Gutted / Annoyed ;-(

Horseback Rider

Horseback Rider

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I took my ex racer to his first show 2 weeks ago. Hacked over there (took about an hour)and when we got there he was a bit excited cantering sideways in the warm up etc but nothing I couldn't handle. Took him 2 classes clear round at about 50 cm and another 60 cm he only had one pole down in each btu I was really pleased as he seemd much better behaved in the ring than out of it.

Took him to same show ground yesterday, hacked over again. This time he was a nightmare started bucking so I just walked him round reassuring him etc then he really started bucking like nothing I have ever known him to do before under saddle. I had to shout at spectators to get out of the way and then when he stopped I jumped off ! I lead him round in hand for the rest of it and didn't do the classes I had paid for.I waited for my friend to finish her class (she fell off also) he was ok then got on and rode back home.

(While he was rodeoing round the showground I had the usual assortment of know it all people giving me advice and telling me what they would do, this is the only part that makes me laugh!)

I just don't know what to do next I really enjoyed the first show and came out feeeling really confident and now I never want to take him anywhere ever again. I know that he has always had a tendancy to get excited around other horses, which is part of the reason why I moved him to a bigger yard to get him used to it and he seemed to be doing well.

I am also have a mare with bits for him . he is in a snaffle but I feel I need a little more control sometimes but then don't want anything to servere as I think that could wind him up more ?

Should be working right now but am looking at the photo on my desk that was taken at the first show of us going over a jump looking great and wondering whats got into him ??
 
Just keep taking him, but don't compete.

You could also do dressage instead of SJ until he is calmer about the whole thing, as it's far less exciting......
 
Ah bless give him a break (although it must have been very scary).

As an ex-racer of course he is going to be getting excited in this environment - his thoughts are immediately back to the racecourse.

You need to take him to a few shows without taking part at all to let him get used to relaxing in that atmosphere.
 
Agree with the others, persevere if possible. Take him to places without actually competing, try a little dressage comp which is probably calmer, go to show grounds that have plenty of room so you can work him away from everyone else and then get a bit closer. Can you take him to riding club and maybe go to some lessons / clinics or something which, again, may be a bit quieter.

Maybe consider a calmer - either one he is on all the time or one of those "shot" ones (or a combination of both - like the NAF Magic which you can give regularly in his feed and then "top up" with a wormer-style syringe on the day.

Also, consider rescue remedy / gin for the jockey and hold on! Hope he calms down with a bit more exposure.
 
amymay said:
Just keep taking him, but don't compete.
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Agree with this. I would even take him into the warm up and just keeping him moving forward all the time, trot trot trot, any napping or bad behaviour send him forward and keep going until he settles, concentrate on bend and rythm but dont enter any classes. You may have to go to places a number of times but he should soon get the message.
 
I think you missunderstood me about the know it all comment. All I meant was that while I was trying to stop my bronco horse so I could get off him for the safety of me and others they where telling me to try this that and the other, which just kind of made me more flustered. It's easy to tell someone what they should be doing but it's kind of different when you are the one on the situation. I took advice from a good number of people. It is just the kind of thing I have seen before at shows when a horse won't laod back in the lorry and the owner is there working on it and they have several people shouting advice at them who know nothing about that horse and why it won't load. It doesn't really help just makes you feel even more rubbish !
 
Have you tried or considered using a calmer? it may be a balancing act to get the dosage right but I know someone who uses Naf Magic on her mare when she competes as the whole scenario blows her brain somewhat. It works but sometimes works a bit too well. As I said, you have to get the dosage right! ;)
 
Take him out and do some in-hand classes with him. Let him forget about being ridden when he goes away from home for a bit. I've got ex-racers and know how annoying and frustrating they can be from one week to the next. Don't give up, when he gets used to it you will have a superb horse to take out to play!

As for the know it alls - I have met plenty of them! Mostly with my Darty who is a bronco act for the first 15mins of being ridden at EVERY show and he is also a total pain in the back side to load. Sometimes their advice is note worthy but it's usually the timing of such advice that is inconvenient!
 
EKW said:
As for the know it alls - I have met plenty of them! Mostly with my Darty who is a bronco act for the first 15mins of being ridden at EVERY show and he is also a total pain in the back side to load. Sometimes their advice is note worthy but it's usually the timing of such advice that is inconvenient!
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That was exactly what I meant !
 
EKW said:
Take him out and do some in-hand classes with him. Let him forget about being ridden when he goes away from home for a bit. I've got ex-racers and know how annoying and frustrating they can be from one week to the next. Don't give up, when he gets used to it you will have a superb horse to take out to play!

As for the know it alls - I have met plenty of them! Mostly with my Darty who is a bronco act for the first 15mins of being ridden at EVERY show and he is also a total pain in the back side to load. Sometimes their advice is note worthy but it's usually the timing of such advice that is inconvenient!
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I had to do some in hand stuff and take my boy to lots of little shows just for him to realise that because there is a tanoy does not mean that we are racing.... LOL.

As for bitting I have found that sweet iron bits are quite effective with my boy. You can get them in a snaffle and with a french link. The sweet iron makes them salavate (sp?) and accept the bit with out having to up the severity of a bit. I normally ride my boy in a dutch gag but normally the rein is on the snaffle bubble and then I use the middle or joint middle and bottom bubbles for jumping. I have got a Tom Thumb sweet iron that I use very occasionally (if he gets fizzed at shows) and he is a dream in it but I have to be very very soft with my hands.
 
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