I own a 7 year old appaloosa mare that is an amazing hunter jumper that i have worked with for four years now. We practice about 3-5 days a week depending on if a show is coming up that weekend or not. We compete pretty regularly as well with about 1-2 months in between competitions. Recently though, she has excelled in practice and then when we go to a show she rears and has a large meltdown when we get to the fence. This began about 2 months ago. The show was a local hunter jumper show in which we competed in 5 classes, that was held at a grounds we compete at regularly. The day started irregularly because we left for the show that morning instead of the night before. I thought that may have messed up our routine as well as not have competed in 3 months, since the large State competition over the summer. We thought that this may be the reason why she acted in such a way from beginning to end all day. I am also in highschool and am on the varsity cross country (long distance running) team. Therefore I only rode 2 days a week and occasionly 3. My trainers were aware of this factor as it is my second year being on the team, and they therefore worked with her even more then they usually would to make sure she would be ready for our next competition which was a month later (yesterday and was a 4H show). We arrived at the grounds (we regually show at these local show grounds as well) Friday night, practiced in the arena and she was perfect! The next day I lounged her that morning to get out some extra energy out after staying the night in a stall. The first 3/4 of the day were amazing! We were placing 1st and 2nds back to back and continued to be in the placings throughout the day. Equitation (pattern) and Hunter Hack (o/f) were our last two classes of the day and we had schooled beforehand and everything was beautiful. When we were called into the arena to perform equitation she reared at the gate and refused to go into the arena, I eventually got her in and we executed the pattern exquisitely earning a 2nd place. The last class was Hunter Hack and she walked into the arena fine among the other horses. When it was our turn to go over the line our courtesy cicle was nice as well as our approach to the fence but about two strides out she reared up and refused to go over the line. I eventually drove her over it at a trot and finished the class. At the end of the day we were awarded highpoint which was very exciting but I am still mind boggled that the horse I have worked with for years, now has not enjoyed jumping in the show ring for the past two months? I was wondering if anyone could give an opinion on what may be happening and what I can do to get her back to her normal self.
Do you mean you are jumping 3-5 days per week?
How many classes did you do at the show in one day?
It sounds like she was done. Over tired/stressed/sore? Who knows. What was the footing like, how much did she get in the way of breaks?
Saddle fit is a place I would start: this is something that might only show as an issue if the horse is tacked/untacked throughout the day allowing swelling to develop under areas that slightly pinch.
I would look into issues like above, but I wouldn’t overly stress about it as being a pattern if it only happened once.
Thankyou for the feedback! We jump about 2 days a week during practice and the show that happened this weekend we had 7 classes with 2 breaks that were about 25 minutes ling where she got to go back to her stall, i loosened her girth and she got to drink water and refresh. I will also check my tack to see if it is ill-fitting as the inicident has happened at each show for the past two months. The footing at the shows were clay based and were dragged/sprayed inbetween every few classes.
If I’m reading correctly, this has happened at 2 different horse shows? The first time attributed to arriving at show later than usual. And then to try to prevent it at the next show, trainers worked mare a little harder than usual?
Any behavior changes like this, lack of willingness to jump or go in the ring, I would look at pain/discomfort issues*; as well as overall horse care and training – maybe it was too many classes in one day, maybe she needed to pee, maybe she’s not fit enough for what was being asked, maybe it’s the time of day (eg, if she’s not used to being worked later or coming out to work multiple times).
*Common ones being back/saddle fit, as mentioned, also feet (foot soreness, incorrect angles that are exacerbated in unfamiliar or bad footing), joints (though she’s only 7, so hopefully those aren’t an issue), general body soreness (especially if workload increased, and she’s standing in a stall vs turn out), etc.
Also, 30 minutes seems like a long time to lunge, imo. Especially the kind of lungeing to get them tired vs more meaningful work.
What do your trainers say?
It sounds to me like she was telling you she was done/tired/sore. Horse showing takes a lot out of a horse physically and mentally and 7 classes in one day is no walk in the park.
I agree with the others that I’d investigate the pain route first. If that checks out I’d move on to tack fit. From there I’d look at her fitness routine. If she’s only being worked 2-3 days a week and then being shown in 7 classes it’s very possible that she simply doesn’t have the stamina to do what you’re asking of her.
I agree with @CHT - it sounds like she was simply done for the day and balking/rearing was her way of communicating with you, her rider. Especially since you said your early classes went so well.
I guess I’d ask if she is still green (1st or perhaps 2nd season of showing?) or a seasoned show horse that’s been showing for several years? Since she’s a mare, maybe she was simply more hormonal or entering her cycle. And yes, an ill-fitting saddle, hard ground, and a really long 30 minute lunge could contribute as well. Sometimes, a horse just gets tired - no lengthy explanation needed.
I think for the next show, if it were my horse, I’d limit to just 1 division or maybe 4 classes total. With the warm-up needed, the amount of jumping, and the limited time between classes, less may be more for a time.
If I am reading your post correctly, it sounds as though she has not been in constant work or shown regularly. I would definitely reevaluate whether or not she is physically fit enough to do what is being asked. 30 minutes of lunging is very physically taxing, and I would not be surprised if she isn’t fit enough to handle that on top of a full show day.
Pain could be another option to look into, but I am leaning more towards it being a fitness issue since the behavior only occured after a long day of showing and she was otherwise a happy camper.
How many days a week is she ridden (regularly - not just on show week)? How long are those rides and what is the intensity of the work?
