[ZippsAfterShock]

Okay my western pleasure horse is starting to have a problem with horses coming up behind her in the show ring.
She is fine when she is by herself or with other slow legged horses but there is a pretty good share of fast horse in my classes that come flying around us.
At the last show one came right up around us and she started bucking and rising her head up and down. And the time before that i was riding english at a fun show for the 2rd time every riding english & i was nervous at first anyways and then when they asked to lope she heard all the other horse coming up behind her and didnt even want to lope and then she ended up rearing and i fell off so yeah that didnt help anything...

Does anyone know anything to help or have the same problem?Thanks

[phorelockless]

Do you have any friends you could practice this with at home. Just work on riding along the rail and having your friends come up behind you over and over again. Your mare will eventually figure out that theres nothing to worry about and will be normal

You could also take her in a pleasure warm up class if you don't have this option.

[AMD]

Unless she is firing, don't punish her. If she kicks out, bucks or lunges at them, its alright to take her head around and kick her butt. But, this is usually a sign that they don't trust their rider to take care of them and they are thinking they have to defend themself and you. Is it certain colored horses??

Re-assure her when she is nervous about her. Let her chill out and walk and just keep petting her. She will soon learn that your going to take care of her and not punish her for being scared and thinking she needs to be all tough.

Also, how much as she been shown?? On the rail?? Patterns?? This could be a problem of burning out and her needing a new job for a while as well.

[ZippsAfterShock]

Originally Posted by AMD

Unless she is firing, don't punish her. If she kicks out, bucks or lunges at them, its alright to take her head around and kick her butt. But, this is usually a sign that they don't trust their rider to take care of them and they are thinking they have to defend themself and you. Is it certain colored horses??
No there isnt a certain color horse. Just the speed of the horse.

Re-assure her when she is nervous about her. Let her chill out and walk and just keep petting her. She will soon learn that your going to take care of her and not punish her for being scared and thinking she needs to be all tough.


Also, how much as she been shown?? On the rail?? Patterns?? This could be a problem of burning out and her needing a new job for a while as well.

She is show and rode just about all year she gets about a month off in the winter. Last year she was shown in AQHA and this year we are doing local shows, CMHA, and probably at the end of july we would start doing MQHA again.
She does Showmanship, Western Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, and Trail.
And this up coming show im thinking about doing a few English classes to get so more points for states.
But we have a show just about every weekend.

THanks for the Advice

[ZippsAfterShock]

Originally Posted by phorelockless

Do you have any friends you could practice this with at home. Just work on riding along the rail and having your friends come up behind you over and over again. Your mare will eventually figure out that theres nothing to worry about and will be normal


You could also take her in a pleasure warm up class if you don't have this option.

yeah that is what my trainer said we are gonna do when i come there he has this big friesian that he rides sometimes and he is gonna ride right up behind her a few times and that should help solve something hopefully

[Canadian Sage]

I would definitally do what one of the others suggested. Get some friends or other people to come and ride past you at all gaits. Don't move on to a faster gait until your mare is calm and understands that nothing is going to happen.

IF you know a friend that has a horse that doesn't mind if your mares pins her ears, or threatens to kick, have htem come ride RIGHT up beside you (so you guys are almost touching) but safely, and then go past...she probably doesn't like being too crowded either.....

Good luck!

[ZippsAfterShock]

Originally Posted by Canadian Sage

I would definitally do what one of the others suggested. Get some friends or other people to come and ride past you at all gaits. Don't move on to a faster gait until your mare is calm and understands that nothing is going to happen.

IF you know a friend that has a horse that doesn't mind if your mares pins her ears, or threatens to kick, have htem come ride RIGHT up beside you (so you guys are almost touching) but safely, and then go past...she probably doesn't like being too crowded either.....

Good luck!

Yeah it sounds like it should work thanks for the help

[AMD]

She is show and rode just about all year she gets about a month off in the winter.

Some horses can handle such a schedule, some cannot. I know horses that can show year round with no breaks and do it everyweekend with 3 day shows and be happy and a clam, some that by the end of the summer only showing 10 one-day shows are burnt. Every horse is different. Did this behavior just start or has she always been a little bit like this?

[ZippsAfterShock]

Originally Posted by AMD

Some horses can handle such a schedule, some cannot. I know horses that can show year round with no breaks and do it everyweekend with 3 day shows and be happy and a clam, some that by the end of the summer only showing 10 one-day shows are burnt. Every horse is different. Did this behavior just start or has she always been a little bit like this?

No she just started doing it, thats why i dont really understand whats wrong now

[Lou3]

Take her away from the situation. I would give her a couple of months of from showing and just make riding fun for her again, particularly riding with other horses, go out on trail rides, run a couple of pole bending patterns, let her learn to enjoy riding again.
I know this isnt ideal in the middle of a show season but it does sound like she's soured of the show ring.
Dont "school" her for a few weeks and when you do take her back into the show ring put a red ribbon in her tail to warn other riders to steer clear.
Also you might like to check that she isnt having issues in the field with being bullied by other horses. This might make her wary of other horses behind her. Observe her in the paddock for a few hours and if there is a problem get her out of that paddock and into one where she can feel safe and unthreatened by other horses.