Keeping Their Attention

[Cruiseonamiro]

Hey guys,
Just wondered if anyone had any tips on keeping a horse's attention, particularly during a dressage tests? Preferably in relation to young horses. Any ways to warm up that will help me to get a nice controlled, relaxed test?

 

[Woodykat]

Oh I would love to hear any advice on this, big problem for me atm - last week managed to canter around a w+t test, and then added an extra movement called Jump out of arena at A into P12
Am considering a calmer to try and relax him a bit more maybe?

 

[onemoretime]

Have a look at James Hart solutions. Their Listen & Learn is very good, it helps the horse to concentrate, it is not really a calmer but just helps them to focus on what's being asked of them. Google it and have a read, I am using it on my mare and I have found a difference.

 

[Bug2007]

Get to the event nice and early so the horse has loads of time to do the whole head up looking around and getting excited bit. Just walk and trot round without worrying about way of going.

If you are there early enough then they'll get bored of it and then you start to warm up correctly, include loads of shapes and transistions. Try then not to stop until the end of your test, don't stand next to the ring waiting to be called, keep an eye out and then ride in around the area then in when beeped in.

Sometimes if you stop warming up and stand and wait you lose the concentration you had in the warm up area, try if possible to warm up as close to the school as poss, so you aren't moving the horse too far from the area he has relaxed in.

Hope this made sense.

 

[ecrozier]

Get to the event nice and early so the horse has loads of time to do the whole head up looking around and getting excited bit. Just walk and trot round without worrying about way of going.

If you are there early enough then they'll get bored of it and then you start to warm up correctly, include loads of shapes and transistions. Try then not to stop until the end of your test, don't stand next to the ring waiting to be called, keep an eye out and then ride in around the area then in when beeped in.

Sometimes if you stop warming up and stand and wait you lose the concentration you had in the warm up area, try if possible to warm up as close to the school as poss, so you aren't moving the horse too far from the area he has relaxed in.

Hope this made sense.

All good advice! Mine now works beautifully in warm up and we don't quite transfer that to test! Sure its me though as he doesn't know the judge is marking him! Considering rescue remedy for me as although I don't think I am nevous I must be tensing up. If first test next weekend is pantsy I may ask to go HC in second one and trot some circles etc in test arena before bell goes I think!