BD- distractions outside the arena- what would you do?

I think you are missing the point that both LL and I have made (LL far more eloquently than me I might add!)

You CAN practise the movements for a longer arena test in any arena even though you can't use the correct markers - but surely you should not practise the test as it is written anyway, due to anticipation? So I don't understand your problem with that bit at all; that just seems to be making lame excuses to me.

We have all agreed with you that the dodgy owner was well out of order though.
 
How I choose to practice my tests really isn't and never was the issue, or was whether its right or wrong to have a reader!
When I go for a lesson with my BD trainer we run through the whole test once or twice ONLY to ensure I am being accurate with the test. My horse has never anticipated any movement from this. I don't drill her through it again and again- I am experienced enough to know this.

And just to confirm my training and schooling can't be too far out as other than this last incident in the time I have had my horse she has never been out of the top 3 placings which I feel proves in normal circumstances she is being schooled in a correct way.
 
Chose your venue!

Venue selection is not over rigorous, as it is criteria set Nationwide. Better to have a venue with parking next to the arena, than to force al rider in that location to drive 50 miles to an alternative. It does mean that there is a variation of standard.

Going somewhere once and having different experiences will only benefit horse & rider - if you like it go back, if not move on
 
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The comments about farriers. they don't make sense to me.

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LOL I thought I was the only one, I just dont get it. Its like a translation from another language to English and some words have been left out!

Sorry !
 
blimey that was a tad harsh!

I know the OP and also the yard where she works and keeps this horse! It is BUSY big time!!

I dont think it is acceptable at all to have distractions like a screaming horse as no horse is going to ignore that unless it is dead from the neck down, its all about natural instinct!

Some degree of concentration is needed by both the horse and the rider. Few horses leaping about is one thing, noise distractions are quite different.

Obviously you are perfect!

Agree on the tug of war tho!!
 
That is an unfortunate situation, and it would be nice if people could be more considerate when you are doing your test!

However, when I did my first BE event, my horse was wound up enough before entering the dressage ring, and then I was sent to the arena adjacent to a field with 5 horses turned out which were all going bannanas!! Needless to say, I did a c**p test as my horse wanted to go banannas with them!! At the time I put it down to experience thinking that I may have better luck next time and not be next to the field of horses, plus teach him to relax and listen to me instead of concentrating on whats going on around him!

I also went to a lecture demo with Pippa Funnell who was demonstrating flatwork with a fairly young horse - she was welcoming people coming in halfway through the demo, and also making lots of noise in the stands as she just saw it as an opportunity to teach the horse to listen to her no matter what the distraction was....it was amazing to watch as he started off really spooking, but after the 3rd or so distraction, the horse was tuned in to her and ignoring all the noise.

Wish mine would respond to me in the same way, but know thats its going to take time to expose them to all types of distractions and learn how best to cope!

As i said before though, it would have been nice in a pure dressage venue to have a bit of consideration...i would be totally embarrassed had that been my horse prancing around whilst you were doing your test!!
 
I think most riders just try to ride very positively forward, if Dutch used to feel spooky I would ride more forward (almost in medium trot) he never actually refused to go past something but could be difficult and stop dead and go up here and there but it wasn't that often, in that case there isn't a lot you can do except ride positively forwards giving them a sharp reminder on the way!!

I think it is not that regular to have people unloading near the arena but some venues are like that, like Berkshire is between the road and the lorry park but then the horses also need to learn so I wouldn't be too worried about it.

Also, some people could wait 2 mins before they unload couldn't they!

Don't lose heart
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I absolutely agree with everything said about exposing horses to all sorts of sights, sounds etc and I hate people who insist on absolute pin drop silence around their horses at all times (had one on our yard and it drove me insane!) However, I do feel for OP in this instance and would myself have had a sharp word to the other owner (just to get it off my chest) and then just written it off as a bad day. Happened to me once at a competition (I was competing unaff, but it was also holding aff. classes at the same time) where a box from the yard (not to do with the dressage being held) was parked literally right next to the warm up arena, one horse unloaded and taken away and the 2nd horse left in the box for 30 minutes at least going absolutely bollistic. My mare went through the roof, I just kept trying to bring her back to me and went in and did the novice test anyway - did crap, but I felt it was a good exercise in trying to get her to listen through things - she ended up not as bad I thought she would be, so I chalked it up to experience and put it down as an "interesting" training exercise. All you can do really, you get stupid, thoughtless people where ever you go!
 
