Young horse at shows advice please

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Jericho

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We have a 5 yr old pony on trial at the moment and all is going well and we are trying to go to lots of different events to get her used to it. My question is: is it better to take another pony (her best friend) to travel with and just be there to give her confidence or should we just take new pony on her own? We have done both - first to a lesson with the companion and she travelled much better, was happier tied up at the trailer and was lovely to ride when she could see companion by arena side, but clearly not happy if she couldn't see the other pony. Then we took her on her own to a show and she was much more stressed, travelling and standing by trailer but slightly better riding wise although did nap to collecting ring anyway. Do we perservere on her own or take other pony a few more times to give her confidence and make shows a more positive experience? It is obviously more complicated if I have to take other pony as she gets dragged around with me a lot of the time as she won't stand in trailer on own and daughter often needs help with pony she is riding.

Any advice appreciated please, thanks x
 
If she's just a little twitchy on her own and not suicidal persevere with taking her on her own. She's going to have to learn independence if she's going to be any use!
She'll soon learn she's coming home to her best mate.
 
I would also persevere unless the pony is a danger to itself.

I take my 5 yr old out on his own as want him to be happy being independant of other horses. He copes fine and just allow extra time so that he has a chance to relax and take in what is going on.

I had to sell my previous horse because he could not cope going anywhere on his own - I persevered thinking he would eventually adjust, but after jumping out of the horsebox, I had to give up. A real shame as he was lovely but just couldn't get to the bottom of his separation issues.....
 
I agree with trying to take her alone. I would also suggest not just leaving it to show days. Try and take her for journeys at other times, find somewhere to unload her, make it enjoyable, then return home. Show days are often stressed in one way or another and she will probably feel it too.
 
I agree keep taking her alone if you can, I very rarely take both my horses to the same show as one will only concentrate on where the other one is all the time, yet if I take her alone she calls a bit but so much better.
 
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