Young mare’s first competition

[J_sarahd]

Before I start, I really don’t want anyone saying that I’ve done anything wrong. As I mentioned in the weekend thread, I am disappointed in myself for putting Nova in this position and just want advice/good stories/reassurance!

Again, as mentioned in the weekend thread, Nova went to her first show yesterday. It was a casual dressage and I had no expectations, really. The intro class is usually very quiet with only ever up to 6 people, which I thought would be perfect. The owner of her field buddy decided to enter last minute, which meant they ended uo travelling together. This is probably the start of the downfall.

The warm up was indoors (Nova has never been into an indoor before) with plenty of signs and a viewing area - i.e., lots for a 4 year old. It was also heaving. There were easily 8 horses already in there with people trotting right up her backside. She kept trying to run off (understandably) and when I stopped her, she would shake her head and leap in the air. I will stress that field buddy was still in the lorry park at this point, but they were calling to each other. To be honest, she was calling at anything to would listen to her.

I asked her to trot, thinking that if she is moving more forwards she may be slightly more distracted, eager to work. We trotted a lovely 20m circle until she bronced and bronced and bronced until I fell off. Right in the middle of a busy arena. Embarrassing.

My friend walked her round and I got back on and walked her round the warm up and then went into the boards and just walked her on both reins before calling it a day. The boards were in the corner of the warm up - if it was in a separate arena I may have given the test a stab. But then again, maybe not.

Also, to add fuel to the fire, she was/is in season. She’s getting better with her seasons but it still makes her more explosive and clingy. Another point to add - she has been out before and has behaved impeccably once I was on. This wasn’t her first trip away from home.

I guess I just want some good news stories of babies who have behaved like this on their first competition and some reassurance that this is normal! The only thing I am worried about, and the only thing I cried about, was knocking her confidence and having put her in that situation as she clearly wasn’t happy.

Also, any advice? I have hired the same indoor for next Saturday and planning to take her out more to (hopefully) quiet venues and clinics/lessons.

 

[asmp]

We made the mistake of taking our youngster to his first show with his stable mate - not a good idea! All they did was call to each other when out of sight. It does get better honestly. I found the best thing is to go to a show with the mindset that if it’s not going well you can just come home - no pressure to compete. And, as you say above, the more you get out and about, the less stressful your horse will find it all.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I'm not being funny but this horse is showing signs of not being ready to be ridden properly if she were mine I would be giving her some time out and just go back a few steps.

Your in danger of really ruining her if you carry on a few days ago you were jumping and before that you had your friend on her, she sounds sensitive and its not the way to go about it I'm afraid. Sorry.

 

[ycbm]

Isn’t she an off the track racer who you bought at 3 and are retraining? And that you were having problems with her last autumn and turned her away for a while to see if that helped? That puts a whole new complexion on it being her "first" outing.

This could just be insecurity. If she actually raced, it could have been excitement at thinking she was going racing. Or it could be that she had an underlying problem and the act of travelling to an event was the last straw that sent her over the edge.

In your jumping picture she was taking off from hind legs that were spread well apart with one in front of the other. It may be that was just a one off due to inexperience, but if it continues it's often a sign of a physical problem.

If she was mine I would want a head to toe workup, and if that found nothing back right off the training/competing and take it ultra slow as you've got one of the over sensitive ones.
.

 

[J_sarahd]

I'm not being funny but this horse is showing signs of not being ready to be ridden properly if she were mine I would be giving her some time out and just go back a few steps.

Your in danger of really ruining her if you carry on a few days ago you were jumping and before that you had your friend on her, she sounds sensitive and its not the way to go about it I'm afraid. Sorry.

Everything I am doing has been run past my instructor and a few other knowledgeable friends.

 

[ycbm]

Everything I am doing has been run past my instructor and a few other knowledgeable friends.

Do they have experience retraining racing TBs?

 

[J_sarahd]

Do they have experience retraining racing TBs?

Yes

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Everything I am doing has been run past my instructor and a few other knowledgeable friends.

I haven’t met the horse but what I've read on here suggests she is a real sensitive type I've no experience with young TB's but I've had plenty with young Arab's and being hot bloods they can be similar and I've known a few to be really pushed too young and it's taken years to correct it.

Instructors are not always right.

 

[ycbm]

Then they need to be training you that on a 4 year old ex racer early in the retraining process, this should have been enough to warn you to leave the warm up and call it quits for the day after establishing a quiet walk around the car park. These racing TBs are often damaged goods emotionally, this isn't a straightforward issue of "just a young horse."

