Getting a horse to relax

[jellyshark]

I have a lovely eventer who seems to be a naturally tense person, this causes some issues in the dressage which can be hit and miss!! I feed him on speedybeet, topline nuts and chaff and he has magnisium (to try to relax him) he is currently out 8 hours a day and 24/7 in the summer -
any suggestions that might help would be gratefully recieved.

 

[kerilli]

i'm not saying it works with every horse (i wish) but there are ways of schooling that can teach a horse to settle, and to stay mentally 'with' you rather than being boggled by surroundings. i was taught years ago when i had a rather wired, very bright horse, to keep him trotting around slowly until he relaxed (eventually he'd give a big sigh and go 'oh, okay', sometimes this took 20 mins) and this enabled me to get lovely tests out of him most of the time. there are a few other things... staying totally relaxed and calm yourself (not always easy on an overexcited or very tense horse, esp with start of test looming...!), working on controlling the speed with your rising rather than with the hand, that sort of thing.
i'll look forward to reading the other answers, because i have a rather tense loony to start eventing this year and i think she's going to be... interesting!

 

[siant2]

I find really focussing on slow relaxed breathing helps me to be super chilled which in turn relaxes my horse!

Also things like neck scratching and patting her neck when she gets very tense and bouncy! (although this is mainly showjumping for her!!)

 

[racingdemon]

i had a couple of mega stresshead horses a few years ago... one even held his breath.... such a silly horse, but esp with him it was rhythm, getting the same consistent rhythm really made a difference, the other one it was alot to do with routine.... he liked security, so doing the same warm up everytime we went out, focusing on being really consistent in the order we did things rather than thinking too much about what we were about to do, i never tried but was very tempted to use ear plugs, unfortunalty he broke, but had he not i'd have given them a try

RD

 

[Sarah2207]

I have a very tense one, if he's at an event I try at all costs to avoid seeing or hearing jumping if its going on at the same time, even if it means taking huge detours to get to the dressage warm up! This isn't always possible but is worth checking out when you arrive!

During the dressage warm up I like Kerilli like to do alot of trotting, concentrating on the speed and rhythm of my rising. Might sound stupid, but I try to sing a song in my head, something slow to rise too which helps me keep a consistent, slow rhythm (snow patrol - chasing cars works for me!). Also I think its useful to try to have a warmup plan that you use every time, after trotting I tend to do a few circles/spirals on each rein and maybe a serpentine, then repeat circles in canter. I find this relaxes the horse as it is a routine, and probably me too! During the warm up also try to find somewhere with enough space so you're not on top of all of the other horses.

I think that the main thing is to leave loooads of time!

Also as an aside, I've yet to find a calmer that works, although a friend wears by a NAF one....

 

[eva]

not sure if it's help but when my horse gets into a state and jogs instead of walking and wouldn't listen I just walk him on a long rein - he seems to regain his wits then and the "fit" is over.

 

[oldvic]

With a hot horse the basics are even more important as your foundation needs to be extra strong. In your training you need to be totally clear in your aims and consistent in what you ask. Be honest with yourself that you keep the aids the same even if you don't get the reaction you want (no cheating!) i.e. if the horse isn't staying out from the inside leg, don't hold him out with the outside rein. If mistakes happen at home, that's fine, just repeat rather than find a trick to make it happen. This way you will develop trust and confidence. A horse is more likely to stay with you if you occupy his brain and keep him quietly listening. Backing off is seldom the answer.
For the warm up some horses relax better in canter others in trot, but again focus on the basics. One horse I had did his best tests if he was at the showground the day before and just walked on a long rein, then worked in normally the next day. Another needed to be worked in, put away, then ridden for 10 mins before the test. Many are better if you don't stop just before you go in as they lose the thread, others are suited by a little walk. Make sure you select the option that suits the horse even if it's not your preferred choice!

 

[jellyshark]

Thanks for all the advice - found last year that I had to work him in put him away then bring him out again! however he is currently really tense at home too. Not really a spooky horse just tense does lots of good imitations of a giraffe!

