Nervous Energy/Excited? help & opinions please!!

[Ska]

Took my mare out this weekend and need a bit of advice/help!

Basically, mare travels great, calm and quiet. She is generally quiet and well behaved when ridden at home/hacking and when I'm onboard at the showground.

BUT when we get to a show and unload, she seems to morph into a crazed monster!! She is completed unsettled, screaming to anyone that cares to take notice and paws the ground constantly. This stops as soon as I'm onboard and warming up. After my class, back at the box and mare once again seems to get irritated or aggitated - even if she has hay and all around her are quietly eating their hay!! I'm a bit reluctant to put her on a calmer - she is very laid back generally, so this is why it's such a contrast when we are at a show. All the other horses around seem to be in a chilled out state and mine is a stressed out mess!!

My questions to you all - is she nervous? is she hating every minute? Is there anything perhaps anyone can help with a bit of advice/had similar experiences and what they did to help calm their trusty steed?!!? The mare is 10, so no excuses for baby behaviour!!

 

[Binkybex]

Not a TB or a hunter is it?

Just a thought but maybe she is used to people getting her ready inside the box, bringing her out and just getting on and going. They do this with racehorses and hunters.

So she is thinking; right I am here, I'm out, lets go! and then getting tied up to be gotten ready but her blood is still up because she thinks she is required to go immediately.

I wouldn't worry about it personally, it sounds like it might take a little time but I am sure she will settle one day. At least its not like mine which is an angel tied to the box but tries to kill you as soon as you get on!

 

[Ska]

Thanks Binkybex, sounds like she'd have an excuse if she was a TB or Hunter, but she's a Dutch Warmblood, and so laid back she's almost horizontal at home!!

I will persevere, it's not a huge hassle, just gets me a little wound up when I'm following her around with the saddle and wrestling with the bridle!!

You are right though, I'm guessing I'd rather her like that than try to kill me when I'm on board!!