or run out, depending on her energy level.
If you want to transition away from trot poles, you need to practice on the flat so that you can maintain a steady stride that will get you exactly where you want to be. Counting strides between the letters in the arena can help. Making sure you are not fiddling or adjusting on your way to the jump can help. Making sure you have the horse ahead of the leg can help.
These are all things your coach should be working with you on.
I don’t think that even an Arabian would be overfaced with the crossrails, and the fact that this horse is fine jumping with trot poles suggests to me that the problem is getting the stride to the jump, not any physical limitation or pain.
How does the horse go with your coach riding? That would be a good test of how much of your problem is pilot error, versus how much is horsey attitude or ability.
Can you follow another horse over the jumps? Do you take her over small logs on the trails? Sometimes horse gain confidence when they jump lots of little, natural obstacles.
this seems to be an odd case. we really need video.
there really should not be such an issue over the height, or lack there of, the OP is speaking about.
the horse won’t go over an X. this is not confidence. this is a cruel game Arabians play on us poor humans. they are smarter than us, and they know it.
[QUOTE=Scribbler;8510955]
The trot poles going into the jump set you and the horse up for success. If the trot poles are set correctly, they ensure that the horse will reach the actual jump with the right stride to take off in a balanced way, from the right spot. They stop the horse from sucking back or from rushing, and they allow the horse to find the right stride and take-off even if the rider is not contributing much. You can put a horse down a line of trot-poles to a rail on a loose rein, if you want, or with your arms out wide as a balance practice or without stirrups. Same is true of a well-built gymnastic line (by which I mean a line of jumps set out at the right stride distance for the horse).
Without the trot poles, the horse and rider have to figure out the right stride as soon as you turn down the line, and keep it. If you cannot get that stride and keep it, without accidentally asking the horse to halt just before the jump, the horse will come in at the wrong distance and either give you a bad jump (too close, too distant) or just refuse or run out, depending on her energy level.
If you want to transition away from trot poles, you need to practice on the flat so that you can maintain a steady stride that will get you exactly where you want to be. Counting strides between the letters in the arena can help. Making sure you are not fiddling or adjusting on your way to the jump can help. Making sure you have the horse ahead of the leg can help.
These are all things your coach should be working with you on.
I don’t think that even an Arabian would be overfaced with the crossrails, and the fact that this horse is fine jumping with trot poles suggests to me that the problem is getting the stride to the jump, not any physical limitation or pain.
How does the horse go with your coach riding? That would be a good test of how much of your problem is pilot error, versus how much is horsey attitude or ability.[/QUOTE]
This!
As someone who is pretty expiranced with jumping and eventing Arabians or part Arabs…
You do have to approach things differently then you would with other horses- their brains work differently then other types of horses. It has to be their idea and they have to want to do it or you won’t get anywhere. This usually means breaking things down into very tiny steps, especially in the beginning.
Don’t get mad, take it slow (but make sure she is in front of your leg) and breath. If she needs to walk a couple steps so she can slow down Her brain and process what’s happening before she jumps the cross rail, then that is okay. If she needs to stop bc she’s putting her head down and looking and trying to figure it out, then it’s okay if she stops- she’s just trying to figure it out and chances are if you give her the space to figure it out- she will and she will get more confident.
I also would maybe try a very small vertical instead of a cross rail to see if that helps.
There are good reasons why experienced riders start horses over fences and experienced horses start riders over fences
Thanks everyone for the help! It’s been getting really frustrating since I know she can jump, as we’ve jumped like 2 foot (biggest jump for her yet) and she’s being so spooky around crossrails. I schooled her today and put a pole to mark where she should take off and she was definitely more willing. Still a tad spooky, but she was going over the jump which is what matters. So now that the problem is identified, I’m a tad less frustrated with her but she’s super smart so I just need to go slow and hopefully she’ll get it. I shall update if things start going south once more.
How much jumping have you done previously? How many greenies have you started over fences?
Some take a lot of rider support.
