HELP - Indoor Show Jumping isn't going very well at all. (Taran)

[beks the artist]

Hi Guys,

Get yourself a cuppa, sit down, I am asking for some experience in this or some ideas...

Right; The case. Taran, 16 year old, superb jumper at home, taught to jump when he was 14 (by me) The evidence:

This was Sunday night:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs458.ash2/73181_453664454597_510829597_5159018_3499862_n.jpg
(away from home with fillers, about 1'05ish)

He strictly gets jumped ONCE a week at home. We have a flatwork / pole lesson once a week, the rest of the time he is hacked. We do hunting once a month where jumping walls isn't a problem for him :evilgrin: He is fit and healthy. His tack all fits perfectly; he has seen the vet 5 weeks ago who said his back and pelvis were fine.

So he can jump.

This summer I took him to evening Show Jumping (outdoors) we competed in the 60cm and 75cm winning every time out. Fast, confident but the jumps were too small for him; this horse likes jumping BIG, I don't :lol:

So the past two weeks he has been to two indoor show jumping shows (ridden by my friend who was a proffessional Show Jumper) and Taran really, really did not do very well. Taran backs right off the leg; at home he is hard to hold back but indoors he is hard to get moving! Taran is stopping at jumps he wouldn't stop at if they were in a field, he does this fast 'pacer' trot instead of cantering, as if he was in the field you just squeaze lightly and he is away in a lovely bouncy canter.

I think it could be a number of things:

1) Phycological; doesn't like 'confind' spaces, such as an indoor school. (interesting as he doesn't like to be stabled for long periods of time... he gets very stressed, box walks, kicks the door and has in his old stable jumped out!!! - he was a Stallion up until he was 12 years old... wondering if he was shut away... But he goes in the trailer perfectly and travels well)

2) Not experienced enough - only 3rd time in his life jumping indoors at a competition.

3) The lighting... I had a thought; could he be parcially blind? Not see where he is going???

Any thoughts? He is going for a lesson next week indoors, to see what is going on with him.

Thanks xxxx

[Gix]

some horses dont like different surfaces, may be he lacks confidence on all weather surfaces?

[BHNRS]

If it was your friend riding him maybe he just didnt have the confidence from her in a different environment

[silverbullet]

It could be a combination of all the things you suggested - Basil never jumps as well indoors as he does outdoors.

Can you hire an arena to practice at all??

[FlyFar]

I would be starting him smaller indoors to build up his confidence before going for the bigger fences! He is obviously a very talented pony but if he has only been indoors 3 times he probably lacks confidence, especially in a rider who he knows less well.

[Hannibal]

I dont think that he's partially blind; I dont think he'd be able to jump that well in the first place if he has trouble seeing. I could understand if it was a little cross pole, but that certainly isnt the case!
A friend of mine thinks her horse is agraphobic (after working with him so do i!) he doesnt like the field or the school and is a bit mad out hacking. I wouldnt rule out it being a phobia, but that could be linked to him not doing it many times before.
If you can try and get some practice time somewhere I'm sure he'll improve

[casper_cb]

I think I agree with Livinho. If he's learnt to jump with you and trusts in how you ride him into a jump to suddenly have someone else on him in a new environment is a lot to ask. An example is my Oscar. To jump him you have to have a loose contact, don't worry about correct lead, bend and point, put someone on who's a "professional" that picks up the contact, rides him into the fence and puts him on a stride - Oscar will more than happily let you do the jump .... by yourself, he won't take off.

I hope your indoor lesson goes well. Hopefully it will help. It's a lot for them to take in if they're not used to indoors. Are you riding him?

[CityLights]

i would say most likely its being inside which might be down to the size of the area or the lighting, what i would do is try get to some different arenas try find one that is really big bright and airy so that he doesnt get the same feeling as being indoors and see how he goes then it could also be someone else riding him i would perhaps take him to the same place again but see how he goes for you instead, if he isnt that experienced going out then it could be a trust thing and he might need his mummy to baby him around a bit

one of my old mares didnt jump too great indoors and it was always at one arena in particular the lighting was very yellow and poor and she would always without fail stop at the yellow fences but was fine anywhere else

[beks the artist]

Thank you for your replies.

I honestly do not think it is the rider at all. My friend rides him twice a week for the past 6 months; they get on really well. They hunt together and in all honesty I have never seen Taran's eyes sparkle so much when she gets on him. They trust each other; I think it would be much better for her to jump him in competitions rather than me as I am not so confident jumping whereas she doesn't have any fear; he trusts her 100%.

I think you are right; it's the indoors bit. The lighting, the enclosed space, the other horses, the noise, the music... Practice makes perfect and all that.

[Zeitgeist Mom]

I used to sometimes ride a with a friend in her indoor school when I had Louis. He used to school beautifully in there, but really found jumping a lot harder and was not confident jumping in there at all. I think it is the indoors bit.

[amandaxx1]

Did you get that Your Horse Magazine with the bit about indoor jumping? I didnt read it so not sure if it was any good put I can stick it in the post for you if you want to have a look?

[rowy]

Dancer is a complete pain indoors! outside she is okish but inside she thinks EVERYTHING is scary and will eat her and really backs off fences.
So I basically took her out to clear rounds indoors and just took her round till she got bored of being silly and jumped properly (took about 4 times lol).
Is the indoor a bit small? or dark? or dingey? cos i found dancer was far worse in smaller dark confined places. We took her to a roomier one where it was almost like day light and she was completely fine, no issues.

I would try taking him to lots of different places just messing around clear round etc. Go like your having fun pottering around and just try and get his confidence up so he sees its no different :)