A little rant!

[StableMum]

It costs a lot of time and effort to get to PetPlans so it's so frustrating when a random person watching has a huge very loud coughing fit just as the horse is coming towards them across the diagonal. Horse totally terrified and movement lost. All she could say was sorry I've been trying to hold it in. Well you could have moved away. And the test was going so nicely. I know some things are unavoidable but that was totally avoidable. Rant over.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I know it's frustrating, and this might be just me, but you can't control the environment 100% of the time. As you get to the bigger shows there will be a lot more going on than a coughing fit, imagine if you got a clap one day! Chalk it down as spook busting for horse maybe..

 

[StableMum]

Oh I know, we've had far worse, she was lucky enough to get to Hartpury last summer and was completely freaked out by people in the tiered seating in the main arena! The trouble with having a sensitive mare, but that's what makes her what she is.

 

[RachelFerd]

I mean I had a full on screaming and wailing toddler having a tantrum by E when I rode in a 2** eventing dressage last year... And parent didn't even move it. I think a cough and an apology isn't much to stress about?!

 

[Cortez]

Dressage is such a strange sport. We're supposed to be training for the ultimate in obedience, attentiveness to the rider, etc. and yet the horses don't seem to be able to cope with life. If someone can't even cough without a horse losing it's mind......

When I was competing I made sure the horses got out and about precisely for that reason. They have to be able to just get on with it no matter what happens around them.

I know that Carl Hester likes to get his young horses out to demos precisely for this reason.

 

[StableMum]

I totally agree. A work in progress.

 

[shortstuff99]

This is why I prefer busy, noisy shows as then all the sounds blend into one. If it is really quiet then a small sound can catch them out, they don't notice if everything is noisy ?.

 

[MissTyc]

At RC qualifiers, I had someone open a bag of crisps with a huge pop, drop half of them on the floor with a krkrkrkrkr sound and then stuff her hand into the pack and scramble around for a handful all in the space of a 4 second halt at E ... the spectator/saboteur was precisely at E ... Thankfully I was on my gelding who only seemed mildly annoyed that no one was offering him a crisp. My mare would have been completely sabotaged. In fact, my mare famously darted across the entire arena after landing a fence because someone about half a mile away in the gallery took off their jumper. Couldn't really blame the spectator for that one ... (we actually only realised what she'd spooked at after watching the video). It is annoying and when you have a sensitive horse in their zone, it's hard to teach them not to be bothered by things. I have both types of the horse and the difference is very much one of personality. I have taught the mare not to reac but she still tenses, loses balance, etc .. The gelding, however, just doesn't really mind.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

At RC qualifiers, I had someone open a bag of crisps with a huge pop, drop half of them on the floor with a krkrkrkrkr sound and then stuff her hand into the pack and scramble around for a handful all in the space of a 4 second halt at E ... the spectator/saboteur was precisely at E ... Thankfully I was on my gelding who only seemed mildly annoyed that no one was offering him a crisp. My mare would have been completely sabotaged. In fact, my mare famously darted across the entire arena after landing a fence because someone about half a mile away in the gallery took off their jumper. Couldn't really blame the spectator for that one ... (we actually only realised what she'd spooked at after watching the video). It is annoying and when you have a sensitive horse in their zone, it's hard to teach them not to be bothered by things. I have both types of the horse and the difference is very much one of personality. I have taught the mare not to reac but she still tenses, loses balance, etc .. The gelding, however, just doesn't really mind.

I was competing in a Hunter class at the Sunshine Tour one year, and we were cantering behind a horse who was really kicking off, bucking, cantering sideways, leaping etc etc which then set off the horse behind us, so he was surrounded by it and he was foot perfect. We were then standing in the lineup waiting to do a trot up and he farted and spooked himself so badly that he almost tripped himself up.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

This rant is one of the most dressage-y things I've ever read ?

You're of course entitled to your rant, OP. It just sort of lives up to a certain stereotype.

Don't get me wrong I'd he annoyed too, but mostly at myself and then I'd have to reflect on my training a bit. Mine has a bit of a flare for drama, and if I don't laugh about it, I'd go insane, quite frankly ? although he's really cool about many things that would send other equines into orbit, so go figure.

He spooked at his own fresh pile of poo once, when he was younger . That was a real highlight ?

 

[Widgeon]

I was competing in a Hunter class at the Sunshine Tour one year, and we were cantering behind a horse who was really kicking off, bucking, cantering sideways, leaping etc etc which then set off the horse behind us, so he was surrounded by it and he was foot perfect. We were then standing in the lineup waiting to do a trot up and he farted and spooked himself so badly that he almost tripped himself up.

