Advice about behaviour at shows

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Hi

I have a general question about behaviour at shows.

At home I am insistent on good manners. He has to stand still to be tacked up and when I mount and has to wait to move off until I ask.

But at shows, where everything is more exciting and he feels like he has to move his feet, I am more lenient as I would rather direct that energy than have a fight over things.

My question is should I insist on the same behaviour in an exciting situation or just take what I can in the hope that one day things will not seem so exciting and he will be more able to keep his feet still and continue to avoid having a fight!
 
Not quite the same thing, but I'm a lot more lenient with my children when we're out and about than at home. If you watch Super Nanny she says it wrong. You should be the same out and about as you are at home, otherwise they will wise up to what you are doing and just play up knowing they are now going to get told off.

Now back to the point... I'd personally let him be a bit more on his toes at shows, rather than have to fight it out, but if he started pushing the boundaries too far, then I'd start insisting on more manners etc.
 
good question. i think it depends how excitable he is and how many outings he's been on. if he's been to a lot and should know better i would probably insist on standing still to be mounted etc. however if it's all you can do to leap on while he's decided he's on the move and he hasn't been to many parties, i would leave it for now rather than starting an argument with him and hope it will get less exciting each time. i just clamber on board mine as quickly as possible and leave him to it, and he's been better on every outing so far.
 
Well with my youngster, I took him to his first show and did some training there with him. He was very excited, totally out of character. So I entered one class and assessed what was going wrong, and then I spent an hour or two just working with him and rewarding him for behaving. This really calmed him down and he fell asleep- it also meant I could tack him up, brush him off and just in general keep calm. I wasn't strict- because he's a baby and I think it's good for him to look at these things, so I just reinforced the great behaviours and the calm behaviours and it paid off :) !
 
I expect them to be more on their toes, but ask them to behave as they do at home. If they can't quite manage it then I try to stay calm and get on with the job, rather than react by telling them off and making an issue of things (within reason!). I took my 5 year old mare cubbing for the first time this morning - the poppet thought she ought to just quietly take herself off and work in quietly in the corner of the field as soon as I got on and it didn't even seem to occur to her to look at the hounds or nap towards the other horses being unloaded. Her face when she realised she was allowed to move off with the group was a total picture. I only started taking her out to parties in May and I am hoping the persistant requests that she focus on me and ignore everything else are starting to pay off..... (crosses fingers and touches wood madly).
 
Ours are expected to behave regardless, at a show it might be behaving but with more energy (they will stand, but it will be as if they have hot coals under their feet!). Both of them are smart enough to pick up on changes and will happily take the mick if you go soft! With my mare when she was new to us she was bloomin' hard work to take out and about as she wouldn't be still for a moment. Just corrected her as we had to at home, and expected the same good behaviour. She is now a pleasure to do as she knows what is expected. She is obviously still excited to be out, but easy to do as the bounderies are just the same for her as at home. Worth persevering with imho as it just makes everything easier!
 
ThePony said:
... (they will stand, but it will be as if they have hot coals under their feet!)... She is now a pleasure to do as she knows what is expected. She is obviously still excited to be out, but easy to do as the bounderies are just the same for her as at home. Worth persevering with imho as it just makes everything easier!
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Exactly what I was trying to say :D
 
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