He plays to an audience!!

[squirtlysmum]

Does anyone else suffer with their horse playing up when ever somebody is watching?
My boy has been proved to react badly to an audience, if I'm in the school on my own he's fine and works well but the minute somebody stands and watches even if I havn't seen them he turns into the monster from hell. He leaps in the air, tosses his head, kicks out at me, squeals and is generally a complete swine.
We've tested it out ealier this week when a fellow livery came out with me and shut the gate and walked away, I had 20 mins of nice work, she came out and stood and watched and within 5 secs he started acting like a moron.
So everyone is now primed that they are welcome to watch but if he's horrid walk away so he learns its unacceptable.
I can't quite picture 2012 (ha ha!) with me asking everyone to pretend they're not looking!
Does anyone else have any cunning plans to get over this prima donna behaviour??
I've also found if I talk to him and ask him to trot etc verbally he gets irritable so absolute silence equals nice work - and before you say it yes he is a very difficult character but has huge potential and I love him to bits!

 

[BigRed]

I have the opposite, my Mare loves my husband, and if he is watching, she is an angel and can't take her eyes off him. Sometimes he calls a test for me and I have to really ride her past him him, otherwise she will grind to a halt right by him.

 

[holdontight]

That sounds exactly like one of mine! If you find out how to solve it let me know lol!

 

[BBH]

LOL - Mine weaves to an audience but is a pig to school period, with or without spectators.

 

[mrogers]

Surely if he plays up when people are watching, you should get lots of peole to watch so he has no option but to deal with it?

Or maybe its you. I know i feel under pressure to do well when peole are watching so maybe you subconciously do and send it to the horse

 

[Sunny08]

Is he a youngster or has he been doing this for years?