Share your stories riding this kind of stopper

[Pokerface]

I had a horse very like this. A big GORGEOUS bay ISH gelding. He was the most beautiful jumper and absolutely lovely to live with and handle. But he could drop his rider like you wouldn’t believe. I lost confidence and the will to ride. He just wasn’t started correctly and all of the trainers I sent him to and all of the “back to basics” just didn’t really help in the end. I sold him to a barn where the trainer would be the one primarily riding him, but from what I can tell, hes never been successful. Fortunately, I think they will keep him forever, because he really is that pretty and that sweet. Just zero confidence under saddle. The horse I got after him was un started when I got her, I did all the work on her, and she is as trustworthy as they come. In all the time I’ve owned her (and all the time shes been under saddle), she has NEVER dropped a rider, and the few times someone has gotten unsteady, she makes sure they stay on. With the gelding, I was about ready to quit jumping, I just didn’t trust him, We tried so hard to make it work, and it just never did.

OP, good luck with a tough decision!

[Scribbler]

There are a lot of fried jumpers out there, and they can go from $50k to $1 giveaways in the course of a really bad show weekend. And then do just fine in low-key homes.

[Victorious]

This video is so great!! It hits all the right notes for me and goes along very nicely with Denny Emerson’s Begin and Begin Again. Might be a worthwhile read for the OP if they feel stuck with this horse. This is often forgotten in Hunterland, but there are about a thousand other things you can do with your horse besides cruise around 8 jumps!

[Fancy_Free]

I used to think I would ride any horse and make it work no matter what, now I have learned the hard way, a few times over, there are good horses and not good horses. I have no time for the not good horses anymore in such an expensive life consuming sport.

Not to say he can’t maybe be good in a different job but, planting his feet down in the middle of an oxer would be a pretty huge red flag that something physical is wrong or it’s just not his calling. That is not the most typical reaction of a nervous and/or careful jumper.

[Prima_Donna]

I had a really good trainer tell me that riding a stopper changes your whole ride and destroys your confidence. At least for an ammy like me, it isn’t worth it. It sounds like you’ve tried and jumping just might not be the right fit for this horse. Good luck!

[SIGU1963]

Was your horse xrayed for kissing spine?

[Elliot12]

I was wondering about kissing spine too.
Expansion and compression.

[glenburn]

A video would be helpful.