Competition shy

L

lizziebell

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 January 2009
Messages
1,605
Location
...in my wellies
Visit site
My young horse is normally forward and on the aids. He's been out in the lorry to different training venues on a regular basis this year with no issues, and I've just started taking him to unaffiliated dressage. But the atmosphere at competitions is causing him to withdraw into himself - he goes very flat and needs a lot of encouragement to go forward. He's not napping and he's not lazy. I can manage a horse who gets spooky when stressed/ tense, but I'm not sure how to coax my boys confidence out of him when he gets inwardly tense. Hopefully he'll come out of his shell the more we do.

Anyone else experience similar behaviour?
 
Was he competed before you got him? I've had competition ponies that have been over competed too young and have become very shut down in a competition environment. That sounds similar.
 
yes, my cob has been like this. She was definitely a '2 test' horse as the first test allowed her to find her feet in the surroundings, and the second I was able to get a better quality of work from her.

What has really helped, along with lots of competition practice, is doing LOADS of arena hire (particularly with white boards but any old school will do) so she could learn to deal with her stage fright and trying to share arenas with as many people as possible to mimic a warm up. I'm the one who always wants to share the school at home - most people want it to themselves! :o
Last couple of months, the penny has dropped and she is now as forward at a show (or even more so!) as she is at home. Big relief, and I'm so pleased to have my happy confident pony out & about :)
 
Jay was like this when we started dressage. I just thanked him for what he did produce. Sometimes that was woefully little, but I did not nag him, and thanked him anyway.

After a while he started to offer more. It was about him offering it, so he did not feel pressured.
 
Shay said:
Was he competed before you got him? I've had competition ponies that have been over competed too young and have become very shut down in a competition environment. That sounds similar.
Click to expand...

No, he's literally only been to two unaffiliated competitions. He's only 4. I've had him since he was a yearling and backed him myself.

milliepops said:
yes, my cob has been like this. She was definitely a '2 test' horse as the first test allowed her to find her feet in the surroundings, and the second I was able to get a better quality of work from her.

What has really helped, along with lots of competition practice, is doing LOADS of arena hire (particularly with white boards but any old school will do) so she could learn to deal with her stage fright and trying to share arenas with as many people as possible to mimic a warm up. I'm the one who always wants to share the school at home - most people want it to themselves! :o
Last couple of months, the penny has dropped and she is now as forward at a show (or even more so!) as she is at home. Big relief, and I'm so pleased to have my happy confident pony out & about :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Milliepops (same milliepops on BD forum??). I'm hoping it's just atmosphere. He's used to different venues and working in with different horses as I've been taking him out to riding club rallies and lessons.

Red-1 said:
Jay was like this when we started dressage. I just thanked him for what he did produce. Sometimes that was woefully little, but I did not nag him, and thanked him anyway.

After a while he started to offer more. It was about him offering it, so he did not feel pressured.
Click to expand...

I'm doing the same - not putting pressure on or pushing him. Im hoping with time and experience he'll come out of his shell at competitions.
 
lizziebell said:
Thanks Milliepops (same milliepops on BD forum??). I'm hoping it's just atmosphere. He's used to different venues and working in with different horses as I've been taking him out to riding club rallies and lessons.



.
Click to expand...

Yup that's me :o

Keep on keeping on... it's taken mine 12 months but she's *completely* changed just since the autumn. Got a different problem now, can't stop, lol but that's easier than the closing down thing :lol:
 
I think you will find this happens to a lot of horses. Took mine at least a year to improve his confidence at bd shows, and even after that was always better in the 2nd test. Just keep taking them out to new venues, different places to hire etc, to build their confidence
 
twodonkies said:
I think you will find this happens to a lot of horses. Took mine at least a year to improve his confidence at bd shows, and even after that was always better in the 2nd test. Just keep taking them out to new venues, different places to hire etc, to build their confidence
Click to expand...

This is not that related but I'm new to posting do I thought this was the best way for me to ask.

My horse has a track record of stopping at jumps at home and 3 times at a comp, he even stops at home with a fence he could walk over it was so small but he refuses to jump it then after a while of arguing I can get him jumping 90cm. How can I prevent him from stopping? I know I may be one of the factors causing it because I become so nervous.

Also, I'm doing my first 1m tomorrow and the event are doing rosettes to 6th and there is 6 in the class (including me) is there any reason that I wouldn't get this place? e.g. Retiring, elimination etc
I know it's not all about the rosettes but my aim is for 2 double clears and a rosette is a bonus but they give me confidence that we can do well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top