Horse nervous of others in the warm up - tips please

[MuffettMischief]

Hi!

As above. I am taking my partners horse to stressage this Saturday instead of my mare because she is wild lately and too mad to go!

He is a nervous nellie when others trot/canter towards him in warm ups and I dont 100% trust him not to kick out in panic (he has once before) if someone got too close. He flinches, cocks and ear and dissapears a bit underneath me!
He will be wearing a red ribbon and I will be trying my hardest to ride him with positive thoughts as if there is nothing for him to worry about but has anyone had a horse like this before and can give me any tips?
He hunts with my partner every weekend but stays firmly at the back.

Thanks

 

[milliepops]

Keep eyes in the back of your head so you know where the other people are, don't be afraid to ask for more space (politely ) and give him something positive to do when someone is coming your way, rather than just trying to stop him from reacting.

For example, a transition (upwards probably more sensible because if you ask him to slow down he may feel trapped), some shoulder-in if he is schooled to that level, or some leg yield, even a circle or turn. Anything pre-planned so that he has something to concentrate on instead of just getting worried. Reward him frequently when he stays with you instead of thinking about the others. Try not to get stuck on the fence, work in the middle of the arena instead so he feels like he has enough space.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Keep your wits about you and try and keep riding into space rather than let him get 'cornered'. If he's ok I'd also carry a long schooling whip held out, to make people give you more space when you are on the track and it's your right of way, equally make sure you do the same and don't accidentally poke anyone else with the aforementioned long whip . Going forward I'd try and give him a little more exposure to warm-ups, such as clinics and riding in groups at home to increase his confidence.

Good luck .

 

[MuffettMischief]

Thankyou ladies.
He has been to a couple of showing clinics and is booked in for 3 more in the next couple of months so its a work in progress. He is 9 but only broken at 7 so very very green.

Having something positive to do in that moment is a great idea, he isnt schooled to the level of shoulder in (done mainly hacking!) but going from rising to sitting trot really makes him sit back and listen so maybe I could try that.

Hes a fabulous hunter but doesnt like to be crowded, I guess thats just him but hes a lot better than he used to be so its all work in progress.

 

[milliepops]

Thankyou ladies.
He has been to a couple of showing clinics and is booked in for 3 more in the next couple of months so its a work in progress. He is 9 but only broken at 7 so very very green.

Having something positive to do in that moment is a great idea, he isnt schooled to the level of shoulder in (done mainly hacking!) but going from rising to sitting trot really makes him sit back and listen so maybe I could try that.
.

even something as simple as changing bend could work - just anything that re-focusses his attention on you rather than starting to worry about the horse coming towards him. Have fun

 

[MuffettMischief]

even something as simple as changing bend could work - just anything that re-focusses his attention on you rather than starting to worry about the horse coming towards him. Have fun

Thankyou, I will post an update

 

[GemG]

Oh I hope you have a good day out... the warm up area can be difficult even for more laid back characters sometimes due to other people's riding.

For future plans, can you fix up schooling sessions in company (and tell others you are looking for them to ride past him etc, carefully of course) so he learns not to be panicky. Lessons in groups too. I know it's not the same atmosphere but helps to acclimatise them. He is obviously still green and hopefully his confidence will grow with practice.

 

[MuffettMischief]

Oh I hope you have a good day out... the warm up area can be difficult even for more laid back characters sometimes due to other people's riding.

For future plans, can you fix up schooling sessions in company (and tell others you are looking for them to ride past him etc, carefully of course) so he learns not to be panicky. Lessons in groups too. I know it's not the same atmosphere but helps to acclimatise them. He is obviously still green and hopefully his confidence will grow with practice.

Yes I was thinking of getting a few of us together at the yard to do this, they are a good bunch and as its at home it may help his confidence a bit. Fingers crossed!
The warm up for Saturday is only 10 minutes long and being held in the indoor school where the tests are as the outside school is frozen. So there will be 7 horses in total. Hopefully a managable amount.

 

[Oscar]

Depending on distance I would warm up at home so if he's a monkey you can just mooch about the car park.

 

[mavandkaz]

Hi!

He is a nervous nellie when others trot/canter towards him in warm ups and I dont 100% trust him not to kick out in panic (he has once before) if someone got too close. He flinches, cocks and ear and dissapears a bit underneath me!