The warm up was indoors (Nova has never been into an indoor before) with plenty of signs and a viewing area - i.e., lots for a 4 year old. It was also heaving. There were easily 8 horses already in there with people trotting right up her backside. She kept trying to run off (understandably) and when I stopped her, she would shake her head and leap in the air. I will stress that field buddy was still in the lorry park at this point, but they were calling to each other. To be honest, she was calling at anything to would listen to her.

Don't worry, you won't have ruined her, you just need to understand that you've got one of the ones with a hair trigger, be sure it's not physical, and take things ultra slow until you've had several months without any explosions and she's put dumping her rider out of her mind.
.

 

[J_sarahd]

Then they need to be training you that on a 4 year old ex racer early in the retraining process, this should have been enough to warn you to leave the warm up and call it quits for the day after establishing a quiet walk around the car park.






Don't worry, you won't have ruined her, you just need to understand that you've got one of the ones with a hair trigger, be sure it's not physical, and take things ultra slow until you've had several months without any explosions and she's put dumping her rider out of her mind.
.

Thank you. This sort of behaviour does seem to coincide with her seasons. As I’ve mentioned, she’s been out in hand and under saddle for walks round car parks at shows and RoR clinics and been absolutely golden. But these coincidentally didn’t happen when she was in season. I will get the vet out to do a full workup and maybe scan her ovaries.

 

[Northern]

Firstly, take a breather. You have acknowledged you made a mistake, that's a start.

I would have canned it when I found out the stable mate was coming, personally I never travel a young horse out with a field buddy and especially not in the same trailer for the first few outings. This is asking for trouble from a sensitive and distracted young horse IMO. There are plenty of horses at these outings for the horse to "not be alone" and cope with activity and other horses.

Bringing on a young TB takes a lot of time, patience and smart thinking. If my horse had reacted like you describe, I would have parked her somewhere in a corner (either in hand, or on her depending on how the behaviour was escalating) and ignored her until she shut up. Very simple questions at first, sometimes simply backing her up if she decides to move forward (x1000). Unfortunately her behaviour probably made you very tense hence the explosion when you tried to do something with her. My first outings for my young TBs were always with low expectations, if they stood quietly at the trailer eating - that's a win. If I got on and was able to do something with their attention on me - over the moon. If they were completely distracted and off their faces, this gives me tools to work on before the next outing. Often I didn't end up actually doing what I'd entered, which is completely fine. This has worked beautifully for my two sensitive TB mares (both were 3-4 when I started with them).

Please don't take this the wrong way, but from what you have written previously about Nova, you may not be quite ready and confident enough to bring on a young TB. You have to be honest with yourself, otherwise you end up in a frustrating spiral of no progress which is demoralising for you and for your horse. I think you need think about your options. If you want to continue with her, get a GOOD trainer who can perhaps take her out on her next few outings and give her kind, positive and confident rides, while you continue plugging away at home. I cannot stress enough how influential what you do at this stage is for your horses riding future.

Also just a note, a vet work up is never a bad idea especially if she appears to have bad seasons. But don't assume it is the only factor. Look critically at yourself and the way you interact with Nova and ask yourself if you are making excuses for the shortfalls in your handling of her. We all live and learn - and well done for asking the question.

 

[smolmaus]

I got dumped at my first outing too. Also in the warmup. We also went with her best friend field buddy. Nobody necessarily tells you these things are "mistakes" until you've already done it. You can't know what you don't know and although the advice here had been... not harsh but blunt, its all sensible. You will do better in the future now you know her limits.

I got dumped off a 14.1 cob who was only entrusted to me because she was as close to bombproof as you can get. Talk about ruining them she's not ruined and neither is yours, just go slower, she will forgive.

 

[maya2008]

I took my 8yo mare to her first ever competition a few weeks ago. Travelled with son’s pony so similar to you. First show for both of them, although we had done arena hire. Fine in warm-up as they were in there together. Trotted round the class buzzy and worried, held it together enough to jump, then bucked me off after the last one! Son’s pony held it together better, then dumped him at scary fence 10.

Sounds like an awful day, right? But it wasn’t. Both were placed in their second ever class (son 4th, me 2nd). So by round no.2 they’d got the hang of it and got it out of their systems.

