home to show problems

[NyborFarm]

Ok, here's a bit of a delima I have with my mini. I noticed it a lot today while I was working him. At home when I work him both in hand and in harness he is a perfect (well... pretty close). But at a show, he wants to throw everything in the book and kitchen sink at me. He could behave or he could do something. Or if I think he'll act up, he does nothing wrong

:

At a show:

This isnt always spooking (he spooks mostly at camera flashes in the indoor arena, and that spooking is head tossing). It could be not standing still in the ring (both halter and harness), not standing while I get in the cart, or being mouthy in showmanship (at the shows I do, I dont bait).

At home:

Yet at home these arent problems. He could stand for hours in the cart or in a halter. I can harness him and get it by myself (I always have someone around when Im driving). And I dont have a problem with him trying to bite at home, if he trys it he gets repramanded in a strong voice and knows he has done something wrong.

Does anyone have a horse that does this? Are there any ideas on how to make him behave like he is at home while he is at a show? Any help is welcome.

 

[Steph G]

I haven't had experience showing my mini yet, but I came into minis from showing AQHA in western pleasure, horsemanship, and showmanship. I had a horse that figured out that I wasn't able to correct her in the show ring so she would pull stunts with me like speeding up, getting out of frame, or just being lazy. I had to take her to a few open shows and blow some classes so she would realize that she couldn't get away with it even at shows. I chose local open shows because they didn't cost as much to enter into a class.

You might could do the same and just go into a class and treat your horse just like you would if you were practicing at home. Don't worry about the judge.

As far as the camera's spooking him, I'm not sure what I would do except maybe take him to a nearby indoor arena and take lots of pictures until he gets over it. Someone else might have a better idea though.

 

[Boinky]

i've found many horses will throw stuff at you in the show ring because you don't dicipline. for that reason if my horse throws something out there it GETS diciplined no matter where it is. usually you only have to do it once and they relise that they'll get diciplined anywhere and it's not acceptable. go to a schooling show or small show where it's not tons of money to go into classes and if you have to knock some sence into the horse (no i don't mean beat them..but dicipline as nessasary) then it's not going be a huge loss $$ wise if you drop in placing because the horse is misbehaving but will still have that "away from home" feel for the horse. that's what schooling show's are made for!

 

[Krstn&Locket]

My mare Locket does this too. She will be perfect at the barn and at shows she's awful and it's a nightmare. I'm so embarrassed to how she acts sometimes bucking and how she just wont stand still for the judge but for me I think It's because she is younger and I need to work with her a lot more and she's inexperienced when it comes to shows. She also tends to get a bit wound and a bit uneasy when we trailer her and has new surroundings so I think this is a big piece of it to. Sorry I couldn’t be much help with this. I would like to know what I can do to help my mini too.

I think you guys are right though. I need to learn to discipline her better. I feel so bad when I do but she gets away with to much and acts out and this is probably a huge piece.

 

[Robin1]

I agree they do learn they can get away with things at shows but, sometimes they just get nervous or pick up on the fact that you are (or are expecting something to happen.)

I had a stallion that was HORRIBLE at his first show. I took him to EVERY open show I could find, I didn't care if there were other mini's or not. He got so used to showing that he was as relaxed at a show as he was at home.

Robin

 

[Steph G]

Krstn&locket,

I think what Robin did with her stallion would work best for you. It sounds like your mare just needs to be hauled more. Even if you don't want to show her just take her to more shows and get her out more. It also helps to get to shows early before you actually have to show. For my horses that are used to showing, I still got them to the shows at least an hour early, sometimes earlier. These were small one day shows too. For the bigger shows I would come the morning before and give my horses a whole day to get used to the new surroundings.

Good luck

 

[NyborFarm]

I wish there were more schooling shows around here. We just have circut shows and the occasional open/4-H show. But I'll risk a placing for a well behaved horse!

Any advice for him not wanting to stand still when Im getting in the cart? We've been working on having someone hold him well so he doesnt start walking and if he does we make him stand. This is a 2-3 person project. Is this the only way or are there more?

I do lunge him once or twice at a show. Normally when I get to the show grounds so he will settel down for halter classes and depending on how he's going I lunge before we drive. Thanks all!