Horse show coming up...?

Question

ohkay well i am a dressage rider but i do have a lot of jumping training in me and my pony(14.2h) and we have a show coming up in jumping and she is a VERY spooky horse, the worst you'll meet with the spooking!!(but i love her) and with the stuff they'll put around the jumps...do you think after a while she might get over it, or do you think she'll still be spooky around the course? im soooo nervous!!!! and we have gone to shows before, but this is the first show i have with her with like 12 jumps and a lot of stuff around them. i have shown her in dressage before, but all you dressage riders understand how the atmosphere in dressage is so calm....so will she be calm in jumping and get over the stress? or will she be spooky around the course?

Answer 1

Well I am only going to shows that don't get that technical with the flowers lol. My horse will not jump flowers, he will jump boxes and bricks my nothing else. I haven't tried this yet, but I can garuntee it will make an effect. Try and bring random stuff that might be around jumps like flowers and stuff to your ranch. Show your horse them and make sure s/he is comfortable around them. If not, make her confortable. If your horse is fine with regular jumps, then start by adding small objects to the fences after a few warm up jumps. If s/he will not jump them, stop and let her sniff the items. If s/he still will not jump them, try taking some items away. Once you get her over the jump with some objects, try adding more. You may find that your horse doesn't really mid objects.

But thats not it, you won't be able to garuntee your performance in the arena. A few days later, if you can do this in another arena that would be great. Work on this with your horse, and surprise him with a mix of different items. When you get to the show, bring some of these items to the show. When you are warming up, put some of these items up. This will definetly help you. Good luck and have fun!

HJB

Answer 2

make sure u are calm otherwise u might stress ur pony out even more. go to as many sj comps and eventually she will get used to them. good luck

Answer 3

if your mare is really that spooky, then you can count on her freaking out during the course. HOWEVER, most courses allow you to ride the course in a warm up. But there will be a lot of other horses riding in the ring with you, and going over the same jumps. I would take her into the ring and she how she reacts to just the horses coming in every direction.

The best thing for you to do is tarp play. If you have a tarp lay it on the ground and let her step on it. And take her around a lot of bushy flowers, or better yet- set them up around the jumps at home, where shes more comfortable. If she doesn't freak out, give her a cookie.

She'll associate monsterous jumps and viciously scary flowers with treats, and she'll look forward to it.

Just make sure to give her a cookie after she completes the course.

=)

Answer 4

I would set up your current training area with the various types of objects that you might encounter at the show..flowers, flags, just to get her accustomed to as much as possible now.  

At the show..warm her up and see how she reacts...if you feel uncomfortable about it..don't show but use the surroundings as a training experience.  Or..show but look at it as a training experience and just be satisified that you accomplished what you did...pinning or not.

But if you plan to continue to jump try to set up your home arena with similar props to practice with.

Good Luck..

Answer 5

My horse was spooky when we first got him, so I know what you're going through.

First of all you've gotta have confidence that both you and your horse will do well. The first second that you doubt yourself, your pony will feel the tension, which will affect her mood also.

As long as you get to school over the course with the pony a few times before your actual classes, she should be fine. The jumps will be pretty much the same when you school as when your class is. The only difference will be that some might change to oxers, etc. so change it up when you school so that your pony won't have any suprises when she shows.

I think your pony will be perfectly capable to do jumping. My horse and i do both dressage and jumping like you, and he adjusts just fine.

Good Luck at your show!!!

Answer 6

My advice would be go into as many showjumping comps as you can. Then she will get use to her surroundings. It takes time, but you can do it! But it is true dressage is a very calm relaxing. But your horse will get use to the jumps in time! don't give up. I have a very stubborn horse that i have to work with and enter shows and pony club with. Many times i am thinking im sick of this im going to quit. But the truth is i will never give up on her. I just have to keep working at it. Good luck xo

Answer 7

ok i have one piece of advice - make sure you lunge ur horse when u get thiere !!!!!!!