Oh dear, this has made my morning. Horses. Why DO we have them? I don't know how judges keep a straight face sometimes.

He spooked at his own fresh pile of poo once, when he was younger . That was a real highlight ?

Also excellent.

 

[Cortez]

I once concluded a test that had been ridden in a thunderstorm with a salute that showered the front of the saddle, horse's shoulders and my lap with hailstones that had collected in the brim of my hat (topper). But that wasn't even the best bit: as soon as I'd done that, the judge's table was STRUCK BY LIGHTENING. Thankfully he had stood up to return the salute and wasn't touching it. The writer was thrown off her chair. My dear little horse carried on throughout, doing his best.

*This was in the American mid-west, where weather is a bit more extreme than in these parts.....

 

[Poingsettia]

I once concluded a test that had been ridden in a thunderstorm with a salute that showered the front of the saddle, horse's shoulders and my lap with hailstones that had collected in the brim of my hat (topper). But that wasn't even the best bit: as soon as I'd done that, the judge's table was STRUCK BY LIGHTENING. Thankfully he had stood up to return the salute and wasn't touching it. The writer was thrown off her chair. My dear little horse carried on throughout, doing his best.

*This was in the American mid-west, where weather is a bit more extreme than in these parts.....

??

 

[PurBee]

I had a sneezing fit while grooming my gelding the other day - he stood there remaining still but he followed with an eye-rolling yawning fit!
I didnt realise until that moment he hadn’t experienced me making such strange noises close-up to him…the things we have to de-sensitise them to are innumerable.

 

[Hallo2012]

if a cough, a human coughing...one human coughing.....puts the horse off THAT badly........you need to do more homework!

get out to bigger busier noisy shows and accept that life happens and shows do not demand silence (especially for completely unavoidable bodily functions such as coughing).

 

[teddypops]

I did a dressage test in an indoor arena with a pigeon flying around and crashing into the walls. My pony was very spooked by it but held it together for a win!

 

[silv]

I did my musical at a big championship show recently serenaded by the gibbons From the wildlife park adjacent to the venue. It was hilarious as they could be heard over the music. My horse doesn’t care about such things thankfully

 

[oldie48]

Having a lesson with the lovely Adam Kemp on Mr B who was a bit "sensitive" around other horses, I was more focused on issuing instructions to the other riders in the arena than to Adam's words of wisdom. Eventually he shouted to me, "why not learn to control the horse you are riding rather than everyone else's horse. You might find that a more effective strategy" and he was (as usual) completely correct.

 

[StableMum]

if a cough, a human coughing...one human coughing.....puts the horse off THAT badly........you need to do more homework!

get out to bigger busier noisy shows and accept that life happens and shows do not demand silence (especially for completely unavoidable bodily functions such as coughing).

I would just like to say that it's not the coughing that upset me, these things happen, it was the fact that she admitted she had been trying to hold it in so surely she could have moved away to be sure. The fact that she couldn't hold if any longer resulted in an explosion right in the horses face which is clearly heard on the video. Myself I would be devastated if I thought my thoughtlessness had cost someone marks.

 

[Hallo2012]

I would just like to say that it's not the coughing that upset me, these things happen, it was the fact that she admitted she had been trying to hold it in so surely she could have moved away to be sure. The fact that she couldn't hold if any longer resulted in an explosion right in the horses face which is clearly heard on the video. Myself I would be devastated if I thought my thoughtlessness had cost someone marks.

its a COUGH.......if she dropped a drum kit or started singing opera-maybe slightly off putting but a cough? a cough?!

and she clearly tried to hold it in but couldn't and perhaps felt moving from her seat/place would be more of a distraction? then there would be moaning about "inconsiderate people changing seats"????!!!!!

however if you look at the championships you will have far more to contend with than coughing, or changing seats so probably best to work on noises and concentration at home a bit more and be realistic in what you expect from a show environment.

 

[StableMum]

its a COUGH.......if she dropped a drum kit or started singing opera-maybe slightly off putting but a cough? a cough?!

and she clearly tried to hold it in but couldn't and perhaps felt moving from her seat/place would be more of a distraction? then there would be moaning about "inconsiderate people changing seats"????!!!!!

however if you look at the championships you will have far more to contend with than coughing, or changing seats so probably best to work on noises and concentration at home a bit more and be realistic in what you expect from a show environment.

Something that clearly needs working on.. She was very spooked at the Nationals at Hartpury in the indoor arena in the summer and Petplans at Arena in the autumn, so lots to do.