This is exactly what my boy does, and we have been known to shoot sideways at a fast rate of knots.
Some great advice on here that I will try this weekend.
My problem is that it is a bit hit and miss, the last few outings he has been great, but then 2 weeks ago just in the last 10mins he got himself in a pickle and got very worried.
I often ride at home with others and he is fine as he knows them, its new horses he's not keen on, especially large ones that canter towards him. It also seems to be mares that he has a real problem with.
I always make sure that I start my main warm up on the right rein so I am on the inside track so can dictate the space between me an others, and circle if needed, without getting stuck on the fence line. Also lots of long and low to try and keep him relaxed.

 

[MuffettMischief]

Depending on distance I would warm up at home so if he's a monkey you can just mooch about the car park.

thats not a bad shout actually...

 

[MagicMelon]

Others have already given advice, I just wanted to say I had one like this but he would react (kick) if something did come too close so I did as lot of training sessions (even just hiring a school when others were using it but just 2 or 3 so I could keep out of their way and slowly work closer as he settled etc.) and Id select what events I took him to (ie. ones I didnt think would have busy or stressful warmups). Took him a while but he soon got over it and was fine. I have had another horse who is usually very good but if its a really busy warm up and usually BS (where you tend to get people with mental horses riding AT you etc.) then if I feel her getting worried I'll just leave the warm up and either come back later if possible or simply pop a jump or two and then play around in the car park if necessary!

 

[ihatework]

I think you just need to do what most people generally do with them as babies.
I’ve got a young, backed in August, horse who actually doesn’t appear to have issue with others in his space - but all it takes is one bad experience and it can set you back miles. When you go out competing you are under pressure and so is everyone else around you - it makes people do daft things they might not ordinarily do.
So for me any inexperienced horse doesn’t go competing until I’m reasonably confident they can deal with the added unknown reasonably reliably.

Build things up by working in the arena at home with an increasing number of extra people.

Then get horses confidence up by doing the same hiring arenas away from home.

Join a riding club - most offer group clinics and this is invaluable for exposing young horses in a safe environment.

When you do eventually go out to a competition ask for first class early slot, the warm up will then be quiet.

And as MP said, keep your wits about you, ride into space and have distraction techniques available

 

[MuffettMischief]

I think you just need to do what most people generally do with them as babies.
I’ve got a young, backed in August, horse who actually doesn’t appear to have issue with others in his space - but all it takes is one bad experience and it can set you back miles. When you go out competing you are under pressure and so is everyone else around you - it makes people do daft things they might not ordinarily do.
So for me any inexperienced horse doesn’t go competing until I’m reasonably confident they can deal with the added unknown reasonably reliably.

Build things up by working in the arena at home with an increasing number of extra people.

Then get horses confidence up by doing the same hiring arenas away from home.

Join a riding club - most offer group clinics and this is invaluable for exposing young horses in a safe environment.

When you do eventually go out to a competition ask for first class early slot, the warm up will then be quiet.

And as MP said, keep your wits about you, ride into space and have distraction techniques available

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Sadly we didnt get him until he was rising 7, if he had been with us since a 3 year old, we wouldnt have these issues im sure as I would make sure he was well prepared, as I have with all of my young horses.

He is reguarly ridden with 2 or 3 others in the school at home and is ok with that now. I need to find some more willing people so we can up it to a group of 4 for example
Hes been to numerous showing/pole clinics and did 4 ridden showing classes this year and improved every time which is good. Unfortunately he had quite a large chunk missed out of this year and last due to a virus just as the training was going well, typical!

He is in the first class but unfortunately the outdoor school is frozen apparently so the warm up is a 10 minute slot at the beginning of the class for the whole of the prelim class (luckily only 8 of us). the lady did very kindly offer to give me a 10 minute slot on my own which was really nice of her. I didnt take it as I didnt feel this was fair on anyone else waiting around for me on a freezing cold day and he is never going to get used to it without actually doing it.

I am reasonably confident he will be ok but as he is an animal with a mind of his own....
Ive had some good advice here, I'm sure all will be fine! Im looking forward to it now!

 

[MuffettMischief]

I took the above excellent advice of warmimg up at home as the venue wasnt too far away. I thought I might be killed as he definitely thought he was going hunting once I had plaited him up and nearly 'had' me twice!

Got him to the venue, straight off the lorry into an indoor school with mirrors, a first time for both of those things and he was awesome! 66% and 3rd which I am over the moon about! He was then very happy to spend the day galloping around the countryside with his dad yesterday!! Great weekend

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Woo fab stuff well done.

 

[GemG]

Brilliant, well done