Advice please??

[Loupride]

This one is really for the eventers I suppose but all imput is greatly appreciated

Ok, so I took P to his first ODE in about 2 years last week. He loved it

however his enthusiasm did not make for a great dressage test!!! I got my sheet back last night and I have to say it was probably the worst test we ever rode

We have never had a 5 before let alone a 4

Now don't get me wrong, our marks were deserved, he was like a little ticking bomb, ready to go at any given chance. So my question is how do you all keep your horses so calm, when they know that in a few hours time they will be going XC? P literally hit the grass in a snaffle and thought "Wahoo"

Maybe it's just plain schooling and maybe it's just because we have done so little this year due to the weather?

I should also add, P is NOT an eventer, we only take him a couple of times a year for a change, to keep his mind active

 

[Petrie]

I think you've answered the question yourself, really! It's partly a case of taking them often enough so it becomes less exciting, and partly schooling so they're well disciplined in the first place. But as we all know, no amount of schooling will make much different if they get really wound up!

But also it's part and parcel of eventing: keeping fit horses calm enough to do a test, and yet sharp enough to gallop round the cross country. It's part of the competition.

Some never stay calm for the stressage, however hard their jockeys try!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Poor you, comiserations I do RC dressage on my pony and we allways do fairly well. Went to the first show with her new field companion recently and she was a hag - head in the air, calling, napping, cantering during free walk on a long rein. I guess its just a case of schooling and repetition. I hope in opur case if we go out ofetn enough together it will become the norm!

 

[SpottedCat]

When he's lit up - usually at the first event of the season, I stick him on the lunge in side reins for half an hour and let him work it off - lots of trot and canter. Plus I tend to event several times in a row then break for a bit, then go again, as the more he does, the calmer he gets. Day before dressage is always a good plan (no tannoy to signify the XC you see!).

All in all though, he's pretty sane so I tend not to have to do too much more than a 20minute work in.