Napping - when to give up!

[Rips]

Not me ( :p )

Its probably because Ireland is quite small but if you SJ you tend to meet the same people again and again over the season, especially if theres a league on in a certain place. I would recognise about 30/40 people and their horses at the different shows I generally go to. For the last 2 seasons there has been one particular horse and rider that everybody knows - because the horse is infamous for napping, serious napping. He even has a name that people recognise him by but the board will block it (Get-up-ta-****)

He is stunning and he CAN jump but 3/4 times he won't. And people moan and complain about the rider having 'outside assistance' because when he starts napping, the rider always has someone on call with a lungeon whip :rolleyes:
Though this is illegal of course - no judge at any show has ever said anything - I think because its quite pathetic to watch most of the time.

Somedays he'll refuse once and for the rest of the round the rider will growl his 'name' at him at every fence thereafter and he actually will jump on. Its getting ridiculous at this stage though and I wonder how long more the rider will continue. I've seen him rear, bolt across the ring, jump into fences, knock down wings while dancing, dirty dirty stops, rider has been eliminated on a few occasions for excessive use of language :o

This goes on at 9/10 shows and he's not young either, apparently rider is adamant that he can go to the top! (and rider is not young either :p)

I don't know rider at all, but you'd think someone would say something as (though I know it sounds bitchy) generally people on the circuit are having a very good laugh at riders expense!

I don't know if horse jumps well at home and it probably would be pity if you had a talented horse who just acted like a prat at shows but don't you think rider should just give up!!?
The only improvement I have seen in his behaviour is that he hasn't reared this season - yet! I feel quite sorry for the horse.

(tried to keep post as anon as possible by referring to 'rider' :rolleyes: )

[casey]

What a shame, for both horse and rider. But your right, enough is enough.

John Whitaker once said re jumping...

Some horses that can, wont...
Some horses that cant, want to....

It just finding the middle ground.:)

[Lace]

It depends I think.

If say for example, the horse was once like this at home but has improved and now jumps happily and confidently at home and the rider felt it was just a matter of taking the horse out, letting it find its feet at shows and then hopefully as it grows in confidence away from home will start to jump - then yes, I fully understand why they keep taking it out. You could look at it that the horse has stopped rearing at shows might show an increase in confidence.

However, if the horse just doesn't want to jump (either at home or at shows) then maybe they ought to call it quits and find something the horse does enjoy doing.

[joey_olop]

Mine jumps like a stag at home but once out at a show he hates it-refuses to jump etc. Im having lessons at the mo and it is helping.

Probably stresses the horse out the environment.

[skye06]

I think i've seen the same combination at shows, To be honest let them try. I know its annoying especially if you've had a long drive to get to a show and then have to wait even longer for your turn. I can't really complain though every horse has one or two off days but when its every day maybe time to take a time out and come back when horse is ready

[eventerbabe]

i am inclined to agree with casey. if the horse really doesn't want to jump (to the extent where the rider needs outside assistance) then it may be time to call it a day.

although i'm sure when i competed as a kid people thought the same about me and my pony. some comps we were on storming form, other times nerves got the better of me and we'd end up eliminated or with me on the deck. maybe theres rider error playing a part in this somewhere?

[NoviceNic]

I have the same problem with Captain. We can jump briliantly at home but takehim to a show and we are all over the place. With a lot of napping, running out and refusals. In this case it is a bit of both. Rider, moi, is nervous and horse is excited. Does this mean it is time for us to give up?? I hope not as I know we will get it right one day. :o

[horsein around]

the same thing happened with me and my 13.1hh at a local show.he will do anything to please and is a fab jumper,but when i got him in the ring he would jump the first to jumps then just stop dead! no matter what i did i could not get him to move forward:mad: it gets me really mad because i no he CAN do it he just wont.in the end iv stopped doing the shows i felt like a t**t.maybe i will try again next season with plenty of pratice and schooling ,see if that helps.

[*Sez*]

Rips, when I first read the title, I thought you had a mid-afternoon sleep addiction ;)

Personally, I think if this is a regular occurrance then it's time to stop. Fair enough, if he does do well sometimes and others does badly, then it may be a case of working on the horse's confidence, but I would be so humiliated if I had to have someone come in to help me get my horse going, I would never go back again! :o Obviously, the rider is determined, but there's determination (i.e., I am determined to have a go at prelim dressage on my ex-racer) and there is denial (i.e., a rider who's horse is clearly not happy and they are obviously not going to get "to the top" ;) ). It may simply be a case that the horse is nervous, and worried by all the excitement and activity. If this is the case, then in his position, I would be taking the horse along to watch a few times and desensitise him to the bustle of a showground before trying to get him back in the ring.