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  Discussion on Lack of Effort.
Author Message
Member:
redback

Posted on Saturday, Apr 5, 2008 - 6:00 pm:

Hi All:
I have a 5yo standardbred mare. We gave her to a trainer and she showed promise and ended up putting in a good trial before racing.
Between trial and race trainer decided to get stifle injected with iodine (see other posts).
At her first start some 7 days later she was prominant and then broke gait on home turn. It was after this we found she was very sore in stifle, as a result of the injection. We fixed this.
At second start, she was entering the home straight when the driver went to pull ear plugs and horse ran into horse outside then was pushed back down the track only to have horse behind her step into her cart and fall over, this caused her to come to an immediate stop.
At the third start she was prominant then gave up coming to home turn. We spelled her.
She has come back and all was well then last week while doing a piece of fast work the trainer reported that she again showed this giving up business. The trainer reported that she showed no distress and her heart rate indicated that she had not worked real hard (86bpm)The trainer advised that they would no longer be continuing with her.
Obviously I did not argue or suggest that maybe they might like to help find an answer, as there is nothing worse than a trainer that takes a set against your horse, she has kicked them a few times.
So I'm looking for a new trainer, however the big question is what do we do to get her to stop not trying? She had never previously shown this and I'm convinced that she is totally sound and healthy.

Regards
Geoff
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Sunday, Apr 6, 2008 - 12:21 am:

Hi Geoff,

I know nothing about race training, but I have seen jumpers sour when they have been (in their own view) over-faced. Does your mare like to win? Can you set her up to "win" some short training sessions (give her victory before her quit point), and then build her up slowly to distance? Of course you'd want to be as careful as possible to avoid any kind of surprises that might put her off.

Just a thought. I'm ignorant in your sport, but I have encountered horses that behave (to human eyes) as if they were sensitive to failure....

Let us know what you try and what happens please.

- Elizabeth
Member:
paardex

Posted on Sunday, Apr 6, 2008 - 4:00 am:

I certainly agree with Elizabeth about horses frightened of failure. Have had several showjumpers like that and if you succeed to build confidence they try very hard but at first they refused every effort.[Easier to see in a showjumper though they stop or try to avoid the obstacle]
With her history a 'mental' problem because of the first to encounters seems a possibility.
Change of trainer seems important to me and perhaps slowly getting her on track with 'winning at home' from a mate a few times?
But as you have already gathered my horses are showjumpers so perhaps the advice is not to 'sound'
Curious what you will decide though let us know please!
Jos
Member:
redback

Posted on Sunday, Apr 6, 2008 - 5:54 am:

Thanks for your ideas Elizabeth and Jos. What you say makes sense. I'm not sure if it a lack of confidence or a decision not to get hurt, maybe it's both? I'm interested in as many ideas as I can get, I'll certainly discuss this with a new trainer I hope to find this week.

Regards
Geoff
Member:
tbowner4

Posted on Monday, Apr 7, 2008 - 10:47 pm:

The advise given to you is very sound. My only suggestion to the issue is that first you have to get her over the fear of the experiences that she has encountered by first giving her some time off to recoup from the experiences, then slowly retrain her to the track by setting up some good experiences of training followed by setting her up to win with others while training. I do know how hard it is to get other persons to work with you to reteach you mare to win as most don't want to teach theirs to lose; however, with a lot of effort you may find someone to do that. I would teach at home first then take to the track. A trainer that takes more time and patience with her seems to be the key if she is kicking at the trainer. Sounds like she has developed a resistance to the whole situation. Redoing those experience will take time and patience as well as starting at home with her and moving up again.
That is the only way she will overcome the fear and start trying again. Good luck.
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