having major Issues!

[jUmPingIsLifE]

how do you tell if a pony is scared of a jump, therefor not jumping, or being a brat and not jumping? i don't want to "beat" her if she is scared. it took me 20minutes to get her over a little cross rail today (hay bales on each side, but it was a skinny jump).

what she was doing--

we started doing a sitting trot in, she would slow down to a walk and try and go around it, i used both reins, leg, seat, i did everything i could and couldn't get her back into it. but instead of letting her go around it i backed her up turned around made a little circle and went again. and soon i kept her troting to the jump but than she would stop. after 10minutes of this i started just trying to walk it, didn't work, i did give some taps with the crop but i didn't know if she was scared or not though, this is a new type of jump she may be scared. finally i got her to walk up to it and when she did finaly go over it it was a HUGE jump! i petted her to death and we took a long walk break and poped over a differant jump a couple times and ended on a good note.

 

[chev]

If she did a huge jump it could be she was a bit worried about it. You were right not to hit her, and I think if it was just naughtiness a couple of taps would have done the trick. You also did well to end on a good note.

If you think she's really scared, try lowering it to a height you can hop over and lead her up to look. When she's had a really good look. lead her over it, even if it means the pole is only a couple of inches off the floor. She might feel happier going over it if you show her you'll go first and prove it's safe.

Good luck!

 

[Georgia]

Maybe try jump wings on their own, add a pole and then make a little jump?! Or lunge her over poles? Always try 2 end on a good note like u did! This wuld get her confidence up. Has she hd an accident jumping? is this the 1st time uve jumped her?
Georgia X

 

[jUmPingIsLifE]

before i brought her home i jumped her a lot she never did this, i have been jumping her at home for a month, she has allways liked to try and run out, but today was just terrible! i put some wings up and she tried to step around them taped one and FREAKED OUT, walking her over poles if she taps them she freaks out. we just had a GREAT ride on friday, we were jumping 2'9! i don't know what happend to her.

 

[Lucy J]

just a thought - have you had her back and feet checked? my mare's pelvis was misaligned for a while and she acted terribly.

i got a chiropractor out and she was much better.

also, you could trying trotting poles, say 4. and when she is going over them put up a tiny cross pole say 1ft if even that. and put it after the last trotting pole (at twice the distance you have between the pole. once she is doing that you can add another little jump twice the distance again. works with my 5 year old.

seriously though, check her back and get a 2nd opinion on her feet.

 

[Mazpup]

There's a pony at my yard like that. She can jump really high, but hates it, as she is prone to cat leaping everyone tends to accidently jap her in the mouth (I've finally got the hang of letting my reins slip with her) which makes her less and less keen to jump. I aslo think it has something to do with her back though, because if you I once ran my hand over her back after removing the saddle, and she nearly bit my hand off. Not much good saying anything to the riding school - they all know its mainly because she's really sour from the school.