Stage fright for horses?

Mrs_Wishkabibble

Mrs_Wishkabibble

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I have had my ex racer now for about 4 months and he so far has been an absolute star. I have a friend/instructor that has been coming and schooling him and in the meantime hubby hacks out with me, we have boxed up and taken him on rides and have also hired out a local indoor arena for his first SJ outing. He has been foot perfect. At the indoor arena - which was his first time out in an arena he was just like he is at home, very laid back, never even spooked at anything, he jumped all the fillers, a small "house" like you would see on a XC course and he was wonderful.
He has NEVER bucked, reared or napped.
He is a real happy horse who loves people and he is nice to have about.
2 weeks ago we took him to a different place and arrived early, got him out tacked up and no sooner had we got him out he looked a bit worried then backed up and got away from us and went on a lovely little jolly round the countryside on his own and managed to cut his lip which required stitching.
He has healed and he was then put back into work, again foot perfect, as if he had never had any time off which is good for a TB, he wasnt sharp and looked likehe was pleased to be back in work again.
Anyway, we took him back to the same place it happened, again arrived early but this time got him out and had a lunge line on him and an extra long lead rope, yep, he did the same again but this time didnt get away. He got himself in such a tizzy and ended up backing up slipping on the concrete and sat down - grazing himself again and this time cut his top lip bless him.
Managed to get him into the arena and got on board and he was fine, trotted him round and he was all relaxed like he is at home but then another horse came up to the fence and he took about 8 paces back again. Nowhere near as bad but still backed. Has anybody ever had a horse that does this.
He is like he is in a panic, he is normally the most laid back unspooky horse I have ever had. My novicy OH hacks him out and he has never put a foot wrong. My other horse can be bouncing around spooking at things and he never bats an eyelid or gets wound up?
The rider is very professional and he has never had a bad day since he has been here.
He did race before we got him albeit only 3 times.
It seems like he is scared of the other horses but there was only 3 others there being ridden and 3 in a field loose. In fact there wasnt any ridden horses when we arrived?
Sorry thisis so long but I could do with some ideas of suggestions as he is such a lovely horse I cannot understand it as nothing fits in whatsoever.
Oh and he has had the Chiro, saddle fitter, dentist etc. All up to date and I even got everything rechecked after he got loose.
Oh, The only thing he has done at home that was remotely naughty was the first time we worked him in our arena at home and there was a full course of jumps out, he backed up about 6 strides and stopped when he touched the fence but walked on as soon as he was asked. He hadnt done any jumping at this point before. They were set out for my other horse.
Heeeeeeeeeeelp (please)
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Some horses, especially TB's, can't handle pressure.....girl at my yard has a top grade A showjumper - got him cheap because he physically shakes when in a big arena with crowds clapping etc.....she wins everything on him at a lower level but will never be able to do top level advanced stuff on him because of this.

Ty will jump on a hack and in the school but if you get him in an arena with a load of jumps he just naps.....

anyway, for your boy it sounds like he associates going away from home with something nasty - maybe he had a bad experience when he went out racing? have you considered boxing him somewhere to graze? No pressure, no riding just somewhere to eat?
 
Some horses just don't like some venues, it might be a strange smell or sounds or just something they feel. We take our ponies all over the place and have the odd show which we won't take a particular pony to becouse she never settles there. If he is behaving at other places don't worry about it unless it becmes a habit.
 
My ex racer hates horses going past him, especially if it's towards him. He hates when hes going past a jump and a horse jumps it, all things like that freak him out but in every other way he is a really really laid back horse. He also gets abit of stage freight in arenas when doing dressage tests etc but the more he does the better he gets. I think it's just a case of them adjusting to their new life.
 
Thanks for replying
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They are good ideas but ...
Re: Parkranger. We have taken him on some lovely hacks, buckle end rein stuff and he has thoroughly enjoyed himself, he is a happy boy usually where-ever he is.
There was no pressure on him whatsoever when he did it, we were just stood there patting him and talking to him as he looked so worried. The other time he jumped everything and had his ears pricked the whole time. I have loads of pics, he looks such a happy chap to be out and about??

Re: Magicgirl. You may be right but the only thing is we almost dare not take him out in case he does it again. At the moment he is covered in grazes with a sore mouth after last night and we only just managed to keep hold of him so am a bit worried if we take him out again if he gets loose he may hurt himself or somebody else. When he went off on his own he didnt run to the nearest horses in fields or in the yards he went away from them? That doesnt seem normal horse behaviour. The poor boy, he seems a bit confused but dont know what to do?
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Nicky - Oh gosh, were you on the bay horse? You saw him there then, did you see him panic before he got into the arena?
What do you reckon? Any ideas? It wasnt even busy was it.
Don't be daft, itr wasnt your fault, you didnt do anything wrong
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hey, yes i was on the bay, no i didn't see him spook, you were in the school when we arrived, i saw him schooling and he looked quite relaxed, but then when he came over to the fence at the end he just wound himself up, it was very quite and there wasn't anything happening that i could see for him to be worried about and as you say there wasn't anyone there when you got there and he got wound up, i don't know what to say, maybe take him back to where he was good and had a good time and just see how he is there, i know how you feel as you don't want him to get hurt but you also need to know if it is just there or if it's just him, maybe he's not quite got racing out of his head yet i don't know sorry!,

EDITED to say, it's a bugger as they don't have any gates there do they so if they do get away then it's even worse as they can get on to the road.
 
tbs and stage fright! - our tb, when in a large group of horses runs backwards- i think it triggers racing memories off as he ran back very quickly then tried to spin around. both times he has done this badly then he has gone down so yours sounds a much calmer horse!! don't worry too much and just try and avoid the place and try and work out what triggers the scare - other horses coming towards him or from behind so you can be ready. otherwise don't worry too much and enjoy having a calm tb
 
Sorry missed that bit about you taking him out before.

There is a venue near me that most people won't take their horses as it's full of ponies whizzing around etc....and it blows alot of horses minds!

Was it a small venue?

Agree with other poster that it could be a smell that's brought back memories of something else....
 
Parkranger - Yes, very low key place, nice big outdoor arena, lots of space and nobody whizzing round. We had arrived nearly 45 mins before the first class started so he had time to look about and settle. He was fine in the trailer, it was only when we got him out he flipped.
The reason he does so much damage to himself is is that he doesnt wait until he gets in the warm up or the jumping arena he did it on the concrete carpark! Silly boy.
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the venue must remind him of somewhere - is it imperative that you take him there? I'd knock it on the head if you can and try another venue to compete him at and see if it's the competing element (ie the excitement in the air) or just that venue?
 
Parkranger.
The other venue we could take him to would be back to the other one but it is Sheepgate Equestrian that have a lovely big full row of shiny glasshouses next to the carpark. I have visions of his backing his way through one or two!! Wont be a pretty sight! There are not many venues around here that are gated in some way. I would hate him to hurt anybody or cause an accident
Can you fit more than 3 lunge lines to one headcollar or bridle Hmmm
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