Help! Does anyone SJ a spooky horse?

[angelfben]

Bugger-lump has been so good recently, we had him over some new fillers last week and some bigger spreads and he was eating the jumps up and loving it.

But as soon as something else gets his attention he is a nightmare, he has always been spooky but it seems to throw his concentration for the whole session. ... something spooked him last night within 2 minutes of the start of the ride, I didn't even see what it was but he bolted up the arena then was doing his full elevated, collected trot with head in your lap snorting and leaping about trying to tank off with you every few strides and leaping in the air randomly. He spooked so violently his saddle slipped and nearly ditched me god knows how many times

He just didn't calm down for the next hour either I couldn't get him near the jumps never mind over them as he was so concerned with spooking, I had to put them all down to about a foot high so that I could make him go over them sideways/from standing as he was being such a handful coming in to them, we basically approached every fence in a series of bunny hops, running sideways, snorting and leaping about, skidding to a halt then cat-leaping it

Yet tonight I could take him out and he'd be calm as a daisy and not bat an eyelid at anything I put him at, he is so unpredictable!

The thing is we are competing this weekend, only 2'6 but I am really worried he will blow his brains and not perform in the ring. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Daffy Dilly]

We had something similar when we went SJ on Monday. Basically the red and white tape they'd used for the fencing kept flapping at the other side of the ring next to us, and it meant he refused to get close enough to jump no2 (or the tape) to jump it. Absolutely perfect reinback for about 45 seconds, but he would not go forwards or even stand.

The ring judge came over and ran along side us (blocking the tape basically) which got us over that and the next fence above it. After that first attempt we were fine, although he was still wary I was riding stronger.

All I can suggest is you do a smaller class first, if needs be lead him over them. That was in our 1ft class, we went on to do 1'3 and 2ft with no spooking problems afterwards.

 

[Daffy Dilly]

Should add, the rest of them were scared of the yellow jump with it's plank (only 3/4 actually jumped it first time, most got eliminated) whilst Daffy was too busy being scared of the fencing to look at the jump.

 

[angelfben]

Thanks

I think it might just be a case of fingers crossed then, a friend of mine who works on a SJ yard said they have a few horses who will spook at everything in the warmup then go in and jump clear without batting an eyelid, they know their job and their concentration kicks in - let's hope that might be the case, you never know

Or he might be a total plonker but heck it's all experience under both of our belts and it's not like we have anything to lose