What to do about shows?

horse345 · 12-01-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magic_rider

Rescue remedy is the best thing ever, you can use it on you and your horse to calm you both down and it works really well, it comes in a little bottle with a dropper and you just squeeze a few drops into your horses mouth, i knew a few people who use it and everyone thinks it works really well.

Yes! We use this on humans who have nerves and on dogs who get scared during thunderstorms. It really has a calming effect.

Zippolympic · 12-01-2007, 01:39 PM

Relaxing supplements are also a great thing to use. You just have to find the right one for your horse. My old horse used to be on one for a little bit (you don't have to put your horse on it everyday, just at shows if you want).

AQHAgurl · 12-08-2007, 11:04 PM

I have a mare that was just like that when she was young. I took her to shows and as soon as we got there took her out and lunged, lunged, lunged! The first few times I didn't even ride, just lunged her until she was tired, then walked her around, took her back to the trailer and brushed her and made her stand around. I made her stand in the trailer for a few hours too (only in mild weather). Now she's really good about going places. Most of it is just experience, but I think giving them something to do as soon as you get there is the easiest way to deal with it. If they're standing around they're gonna look for trouble, so don't even give them that chance.

Haas Horse Farm · 12-08-2007, 11:21 PM

Haul the horse other places to ride... Take her trail riding... take her to a friends and ride. Ride her to town (not sure where you live so I do not know if this is feasible... but my trainer lives across the street from a sports complex... He rides young ones over by there with kids, soccer balls and all sort of stuff going on.)

If you have any arenas that have ride nights... haul her over their... as others have said... braid and tack and wrap the horse like you would for show... Just get the horse places so it learns that noise and crowds are not a big deal. Haul the horse to a ball game and leave it in the trailer or if there is a spot where you can hear the noise and it is open un-mowed grass that you know has not been sprayed with insecticides, etc. unload the horse and let it graze.

JKetsche · 12-10-2007, 01:00 AM

When you get to the grounds, take some time to go on a long, long hack around. If you have a friend, go together. Just walk on as loose a rein as you can (chatting with a friend can be helpful to keep YOU relaxed!) and soothe your horse when she gets nervous. Spend as much time as you need just ambling around. Do that at each show until she's so relaxed it's no biggie. Give yourself a long warm-up of lots of ambling walk before your class, too. Make sure your nerves don't translate.

Best of luck!

AutumnAttic · 12-10-2007, 06:20 AM

Sometimes, the horse will feed off you.
Maybe you are a little nervous too.
Sing your ABCs while you ride, or a different little song thatll help you relax.
You have to be 100% calm for her to calm down

1rish · 12-10-2007, 04:00 PM

Take her places. Take her to every little local saddle club show you can find and ride her in the warmup arena or just leave her tied to the trailer.

Pay trailer in fees to use other facilities to school.

Make it a point to trailer her somewhere new every week.

honeydoozy · 12-10-2007, 04:13 PM

We're having a sort of similar issue right now - the WonderHorse is all angelic and focused in the warm up... but as soon as the bell rings and the judge is looking... he loses his mind. It's like a switch turns on and we're off!

My strategy is to just go to as many shows as possible, and hopefully just sort of work through it, so that the whole "show" thing is second nature - just another location for the same old work. My advice to you would be to simply expose your horse to as much new stuff as you can, and with time and experience, hopefully she'll settle down to business and relax.

Good luck!

Roxy93 · 12-11-2007, 06:33 PM

Thanks everyone! I think it's just something we need to work on. I've never used the calming stuff before. Can someone tell me about it?

12-10-2007, 01:00 AM	#15
JKetsche Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 1,855 Images: 3	When you get to the grounds, take some time to go on a long, long hack around. If you have a friend, go together. Just walk on as loose a rein as you can (chatting with a friend can be helpful to keep YOU relaxed!) and soothe your horse when she gets nervous. Spend as much time as you need just ambling around. Do that at each show until she's so relaxed it's no biggie. Give yourself a long warm-up of lots of ambling walk before your class, too. Make sure your nerves don't translate. Best of luck! __________________ "Please contact the Administrator if your date of birth has changed."

12-10-2007, 06:20 AM	#16
AutumnAttic Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Michigan U.S.A. Posts: 5,600 Images: 108	Sometimes, the horse will feed off you. Maybe you are a little nervous too. Sing your ABCs while you ride, or a different little song thatll help you relax. You have to be 100% calm for her to calm down __________________ Amber I've been snowballed.

12-10-2007, 04:00 PM	#17
1rish Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Doing Laundry Posts: 1,530 Images: 35	Take her places. Take her to every little local saddle club show you can find and ride her in the warmup arena or just leave her tied to the trailer. Pay trailer in fees to use other facilities to school. Make it a point to trailer her somewhere new every week. __________________ Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

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12-01-2007, 01:39 PM	#12
Zippolympic Full Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 152	Relaxing supplements are also a great thing to use. You just have to find the right one for your horse. My old horse used to be on one for a little bit (you don't have to put your horse on it everyday, just at shows if you want).

12-08-2007, 11:04 PM	#13
AQHAgurl Full Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 38 Images: 1	I have a mare that was just like that when she was young. I took her to shows and as soon as we got there took her out and lunged, lunged, lunged! The first few times I didn't even ride, just lunged her until she was tired, then walked her around, took her back to the trailer and brushed her and made her stand around. I made her stand in the trailer for a few hours too (only in mild weather). Now she's really good about going places. Most of it is just experience, but I think giving them something to do as soon as you get there is the easiest way to deal with it. If they're standing around they're gonna look for trouble, so don't even give them that chance.

12-10-2007, 04:13 PM	#18
honeydoozy Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2005 Location: sunny so. california Posts: 1,765 Images: 51	We're having a sort of similar issue right now - the WonderHorse is all angelic and focused in the warm up... but as soon as the bell rings and the judge is looking... he loses his mind. It's like a switch turns on and we're off! My strategy is to just go to as many shows as possible, and hopefully just sort of work through it, so that the whole "show" thing is second nature - just another location for the same old work. My advice to you would be to simply expose your horse to as much new stuff as you can, and with time and experience, hopefully she'll settle down to business and relax. Good luck!

12-11-2007, 06:33 PM	#19
Roxy93 Full Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 229 Images: 1	Thanks everyone! I think it's just something we need to work on. I've never used the calming stuff before. Can someone tell me about it?