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Post by hannahpig on May 28, 2008 12:18:56 GMT 1
Piggy is the quietest of the quiet. You wouldnt think he was 4 let alone an ex.
Since the day ive had him he's never even so much as bucked when ive used a crop.
We went to lados of shows last yaer and he wasnt even bothered...i ahd been panicking as the alst time he was away like thatw as at Ayr racecourse!
Took him to Dundonald show and had to walk out teh ring...
He was backing up, rearing, launching forward tkaing off.
Eeventually got him settled and missed my classes. thoguht to myself, ok he's been in all winter, they're late going out this year, maybe he'll be better next time. 8-)Went to ride in the field on Sat and he did exactly the same again. Took him in the school...never put a foot wrong....went backto the feild and he reared right up again! 8-)Any advice or explination?
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Post by lisah on May 28, 2008 13:30:55 GMT 1
Hi Hannah his behaviour sounds very simiar to my wee man Brian (The Count) - he is great in the school and can be terrible at shows and in open spaces he just loses the plot  I think in the school these guys feel secure as they know the boundaries and know what will be asked of them - take them out of the safety zone and they confuse it with racing and get wired and start leaping, rearing and plungeing. I changed Brian's diet a year or so ago to Top Spec balancer and put him on their calmer It did make a huge difference, enough that I could hack him out in company and he did not lose the plot - and for shows I double dose the calmer for the week running up to the show and he behaves a lot better - he can still be quite on his toes but no more rearing and stressing. The other thing to do is get him out to as much as you can and for the first few times just ride him round the show and let him get used to the fact that shows do not mean racing !!! Take him to the first few shoes unplaited and plaiting up seems to set them off - In the ScotNorth ex racehorse classes we tell the judge that there may be unplaited horses in the class but is is no lack of respect to the judge but more because it's the horses first few times at a show and they are just learning to relax. You could also just go to a show and work him in with other horses in the warm up area to get him used to being in with other horses and not having to race - that has worked really well with quite a few horses on here and in their second showing season they are being placed way up the line compared to the first season. It really is a case of taking them to as much as possible and putting as little pressure on them as you can get away with until they forget about racing and settle into their new routines. I wish you and Piggie all the best - it will come right eventually. Some get used to showing in no time at all and others (like brian) take a very long time, it just depends on them  I swear by Top Spec calmer - it has worked wonders with my wee man and he is now taking to showjumping like a duck to water - a year ago he would not even go near a coloured pole on the ground. LisaH xxxxxxxxxxx |
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Post by paddysmum on May 28, 2008 15:49:36 GMT 1
Stick with it hannah, there is loads off people on here to give you advise, and encouragment, most off them have been in your shoes, and now doing so well. Dont be affraid to ask for help, or feel stupid about it, its what we are here for hun  |
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Post by hannahpig on May 28, 2008 16:41:13 GMT 1
Lucy's mummy you will make me cry!!! Thanks Lisa. Will get some of the calmer. I jsut dont get it though cause he's fine at the beach and hacks out no problem....will maybe start taking him to field and lunge and ride and pop in the lorry to a couple of local shows and jsut ride him around....if i can get on him....It was really starting to knock my confidence...specially since ive jsut spent the last year building it up again after i lost my big man.  |
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Post by eyesdontlie on May 28, 2008 17:41:39 GMT 1
I to would swear by the calmer eyes is like a different horse we at the moment are in cornwall after 14hrs in the trailer and he walked off like he had only been in there for 2 mins he is so chilled here and we had a jumping lesson yesterday and he totally took it in his stride.
you can ask anyone on here what eyes was like at shows last year compared to this year a few people did not even recognise him with out hisperfect canter sideways performance!!!
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Post by chestnuttymare on May 28, 2008 20:14:26 GMT 1
Good luck Hannah, I am sure you will get it sorted. Just a blip in the life of an ex racer mummy. I also use top spec calmer, it's good stuff.
You don't have to use it forever, maybe just til he gets over this. Has there been anything happen to unsettle him and make him lose a bit of confidence?
Try not to lose your confidence either as he will feel it, he won't be trying to hurt you he is maybe just protesting at something.
