Could this be why?

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Mrs G

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Took my horse out in a friends horsebox at the weekend to a little Trec comp at a new (to us) venue, horse was fine until we got to the warm up ring then he had a complete meltdown, to the extent I got off before I was thrown off and we retired from the competition then and there. All the time he was having his hissy-fit everyone was telling me to try and ride him through it, get him going forward and to get him to concentrate on me with transitions, circles etc however this didnt seem to work - he would start to do as I ask then something (a horse, a person etc) would catch his eye and he'd be off again. Once I had got off though and put him on the lunge line and allowed him to just look, and even just stand and look, he seemed to settle. Could this be what he needs - time to just take it all in and make sense of what was going on?
 
Whenever I take out a new/ young or unknown horse I always make sure we arrive in time to unload and walk round in hand before even thinking of getting on, most do need time to take it in, some need longer than others, some are fine after the first time out others need this few minutes walking taking in the atmosphere every time they go out to a party, however small and quiet it seems to us it can be overwhelming for a horse, try giving him a bit of breathing space rather than the "ride him through and get him listening" attitude, that can work but can also send an already tense horse into meltdown and it may get worse each time out rather than better.
 
He does have previous form for 'explosive reactions'! And no he is not used to going out and I fully understand that he was overwhelmed - we dont have our own transport so can only go out if we are invited! Because he's so unused to it we did do a trial run out the week before to a local riding club field (again a new place for us) and did some jumping and obstacles there with a couple of other horses and he was absolutely fine. I know the long term solution is to get him out more but I can't (if anything I am less likely to get out now - think we may be blacklisted after our behaviour on Sunday)! I get to have lessons and do clinics at my livery yard and am happy doing that so I dont NEED to get him used to it (we just wont go out unless/until I have my own transport and can do it more regularly). I guess I just wanted to see if others agreed that my theory that for my horse 'working him through it' maybe wasnt the solution and that just letting him stand and look was a valid option x
 
Difficult to say. With one of my horses for sure I have to ride him through it - if he hasn't been out for a while he can be VERY lively.

Did you get back on him after he settled and ride him in the warm up for a while?

Only thing I can suggest if that the next time you take him out don't get on until you have led him round to have a look. Depending on where you are it isn't always possible to lunge. My general view is that once you are on him he should pay attention to you.
 
My standard routine with baby horses when they first go out to new places: lead off lorry and do a complete tour of the venue (being led). Tie up for a bit with hay net. Take to quiet spot and lunge for 10mins or until paying attention. Tie up for a bit. Tack up and ride around in a bimbly way, including in warm up arenas. Take home. Repeat. Repeat, and do a little competition.
 
Once we'd cleared the warm up arena (the other competitors were cowering in the corners waiting for an opportunity to get out!) I spent about 10mins lunging him (during which he was a little tense but nothing like he had been under saddle) and then just letting him walk in the warm up arena and look around from there, I did (reluctantly, with my heart in my mouth) get back on and walk him round some more and he was completely fine after that; we walked back to the lorry park and then back to the yard where we stood for an hour on the buckle-end! He was like two different horses in the space of a couple of hours!
 
be positive said:
Whenever I take out a new/ young or unknown horse I always make sure we arrive in time to unload and walk round in hand before even thinking of getting on, most do need time to take it in, some need longer than others, some are fine after the first time out others need this few minutes walking taking in the atmosphere every time they go out to a party, however small and quiet it seems to us it can be overwhelming for a horse, try giving him a bit of breathing space rather than the "ride him through and get him listening" attitude, that can work but can also send an already tense horse into meltdown and it may get worse each time out rather than better.
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This. If i am taking a young horse or one for re-schooling to something then i wouldn't get on until it is chilled enough to be interested in eating a bit of grass.
Yes you can ride some horses through it if you have to, but they need to be at a certain stage of schooling first and why get them hot and bothered when you can teach them to relax instead? (talking about horses not used to going out here, not an experienced horse just full of itself in which case i would expect it to concentrate and get on with it within minutes).
 
He started eating grass about 30 secs after coming off the box, he was completely relaxed in the field with all the boxes (and horses corralled next to them), even walking through the field and into the yard he was ok, which is why it came as such a shock when he suddenly launched into the air in the warm up arena! It seems to be horses in the distance going at a faster pace than him that seems to agitate him (almost like 'they're having more fun than me, that's not fair'!)
 
Of course I wasn't completely relaxed (I was about to do a competition after all!) But because he had been fine all the way to the warm up ring I don't think I was that tense. I certainly was afterwards though; I have never been so nervous about getting back on!
 
Mrs G said:
He started eating grass about 30 secs after coming off the box, he was completely relaxed in the field with all the boxes (and horses corralled next to them), even walking through the field and into the yard he was ok, which is why it came as such a shock when he suddenly launched into the air in the warm up arena! It seems to be horses in the distance going at a faster pace than him that seems to agitate him (almost like 'they're having more fun than me, that's not fair'!)
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horses don't think like that , he is more likely to be thinking 'what the hell are they so scared off', Cortez sounds spot on with the advice
 
Mm, there is a difference in how you treat a baby horse and an older one that should know better. In the latter case I really think you have to make the horse work and listen to you, and that might mean cantering in circles until it wants to stop, so it is having to work and not trying to make contact with all the other horses. If you think it is drawing breath to buck growl at him and keep changing direction and doing different things. It is deeply embarassing to have a badly behaved horse, I can never understand how other people's seem to be so good and mine is being a prat.
 
Cortez said:
My standard routine with baby horses when they first go out to new places: lead off lorry and do a complete tour of the venue (being led). Tie up for a bit with hay net. Take to quiet spot and lunge for 10mins or until paying attention. Tie up for a bit. Tack up and ride around in a bimbly way, including in warm up arenas. Take home. Repeat. Repeat, and do a little competition.
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Same here
 
Some horses find warm up areas very over whelming, especially in that they are usually a relatively small space with lots of other horses going in all directions at different speeds.

I always try to recreate a bit of that atmosphere at home by riding in large groups in an arena and if the horse gets tense I just walked quietly on the inside track until they relax with it. Many horses hate other horses coming towards them especially at a faster pace, they need to learn that it is not a threat but it takes time.

Try to practice at home with others passing right hand to right hand, perhaps initially with you leading him and build from there. There is a lot to be said for allowing horses to simply stand and take everything in. I have in the past spent up to 4 hours just sitting on a youngster at a show letting it take in the atmosphere under no pressure.
 
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