Getting an ex racer used to competitions?

[Delta99]

So, I took my new boy out his first dressage test today.... It was only a local show so we hacked there. He was good as gold on the way there but as soon as he saw the horseboxes and other horses, he went absolutely bananas!
I was expecting him to be a bit worked up but we got kicking out at everything, jogging, leaping and worst of all rearing! I hate to admit it but after he'd smacked me in the face twice with his head, I bailed out!

Thought I'd just let him stand and watch but he got more and more worked up and I was struggling to hold him. He was shaking all over!
Walked him out of the yard and got back on and hacked home- still worked up and tried to rear once but got home in one piece.

Now, how do I deal with this? Options are: leave him for a few more months (I've only had him 3 months but he has been out of racing for over a year). Or find someone braver than me to sit out whatever he does next time out (I'd be too scared do even get him to be honest...

). Or take him out a few times just to watch, but go home before he gets too worked up?
The annoying thing is, this horse is BOMBPROOF to hack and he doesnt get upset when he meets other horses on hacks. Also, he's the 3rd ex racer I've had but this is the first time I've seen this kind of thing!
Any advice appreciated...

 

[silvershadow81]

Really sorry to hear that that happened, dosnt sound nice at all.

Are you able to hack down again, soon and hire the arena out and/ or have a lesson, so you go back, but under less stressful conditions??

The first show we took our ex racer too a few weeks back (shes out of racing a couple of months), she lives out 24/7 and we made sure we worked her well in the days before, arrived really early, before any lorries pulled up, and just went for walks around the venue.

We then found a quiet place and just worked her for a good 30mins so she was focused and then went to where everything was happening, and let her take it all in. I stayed on her as found she was better than when i was holding her.

She was too shaking all over, but i just had my feet out the stirrups and was on the buckle walking her, keeping her relaxed.

I had also asked to go first in the dressage and then the jumping, so we just got on with it and then once it was done- went home- no hanging about.

I think you need to try and get her back there, and next time arrive before anyone else, and try and go first so you can leave before hundereds of people arrive.

Good luck xx

 

[seabiscuit]

Just get him to as many little comps as possible, and whatever you do , dont get off, just stay on and work him, and keep on working him until he settles, and give him something to think about!!He will genuinely think he is going racing ATM, but it will get better the more outings you have with him!

 

[letrec_fan]

I would just give it time. 3 months for a horse to totally adjust just isn't enough. Think about it - if you were taken away from everything you knew, given a new family and then asked to perform you'd probably be pretty confused! The whole thing probably just upset him. You need to give time for him to bond, settle in and just get used to a routine before you expect him to start behaving at comps. Dont be embarassed you had to bail out - it was the most responsible thing you could do - he was obviously getting very stressed.

Try and get him used to odd stuff at home. You said he was upset about horseboxes and horses etc. Maybe try taking him out somewhere so he can see horses like xc schooling for example where you hopefully wont be nervous (everyone gets a little nervous at comps). Get him to meet as many people as possible without the competition environment. Like you said, just them him stand at watch.

I have had my ex racer 6 months and I wouldn't say he has totally accepted everything - hes getting better but it takes time for everything to "click".

Good luck,

Laura.

 

[toomanyhorses26]

Mine gets a bit like this but only at comps on grass - is there anywhere nearby that has things going on on a surface as it could help. Also mine is horrible the first time I get on to warm up (spooking,spinning etc) but if I can survive this then get off ,leave him 1/2hr or so then get back he ismuch better , Good luck

 

[bushbaby28]

got to love them. Took mine to dressage today. As soon as he poked his head out of box he was ready to go! and yes, we went round most of it like a racehorse with our head up and going as fast as he can!

What about going and just walking him around in hand? I think the more you do with him the better but make sure every experience is a positive and calming one. Contact the organisers and see if they are ok for you to go and just walk round for a bit. Go on quieter days or at the end where most people have gone home.

Best of luck, hope everything goes ok.

 

[Delta99]

Hmmm... with hindsight, yeah, I probably should have stuck on and worked him through it but I'm not in my 20s anymore, I have a mortgage to pay and a job to keep...
Was just so surprised coz he's been so laid back about everything! And I was not nervous before, we were entered in the walk and trot test and only going to see how the horse behaves, he's not ready for serious competing!
Must admit I only started competing my other ex racer after 2 years and I completely trusted him by then. He was much more difficult in every way than this one, though.
At least the organisers were great, said to come back any time to use the school, will probably do that just to see if it was the venue itself or the other horses that upset him. At least I know what to expect now and can go armed with bodyprotector and a bottle of Kalms for both of us...

 

[humblepie]

Could you take him to a clinic or something so that it is an outing but a quiet one and then build up from there. A friend did this and then went to places asking for the earliest time for the dressage so that she was effectively the first or second person there and could work in quietly and again build up on that.

 

[swellhillcottage]

Stick with it he will calm down could you just go to local stuff and potter around for a few mins then hack home basically just to make him realise he isnt racing they soon cotton on or pop him in a lorry and go off schooling quietly , i definately would rather be on board though and definately keep moving - Good Luck

Sharonxx

 

[diggerbez]

i would say to just stick with it and keep trying and eventually he'll calm down. my ex racer was CRAZY the first few outings we had- i ended up with a black eye after the first show we went to and nearly ended up mashed into the front windscreen of a horsebox and then my first dressage i managed to stick on in the warm up but did the most horrendous test

i got 33%- didn't think this was even possible

(but did get a 9 for my riding!!

)- i just kept taking him out as much as possible- especially to little shows where i could hide in the corner and to RC clinics and XC schooling and camps and stuff and he soon worked out that he needed to be calmer. he's now VERY laid back at shows. he doesn't really compete anymore but i took him to a hunter trial in may (his first real outing for 12 months) and he didn't bat an eyelid- he has been out of racing 7 years now mind!