After many years of youngsters, I always do mini SJ before dressage. Gives them a focus and you can let them scream their heads off, have head six feet in the air, doesn’t matter, focus is just on getting round. Dressage is too much pressure with not enough focus for them in my experience. Dressage warm-ups are crazy too, often full of frighteningly leapy horses that can easily set off a youngster. So we find mini SJ and do that until they are settled, then do dressage!

 

[TheMule]

My rules for fist competition-

- Horse very used to go out to RC lessons etc
- Test arena next to warm up
- Ask very nicely if you can go first
- Take it on its own!

You set her up to fail. Get it right next time and I’m sure it will be fine, she won’t hold it against you

 

[J&S]

I do think for low level, intro classes the warm up areas should be regulated, times set and only x amount of people allowed in at a time, depending on size of area. Also, check out the arena to be used, mirrors, adverts, signs, placards can all be scary for a first timer, do your homework, desensitise gently at home. You need to be pretty confident of a successful outcome, not in the sense of winning, but that you are able to keep things truly under control and resort to Plan B if neccessary. Like The Mule says, set her up for success.

 

[Red-1]

I don't read the ex racer thread, so I don't know how much prep you have done. But, for me with a new horse, I need to establish the following...

1. Go well at home. Well means off the leg, yeilding to the bit, confident and able to do whatever will be expected at a competition, as a routine thing.
2. Go well at home with another horse in the arena, so overtaken, overtake, meet head on, other ride makes whip noise, other horse canters T bone style. All progressive but confident and attention on me.
3. Go well at home even when the other horse leaves the arena, so mine can keep attention.
4. Go well hacking in company, but also alone. If they daren't set off and explore on their own off hacing in a new environment, they won't in a strange one.
5. Split up out hacking and hack home alone. I usually do this so the new one is almost home and a more experienced horse can take a slightly longer route.
6. Hire other venues. Travel in the box, get into a routine. Take all the time you need to establish getting somewhere and keeping your head. What you actually do at the venue is secondary to being calm and deliberate in setting the tone and routine.
7. Go to other venues in a lesson environment, so the trainer contains what everyone else is doing. This can be tricky as you have to be ready for a particular time, but if you have a good routine it is easier. I would then leave slightly early so the horse gets used to leaving others behind. Repeat until leaving the lesson early is a normal thing and the horse is no longer clingy.
8. Hire venue for first competition. Work in warm up then go to main arena. Repeat of there are any issues.
9. Go to competition, but go for a hack from home first. That way they are settled but not had their legs run off in circles.
10. No, I would not go with a companion, unless you have practiced going with that companion and splitting up numerous times at different venues. The other horse would also have to be well practiced, so no whinnying! I actually box out to hack a fair bit, so boxing up doesn't always mean work.
11. Entering a competition just means you have permission to go to the car park, offload if you wish. It doesn't mean you have to actually DO anything. I had one new horse who had a stage of going bananas in the box on arrival so we forwent (yes that is a word, I had to look it up) doing anything until he got back in his head. A few times, that meant doing nothing. But, in time, he became Mr Plug and Play out eventing, the easiest horse ever!

I would then just do things incrementally.

For yours, I would go to the start of the list and start to tick off experiences and make sure each one is in the bag.

 

[Red-1]

As you had asked, I have just had a look at your posts, and think that I would slow down some. I don't remember exactly the order, but she is sensitive to the girth, came up short on a hind leg, had time off, came back to work, had a new bit, was whinnying on a 1km hack, was stressed travelling, was off work again, had a physio etc etc.

I think I would have a check up after this behaviour, there seems to have been a lot of signs that something is wrong. If it is all OK, I would not box out until hacking the 1km is confident and calm. Work at home and in your arena, tackling that end of the list first. Do short trips to places or to hack, until that too is calm. I used to rope in Mr Red, I would ride out and he would pick me up in the box to come home. Or, he would transport me all of 1 mile down the road and I would hack back. Initially the hack home would be a bit spicy with Rigs (!) even though it was a really familiar route!

I would also make sure the behaviour you get at home for handling and in the school for riding is get-able in all the new scenarios before moving on. Her being able to give to you is her sign that she has got this and is ready to move on.

Tiny tiny steps.

 

[RachelFerd]

I don't read the ex racer thread, so I don't know how much prep you have done. But, for me with a new horse, I need to establish the following...

