Jerry's Story

I met Jerry, like Herman, at the public riding place.
Jerry was a big, long, lanky thoroughbred, who was as cranky as he was long.
Everybody hated him.....and he hated everybody.
He'd try to smash you in the standing stall when you groomed him; bit at you when you tried to put on tack, and threatened to kick when he saw you coming with a saddle. Beginners and intermediates were not allowed to ride him.....he had a nasty habit of just stopping, as if to say, "that's enough" and no amount of kicking or crop use would budge him beyond a grudging walk. Even though the advanced riders hated him, getting assigned to him was a sign of having arrived to the advanced levels.
Jerry's mind was always working.....and usually up to no good. If ever I have seen a horse that mutters, it would be Jerry. His lips were always moving in a tense pattern....he even looked like a sour old man muttering at all the craziness around him!
One of the instructors, who was taking dressage lessons, decided that Jerry just needed something different.....and dressage was just the thing. He envisioned Jerry as becoming more soft and forgiving and being used by beginners.
NOT.
Dressage made him worse. Jerry was just too long and lanky to even try to collect. He was heavy on the forehand, and no amount of impulsion could make it go away.
Jerry had been a racehorse for most of his life.....all he had to do was run along with everybody else. At the age of 9 he was sold as a hunter/jumper prospect and had a decent run doing that. But, the under saddle classes and pleasure classes were not his thing.....and someone picked him up to be a steeplechaser. By this time, Jerry was getting way too old for that, and did not do well in the money side.
We did notice that he perked up when we started practicing with cavalletti....he really seemed focused during those sessions. Even the students remarked that he went best through the cavaletti. So, on a whim, we decided to set up a cross-rail on some laid down barrels.
As soon as Jerry saw the little jump, there was a massive change in him. His ears came forward (Jerry's ears were NEVER forward), his head came up and he stared at it. Even coming to it at a trot, Jerry pulled on the reins. He wanted to go. The little hop seemed to be a let-down for him, but he was turned around and hopped over it again. Wow, what a difference in his appearance. So we let him canter over it. The girl riding him had not done much jumping, so she was basically steering. He stared the jump down, changed his stride as needed and took off.....3' higher than the jump! Perfect form, tucked up knees, rounded back.....and when he landed he was looking for another one!
Later, just for kicks, we took him over a jump with a pole across the tops of the standing barrels; he went for it and sailed over it and was just oh so proud of himself!
Unfortunately, the stables was not allowed to teach jumping, because of the liability involved. But we instructors would get on him and jump him every so often.
And wouldn't you know......he was so happy he even let the beginners do their thing with him.
On a sour note......he could no longer be a trail horse......he kept looking for things to jump and would jump them.....whether the rider wanted to or not!!
Eventually one of the advanced students who wanted to take jumping lessons bought him to use. I had heard that the stables he went to bought him from her to use as a school horse (again) and that he was a great baby-sitter for the beginner jumpers.

All he needed was the chance to do and be what he wanted.