Video Critique Please!! (UPDATE #78; New video)

[jumpingstarr]

So I’ve recently gotten in to showing at local jumper shows on my extremely amazing yet spooky horse. He’s a 15 year old paint, jumper gelding. We’ve school 3’9, but the highest we’ve (attempted) shown is 2’9. This is a video of our second show ever together… He had been to another show in this arena that was much more disastrous There is another show in April that I’m thinking about attending, but do you guys think it is worth it? I hate putting stress on him, taking him off farm and making him jump even though he’s nervous? If he was younger I wouldn’t feel bad about it, but for his entire life he’s never been to a show until recently!

I would also like some critique on this video on my eq and his form! :yes: I’ve been riding him for around 4 years now. Basically finished him (he was super green when I got him). Yes I am riding in a hackamore. Please excuse the shaky filming and blurriness at the end (it stared to pour down rain!!!) :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLdCk77T_ew

Thanks in advance

[Laurierace]

The only way to get him comfortable at shows is to go to shows. I would stay at a very low level, 18 inches to 2ft max until he is so bored he could jump them in his sleep.

[jumpingstarr]

Thanks for the advice! If I decide to show him anymore, that’s probably what I will do.

[Jsalem]

That’s a really cute horse and I like the way you ride. You did a really good job of getting him to the other side of the jump and staying out of his mouth when it was awkward. My only observation is that he appears really over weight (and that’s says a lot coming from me who loves a chunky hunter). His backing off from the jumps says more to me about the fact that he’s too “earth bound” by his weight than spookiness necessarily. Does that make sense?

Other than that, he jumps in good form in terms of his front end. If he’s just green, then I would suggest a fitness program to get him more confident in his abilities and then its just a matter of getting mileage.

[jumpingstarr]

Okay, there’s not really anything I can do about his weight. I would if I could…I know he’s quite chunky. He’s out to pasture 24/7 with unlimited hay and grass. I can’t put a muzzle on him because he’s in there with 20 other horses. He doesn’t get fed any grain. He just has a hay belly! I promise it’s spookiness, haha! he’s such a scaredy cat!!I wish I had time to do a fitness program with him. He does get long trail rides once or twice a week and ring work twice+ times a week.

[Laurierace]

Why can’t you muzzle him because he is out with other horses?

[ybiaw]

You can’t put a muzzle on him because he’s out with other horses? Why?

[jumpingstarr]

They would tear it off. And I’m not allowed to halter him while he’s out at my barn because of the woods in the pasture…he could get caught or something. Just trying to prevent injury really. In this video you can see how much more confident he is at home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJGd2PdWLuo

[nycequestrian]

He’s a cute little horse. I couldn’t tell if the video was edited, so please forgive me if this is not the case, but it looked like you went into the ring and went straight for the first fence. Maybe it would help him feel a little more at ease if you went in, trotted or cantered a circle and if you think there is a spooky fence (or if you know that he finds a particular fence spooky), trot or canter past it and sort of show it to him. Like I said, I couldn’t tell if you’d already done this on the video, so I apologize if you already incorporate this into your routine. Best of luck to the two of you.

[Jsalem]

Okay, you’re asking for feedback, so here it is. He’s adorable. He’s not fit. In my never to be humble opinion, a competition horse needs to be fit in order to compete safely, happily, confidently and to prevent injury. In my program, that means a horse needs to be in work 5 or 6 days per week. Flat work, hill work (trail riding, yes), and some jumping.

You ask if “it’s worth it” to show him. He looks like he wants to be reasonably athletic and is the type of horse I’d enjoy having around but I question whether it’s worth competing him if you can’t get him fit. If he’s not fit then he’s not prepared to show. Probably not worth the money and not worth the risk. Maybe set a goal down the road and commit to program to get him there. Then your show will be worth it.

[findeight]

OP, can you make the video available on mobile devices, please? You’ll get more feedback if we don’t have to be sitting at a computer and can use phones and tablets to watch.

[jumpingstarr]

I did edit out some of the trotting around because it was shaky! thanks though

[jumpingstarr]

I really wish I could ride him 5-6 times a week! I really do, but I have school and he’s a 20 minute drive away which=gas. I try my hardest to ride him Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Occasionally when I can I also ride on Mondays. But, I also have another horse to ride so it gets hard.

Also, I’m not going to be doing any higher rated shows, just local shows and not show any higher than 2’9. But I do agree that he needs to be much more fit.

