Does your horse perform better to a bigger crowd?

[Jenna1406]

My OH horse seems to perform better when he is showing to a bigger crowd, he went to his first county show a couple of weeks ago and I couldnt believe how well he was going AND he gave the judge an excellent ride (can be seriously lazy if he wants too) and he came first in his hunter class.

Then we took him to a local RC show and he was dead to the leg for my OH and the judge lol.

Does this happen with your horse?

Jenna x

 

[alice.j]

I think sometimes it's the excitement! New things and new faces, all very fun! My friend's dressage horse goes so much better during an inside test (I think once, she had an inside and an outside on the same day, and got about 8% better inside!) as we only have an outside arena, plus if there's a mirror then he definitely starts showing off to this other horse he can see

 

[miss_c]

Definitely... the bigger the atmosphere the more Genie will give me and the less tactful I have to be with my riding! She's got her best results at the shows with the more electric atmospheres and as a bonus isn't spooky so I don't have to worry about that.

 

[Jenna1406]

I think sometimes it's the excitement! New things and new faces, all very fun! My friend's dressage horse goes so much better during an inside test (I think once, she had an inside and an outside on the same day, and got about 8% better inside!) as we only have an outside arena, plus if there's a mirror then he definitely starts showing off to this other horse he can see

I think they just like to show off.

Definitely... the bigger the atmosphere the more Genie will give me and the less tactful I have to be with my riding! She's got her best results at the shows with the more electric atmospheres and as a bonus isn't spooky so I don't have to worry about that.

I am thinking that this is the same for my OH Holstein Warmblood - he just seemed to come to life in the ring and my OH said he didnt have to use much effort to get him going and get him coming up in the trot and canter.

 

[SpringArising]

I think they just like to show off.

That's an incredible humanisation.

 

[reb1825]

ahaha sounds like I've got a shrinking violet then, my horse tenses up - the more people the worse he is!! absolute nightmare when I'm trying to convince him he wants to become a dressage horse. and it's not like he'll get used to it either, he's 18 now and he's always been the same.

 

[Jenna1406]

ahaha sounds like I've got a shrinking violet then, my horse tenses up - the more people the worse he is!! absolute nightmare when I'm trying to convince him he wants to become a dressage horse. and it's not like he'll get used to it either, he's 18 now and he's always been the same.

Oh no - my now retired mare was fine at home (to a point) and then became a tense devil when you took her anywhere. Nightmare!

 

[Pigeon]

Haa no mine gets pushed over the edge. But his base level is quite fizzy, so I guess with a lazier horse it will add sparkle, but with a hotter horse it might be too much sparkle Stand a mare by the arena however and he goes into full poncing mode. So I do think horses show off.