Help getting horse to stand still!

[littlen]

I have been asked to show my friends welsh pony this weekend and maybe a few shows after that.
She is 5 years old and very pretty and mannerly. At home she will stand for hours to be groomed and fussed. When ridden she stands quietly for as long as needed with no fidgeting whatsoever.

But at shows she becomes a nightmare in the line up. She gets very impatient. Paws the ground, spins, tries to take off. If you ask her to go forward, she goes backward. If you ask her to stand she refuses, and if you continue to ask she will run backwards. She also swings away from the judge and seems to have an adversion to standing straight.
Inhand she is better but still does it, ridden its impossible to stop her and I end up circling until I am dizzy.

Has anyone got any ideas as to how to stop her doing this?
I would practice at home but she is so well behaved I think ive cracked it, and then at the next show she does it again?
She has shown from a 2 year old and gets no better.

I obviously dont want to show a bad mannered horse, has anyone got any ideas?

 

[ladyt25]

Hmm, I have no idea with regards to showing really but, I would suggest that it is the whole excitement of the event with many horses about plus quite possibly the added nervouseness of the rider/handler that is causing the difference in bahviour to when she's at home.

She is only 5 so I'm afraid my only suggestion would be - practice makes perfect! Maybe do some 'mock shows' on home turf if you can with some friends and a fake judge. Will she usually stand next to horses or between horses when at home? It could be this that is causing anxiety. My (neurotic) pony used to suffer very badly with this whole standing in line thing. At pony club rallies he just could not do it and would reverse and generally get very wound up. He is very ware of his 'personal space' and is not happy with other horses - certainly strange ones - encrouching on this space and that stressed him out. Try and give her a lot of space between her and other horses in the line up. Walk her out of it and back again if you feel her getting stressed.

Over time he got a lot better - but that was after doing it regularly. They do get used to it eventually. I think maybe whoever is riding or handling the pony at these shows needs to think how they are acting (ie are they nervous) as this will pass to the pony. Remain calm, and relaxed - don't put pressure on yourself or indeed her to be show winners at this early stage, just enjoy and focus on her keeping calm and remember to reward her for good behaviour and ignore the bad (where possible).

I am sure it'll resolve itself in the end and you'll forget about how she used to behave.

However, if nothing works maybe try her at showjumping instead!! Lol

 

[Emmak12]

hi,

I agree with ladyt25. I think it would be good to try and get people to stand some horses in line at home. if she creates, then the problem is probably the fact that she is squashed between other horses. If so maybe try, everytime she is slightly calm....walk her away and praise her. then bring her back into the line, wait untill she calms a bit...then walk her away...bring her back in again...eventually she may get the idea that when she is calm...she get out of the situation! it will take a lot of patience but could work!
I would say maybe give a treat when stand still! make a click sound and reward...but if a youngster may encourage her to nap! if she likes affection try just a little rub on the head would be reward enough! (its called shaping).

Maybe also try getting hold of a lot of people...and standing them around her....maybe its the people she doesnt like!

Also, how may shows have you been to that she has behaved like this? And how do they differ from what is at home? i.e. are there other classes going on around her? are there jumps or poles out? is it in a field? horses are complex animals and can pick up on the slightest thing...it could be something really simple and silly like that!

hope that helps!

XxEmmaxX

 

[littlen]

Hi.
Thanks to both of you!

She is generally very good at home. She will stand for a long time without fuss. She is very settled at home though.

She has been to about 6 shows this year, she was very on edge throughout all of them- sweating, shouting etc. She also fidgets all the way through the class.

I didnt think about the personal space thing! At home she is fine standing next to her companions but it might be the strange horses, she has been known to pull faces and put her ears back at horses too close. Sometimes at a show she will stand but as soon as another horse moves she is off again!
She also is very attatched to her companion (my own horse) and shouts when seperated from him. If they are in seperate rings both are shouting for eachother! Its strange though as at home they are fine to be apart.

I will try the fake show thing and see if that helps!

I would certainly try SJ (if she wasnt 13hhs ) lol

 

[Lippyx]

I have found reverse physcology (sp) sometimes works. If she gets fidgety, then make her walk. Ever time she moves an ich make her work... either walk her on, or walk and then trot a circle, then come back to the "line up". She should (if it works) realise that its better to stand still, otherwise you work harder!
I schooled a pony who would take off in the school, so everytime she did, I pushed her on and I decided when we stopped. She soon got the message!!

 

[Passtheshampoo]

My daughter's pony is just the same at shows. We found that taking her on her own worked. If her "friend" was on the same showground she just wouldn't settle even though at home we can take her out for a hack on her own or leave her in the field on her own with a problem.