Music for horses?! Helping my horse focus

[xCiaraGx]

Hi all,

So I have caught the dressage bug with my gorgeous ittle highland X cob.
He is going better every day (we’ve been training a lot over summer as our yard was on lockdown so it was schooling or nothing!) plus my instructor is really helping me improve how effective my riding is.
Obviously, as a cobby type it’s not easy for him, he’s designed for a cart afterall- but he enjoys having his brain tested.
The problem I’m having is now we have introduced competitions he struggles to focus. I have found when I am talking and signing or playing music to him (at home and in the warm ups) he relaxes and focuses on the job but as we can no do any of the above in the main ring he just becomes a nightmare! He struggles to settle and it’s really sad because he’s just not getting the marks he deserves. I have bought noise cancelling ear bonnets to try next week but wondering if any one has used music ear bonnets (and if they are even a thing?!)
We’d love to use rhythm beads as he finds them very soothing but I’ve been told they are not dressage legal!
So help! Advice and tips appreciated! TIA!

 

[Orangehorse]

Honestly, I think you just have to keep going out until it becomes more normal. We all, riders and horses, suffer from nerves. You will have to experiment a bit and see if a different warm-up regime helps. Maybe bring him out, warm up and then put him back in the trailer for a bit and then get him out again. These are just variations that people try! Music is good, but as you say, you can't use it in competition, unless it is dressage to music of course!

 

[FFAQ]

Can you quietly hum to him in competition? One of my cobs finds 'ten green bottles ' quite soothing!

 

[SOS]

Noise cancelling ear bonnets made the world of difference to my sweet but very on edge mare. I use them competing and when hacking. She is a different horse out hacking with them - i joke it’s like she’s humming a little tune in her head and is much more relaxed with them. Before she would be listening to every little noise, it seemed to be a bit overwhelming to her. The bonnet goes on and she seems to breathe a sigh of relief.

I listen to music/the radio whilst riding in the arena too and it seems to greatly improve my schooling sessions. I tell myself it’s because she can’t hear the outside world as much however in reality I think it’s 2% that and 98% that I relax a lot more and actually ride! Try and channel this when you are riding your tests, play a song in your head, they pick up on so much from us, I think the actual physical sound is neither here nor there.