Disappointing First Outing with New Pony

[Cowpony]

I used to have an ex racehorse and entered her for the annual show at our yard. I thought that as she'd been a racehorse she wouldn't be fazed by the atmosphere and lots of other horses around, and it was at home, so no travelling either. What could possibly go wrong? She was an absolute nightmare. Wouldn't stand at all in the line-up (we too were last) and at one point went to rear, but as she put her head up to go up she dragged me round in front of her, looked down at me and clearly realised that she was about to knock me flying, so thought better of it.

My current horse is a lot saner, but she also gets very stressed at competitions, often yells her head off in the car-park, and in the arena if she thinks she can get away with it. I've managed to nip it in the bud recently by making her concentrate on the job in hand once I'm on board, but when we first arrive it's not easy. She definitely remembers venues, but ironically that seems to wind her up more, because she remembers being able to see horses in a certain place, and if they aren't there this time she stresses.

Once she's done her test she ties up at the back of the lorry like an angel and you'd think she was the calmest horse on the planet!

 

[SpringArising]

I smiled at the bit where you said it took five minutes to do the noseband up. My God, there is nothing that tests your patience more than a horse who keeps flinging its head around and head-butting you as you try to get your bridle sorted. Had exactly the same thing this weekend!

Just keep plugging away. The first time I took my youngster XC I thought his brain was going to explode. He went absolutely ballistic and up until that point he'd been totally chill about everything. Even this weekend, on his umpteenth outings, he had moments of exploding around the warm up arenas.

 

[texenstar]

I feel your pain! My previous horse was a NIGHTMARE at shows until I actually got on him. And I mean bad as in rearing, trying to run off, not settling and pretty much winding up all the other horses. He wasn't a youngster, I had him from when he was 14 to when he passed away at 23 and it was just the way he was. (To be honest, by the time he hit 20 he got 'slightly' easier). I used to pick venues that had a stable you could hire and put him into as it was the only way I could tack up on my own D:

He was always 100% well behaved once as we were tacked up and on as he then knew he was working and he had to calm his toots a little.

Thankfully, horses like my last seem to be a rare occurrence so like others have said, going out on lots of practice trips will make a huge difference and I'm sure things will improve

Good Luck!