Many riders experience the same situation: a horse jumps lightly, confidently and rhythmically in the warm-up. But on course it stops, “shuts down,” loses impulsion or reacts chaotically. The simplest interpretation is: “He doesn’t want to,” “He’s scared,” “He’s testing me.” But modern equine biomechanics and sports medicine clearly show:
If a horse blocks only on the course, this does NOT rule out pain. In fact, the course often reveals the pain that remains invisible during warm-up.
This phenomenon is scientifically documented and visible in veterinary practice at every level of the sport. Why does this happen?
1. A course demands far more coordination and effort than single jumps
A jumping course requires the horse to:
- change pace quickly,
- handle short distances,
- negotiate angled turns,
- jump from suboptimal take-off points,
- respond to rider tension and pressure,
- make rapid decisions.
If the horse has mild pain that does not bother him under easy conditions,
then on the course his body may:
- lose balance,
- struggle to engage the hind end,
- misjudge distances,
- tighten the back,
- enter a conflict of signals,
- “shut down” on approach.
In the warm-up, the horse has more control: he chooses lines, distances and rhythm that feel comfortable. On course he no longer has that choice. Small pains that stay “hidden” in easy conditions often appear only under higher pressure.
2. Sue Dyson’s research (2012–2021): many horses show pain ONLY during demanding tasks
Professor Sue Dyson demonstrated that:
- many horses with pain do not show lameness,
- they appear normal during simple work,
- but exhibit blocking, hesitation or loss of rhythm only in complex movement sequences, such as on course.
This phenomenon is known as: pain-induced performance deficit. In practice, this means a horse:
- may jump well in the warm-up,
- yet have hidden back pain, SI-joint discomfort, muscle tension or micro-injuries,
- which become visible only under stress and higher workload.
⚠ 3. Pain + rider pressure = shut-down, freeze or apparent “lack of willingness”
A horse’s course behavior is not just biomechanics. It’s a complex interaction of:
- pain,
- stress,
- muscle tension,
- rider signals,
- sensory overload.
If the horse feels pain, then:
- fatigue comes faster,
- error tolerance decreases,
- rider aids become harder to process,
- muscular tension increases.
This can look like:
- loss of impulsion,
- unwillingness,
- resistance,
- “shut-down,”
- freeze,
- stopping at the jump.
But in many cases this is not emotion, it’s physical inability to perform the task.
4. A horse “feels pain differently” on the course because it loses the ability to self-regulate
The difference between warm-up and jumping a course is fundamental.
During warm-up the horse:
- moves at lower speed,
- deals with simpler lines,
- has time to organize his body,
- chooses distances and rhythm that feel safe.
On course the horse:
- cannot choose take-off points,
- must adjust faster than in training,
- receives more aids and stimuli,
- has less time to reorganize movement,
- enters turns, short approaches and combinations.
Even minimal pain that the horse can tolerate for one jump may prevent him from performing a whole sequence of jumps under pressure.
This is why some horses jump:
✔ the first fence
✔ the second fence
❌ then stop at the third or halfway through the course
because their body becomes overloaded.
Conclusion: a course reveals pain invisible elsewhere
If a horse:
- jumps well in warm-up,
- but stops or loses impulsion only on course,
this does not mean he is unwilling or fearful.
It may mean:
- pain appears only under higher load,
- the course acts as a stress and effort test,
- the body cannot cope with the complexity of the task.
Therefore:
- First rule out pain.
- Only then analyse stress, emotions and cognitive overload freeze.
This approach is standard in equine sports medicine
and essential for understanding performance issues in jumping horses.