**HELP-napping**

[Kerri&Smarty]

Hiya all!
2day i went along to do some clear round jumping that my riding club has every month this time of year. I have a 14.1hh New forest, although he's 11yrs old he is very green (he was turned away for years). He is very spooky but we r working on that, he is slightly better than he used to be with fillers and spooky fences (but still h8s them!). Any way, it's not the spookyness i wanted to ask about, but 2day he was really playing up because a jump was right nxt to the exit gate, he kept running out towards the exit. He has done this b4 in SJ, he wouldn't go over a fence that was going away from the exit, we got eliminated for 3 refusals at this jump, then i circled around and approached the same jump from the other direction and he jumped it straight away, easy peasy towards the gate!!
2day when he ran out towards the gate, i steadied him up then approached it again with lots of leg and a tap on the neck the side he ran out last time and said "GO ON!" in a firm voice (if i use my voice firmly when he starts to back off a jump he usually responds and jumps), but he did it again!!
Also, when we finish our round i still circle him around a lap b4 going out the exit, so he doesn't just jump the last jump and then go straight out the exit.

Has anyone got any advice to help stop him napping towards the exit and refusing jumps near the exit?
please reply!!

Kerri and Smarty

[Karenr]

Hi there Kerri and Smarty

Does your horse do this at home as well?

[cvb]

there are some things that can help, some of which you might already be doing

- anticipate the problem and ride firmly forward around the problem area. (don't let him get away from you before the corner). Make sure your whip is on the 'outside' well beforehand.

- make it clear that going out is not an option. an image that might help is to imagine your arms and reins are actually the handlebars on a wheelbarrow. Then point the wheelbarrow at the jump !

- sit deep, ride forward. Especially for small jumps you do not need to be out of the saddle from miles back.

- try riding past the jump going away from the gate - does he nap then as well or just when he knows he's going to jump ?

- if the organisers will let you, get the 'problem' jump put right down so he can walk over it or jump from a stand still without you worrying.

and generally make sure you are assertive (but not aggresive)

(is he any better if there is another horse giving him a lead ?)

[Kerri&Smarty]

Thanx for replying!
I haven't really had the problem at home wiv smarty, just at shows.
I haven't tried having a lead from another horse over the "Problem" jump because i am usually in the SJ ring in the middle of a course and he doesn't tend to do it at home. He does like to follow so he probably wouldn't nap if he was following another horse over it. But this doens't really help in a SJ ring! :D

Ne one else got ne more ideas, or has ne one else got a similar problem?!

[LindaAd]

There isn't a quick answer to this,Kerri&Smarty although the things that cvb suggests will all help.

Make sure you never look towards the gate yourself - just look ahead to where you want to go.

And do lots and lots of schooling on the flat and over little jumps, so that he learns obedience.

[FreedomStar]

keep your whip on the side he runs out on.

[Nhi]

Sounds to me like Smarty has been very well named :-) He knows that stopping at home means that he'll just have to try again, but stopping at shows means he gets to finish early. Try some reverse psychology with him - if he is eliminated for refusing make him do the practice jumps a few more times (don't get angry, just be business-like about it) and so some serious schooling while you're at it. Tell him " no, we may be eliminated, but we haven't finished working yet". On the other hand, when he completes a round (even if he's had jumps down) give him a long rein back to the box for a rest and reward.

Perhaps you could discuss the problem with the Riding Club / Show officials, who may let you jump the course at the end of the competition, or may be able to bend the rules a little and let you try the offending jump a few more times, even though you are eliminated.

Good luck