where do i go from here?

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mazziek

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ok so last night myself n the gelding went to dressage at riding club, he neighed from the second he got off the trailer till the second we left! he was not listening in the warm up or the test! the judge asked me later on how i could stay so calm and cool as she would have leathered him! i did smack him a few times during the test but with no response! we got 49.5% and comments were horse needs to meet you half way, rider very encouraging, have a word with the horse! later when i spoke to her face to face she said its pointless asking anything of him and he was doing nothing to help you. he kept napping at "A" and that general area! this is the 4th thing we have been too since last june and the same thing everytime, he wont shut up and listen! so am thinking about gettin a friend of mine who wont take any nonsense from him to ride him on tue at a schooling night, with none of his stable mates. (he been to shows with and without and still acts the same!)

We have a outdoor school bout 5 mins walk away from the yard and when i take him up there he is always trying to go out one side of it! i took him up today and lunged him at that corner. am i going the right way or should i do what the judge said and keep him at home?

hes a 14 yo x highland who was a trecker for the first 12 years of his life.

thanks for reading!
 
Unless he is actually really upset (which tbh it doesn't sound like he is) then I don't see why you should keep him at home. Sounds like he misses his mates, but is rather trying it on too. When you are riding him he needs to at least try and be in work mode. With my oh mare (gets v anxious away from mates) when she starts calling and ignoring the rider, we really get her working so that she has to listen and concentrate more - I don't mean beat her up, just really make her listen with lots of changes! We do shoulder in, leg yield, loads of transitions and big and small serpentines. When she has decided to listen again then we can carry on with what we were up to, if she starts having a melly again then its straight into a good forwards leg yeild or shoulder in! I would take him away regularly and school him away from home until he gets more used to it. Lots of luck, it can be SO frustrating!! (would really try and stay calm like you mentioned you managed to last time out, getting in a stress certainly won't help either of you!).
 
Hey! How long have you been having this problem with him? It may be something that with time and perseverence you may get him to improve as long as you make sure that when he does try it on he's not the one coming out on top!

I'd definitely try getting your friend to see if she can get anything better from him, it may be interesting to see from the ground how he behaves and she may be able to come up with some helpful ideas to improve his behaviour!

Otherwise I'd say you are doing well to remain calm and not lose your temper with him and I'd keep trying for the time being. Can you take him to training or anything like that with your riding club? I'd try to take him out as much as possible so he gets used to the idea of being away from his friends and realises that by causing an almighty fuss he isn't getting anywhere.

Good luck, it's very frustrating when they are difficult, but there's nothing so reqarding than working through a problem and improving your horse and knowing it's your hard work and perseverence that has paid off!
 
Hey! How long have you been having this problem with him? It may be something that with time and perseverence you may get him to improve, as long as you make sure that when he does try it on he's not the one coming out on top!

I'd definitely try getting your friend to see if she can get anything better from him, it may be interesting to see from the ground how he behaves and she may be able to come up with some helpful ideas to improve his behaviour!

Otherwise I'd say you are doing well to remain calm and not lose your temper with him and I'd keep trying for the time being. Can you take him to training or anything like that with your riding club? I'd try to take him out as much as possible so he gets used to the idea of being away from his friends and realises that by causing an almighty fuss he isn't getting anywhere.

Good luck, it's very frustrating when they are difficult, but there's nothing more rewarding than working through a problem and improving your horse and knowing it's your hard work and perseverence that has paid off!
 
it does sound to me like he's mostly trying it on. You're doing the right thing I think.

yes, it's all new/unfamiliar to him, but you have to keep reassuring him that you're there for him. try talking quietly to him when you're on the ground and as gg suggested making him concentrate when you're riding him. Ron can be just as bad, but he has got better. He now warms up for dressage nicely and only has a paddy and starts shouting when we go in for the test, but even this is improving.

I personally think that taking them with another horse makes things worse as they have a 'reason' to nap, but maybe that's just our horses!

see if you can get someone else to ride him for you as you suggested and watch to see what she's doing and what the horse is doing. you might pick up some ideas on how he reacts to different things.

well done for being patient, it's so fustrating isn't it!
 
TBH, if he's a 14 yr old ex-trekker then it's no wonder he's behaving this way because he will always have had company either in front or behind him so you'll have to persevere quite a bit I would think; it'll just take time and patience. No help but bet if you were in the arena with one other he'd be no problem, he just gets scared and feels isolated on his own.
 
Oh I feel for you, I have an 11 year old Andalusian, who was a trekking horse is southern spain for his first 8 years.

He's a doddle at home but away from home he's a complete nightmare, totally looses the plot, naps and runs back to the trailer/lorry if half a chance.

Been three years! I have had success with calmers, I find ones with L-trytophan as well as magnesium work best.

Also bitting up and going showing etc so he gets to be in the ring with others and a stronger bit gives me more hope of staying there.

Finally the big thing that is making actual real progress instead of masking the problem is I'm doing some Richard Maxwell work, some Andrew McClean (sp?? Aussie Chap) and some clicker training.

Working him in hand away from home , getting him calm, making him pay attention to me and keeping it simple.

With this we were actually ready to do a walk trot test this weekend with a good chance of completing it! Unfortunatley it's cancelled due to lack of entires but we'll try again next month.

So I don't think you have to give up , but you might have to try something different.

Getting heavy handed isn't an option with my lad either as he's had a bit of a rough past I think, even at home you only have to put your arm up quickly and he's a quivering wreck looking to run off, although again thats improving hugely with the clicker work.

Are there things that set him off? Mines bad going into or out of an arena, so at home going through any gateway/doorway we have to stop and chill before it, stop and chill part way through, stop and chill once just through it etc.

Hard work but worth it.
 
thanks everyone for all your replies! much appreciated! going to just keep trying him and fingers crossed! will hire a trailer and take him to some shows where he doesnt know anyone and see how he goes.
 
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