[nycequestrian]

[QUOTE=jumpingstarr;7410136]
I really wish I could ride him 5-6 times a week! I really do, but I have school and he’s a 20 minute drive away which=gas. I try my hardest to ride him Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Occasionally when I can I also ride on Mondays. But, I also have another horse to ride so it gets hard.

Also, I’m not going to be doing any higher rated shows, just local shows and not show any higher than 2’9. But I do agree that he needs to be much more fit.[/QUOTE]

Is there anyone at your barn who could ride him? Or perhaps your trainer can hop on him on the days when you can’t get to the barn?

[jumpingstarr]

[QUOTE=nycequestrian;7410141]
Is there anyone at your barn who could ride him? Or perhaps your trainer can hop on him on the days when you can’t get to the barn?[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, no. My barn consists of some adults (beginner-ish riders who I would not allow to ride him), my trainer (who is my grandmother), my cousin, and my sisters. The program used to be a lot bigger, but people leave for fancier barns and fancier horses that show at larger shows. My sisters come up when I do and my cousin can hardly ever come. My trainer has waaay too many horses to keep worked as it is! We’re currently starting 2 4 year olds over fences and she has to ride them most of the time.

[RxCate]

Sounds like it’s time to sell some stock and downsize…

Could the other people who are there more lunge him at least? If you have a round-pen, a good romp in there is better than none at all.

As far as a critique. Do not show this horse until he is fit. Especially since you’re not showing rated, there’s no point for him to be out there right now. All you’re going to do, is make him more nervous.

Take him to the shows, but DON’T show. Just ride around, get him used to being out and about & the sights/sounds of a show venue. That’s where you need to start. Show in a flat class if you must, but save the jumping for when he’s fit and ready. Treat him like you would a very young horse. You basically have to start from scratch.

When schooling at home, add brush boxes to the jumps. You’ve got great woods so go find fallen, leafy limbs and put them under the jumps. At fall, get the corn stalk bunches farms sell and attach them to the standards, etc. You want to desensitize him at home where he’s comfortable, before taking him out to a show where he’s already nervous just about being away from home, and running him at unfamiliar things that he’s a) not fit enough to get over, and b) nervous to begin with.

Take him on trail rides, basically do whatever you can to make him just plain not care what he’s face with. But do it SLOWLY.

[Horsegal984]

There are muzzles that come with a built in break away halter. Really being out with other horses and some woods is no excuse not to muzzle him. Otherwise find some other way to limit his food intake, as he is too fat to be jumping safely. Hay belly or not, its still extra weight and his aging joints need to be taken care of if you want him to stay sound.

You appear to be riding him quite differently at the shows than you are in the video at home, his pace seems slower at shows, he often appears to be counter bent around the turns. I wonder if the changes in your riding style are affecting him at shows and your apprehension is causing his to be worse, creating a cycle.

With him being out of shape and so heavy he may well rely on a faster pace to help heave himself over jumps, since going slower and more controlled is going to be harder for him.

[Alter_nativ3]

I really really like your horse, he is too cute. You are right he does seem more confident at home. If showing is important to you then it would be worth it to take him more, that is the only way to make him more comfortable in a new ring. Do you have any friends that have farms? Taking him off site to a neighbor barn is a good way to school him without the added pressure of the show ring and added costs. He might also be feeding off of your nerves, you looked a little more relaxed and confident at home as well

He is precious though, how big is he?

[chestnuthunter]

Guys, there’s a little hostility and harsh criticism. This horse may be overweight, but he is 10x more fit that many other horses I know, including my mom’s lean, muscular 4 year-old. This horse goes trail riding and jumps crazy stuff all the time; he’s just not quite comfortable in a show environment. If I tried to keep up with this horse on my fit-looking hunter, he would collapse.
This horse is an outstanding jumper, and though you may say “there’s not excuse to not muzzle him,” jumpingstarr’s boarding facility DOES NOT ALLOW her to muzzle. It’s not up to her or her fault. And she can’t move barns, because the owner and trainer of the barn is her grandmother.

[LoveJubal]

At the show, he is slower and much more cautious. That can only be fixed with time and show miles. I agree with the other posters that advise that he needs to be fit before you show him.

Have you ever though about doing the hunters with him? Of course, you’ll have to lose the hackamore, but he is super cute. In the show video, I just had a thought that hunters might be more up his alley.

Anyway, don’t show him at anything more than 2 ft. at his little practice shows. I agree with HorseGal that he probably shouldn’t even jump at his first few shows.

Good Luck with him. He is very cute