Jump Refusal

Question
Hello,

We bought our pony 10 months ago for my 13 year old.  He has been consistent with jumping and clearly loves it.  Never has he refused just been very excited and jumped everything clear.

However he refused 3 times at the weekend.  First was a refusal in the school at home. Second was in the warm up ring at an event and the 3rd time was jump 9 after clearing jumps 1-8.  He has never ever refused before.

We will be checking his back and tack. Teeth are fine. Some say its just being naughty. Some say he could be bored with it.

He has lots of lovely hacks and events once a month ususally.

Any advice or opinions would be much appreciated.

Answer
Hello!

Boy, this is a tough one!  Usually, if your horse is going on well and then strange little refusals crop up, my first inclination would be to look toward pain issues.  At jump 9, he has been out on course for a while but not really long enough to be tired unless he is going intermediate or advanced!  I'm guessing he is going out novice or training?  How did he handle the rest of the course or did you retire after the refusal?  

Questions cross country can be varied.  If the jumping questions are something that this pony has experienced before, then again, pain issues would be at the forefront.  If the questions are dark into light, angles, drops, or water something that requires more of horse and rider, then I might be thinking that it is more an issue of willingness and education.  This does not explain the refusal at a warm up fence at home.  How did the school end up?  We do have to look to the responsibility of the rider as well.  Is she balanced in the tack, is she off his back and allowing him to jump, is she offering enough of a release over the fence, is she catching him in the mouth prior to take off.  You know the old saying, and I think this came from Jimmy Wofford, when in doubt, wait it out!  Your rider must be sitting up to the fence with an attitude and a feel that says "We are going!"  If her hands are soft and she is riding with a supportive leg, if there is a proper crest release, if she is riding on a nice straight line, all of these things have a major impact on successfully navigating the fence.  Remember, the horse is not in this alone!  If it is not a pain issue, you must look toward the rider and examine what dynamics are going on here.  

So, ride each fence as an individual, ride it correctly, ride to the base of the fence, then sit up and wait with an attitude of "forward"!  Event horses have to be thinkers.  If the horse is forward and the rider is out of the way and supportive, then the horse can feel the need to chip or go long.  Be watching, the refusal is not happening at the base of the fence it is happening about 6-10 strides out!   Be watching here for some possible answers to this puzzle.

Let me know what the vet says.  Fill in some of the missing information and we will go from there!  Event horses rarely get bored!  Scared, yes; bored, never!  If the lower levels are boring, you just move up!  

Keep me posted!  Denise