rushing fences

[jumpermeg]

I am currently working with a horse that rushes fences only one direction ( headed toward the barn) an donly at shows. I haven't a clue how to fix this. At the last show we changed him from a snaffle to a curb bit. He didn't rush anymore, instead he wouldn't even go forward. It was all rather embarassing. Any ideas? Maybe a bit somewhere between a snaffle and a curb? I worked with him over the same line of fences this week, while we were alone in the ring and he was fine.

Thanks.

[jUmPingIsLifE]

instead of putting a harsher bit in his mouth to lessen the problem i would more try to fix it with good schooling. start by troting poles and if he is still fine then put up a cross rail and if he rushes go back and work on walking fences. another thing you can do is trot towards it and make the horse halt before the fence to make him come back and listen to you. use that sparingly you dont want to teach him to refuse but its still a great exersize to make a horse listen more and come back to you. another great one is to set up a line with about 5 or 6 strides and work on troting in landing in the canter, halting in the middle of the line and troting out. or walking the whole line. gradually putting fences up and stuff like that.

you can play around with bits but i would hate to go harsher. maybe you could play around with the type of snaffle you have in his mouth? some horses just like differant bits and are better. but im not a fan of just throwing something harsher in there...if he wants to run he will run, all putting a harsher bit in will achieve is deadening the mouth more unless he really enjoys the bit you have in. i know horses that are very happy in pelhams but hate snaffles...stuff like that. if your horse goes well going away from the barn in a snaffle then he should go towards home nicly in the snaffle.

[jumpermeg]

Thanks for the ideas. I rode him on Saturday in the pelham and he was perfect. Yesterday I had another show and althought things went better than last time, it stillwas not smooth sailing. You can feel the tension in his body when you pass the end gates and his pass changes as well. When you pass the other gate again gong away from the barn you can felel him relax and almost lope to the next fence. The change is very drastic. I think the only option is to play with bits, as I can't practice too much of the walk and stop stuff at a show. And it is only at shows that he does it. Saturday, when we practiced, we rode the lines towards the barn several times and he had no reaction - quiet as can be. We'll keep working.

[jUmPingIsLifE]

still though...if you improve on everything at home he will be better at shows. and isn't there a schooling time at shows? i know the show i go to there is an hr of schooling where you can take your horses over fences.

also something that REALLY helps me is *THINK* halt when he speeds up. i was riding a horse that used to speed through lines and she would yell think halt because i was trying to get him to trot out of the line and i really made him halt and she was like NOOO think halt, don't halt..but it was good anyway

[jumpermeg]

We get about 5 minyutes to quick get over the lines and he's good then too. I guess its just a matter of time. Thanks.

[jUmPingIsLifE]

he is good during teh warmup but not during the class?

this makes me think it is more of a rider thing then a horse thing. perhaps you are getting anxious/exiting/nervous about the class? all these could trigger him to speed up. you could be thinking to youself "he is gonna head for the gate" and that will definatly help that to happen. *think halt* will help a lot.

goodluck