 

[I'm Dun]

I school mine in the field with the sheep darting about and turkeys gobbling and often following. My instructor thinks I'm nuts but I just expect them to get on with it, and they do. There will be so many things that can upset them, its not the individual things you need to work on, its their response to things they dont like. Once you and they can manage that it doesnt matter if its a person coughing or a brass band marching by.

 

[little_critter]

I went to my first AF last year, just as I turned up the centre line, the tannoy right behind me fired up and we started our test looking like someone had slapped him on the arse. It took several movements to get him back and after that he went into his shell so a bit if a write off really.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I've had kids runaround in a seated gallery flipping the seats up and down, and a chap hiding behind a wall at B purposely opening bags of crisps and rustling the packets. I realised his daughter was in after me and guess what, no hiding and no crisps. It was noticed by quite a few people. Other than that we have had the usual slamming doors, umbrellas etc. You just have to get on with it.

 

[Red-1]

Mr Red came to support me at a dressage some years ago, as it was a feisty mare I was riding. She actually went brilliantly, but Mr Red was well and truly chastised in the warmup...

Mine was an event horse doing some winter dressage, but I would not use a whip in tests as we didn't use them eventing. I followed my usual plan, initial warmup with the whip, hand to Mr Red and do the last few minutes without, before going into the actual arena.

Mr Red was not flamboyant with the whip once I handed it to him, but he had found a fellow horse-widow/supporter to chat to, and he had the bottom of the schooling whip dug into the sand, with a little downward tension, and was twirling circles. The end of the whip never moved. The handle of the whip was also static in his hand, it was just the middle bit that bulged a bit and twirled discreet, silent circles. He was standing in the corner of the arena, a little back from where the horses were working.

A woman trotted by, lost control of her horse, was red faced and flustered and started shouting at him! Poor Mr Red, although he had little sympathy and did comment afterwards that if that had been me, who couldn't control the horse while such a minor distraction was going on, he would have disowned me!

I did my first Ele test on one horse, it was raining and the car park / pedestrian area was close to the arena. I had just started my trot round prior to going in, when my horse saw an onlooker with a fully inflated golf umbrella and a pram with plastic cover/window. The horse stopped dead, goggle eyed, and refused to move. In fairness, he would have to go very close to the umbrella. We reached an impasse for some moments, I actually thought that our first ele test would be just me, not getting round to the entrance, when the spectator asked if it was them who was the issue, and would I like them to put the umbrella down? My reply was that no, I was having difficulty because my horse was being a pratt! But yes, if they would like to put the umbrella down it would be welcome. That is a different feeling to blaming someone.

For some time after, my lessons were conducted with the trainer carrying an umbrella. I could soon carry an umbrella whilst mounted. I could do the umbrella dance over the horse's head. Friends were invited round for tea, to watch training next to the arena, with an umbrella. Inflated umbrellas were scattered on the arena whilst we worked. One was tied to the fence. We did our homework and got over umbrellas!

I do think that a horse should cope with a cough. I dare say, as someone else has mentioned, that you would have been equally upset had she shuffled round to move. I highly recommend group lessons, preferably with kids, who bring brothers, sisters, parents and prams to watch, to proof horses.

 

[Ossy2]

Rant away it is very annoying I don’t dispute that, been there got the T-shirt. But I’d be more annoyed my horse spooked at someone sneezing than the sneezing itself. It does make me laugh somewhat that dressage is meant to be the pinochle of flat work training yet it’s always dressage that seems to have issues with spooky horses, or horses that can’t cope with price givings ect. But yet showjumpers and showing folk not so much.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm a bit baffled that a coughing fit could apparently cause so much upset.

Back in my competing days, both horse and I would be concentrating so hard during a dressage test that all sorts could be happening just outside the arena and we would be oblivious to it all. We just blocked it out.

 

[[153312]]

Yes OP, I agree that realising you've missed off something so crucial as teaching the horse to remain focused on you must be terribly frustrating, mustn't it?

 

[StableMum]

Yes OP, I agree that realising you've missed off something so crucial as teaching the horse to remain focused on you must be terribly frustrating, mustn't it?

That's a bit unnecessary

 

[GreyDot]

My previous horse could deal with umbrellas, flowers, torrential hailstorms (without any lightening hitting judges table, I may add - that's a thoroughly terrifying story @Cortez ) but apparently patches of sunlight shining through an indoor were the very Pits of Hell and ended up with us getting eliminated due to arsing about for too long up the centre line. Amusingly (for me) the competitor following me (who had laughed at my antics) had exactly the same problem and their horse also refused to be sacrificed to Lucifer and that bell rang again.
Horses. Bless their tender souls. How they ever survive in the wild...