If it gets too exciting

[arizonahoney]

...some tips, please, for channelling pony's excess energy, especially at the start and during any periods of waiting around...

I can't predict how he will behave and it's not something you can really prepare for at home (he is pretty good at shows, but at a hunter trial, he was having so much fun he kind of forgot that I was on top of him )

 

[debsey1]

I usually find at The Meet my Cob gets really restless as he knows what's coming . I try to make him stand especially if I'm trying to have a drink! Otherwise, I just keep walking round in circles, try standing again then circles.

He gets better after an hour or so after a good canter/gallop then settles down whereby we can both enjoy the rest of the day.

If you are able to hack to a meet all the better as he will have exerted some energy otherwise like me being fresh off the lorry I just go with the flow, keeping him fairly contained at the meet then letting him have a blast

 

[JenHunt]

as debsey1 says - keep him busy. walk circles serpentines, figures of 8. ask him to stand and praise him for even a moments pause. then ask him to move on again. keep his focus on you.

you wouldn't ask a kid to sit still at a party, and in that respect a horse is no different out hunting. they soon learn that it's wasted energy and to stand when you ask him to!

hack a mile or so to the meet will help, and don't be tempted to feed him up the day before. much better to feed afterwards for what he's done.

when you can go, push him on and let him go, then when you ask him to come back he won't be minding so much!