Calming a horse at a show?

FestiveFuzz

FestiveFuzz

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 January 2008
Messages
4,586
Visit site
Hi all,

Well we are now well into the showing season but I am finding my mare to be a little uncontrollable when we are at a show. She never puts a hoof wrong at home but as soon as we set foot on the showground she prances about and neighs at anything that moves. Obviously I expect her to react to a change of scene but how on earth do I calm her down and get her to pay attention to me?
 
Is it her first showing season? if it is, sometimes its just a case of the more you do it the more she'll get used to and settle in her own time as long as you can contol her and you both keep safe.

Otherwise, like above, lunge or you could let her graze a little to help take the edge off and feel more at home. Go early while its quite and let her gradually get used to it while people arrive through the morning rather than taking her while its already busy and lots going on...maybe/
 
I was thinking this but she tends to have infinite energy on show days. The last show took almost an hour to hack to and still by the end of the day she was still prancing! I don't really want to go down the route of using a calmer as she has a very sensitive stomach and the slightest change seems to affect her.

We're taking a big horse box to the next show but I'm worried this will just excite her even more.
 
It is her first showing season for a while so I guess thats adding to her excitement. Although we've been to a few shows now and still she doesn't seem to have settled at all! Maybe I'm expecting too much of her but I just want to feel like she's listening to me.
 
My mare was like this a few weeks ago and she is old and experienced enough to know better. She was screaming for the others and being nappy. I took her to a quiet areas and lunged for 5 mins, when I got back on she was fine.
 
take her to a few shows and just walk her round, dont do any classes and dont do anything exciting, just try to keep her settled and teach her that is isnt that exciting.
 
are you taking your horse to the shows on her own or with company?????? if you are going with another horse it can be a nightmare as they start shouting for each other, can become dangerous.If your are going on your own, advise as above get out and about as much as possible to get her acustomed, good luck!
 
My horse is old enough to know better, but we do always go with other horses from our yard.

I think I shall definitely try lunging her at this next show to see if she calms down a bit.
 
my horse was like that - we went to a county show 2 weeks ago and it blew his little mind - he couldnt cope with all the people and swans so he started to rear/buck and was very uptight and unsettled.
i missed my first class as i couldnt get near the ring, so took him to a larger warm up and i had a battle with him. it took 3 hours but i won and he then went back on the box and rested till the workers - he was amazing - so settled and ready to take it all in.

then last week we were at a county show and he was fantastic - i rode him around early to get him used to the place and it gave me enough time to battle if id needed to - turned out i didnt and he was much more relaxed! he did 4 classes and won 2 of them, and was 2nd and 3rd!
laugh.gif
he just needed to be worked at a show - this is his first season under saddle as he was shown in hand as a youngster.

i would suggest getting there early and riding her around the show, and if you get into a battle keep going until you win it - dont worry if you miss your class. if you can stay relaxed it will help her too!
tongue.gif
good luck!
 
Well I was intending to do an in-hand class in the morning followed by 3 ridden classes in the afternoon so perhaps I'll scrap the in-hand class and just spend the morning getting her used to the sights and sounds. I am a little concerned as the last few shows have just been small local events and this next one is much bigger.
 
Please please please can Donkey have some of that energy - she arrives, has a look around and then just settles down to be Donkey
smirk.gif
smirk.gif


Have you tried Oxyshot I have heard good things about it, or is it Defuse by Supreme products?
 
Just keep walking round and round the showground until it all gets really boring. If she settles get off and let her eat but everytime she starts fussing its off on another circuit. Try just standing by other calm horses that are waiting to go in the ring. Don't do any classes until the afternoon.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Please please please can Donkey have some of that energy - she arrives, has a look around and then just settles down to be Donkey
smirk.gif
smirk.gif


Have you tried Oxyshot I have heard good things about it, or is it Defuse by Supreme products?

[/ QUOTE ]

By all means you can have some of her energy, she drives me insane at shows as she is a really good little dressage horse but shows just tend to blow her mind and there is nothing I can do to calm her and get her listening to me
frown.gif


I think I'm just gonna have to lunge her and ride around til she settles and then just see how we go. Last time she fought me all thru riding round the arena but then did a perfect individual show, sadly it wasn't enough to get us anything more than 5th place though.
 
The more times you go the calmer she will be , Toto is always a swine at the first show of the season , this time everyone's were going loopy but the next show they were all calm , it will just be boring if you keep going , just leave plenty of time to warm up and settle her somewhere quiet
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top