impatient horse at comps..please advise!!

[okiepokie]

Hi All

Hope you can give me some hints and tips, i have quite a green mare, who has been broken in for 18 months now and is out and about eventing. My problem is that she is a fantastic traveler and absolutely fine when i'm on board but a complete nightmare when we get to a competition and around the trailer. She is as quiet as a mouse at home in the stable the most willing and quite competitive mare (would jump off a cliff if i asked) but as soon as we arrive at a competition she's banging around in the trailer (i hasten to add its borowed so have to be careful not to damage) and turns into a monster.

I take her off to save damaging the trailer, but tacking up, and doing studs etc is a nightmare shes bulshy and breaks away from bailing twine! Last time we were out she was trying to kneel down to stop me from putting in studs.....had a right hissy fit and then as soon as family turned up and she was surronded by a group of people stood still and let me crack on!!!

I'm hoping this will get better with experience, and this weekend we have a 3 day event so hopefully will teach her some manners, any hints or tips please send them my way.

Its as though adrenaline takes over and she can't see through the red haze lol how can i teach this mare patience is a virtue!!!

 

[ZorroR]

You say a few people helped calm her? Try taking a friend - or two - to hold her/feed her whatever it takes to keep her quiet! Take her a haynet in the trailer maybie? Your mare is still young and needs to get used to where she is and what her job is. As difficult as it sounds, patience is a virtue for you too and its just gonna take time, but you WILL get there!!
Hope this helps, even if to reassure

 

[millitiger]

can you take her for a walk or something when you arrive before starting to stud up etc?

this works really well for Millie- my mum takes her for a walk while i get all of the tack, studs etc out of the car and sorted out.

if mum isn't there i take her for a walk and then get everything sorted- you just need to arrive 15 minutes earlier.

instead of tying her up i take a lunge line and loop it through the tie ring so she can't break away and i am always (!) in control of her- works really well between phases as well.

 

[okiepokie]

thanks ZorroR. I take a haynet which she doesn't touch until after shes competed and my boyfriend is my live in groom lol, so hes always there.

Thanks for the reassuring message though, just wondered if there was any quick fix as she just seems so on edge but i'm sure as with everything to do with horses it will just take time. The reason for my frustration is mainly as i try my hardest to be patient with her at comps and just do things on the move, go with the flow i guess but others around me tell me she needs to be shown whos boss, which i think is unnessesary and looks terrible at a competition, and i really want to give her the benefit of the doubt as is still inexperienced and young.

Thanks again

 

[okiepokie]

instead of tying her up i take a lunge line and loop it through the tie ring so she can't break away and i am always (!) in control of her- works really well between phases as well.

I will try this tomorow as may help with half the problem of not being able to trust her tied up!

 

[millitiger]

I will try this tomorow as may help with half the problem of not being able to trust her tied up!

its great as i can fiddle about in the back of the car, get my jacket on etc with her 10m away but still at the end of the rope and i don't have to keep peeking around the trailer to check she is still there!