1. Go well at home. Well means off the leg, yeilding to the bit, confident and able to do whatever will be expected at a competition, as a routine thing.
2. Go well at home with another horse in the arena, so overtaken, overtake, meet head on, other ride makes whip noise, other horse canters T bone style. All progressive but confident and attention on me.
3. Go well at home even when the other horse leaves the arena, so mine can keep attention.
4. Go well hacking in company, but also alone. If they daren't set off and explore on their own off hacing in a new environment, they won't in a strange one.
5. Split up out hacking and hack home alone. I usually do this so the new one is almost home and a more experienced horse can take a slightly longer route.
6. Hire other venues. Travel in the box, get into a routine. Take all the time you need to establish getting somewhere and keeping your head. What you actually do at the venue is secondary to being calm and deliberate in setting the tone and routine.
7. Go to other venues in a lesson environment, so the trainer contains what everyone else is doing. This can be tricky as you have to be ready for a particular time, but if you have a good routine it is easier. I would then leave slightly early so the horse gets used to leaving others behind. Repeat until leaving the lesson early is a normal thing and the horse is no longer clingy.
8. Hire venue for first competition.
9. Go to competition, but go for a hack from home first. That way they are settled but not had their legs run off in circles.
10. No, I would not go with a companion, unless you have practiced going with that companion and splitting up numerous times at different venues. The other horse would also have to be well practiced, so no whinnying! I actually box out to hack a fair bit, so boxing up doesn't always mean work.
11. Entering a competition just means you have permission to go to the car park, offload if you wish. It doesn't mean you have to actually DO anything. I had one new horse who had a stage of going bananas in the box on arrival so we forwent (yes that is a word, I had to look it up) doing anything until he got back in his head. A few times, that meant doing nothing. But, in time, he became Mr Plug and Play out eventing, the easiest horse ever!

I would then just do things incrementally.

For yours, I would go to the start of the list and start to tick off experiences and make sure each one is in the bag.

100% agree with of all this - nice young horses (of any persuasion - ex racehorse or not) benefit from a really bitesize plan for making sure that they're ready for life. We often get to take shortcuts because of having nice, easy horses - but that doesn't mean we should. I'm one of those really annoying people who is always talking people out of going to competitions - but it's because you've got so much more opportunity to create and control nice positive experiences away from the competition environment. And I'm afraid your mare does sound likes she's on the sharper/trickier end of ex racehorses as they go, which means you've got to to tick off all the micro-challenges along the way - you'll get there!

 

[humblepie]

As I put on the other thread mine struggled first competition as someone else from the yard entered at last minute so like yours he had to leave a friend in the warm up. Like you I did clinics and school hires. I worked at the clinics on asking the instructor if we could work on him moving away from the others. We also used to lead him round the lorry park for 15 minutes or so before even tacking up as that would really settle his mind. It’s time and working through what works for your horse. She’s young so lots of time to build up good experiences.

 

[SEL]

We did our first a few weeks ago. He spent most of the warm up showing moves that weren't in a novice test. We just walked, mooched, apologised to people and asked a friendly steward to walk next to us down to the arena. I'd forgotten they had mirrors so we then had snorting. When the bell rang I steered him round the test, with a 'don't you dare' when he tried to bronc. Quietly walked him back to the lorry when a kid started screaming at high pitch so that set him off and I decided to go home.

Maybe it's me but I wasn't fussed about the actual test as much as seeing what he was like in that kind of environment. I know now and have a plan for next time out. I think that's all you can do - make a plan, take a step back and see how you do

 

[tda]

I very rarely, if ever took two ponies to a show, even the older ones can get a bit needy when they've travelled there with a pal. With one, they will focus on you.

 

[Mosh]

If it makes you feel any better, last year I had to bring my mare home from a show. 15 minutes after we arrived as she really wasn't happy, I don't know what upset her but I barely got her off the trailer alive and didn't dare try and tack her up. She was 28!

I don't think you're a million miles from me, if you want a few suggestions of nice places to go or some company, happy to help xx

 

[maya2008]

I should probably add, to make you feel better, that when my TB was young, we hacked to a local show a few times with a friend just to soak up the atmosphere. First time I had to get off and stand next to her while she turned into a prancing giraffe with eyes on stalks - and this was in the car park . No way to do arena hire as no transport, so hers had to be a baptism of fire. We made it through, but I didn’t enter anything until we could walk round the car park and watch a class calmly! Those were in the days of ‘on the day’ entries, so I just signed up on the day when she finally decided she could do this!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

We all make errors of judgement sometimes but equally you don’t know how they’ll be till you take them out. Very easy to look back and say how you could have done it differently. But you can make a plan to go forwards now.

