barn sour on cross country

Question
QUESTION: My daughter's holsteiner event horse has become barn sour on CC. It is unrelated to the jumps (she is going training level) as he jumps them quite nicely but it is in between the jumps that she has a problem. He always goes to the left and tries to go back to the barn, though not running. She was eliminated at her first 2 events, but this last weekend she circled him until he was willing to go forward again and then resumed her course. This happened 4 times on course. She was able to make it around the course with no jumping penalties but it took her 8 1/2 minutes on a 5 1/2 minute course. I know that his previus owner had problems with disobediance and did not correct it. He is 10 years old and was a level 5 showjumper before we bought him. Our current trainer is very good however he does not like to deal with problems and his solution to almost everything is to simply get a better horse. This horse is super talented and sweet and good in every other area and I think is worthwhile. I have never seen a similiar problem in all the years I have been around horses and wonder if you have any other ideas. She is afraid to hit or spur him as he threatens to rear (he never has) and she has a fear of rearing.

ANSWER: Hello Kelly,

FOLLOW UP:

Hello Kelly,

Yesterday, just as I was previewing my reply the message sent off before I was ready.  I am here in So Cal amid all the wildfires and things are a mess.  I had some more thoughts I wanted to add.  Here they are.  Have your daughter go to a schooling area with small cross country fences somewhere close to home. Pick out two fences that are easy and have her ride the horse from one fence to the other without jumping.  She should be using a pelham bit for this and she should be using a dressage seat instead of forward seat.  This will give her more control over him.  Have her ride back and forth, back and forth until he does not try to pull away.
Then she can jump one fence at a trot, and come to a complete stop as soon as she can after the jump.  Then trot to the other fence, jump and stop. No cantering at this point.  The horse is much easier to control at a trot than at a canter.  Have her work those two fences at a trot until the horse does not even try to go to the barn. Then she can try three with the same "ride to and from, trot to and jump and stop, trot to and jump and stop and so on.  Then if the horse is obedient, and ONLY if he is obedient, she can try the canter.
This may take several hours to accomplish, but it is the way I would do it if I did not have a strong trainer to do the job for me.

Please ask further if you have more questions. For the pelham bit, you can get roundings or couplings for the bit rings so that she only has one rein to hold.  The curb chain must not be set too tight either.  Someone can show you how to adjust it.

Good luck and keep me posted?
Dorothy



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We have another event this weekend and I think she is going to be a little tougher on him. I think this will be OK because the situation is not dangerous, just annoying. If she cannot make any progress this weekend then we will definitely try the exercise you mentioned and I also have a friend that can show him and probably break this habit by punishing him on course. I will keep tou posted, Thanks, kelly.

Answer
OK Kelly,  Please do keep me posted.  I have a special place in my heart for eventers.  We used to tease our event horse by saying to him before it began, "Remember the Alpo Can!"  He always did his best. Perhaps this will help your daughter.  Of course we were teasing, but he must have gotten the message. LOLOL

Dorothy