# Need show help!



## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

I really want to show my horse more, and for right now just small local shows. I took him to his first one ever a couple weeks ago. He didn't do horrible but nothing like he does at home. He was really attached to his buddy and that made it hard for him to focus. He was pretty wound up in the class without his friend in it. When we first got there, he was totally fine with all the other horses and the sights and sounds-I thought he was going to do so well! But once I started riding, and me and my sister and her horse started separating...he got pretty crazy. We were in two classes-the first one with only two riders (the one he did bad in) and another with 11 riders. He did much better in that one (prob because his buddy was also in the class) but he did try to get really close to other horses and wanted to see them, smell them...ugh! He's a great horse and a good enough mover to win at shows, but he just needs better show etiquette and I don't know what to do! It was his first show though. Should I just take him to lots and he'll get better?


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Also...there was this one spot in the arena, farthest from the gate, where each time he got there in the first class he tried to cut in. I tried to push him over but he just got upset. Other than trying to get close to the other horses in the 2nd class he was a saint.


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## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

Going to more shows will help, and going to shows where he is completely away from his buddy will also help. They get a little ramped if they can't see their buddy but can still smell them/hear them whinny. 

How much did you lunge him beforehand? I know with my old horse it was a delicate balance of too little lunging versus too much lunging. I like to lunge a bit because it gives them a chance to expel that energy, buck, and not be constrained by you as a rider. If I lunged too little, my horse would be ramped up and troublesome. He just wanted to get a few more kicks out, lol.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

oh vair oh said:


> Going to more shows will help, and going to shows where he is completely away from his buddy will also help. They get a little ramped if they can't see their buddy but can still smell them/hear them whinny.
> 
> How much did you lunge him beforehand? I know with my old horse it was a delicate balance of too little lunging versus too much lunging. I like to lunge a bit because it gives them a chance to expel that energy, buck, and not be constrained by you as a rider. If I lunged too little, my horse would be ramped up and troublesome. He just wanted to get a few more kicks out, lol.


I didn't lunge, I rode him. I know that was also part of the problem-he takes a while to warm up.


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## Hoofprints on my heart (Apr 27, 2011)

Take him to shows, trail rides, different stables anything to get him away from his buddy so that they arnt so attached. I suggest lunging him either before you take him over to the show grouns or after you get there in a warm up ring. He needs to keep focused and getting a little energy out wont matter. I also suggest that the oowner of the other horse takes him off the premises so that your horse gets that he can go alone and it wont hurt him. 
Hope this helps!!


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

Hoofprints on my heart said:


> Take him to shows, trail rides, different stables anything to get him away from his buddy so that they arnt so attached. I suggest lunging him either before you take him over to the show grouns or after you get there in a warm up ring. He needs to keep focused and getting a little energy out wont matter. I also suggest that the oowner of the other horse takes him off the premises so that your horse gets that he can go alone and it wont hurt him.
> Hope this helps!!


I am trailering him to my lessons once a week, and he's fine with that, so that should help.
The problem is that it's my sister's horse, they live together, and she wants to go to the shows too.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

The horses live together.


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