Have you tried taking him into field with a nice quiet horse to give him a bit of a boost, Or even taking him in hand and just walking him round it, really praising him when he is being good.
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Post by ScotNorth Ex Racers on May 29, 2008 0:15:09 GMT 1
Hi Hannah
We have all been through what you are experiencing with Piggy and it really is the 'change' in their normal work that does it ! Even hacking him after the show, when he started rearing in the field with you, is probably down to going to the show which is on grass, and associating this when you took him back into the field to hack at home.
These chaps are so sensitive and get upset at the slightest things. I am not a great fan of lungeing and seeing as he is fine in the school then lungeing him in the school does not really address the issue and lungeing him in the field could get a bit messy LOL
I would recommend long reining him out in the field so it is as close to riding him as you can get, but you still are safe on the ground if he tries to rear or be a bit silly. If you haven't long reined before then practice in the yard and in the school before taking him into the field.
Again, I have been through all this with Brian - I spent 6 weeks long reining him round fields and tracks before I hacked him out and it did seem to help him get used to the fact that big open fields don't mean he is going to be asked to gallop.
Best of luck and keep us posted on progress - remember he is only 4 and most 4 year olds are only just coming into proper full work. Being a racehorse he may have seen and done a lot more than non ex racehorse 4 year olds but he still has a ''baby'' head on his shoulders in many ways honey :-)
LisaH xxxxxxxxx
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Post by hannahpig on May 29, 2008 9:30:12 GMT 1
Lunged him in the feild last night and he was good as gold. going to try and ride him in it tongiht.....will jsut have to keep trying.
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Post by paddysmum on May 29, 2008 10:11:29 GMT 1
Take it slow with him hun, dont rush him too much, just be patient with him |
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Post by hannahpig on May 29, 2008 16:36:23 GMT 1
Patience....i would be if i knew he had always been like that but its jsut started these last few weeks.....For no reason, hasnt had a fright ahsnt been upset jsut at it i think but still i want to calm him downa nd not pick a fight!!!
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Post by bobby on May 29, 2008 16:44:20 GMT 1
Hannah, it could also be a bit of spring grass making him feel a bit giddy. When I was showing Bobby he was always worst at the beginning of the season,although he never reared, as he would consider that too rude, he did used to think he was back on a race track. Work him as much as you can on grass, either ridden or long reigning, work him in company at home if that's possible, and get him out to as many shows as you can. Good Luck you'll get him back. |
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Post by bingbong on Jun 2, 2008 12:05:17 GMT 1
did you manage to ride him hannah? how was he?
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Post by hannahpig on Jun 16, 2008 11:52:13 GMT 1
didnt get him ridden in the field. he has been better but def going to give him double dose of calmer running up to next show and take lunge stuff to settle him when we get there
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Post by ponchespilot on Jun 17, 2008 10:33:31 GMT 1
 I had the perfect well behaved youngster, beginning of May turned him out on grass and reduced feed by giving him just Badminton fiber nuggets as a treat in 48 hours he was a wild stallion, trying to mount me, rude to handle and a danger to ride. Thought it was the spring grass, put him back in the stable and kept him on what i thought was a token feed, still he was acting like a wild beast. I decided to remove the fiber nuggets and put him back on his winter feed of pasture mix, calm & condition & Alfa A oil. What a difference in just 24 hours, he is now out on grass & getting his (winter feed) and i have the perfect gent again. Thought I would share my experience as sometimes a change in diet can make a huge change and blow their brains. Sometimes what is known as safe feeds can change your horses behavior for the worse. Hope you find whats changed and upset your little horsey, keep smiling and don't give up they are so worth it ;D ;D ;D
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Post by bingbong on Jun 17, 2008 11:30:20 GMT 1
lol i shouldnt brag but my bruiser is the opposite lol iv not rode him in 2 weeks and hes out at grass. i got straight on him without lunging yesterday and just rode him down the field, hes brill - complete opposite to his daft big brother whole be spooking and bucking at every opertunity lol
shows that all our horses are different just like people and you have to addapt to their way of going and understand things from their views
keep up the good work im sure piggy will get there hannah
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