When you are in a stressful situation i.e. doing a dressage test where every move is marked, then I do feel that the other competitors should be respectful and not make a racket right next to the arena. If the rider is already a little tense and trying to remember a test, the last thing that they need is an external disturbance.

Of course people should be able to learn a test, but I know some people just go to pieces and if they remember the moves in the right order, they forget how to ride (and vice versa). And the better rider you are, the easier it is to ignore things going on outside the arena. It is the slightly less proficient riders that will suffer in these situations, and surely they are the ones that need the encouragement to keep competing.

The venue was very silly to allow horses to be parked right next to the arenas. The fact of the matter is that every horse has to start learning to deal with difficult situations at some point, but surely the time and place of that learning curve should be selected by the rider and not by some random individual who decides to unload their horse when someone else is doing their test.

My sympathy goes to the OP who I feel was hard done by - both by the venue in allowing poor parking etc, and the other competitor who showed incredible thoughtlessness in her actions.
 
I've had all sorts from screaming babies to low flying jets and banners falling down, you just have to put it down to luck on the day and leave it be.

I've also been with a friend who was on the receiving end of a tongue lashing for her horse daring to spook in the warm up which was next to the arena. I personally think the tongue lashing was seriously out of order; spooks often happen and we have to live with these things. As for friend she was so traumatised she didn't compete for ages after and has never been back to that venue.

However if you are going to complain then it should be to the organisers which is what you did so fair dues.

Personally chalk it up to one for another day, same as when you get a "dodgy" judge.

I have been known to tear up my sheets from days like the above
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tbh I think they should be able to concentrate on their rider. Most of the places I go the parking is near the dressage. They have to cope with whinnying horses. Organisers can't really do anything about it.
 
I would have growled at her to move anyway! Not a lot you can do about it, apart from growling as you went past! I would have thought that the girl would have had more consideration if she was also competing! Putit down to a bad experience and practice growling for your next outing!
 
im sorry to say but you take it on the chin and forget about it. Nothing can be done, and altho its highly frustrating im sure its happened to many others before.

Ive had unfortunate things happen to me - the worst being at the BYRDs National Championships in the elementary that id worked so hard to qualify for - the banner round the side of the arena broke free and scared the life out of poor Bloss. Nothing could be done, my test went from bad to worse and that was the end of that.
 
I rode at a BD competition once where they were bringing horses in from the field next door to the school and then proceeded to poo pick, flinging the muck into the wheelbarrows, scaring the life out of my horse. The lorries are also right next to the outdoor school. When you pay £100 to register with BD and £30 per competition, I don't think you should have to put up with that - could they not wait to poo pick til after the show and bring the horses in in the judging break? A little consideration goes a long way. Having said that, there are some venues that are fab, such as Kingston Maurward, which does it's best to keep everything quiet and achieves it.
 
i'm going add my comment, Which is mark it down to experience............. we've all had some like this happen to us.
The best one for me was last year i had Red Arrows whizz over head, didn't hear them or seen them. Horse didn't react at ALL and did very very well, but on another day a slightly windy day and you would think someone is chasing him with a broom.
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Sorry that's horses for you
 
Dressage rider here who uses distractions at home as training opportunities and doesnt use a commander and doesnt have a 60m arena. I learn and ride tests in my head to prepare along with just practising the more difficult movements. Hopefully that elevates me to dressage rider with a brain.

Preparation is key, however horse are and will remain unpredictable.

The only bit of your post which I must take issue with is the dressage horse comparison with police horses. Despite the fact that there are things which can be learned from the bombproofing schooling used to de-sensitise Police horses they are only in the job because their temperament has been assessed as suitable. I have two good friends who are in the mounted police and one owns a reject because he didnt meet the grade and was thrown out. A dressage horse needs a bit of spark to perform.....oh and police horses tend to be bl**dy awful at dressage
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