Indoor arena *spook*

leflynn

leflynn

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 September 2010
Messages
2,908
Location
Oop Norf
Visit site
Anyone else have a horse that is much less settled in an indoor arena? Mine is much better outdoors for jumping and dressage, less spooky much more focused and less likely to oggle things that don't need oggling quite frankly. I've given up jumping indoors as there is no point as I can't deal with the lottery of will he jump/won't he/will I hit the deck/won't I hit the deck - this is not a health issue as I can take him back outside and he is absolutely fine and will jump whatever I point him at or school beautifully, he has been like this since we started competing (2 yrs) and all instructors have commented it is an inside/outside 'thang' as they have seen me in both (he does get regular saddle/back/dental checks more than the average horse as he shape shifts and cribs)

For dressage he is better in the 2nd test and in some venues we have been to a few times over he settles (one is now his fave weirdly), he has seen enough dressage boards and flowers for it not to be that - its an excuse to be naughty it seems as he is indoors, tactic is forward plenty of bend and ride it!!!

Anyone else have a horse like this? Anyone manage to overcome it? Obv I can't go to EVERY venue several times before a comp esp those further afield now we manage to actually qualify for things, any other top tips?

I have tried chilling on a longer rein round the arena whilst waiting for the bell, have tried lots of transistions, have tried motoring forwards whatever it looks like - problem is his reaction is never the same and hard to predict until I turn down that centre line.... Today warmed up like a slug, did a ton of transistions to wake him, felt grand going in, no spooks then it overcooked and he let rip with energy and tension in the first test once we passed the centre line, 2nd test better (been to this venue three times for DR this year, first time we went he decked me before I went down the centre line). I'd do more spook busting with him but he will pick something or nothing to spook at... Same hacking - more likely to spook at nothing than a flappy bird in his face that freaks me out!

We do a variety of tests, mostly prelim, a smattering of unaff novice and the VERY occasional intro (he switches off), I'm not sure if he is finding it too easy and is entertaininng in himself in other ways? (ex racer, likes to be busy, have to school on hacks or do something or is a spooky git). Mag calmers make him more whizzy, I am hoping the new BD 'can wear fly veil for all tests' rule will help as that seems to help a bit (did race in blinkers)

I waffle, time for a G&T if anyone fancies? :D
 
Have you had his eyesight tested (sorry if you've told me you have and my useless brain has filed it away somewhere unhelpful!). If he raced in blinkers then it does sound like he either has a wicked imagination and likes to think up scary critters jus' for the fun of it, or he does either miss-see something out of the corner of his eye / doesn't quite see a thing properly and goes all scatty over it.
 
Nah mine behaves better in an indoor arena. Guess it's because there is nothing to distract him unless a horse walks past then we get a lovely impression of a filly.
 
The horse in my avatar hated indoors - stables, arenas, trailer - anything inside. His sire used to colic if he was stabled and I have a mare by the same stallion who is also not a great traveller, but I've never had to stable or ride her in an arena, so I'm not sure about the rest. Luckily here in NZ most things are outside, but none of these horses ever settled inside. Just them I think.
 
My mare is spookier indoors, I'm having to plan my winter competitions as I can be bothered wasting the entry fee's if she's not going to perform as well as she can, I haven't tried dressage with her, its SJ/arena eventing.

The frustrating part is she warms up great in the indoor, its once she goes through to the main arena, she becomes very backwards, spooks & looks at everything but what we are supposed to be focusing on.

Last winter I went to the same indoor every weekend for a month, two classes each time and there was little improvement, it isn't a very big arena though, its not particularly well lit, two entrance/exits, a spectator gallery down one side and a café with large windows for spectators down the other side, there's just too much going on for her in there.

This weekend I went to another indoor venue, this place is huge and really light, although spooky she was better here so this venue is somewhere I will consider for the winter.
 
Mine is the opposite - warms up beautifully indoors, but as soon as we go outdoors there are a million things to look at and be distracted by. She also goes better in the second test. It's as if she's got it out of her system and can now concentrate.
 
Horses are odd! MrsM eyesight fine

Shall persevere with practice at indoors as he is getting a bit better, he probs thinks pokemon at P when indoors lol!
 
My exracer is just a wind up merchant lol. If there's nothing legit to spook at he'll pretend to be afraid of something innocuous just for a laugh. He does have me in stitches sometimes :D
Not very helpful sorry as there is no cure for a silly sense of humor!
 
yep, my little cob is like this. She is quite claustrophobic in general - used to panic in the stable and lorry, and doesn't like enclosed feeling spaces when we are hacking (high hedges etc).
I do bits indoors with her - she's always better in the second test, generally becomes a bit more rideable. I find when she knows an arena she is happy - my trainer has an indoor and she's been there half a dozen times or more now and is pretty settled there.

I'm not sure whether to plug away with the comp venues round me - most do arena hire so I'm kind of hatching a plan for the winter (if we can get qualified for winters quickly enough) to do loads of arena hire followed with a show at the same venue to see if we can crack it. But I think she'll always be a bit like this until we get to a point in her training where she doesn't question me... um... give it a few years then!! :lol:
 
Mine is fine travelling and in small spaces, he's fine in big spaces, just always seems to get twitchy indoors until he's been in and out a few times - we're on a plan of arena hires (with boards) and indoor tests until he chills out a bit and gets used to them - at least thats the plan! He is getting better slowly and is better the more times he has been in/second test
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top