Flatwork help please! Calming a nutter?!

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saskia295

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Hellooo all! Just wondering if any of you dressage divas can help me.

For the last couple of weeks in the arena, J has been a bit of a nightmare; very tense, scooting and shying or just being entirely dead and not going forward. Of course, after the scoot it takes me ages to try and get him to relax again.

He seems to be more tense through his neck, head an jaw so I just wondered if anyone had any good exercises to relax him through these areas and / or just relax in general!

Physio was out a little while ago so no issues there. He's out in a bigger field now so getting more grass and could just be a bit more exuberant?! However, we've got Mattingley next week and as horrible as test 102 is, I think it's going to be even worse at the moment!

Any help greatly appreciated :)
 
Can I add to your call for help?!! I have a very novicey Dutch warmblood who has fantastic paces but gets very overexcited in his transitions to canter and doesn't really relax through the whole experience.

He seems to have really developed particular resistance on his right rein - usually strikes off correctly but with his head in the air (helped hugely in show jumping by a running martingale) and as if he's going to charge towards a cross country fence, rather than submissive/accepting of the bit etc. etc.!!

Back and teeth all fine, am experimenting a little with bits, but it is a balance of strength (he is incredibly boistrous) against further resistance.

Any thoughts much appreciated!
 
No problem Vicki. It's good to know I'm not alone! We can be doing some incredible work one minute, the next second he has scooted sideways at something! Silly boy!
 
All I can suggest is practice your breathing and make it as slow as possible. Six strides of walk for your breathing in and 6 strides of walk for breathing out. Only concentrate on your slow, deep breathing (but don't get dizzy). When we concentrate or are nervous (like doing a dressage test) we tend to hold our breath. Horses are very attuned to this and think that if we are not breathing, or breathing very shallowly and fast, then there is danger! Which then makes them tense and spooky.

I saw this demonstrated at a clinic and it was surprising how much difference it made.

Also my horse used to spin round the stable when he knew he was going into the trailer, so now I go into the stable and make a couple of big deep breaths OUT and then keep breathing slowly and deeply and he is much more chilled about getting ready for the travelling.
 
Sorry, no ideas really. Stilton can be like this in the school but luckily he seems ok on grass hence why he events and doesnt do pure dressage :rolleyes:
I spend most of my time in the school just trying to stay straight and stay on :p
 
leg yield in working trot- really forwards so you can get your leg on. that works well for me when millie is being a tit.

you need exercises that let you get your leg on and get the horse to accept it- squares not circles, shoulder in, collected trot to lengthened strides and back.
even riding on the inside track instead of on the track to make sure he is well between leg and hand and can't escape through his shoulder to have a spook or disappear at speed!
 
I think the reason no one is coming up with any bright ideas (me included) is because it's impossible to give you anything definitive without seeing exactly what's going on. Some tense horses need a little relaxed canter around to let the buzz out a bit, others need to walk until they take some deep breaths, others benefit from a nice hypnotising trot circle, some need to be distracted. It so depends where the horse is in his training and what is making him tight. Many horses need different approaches depending on the day!

It does sound though, whatever else is going on, he is not attuned to your leg. Just because he's moving doesn't mean he's "forward" when he's running on nerves, in part because, as you say, then he doesn't go when he's not running. What sort of exercises have you been doing to address this? My personal feeling is the horse needs to relax and accept the leg and hand in walk, then in whichever pace, trot or canter, it finds easiest, then the hardest gait. I think it's false economy to do too much "tiring out" (although never say never with horses) by working faster when the horse is not yet accepting the aids. It seems like such a drag to get what you want in walk (unless you're me and would happily do nothing but school :) ) first because initially it takes too long, but in the long term it pays off in spades when relaxation becomes a habit and something you can ask for, not just a random occurrence when the stars align.

Also, what about his feed? As you say, the grass is in so perhaps he's now getting more than he needs for the work he's doing, which never helps a fizzy horse concentrate.
 
This is a difficult one without seeing the horses, maybe a hack first would help. less heating feed etc....
I agree with keeping his mind busy, lots of exercises, movements he has to think about.
For example, my 17yr old x show jumper shys at everything, and we start by long rein walk for about 10 min, then a few walk pirouettes, halts etc, then bit of loose, soft trot, I sing in my head to control my rhythm, he doesn't usually want to stretch to start with so we do soft shoulderfores, leg yields, then a soft slow canter, ignoring all shys and just correcting and riding on. Still using shoulderfores and yields, then work starts. (after a halt, pat and a polo in the scariest place that day).
Repetition, and patience will help with panicky aid reactions, ensure you keep your legs on so there are no sudden aids or reactions. Shoulder in, and leg yield will help with softening and flexion, before and in canter. They will aid straightness.
It is essential to make sure the nags are moving in front of your legs and and listening to you half halts, they must react to you aids without excessive rein contact, practice lengthening and shortening strides, just a little will do, do this in all the exercises above as well as on circle and straight lines. As said above ride off the track, plan where you are going and what you want.
Using poles is also very useful, strategically placed in the school they can be a good distraction.
If they do have a major spook, try to get sorted and ride on asap without responding too much. Ie, ignore and get them back on track asap. (as if a jump was coming)
If you have a bad 'corner'; ride a little off track a little away 'from the monster behind the water bucket' until they are focussed on you and forget to shy, as you then can ride in closer.
Put more spooky things in the school so there are loads to shy at, they will soon get bored.
If you get the dead feeling, do more transitions, circles, halts etc and be demanding. Everytime you are pleased with a reaction, pause them and praise, a walk, a polo, pat on the neck, voice etc, allow them to stretch, however you praise your horse, If they pass the monster and are trying hard not to spook, remember to say good boy etc, but don't make it an issue.
I could suggest more but as I have NO idea what you are doing etc and would need to see each individual horse, I think the best idea is get your trainer out an go through your warm up process, and remember your frame of mind must be calm, firm and businesslike.
No idea if any of this will help you, but maybe you can get some ideas from some of it? Best of luck.
 
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