Refusing the Jump

WallE and I are signed up for a few jumper classes at the Tryon Indoor Series next weekend. In preparation for our upcoming travel, we took a trip over to our trainer's farm this week. WallE was fantastic warming up. Another horse was cooling down, there were big dogs loose and a small child wandering around the arena, but WallE stayed focused and did a great job listening. 

When we were ready to jump, we worked over a small vertical, choosing our distance. Counting the strides before the jump and riding the same pace the next time around. It used to be, I was always having to push WallE forward to get the pace for a good jump, now he is able to maintain the pace on his own and I am trying to learn how to relax and wait for the fences. 

There were two odd looking jumps in the arena, one was the final jump in a two stride and one was an oxer going into a one stride. WallE refused both. Not in a mean and hateful way, but just in a 'that looks different and scary' way. My response (as drilled into me by many instructors and George Morris books) is to hit WallE once with the crop behind the leg, circle and get over the jump. 

But that is not what our current trainer wants me to do. In the case of fear, she wants me to let the horse breathe and re-approach the jump from a far distance. Giving the horse plenty of time to look at the jump and overcome the fear. WallE (of course) jumped both jumps the second time he was asked. He loves jumping and is a VERY honest jumper. 

I am going to experiment more with this today. I am not sure what I will set up in our arena at home, but I will have some spooky fences and see if we can ride the course with a consistent pace (without me chasing WallE) and if we can be brave to the fences. Like Denny Emerson preaches, success builds confidence, confidence creates boldness. Will WallE become bold in the jump arena? We will have to wait and see!

Follow up: This past weekend, I set up what I thought to be a VERY spooky course (flowerboxes stacked on pots and standards, oxers with a little filler and more). WallE got into a consistent canter and we went right over everything. Monday (yesterday) we had another lesson and same thing - sailed right over, no look. In fact, we were so forward in one of the lines - we almost did the 4 stride in 3! We shall see how it carries over to Tryon.