 

[Marquire]

What works for my boy is always, always, always working him in the same way. I have this 15 minutes 'routine' I use everytime I ride, whether it is at home, away at training or a competition. It involves getting him to bend and stretch down low in walk, riding loops and circles, few steps sideways then doing the same in trot, then canter. He can feel like an unexploded bomb when I first get on but within 30 seconds of 'the routine' he is calm, submissive and listening.

He used to be really stressy when I first got on at a competition or if we were away somewhere new training. It really felt like he was saying "OMG what's going to happen next". Using the same warm up routine everytime I ride seems to make him relax as he knows what's coming next and it seem definately works for him- and me!

 

[Lisamd]

I may get shot down in flames for this one but having just come back from riding my 'buzzy' eventer-to-be this lunch time I have to say I do some canter work first. He's rising 6 and has been a really sharp cookie to back and break in and I've found that this is the key to him. They are all in today as it's been so wet, so riding him from the stable is always extra fun.
If I try and walk first he's keen to get all 4 feet off the floor, and trot work can be very tense so I let him canter, normally quite collected until I can wrap my legs round him without provoking an explosion, then proceed in his trot work. Sometimes I canter again, sometimes I walk - depends on his mood but the main aim is to avoid the explosions. I find the less he gets chance to the less he thinks about it.
My mum watched me today and said his work after his first canter was the best she's seen. He was ultra tense today as I schooled him with fences up that we jumped on the weekend, so he was in 'jump' mode as soon as we got in the school, but it was a good exercise to not jump him with them all still up

 

[charlie55]

I havent read all the replys so sorry if i repeat anything! I have a very tense, spooky silly gelding, always feels like a bomb ready to explode, he will not trot properly, jig jogs all the time, never relaxes through hes back and he will not bend as hes too tense through the neck. Until, i canter! My warm up is now 10-15 mins of long rein walking, then straight into canter, after that he is a different horse, he relaxes lovely, you can actually feel him relax hes back and neck while your cantering. He's trot and walk after that is lovely. Worth a try? x

 

[Madam_max]

i'm not saying it works with every horse (i wish) but there are ways of schooling that can teach a horse to settle, and to stay mentally 'with' you rather than being boggled by surroundings. i was taught years ago when i had a rather wired, very bright horse, to keep him trotting around slowly until he relaxed (eventually he'd give a big sigh and go 'oh, okay', sometimes this took 20 mins) and this enabled me to get lovely tests out of him most of the time. there are a few other things... staying totally relaxed and calm yourself (not always easy on an overexcited or very tense horse, esp with start of test looming...!), working on controlling the speed with your rising rather than with the hand, that sort of thing.
i'll look forward to reading the other answers, because i have a rather tense loony to start eventing this year and i think she's going to be... interesting!

Interesting you say that as this is exactly what calms my new boy down, nothing fancy I just stick in on a 20m circle keep him in trot (changing rein obvs) and it really works. Like yours he sighs and just goes OK then.

 

[Gemsie]

Hi There,

Just wanted to share my experience, i have a very very tense and stressy warmblood mare. She is tense most of the time, and at shows can be very difficult to deal with.

I recently had Richard Maxwell out to her, which was the most enlightening morning of my life. He has given me a load of exercises on the ground, lunge, long lines and ridden which seem to be slowly but surely increasing her confidence and reducing her stress and tension.

Its really working an absolute treat for my girl who was tense all the time, really easily distracted but also very talented and sharp.

I had tried pretty much everything to help her relac prior to this and found that things like canter work first, trot work first, lunging first, hacking before schooling, pretty much everything you would think of just didnt work with her!

Since the RM visit which was only 3 weeks ago she is happy to tack up, happier in the school, more relaxed and at ease ALL the time, in the field, in the stable everywhere.

I couldnt recomend a 121 with him highly enough!

Good luck

Gem

 

[Louby]

Sorry may not be much help but speedibeet sent my anxious horse loop de loop. I have to be so careful what I feed, he is currently getting Hifi and hifibre cubes!