Brick wall...

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SacramentaZ

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Hi guys,

Haven't posted here in a while as we haven't really been up to much :(

Feel like I've hit a brick wall with my mare this summer. I really want to be out competing but I struggle to communicate with her when we are away from home and she is so ridiculously spooky and tense I don't feel like we can progress up through the grades. Daft because at home and on hacks she is the most chilled horse I've ever known!

When I first got her as a six year old it took me a long time to gain my confidence on her and we had a couple of spooky incidents which knocked me back in our first year. I have her working wonderfully at home now and really feel like I've progressed so much as a rider, I'm quite proud of myself! I'm desperate to be out competing but struggle with her so much just the thought of the battle puts me off!!!

Take our first BD earlier this year for example, I got a mix of marks from 9's down to 3's! And in one comment box the judge simply wrote 'well sat!' funny I suppose, but irritating all the same! When she relaxes we get 9's, but when she's tense everything seems to frighten the life out of her, and it's so unpredictable I never know what she's going to be like! At our last outing she actually bolted out of the arena after the ramp of a lorry went up close by. Dangerous stuff I'm sure you'll agree.

She has had full check ups and is totally sound, I've tried moody mare supplements, various calmers, 24hr turnout and feed changes.

Do I persevere? Should I try taking her out once a week for a lesson (body protector on!) and see if she improves over time? Am I making her more stressed perhaps by not taking her out enough to different venues?

Would really appreciate some thoughts, as am frustrated by our lack of competition progress and I hoped for big things with this little mare!

Yours,
Down-in-the-dumps frustrated so-called-dressage rider :(
 
I feel your pain.
Do you have instructor come out and teach you at home?
If so could you go for lessons with her at an arena somewhere?
Also might be worth hiring an arena and working her in hand to start with , although that's easier said than done as in hand work to many is lunging and lot of arenas don't permit that.
That combined with a good calmer, with a top up on away from home days appears to slowly be working for me.

A friends horse was calmer SJ-ing away from home so she did that several times at the local venue then 2 days later took him to dressage and he was fine and has been since. I think the SJ's took his mind off the oppotunities for naughtyness.

If you don't jump you could try poles on the floor.
 
As you know Mares are far more sensitive to how we are feeling and I think you have nerves & tension going to an event (esp preempting her behaviour) which is coming though your mare. I had the same issues at the start of the year....... If I'm right then you have to start going out and about to low level, fun things to help you relax and let your mare see that mummy isn't always uptight when we go away, and build from there and break the vicious circle. Otherwise Kalms and rescue remedy are great for mum and a tube of calmer for the mare should leave everyone more relaxed!
 
Ah I have had the same issues! It must be a mare thing. I bought mine for dressage and she does do it very very well (bless her). But she is spooky, daft as a brush and inattentive and tense when she wants to be. So I tried taking her out of the discipline for a while. We XC, SJ, hack ---pleasure riders are superb for getting her confident with you! Make sure you go in a good steady group.

Trying out new things will take the pressure off. It could be that she feels the pressure you put on yourself (even if it is unintentional). Enjoy being a partnership for a while rather than competing. I agree you should both take a break from dressage and then get back into the dressage with your instructor at home.

i hope that helps...but heres a sneaky link to my blog to have a look at my dressage horse on her holiday :)

http://theequestrianlife.wordpress.com/

Dont give up too easily she will come right as long as you have the confidence in yourself.
 
Feel for you! - Ive got a looney auld bird! You know your horse better than anyone, so Ive just got a couple of quick questions,
Do you feel its highjinx, fear, insecurity or naughtiness?
Does she have a friend at home, & if so could you travel it with you to shows, events or weekly lessons? (can sometimes hinder rather than help, but worth a try only as a temporary security blanket, followed by slow "weaning" process)
Does her behaviour change drastically when in season, have shows co-incided with this?
Any chance of loading her up, travelling somewhere quiet & going for a hack with a calm friend, instead of competing - build confidence levels up?
Is she nappy at all? (perhaps explain the explosions in the ring on her own?)
Any chance you could take cars/trailers etc into the field, drive them round, open/close ramps etc while she grazes until she doesnt bat an eyelid?
Agree with Alibear about hiring an arena, or just go & have a private lesson, then introduce others etc,
Finally, have you tried confidence building exercises for you? Or a wee calmer before an event, perhaps get someone else to drive the trailer etc, so you only need to turn up & warm in - take the other stress elements away from your day?

I know how frustrating it is, & we all hope for the magic wand - but I think thatfor me perseverance for a given timescale would be the best idea?

scosh ;)
 
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