Thankyou all so much for the feedback, we lounged for a while that morning as she can get hyper during our at hand classes. After those 3 at hand classes she went back to her stall and rested for about 30 minutes before i got on and schooled for the under saddle and over fences. Although, I can see how the lounging could have made her sore and she was tired by the end of the show which lasted from about 9 to 3. Practice is about and hour to an hour and thirty minutes long. Also, we were thinking since our show day routine was altered at the show a month ago (arriving to the grounds that morning instead of the night before) that that would have messed with her when it came to her performance, which she melted down in all of our o/f classes. As for after that show, we didnt exactly work her “harder”, but we made sure the rearing wouldnt become a long term habit.
She’s telling you; hear her; call it a day. Your goals are not her needs. I do not mean to sound cold/heartless. Ride what you have, not what you want. 3-4 classes is plenty.
In my opinion, she is telling you: “I am mentally fried and feel stressed and overworked”. 30 minutes on line, followed by 7 classes and warm ups might be too much. How much schooling before a class? I see some people hammering their horse in warm up. It is warm up, not exhaust them before entering the ring. There is no need to do more than light work, with a handful of jumps. Beyond that, you are not warming up the horse, you are mentally preparing yourself, and working out your own tension and show fears at the expense of the horse.
My recommendation: ramp way back before you teach her to hate showing. You will not be able to fix that !!! It sounds as though she is really trying for you. Focus on her pleasure and not placing. It is not just the physical work, it is the mental work! The goal is a relaxed and happy horse. Train, do not drill. Hand walk, to replace line work, hang out with her ringside. Enter fewer classes. Keep warm ups brief. Many treats! (Mints are the favorite treat of my daughter’s horse.Therefore, mints are reserved for show days, and fed liberally) The goal is to go home with a happy horse. When the horse tells you she is done, listen, do not push to disobedience. Gradually add to your day as horse shows the ability to handle it.
If you are lunging properly 10 minutes equals an hour of riding.
A 30 minute rest is not really a rest.
This.
I could not imagine doing 7 classes in one day with one horse.
She is ring sour!!! Fed up!
Listen to her!
Seven classes-Ye gods!
It sounds like possibly some of the classes are in hand (i.e. grooming/ showmanship) which is a bit different.
OP I dont have any advice to offer really other than I agree with the pp that the horse was just done for the day.
My daughter also rides an appy mare who is 8 yrs old and the definition of a moody mare. My daughter also runs cross country and rides 3-4 days a week. She has only shown a couple times but her appy Im sure would react similarly after a long show day. It sounds like you were having a successful day otherwise so maybe try to do less classes the next few shows and see how it goes.
I’ll disagree here. A class at a show is a class at a show. Being out and on the line, having to work even if “just” in-hand, as OP said from 9-3, so 7 hours, is a huge mental burden, even if it isn’t as physically taxing. An in-hand class is still in a ring, possibly surrounded by unfamiliar horses, having to listen to a handler and perform movements. It’s certainly not relaxing in a stall or field.
A little story. I was working with a 4Her the open riding night before the English day showing. Practiced over the little 2ft fences and the mare was willing and kind. I told the kid okay that’s enough, she did good, you’re done. Quit now. The kid kept riding, and jumping. Over and over the kid was having her fun. Next day the classes start and that nice little mare shut down. I had to tell the kid that she over rode her the night before and that this is what happens when you decide to do something like that. HARD LESSON learned.
I really appreciate you alls opinions, thank you so much. I really do have her best interest in mind when in comes to her health and well being in general. Our trainers are trying to figure out and experiment to find the source if the problem but I thought i would make this post in order to maybe find a problem source we may not have tinkered with yet. Our warm ups consisted of a breef 20 minute lesson on the flat friday night and then about a 10 minute warm up over the equitation pattern and then before our o/f class we trotted over a line of verticles a couple times.
You are asking for too much and she’s telling you she is done. In hand classes still require the horse to perform and pay attention and it’s another stressful experience going into that ring being expected to do something unnatural to their basic instincts that requires their full attention. It drains them mentally. And everybody gets nerves at shows, horse picks up on that and gets worried. Not a pleasant experience.
Its even worse if you have to ramp them up physically to get them ready for a long show day as opposed to keeping them in show shape all the time so going to a show is NBD instead of a drastic change in routine. It’s not hard or any more time consuming then what you are doing, it is actually less because you stay on a set program.
Have to say if you are riding 5-6 days a week, 45 min is enough work to stay sharp. More then that turns into drilling and a bored, sour horse. You can’t work 90 min to make up for missed days either. People are always amazed how much better their horses do at a trainers, it’s nothing special, they just stick to a routine and horses thrive on routine. When you do that you don’t have to waste time reteaching to get them back to where you left off. You pick up where you left off. And they don’t start out too fresh to work with.
And you can’t just go round and round in an arena for hundreds of hours a year without getting resentment from the horse. You need to practice the same skills in many different places, Fields, trails, different rings to keep it interesting… Keeps the horse fresher mentally and makes show warm ups a quick and easy breeze.
If you are having trouble with time management, consider trying an every other day riding schedule. Still using 45 minas a guide. Spent 20 years on the Western side, most did very well on that. Switched to Hunters and found they do too.
When you show pick the classes you are most likely to do well in. 7 is too many as your mare is trying to tell you. You are mentally using her up, that’s hard to fix. Ring sour is not an easy thing to deal with once a horse gets burned out. Yours is warning you that’s where you are headed.
One other thing comes to mind, the kind of schedule she’s been on can really do a number on various physical conditions. Navicular, for example is pretty common in the Stock breeds and overuse can create sore feet and a bad attitude in a horse. If both feet are sore, they don’t limp so they balk and don’t want to go forward. If your mare has the typical smaller feet and higher heel she’s a candidate. It is manageable if caught fairly early and managed correctly. That management includes not pounding them as you have described.
Please dont get defensive, it’s not personal. BTDT in fact, that’s how I learned how not to do it. . Just think about it.