Beryl surprised me by going very green and novice on her first ridden outing too, yet had been old as brass in her showing outings!

Skylla at the same age was absolutely fine, didn’t care about the indoor or mirrors horses for courses.

Also, if it makes you feel any better, I once got bronc’d off in the dressage warm up on Topaz who was around 16/17 at the time . Not only that but we’d only had to qualify through two rounds to get there I was mortified!

 

[Hallo2012]

i think you need to break this down in to smaller chunks:

*riding in groups in your home arena
*arena hires with one other horse
*arena hires with 3/4 other horses
*group lessons
*going to shows and simply riding round the car park
*going to shows and riding in the warm up

then you are probably ready to do a test.

mine was very insecure as a 4yo at his first few shows despite doing all the above, stressing about being left each time someone left the warm up, and then just neighed and neighed....and neighed.....and neighed....and neighed his way round the tests and barely (VERY barely) did any kind of rendition of the actual test......more just ping ponged round head in the air screeching.

we just kept going out to quiet shows with big warm ups and lots of arena hires. slowly it became that the first test was a screechy mess and the second one was fine. then the first test was just a bit tense, and now a year later he is fine (and silent) and scored 67.75% in his first elementary at the weekend, and is only 5yo.

i found TRT work really helped build his confidence too.

He is a stallion so another layer of noise and reactivity but the principle is the same for all horse, time and steady repetition in small chunks.

 

[BronsonNutter]

I don't read the ex racer thread, so I don't know how much prep you have done. But, for me with a new horse, I need to establish the following...

1. Go well at home. Well means off the leg, yeilding to the bit, confident and able to do whatever will be expected at a competition, as a routine thing.
2. Go well at home with another horse in the arena, so overtaken, overtake, meet head on, other ride makes whip noise, other horse canters T bone style. All progressive but confident and attention on me.
3. Go well at home even when the other horse leaves the arena, so mine can keep attention.
4. Go well hacking in company, but also alone. If they daren't set off and explore on their own off hacing in a new environment, they won't in a strange one.
5. Split up out hacking and hack home alone. I usually do this so the new one is almost home and a more experienced horse can take a slightly longer route.
6. Hire other venues. Travel in the box, get into a routine. Take all the time you need to establish getting somewhere and keeping your head. What you actually do at the venue is secondary to being calm and deliberate in setting the tone and routine.
7. Go to other venues in a lesson environment, so the trainer contains what everyone else is doing. This can be tricky as you have to be ready for a particular time, but if you have a good routine it is easier. I would then leave slightly early so the horse gets used to leaving others behind. Repeat until leaving the lesson early is a normal thing and the horse is no longer clingy.
8. Hire venue for first competition. Work in warm up then go to main arena. Repeat of there are any issues.
9. Go to competition, but go for a hack from home first. That way they are settled but not had their legs run off in circles.
10. No, I would not go with a companion, unless you have practiced going with that companion and splitting up numerous times at different venues. The other horse would also have to be well practiced, so no whinnying! I actually box out to hack a fair bit, so boxing up doesn't always mean work.
11. Entering a competition just means you have permission to go to the car park, offload if you wish. It doesn't mean you have to actually DO anything. I had one new horse who had a stage of going bananas in the box on arrival so we forwent (yes that is a word, I had to look it up) doing anything until he got back in his head. A few times, that meant doing nothing. But, in time, he became Mr Plug and Play out eventing, the easiest horse ever!

I would then just do things incrementally.

For yours, I would go to the start of the list and start to tick off experiences and make sure each one is in the bag.

This and all this!

I also used to ride one of my ex-racers at home before boxing up to go to shows when he was at a particularly spicy age, seemed to settle his brain a little before heading out to a party. With yours it would give you chance to assess how she is feeling hormones-wise (and potentially loosen her up beforehand if she has a tendency to get a bit tight somewhere). If she's awful at home that day then I'd just sack off going out.
Finally, when first out of training that one used to get ridden at least 6 days a week. He lived out too. Not all rides would be physically taxing or with a training purpose (lots were just general hacks) but it did make him a lot easier to deal with mentally at that stage - he liked the routine and feeling like he'd done something - you knew the day afterwards if he'd had a day off.