Any advice for our 1st outing

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coen

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I would greatly appreciate any tips or advice you can share. It is my horses first outing ever and my first in years and years.

I intend to take him to a clear round on monday evening as I thought it would a low key affair and will be going with a friend and his new young horse who is also green and a little nappy.

The thing is my lovely boy is a bit of a git at times and is currently going through a phase of napping and rearing.

I don't expect everything to go according to plan but I do hope to make things as easy for him as possible - with me staying intact.

I was wondering what the best procedure is:
How early should I arrive?
Should I lunge him when I get there?
How can I help him take it all in.?
 
Also meant to add:
The lower classes 2-2'3 are indoor and the bigger classes 2'6-3 are outdoors.
He has been in an indoor but is far more used to the outdoor but I only want to do the 2'3 this time.

Do they tend to have a problem going indoors if it isn't something they do regularly?
 
I'd try to arrive as early as possible, aim to do your clear round as one of the first to go, and then pack up and leave - short and sweet! Try to keep yourself calm as he will pick up on your nerves, and just walk around for the first ten/fifteen minutes, allowing him to take it all in.

One important thought - are the horses also friends? If you are travelling there together, you might find the horses are inseparable once they get there, so decide how you are going to deal with this before you go.

Are you going to ride round together, or try to keep them further apart, so they don't start screaming to each other and over-exciting themselves?

Also don't pick a battle you can't win ie don't ride off in opposite directions if they have bonded on the way there over the partition, and then expect them to behave! My horse never really liked my friend's mare and gave up hacking together as she would try to kick him, but when we both went to the same show, suddenly they were in love and screaming to each other!

I always find getting on is a bit tricky on an excitable horse at a show, so take a mounting block or a strong friend to help hold and leg you up. And if it's all a bit much for you both, just ride round and go home - you don't have to jump the first time out, just enjoy the atmosphere and aim to jump next time!
 
I took my horse to an indoor show, and tagged on to the rosette presentation of the previous class so he could have a look indoors! Might not be possible (or safe, you could find yourself doing a lap of honour :) ) but you could ask if you could walk him in first. Depends on how friendly the venue is.
 
How old is he? To help him take it all in, could you take him & just see how he reacts to a show environment?

I know with the youngsters on our yard, we've found it useful in the past just to take them along to a local show & let them soak up the atmosphere, without asking them to compete the first time. The familiarity does seem to help when they then go out again.

If you get there & he settles, then you can of course enter a class, but this way you take the pressure of you both a little bit.

Also (and please don't take this the wrong way!), if he is going through a phase of napping & rearing, could you think about waiting until you've successfully dealt with these issues at home? If you did go and he really plays up, how much would it damage your confidence, and your partnership?

All the best with it! :)
 
I hadn't considered that, my friends mare only arrived 2 wks ago and I have only ridden with him twice but as my boy is having a nappy stage he may well use her as his comfort blanket. We will be travelling together and I intended to ride separately as she may well make him worse.

That's true I will just go to get him out and about and if it is all a bit much I will just ride in the practice ring for a bit and leave it at that. I think that may well be for the best.

As for the indoor I hadn't thought of asking to have a walk round first, but I will try and seeing as it's only a clear round I don't see them being too awkward.

I always used to lunge my previous horse when I got to shows as she was very hyper and totally neurotic if I didn't so I would lunge her on the grass where the lorry was parked in the show ground, as did many others. Is this allowed now? Obviously I won't be able to do that in the practice ring.

I was intending on turning him out during the day as usual so as not to upset his routine anyway so maybe it isn't necessary.
 
He is 6 and I have had him for a year, ideally I would wait until the issue was resolved but who knows when that may be, he started being a little git in April and despite my best efforts he is continuing to do so at times. He isn't panicked at all when he does it he is merely being stroppy (have had checks, advice ect) I find the only way to deal with it is to ride through it so with that in mind I have decided to carry on as I would normally for the summer and hope for the best - and pray Im not wrong:)
Thanks though you have a very valid point I will leave the actual class this time.
 
I'm not sure about lunging, think it varies between venues. It's a big no at our local centre, but others seem quite happy. Guess you could always call them?

Like I say, I'd be inclined to play it by ear a bit. If you get there & he settles, then brill, ride a class! If it blows his mind a bit, there's nothing lost by not competing, but maybe popping a couple of warm up fences & heading home.

Had a nasty fall off a nappy rearer at a show, think it makes me more cautious than most! For her, it was too much too soon. I should've gone with my gut & not let myself be pushed into competing when we were having so many problems at home. You know your horse & if you're confident you can ride him through it, then go for it!
 
Do you lunge him regularly anyway? If so, then yes, maybe a good idea to lunge. If not, lunging him at the show might just be another thing that will be worrying/exciting for him?
I don't really know though, don't have much experience with youngsters :D
Good luck :)
 
Oh I am really sorry to hear that, it is such a horrible habit. He has only been doing it for around 6 wks now up untill then he was practically perfect, I think it started with a combination of the spring grass and him starting his teenage your not the boss of me stage.
It is always a risk but as his isn't triggered by fear or excitement I don't think it will exaggerate it. Generally he tends to play up and the start and then behaves well - there are exceptions tho.

I do lunge him regularly but it may not be worth it. I will just go and see how he is.

Thanks everyone.
 
arrive nice and early and don't put any pressure on you or him, go with no expectations, stay calm and try to have fun! my baby horse always went better when i had lots of time to ride round before asking her to do anything. Sometime babies are a pain on the ground, so i would say hop on and ride him round for 40mins - 1hr and see how he settles before asking him to do anything taxing! I have never lunged at an event so can't really comment on that, I always feel safter on board thean on the ground with an excited ned! have a fab time :) :)
 
oh and this time last year my mare (now six) started miss-behaving like this, would have a little rear and tantrum, especially when out and about, an evasion type thing or when she didn't want to do something, i wouldn't worry, especially if he's not trying to get you off and you can ride him through it. you'll be pleased to hear my horse has grown out of it now! :)
 
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