Question # 125: I have a question about bravery in the field and jumping without schooling first.
My big horse is also a big chicken - when he's alone. If other horses are around he's quite brave and very tactile. If you can get him to touch it - he'll jump it. He enjoys jumping. His ears prick up and you can fel him really pulling you to the fence. But he is so spooky if there are no other horses with us. If no one else is working in the ring, I have to have a babysitter horse in there with us when I jump. This fear of him being so spooky alone has been one of the major obstacles keeping me from competing. We have lots of fun schooling cross country because I can walk him up to it, let him touch it, jump it and move on. Once he's jumped it I can put him together and have multiple fences in a row. I don't know that I could get him to a new place and have him jump BN fences without schooling... and there won't be any buddies out there either. Do you have any suggestions on how I can help build his confidence when along and how to get him to jump without schooling first? (Carolyn)
Hi Carolyn!
This can be a tough problem unfortunately, and is a reason some horses just will not make Event horses. But I have some ideas of things for you to try! First of all, I would... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
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