This may sound stupid but...

[JustABay]

Have you ever had trouble getting your horse used to the dressage arena? The actual fence/whatever it's made of? I'm thinking of taking my hunter into a dressage show, but I'm not sure how well he will tolerate being in such a small ring. He's never seen a dressage ring and I'm worried he may not go in or try to jump out. Thanks:)

[angel]

It is generally not the ring, itself, that scares the horse, but the judge's box at the end of the ring....with and without people in it, and especially if it is covered with flapping something-or-others. Spend lots of time before the show walking around that box area...with and without someone banging around in it.

[coloredhorse]

Ditto angel, above. Also, some horses may find spooky the flowers and what-not commonly used to decorage the entrance to the arena and/or the letters. As for jumping out, well, yes, it happens sometimes (more than once to some of us :o ). Do you have opportunity to school in a dressage ring before your show? Though considerably smaller than a ring used to set up hunter courses, they are really plenty big enough for a dressage test; I'll bet you find it considerably less claustrophic than you expect. I lack a proper ring to school in at home, so when I venture out to show once a month or so, I'm always surprised at first at just how BIG the ring is.

[devcubber]

I took one of my mares to her first dressage show a few years back, and she went down the long side, approaching the judge's box, and said "oh!!! a cavaletti! I know JUST what to do!" and promptly hopped out. Judge let me back in, and she stayed in! But when I got home, I built 4 "corners" in my indoor out of cavalettis - basically just 90 degree angles, and then rode her (and all the other subsequent green beans) through the corners. This way they started to understand that it isn't something to jump, just a reallllllllllly teeny perimeter to their arena!

Good Luck!

[JustABay]

LOL yes, I am worried he may think it's a cavaletti! He can be a tad spooky, and I'm sure the judge will give him a neural meltdown. Unfortunately I don't have anything to make a ring, and there's nowhere near by to school in one. So really, they don't really look at the fences? I'm most concerned about the arena that has the white plastic chain staked into the ground...That may undo him!

[ShotenStar]

I had one OTTB who had a melt down at her first schooling show because I had forgotten to school the white chain arena (my home arena is fenced). So I went to the local hardware store and bought about 30 feet of white chain and some stakes, plus hardware for hanging the chain, and set it up in the pasture for schooling: first as a straight side, then as a 90 degree corner.

That was more than 15 years ago and that white chain is still hanging around ... the grandkids think it is a great toy.

*star*

[Tuckertoo]

It is generally not the ring, itself, that scares the horse, but the judge's box at the end of the ring....with and without people in it, and especially if it is covered with flapping something-or-others. Spend lots of time before the show walking around that box area...with and without someone banging around in it.

Or if it's an open horse trailer and the judge is just sitting in it. Haha, the first time my horse saw that (we event a lot and I've been to more than one event where that is the judges box) you could just feel in his body, without even looking at his face, that his eyes were like popping out of his head. My advice if your horse really looks hard at the judge is just walk back and forth in front of it for as long as you can until they ring the bell, whistle, whatever.

Haha, I've also been places where they sit in their car and beep the horn for the whistle. That makes things interesting. Y'know, really calms the horses down ;)

Honestly, the first time I took my OTTB into a dressage arena he didn't even notice the "arena", but the judges. You'll be fine.:)

[merrygoround]

I took one of my mares to her first dressage show a few years back, and she went down the long side, approaching the judge's box, and said "oh!!! a cavaletti! I know JUST what to do!" and promptly hopped out. Judge let me back in, and she stayed in! But when I got home, I built 4 "corners" in my indoor out of cavalettis - basically just 90 degree angles, and then rode her (and all the other subsequent green beans) through the corners. This way they started to understand that it isn't something to jump, just a reallllllllllly teeny perimeter to their arena!

Good Luck!

To make you feel better I think they do require a a more organized arena these days. Of course if you go to a schooling schooling show, even orange cones may be in sight. :lol::lol:

[J-Lu]

Devcubber, that happened to me, too! I took a mare I evented to a dressage show and she very calmly, collectedly, jumped out of the arena. I should have been watching her ears a little better. Graciously, the judge let me back into the arena to get scores for the rides. I set up corners like you did, too. Helped alot!

JustABay, i think if your hunter is schooled enough to go around a hunter course, he'll be fine for a dressage arena. I think. :) But honestly, dressage horses can get spooky, too.

But this is what you do. Is it a recognized show? Definitely get there early the day before it starts and before everyone else gets there (or later when many have left). You can walk your horse all over the grounds AND you can take as much time as you want riding in the actual ring of your test. Take total advantage of this and ride in there. Ride around the judges stand. Have your friend sit up there while you ride around. Also, ride in the warmup area.

If you are there for only one day, get there at an ungodly hour and do the same thing. You can usually walk or ride the horse in the same ring (now with flowers, etc) until "x" time before the first class. Take advantage of this to show your horse the ring.

If you are going to a schooling show, do the same thing. Often, they'll let you take your horse around the judges stand or into the ring on lunch break, etc. Take advantage.

Letting a horse see the lay of the land and have the time to blow a gasket, realize that the letters aren't actually going to eat them, and then get relaxed helps ALOT when you finally ride the test.

GOOD LUCK!
J.

[ChaseTheDream]

my QH.... did that the first time we schooled in one...

it was pretty funny, but i wouldnt worry about it just keep the horses focus on somethin else.....:lol:

[slc2]

it is important to teach the horse to react to the outside leg and rein, so that he doesn't veer outward and go over the low fence, and to school the horse with some sort of rail and letters around the ring. i think the fiendish old masters who decided on that low fence wanted to test that the rider's outside aids were being listened to and obeyed. riding in an open area without a fence can help with that if you practice maintaining a certain size circle or square.

i think if you get some rails and lay them on the ground it will allow you to school the horse to stay in the ring. just a couple pieces of white fence can be used to make an entrance to practice with.

[angel]

Do not ride in the dressage ring during the days of the show. This is verboten! You may hand walk the horse around the outside of the ring. Sometimes, if the ring is set up some days before the show, the show committe will permit you to ride around the outside of the ring. But, check with them, or the TD...first!

There was only one show that I ever attended that they actually requested us to ride in the ring before the show. The footing was like concrete, and they were trying to break it up a bit before the show, so that it could be properly dragged!:no: Boy! Was I glad my horse was shod for that show!

[goeslikestink]

Have you ever had trouble getting your horse used to the dressage arena? The actual fence/whatever it's made of? I'm thinking of taking my hunter into a dressage show, but I'm not sure how well he will tolerate being in such a small ring. He's never seen a dressage ring and I'm worried he may not go in or try to jump out. Thanks:)

simple-- you worry the horse will worry so dont -- just do it and ignore your to much thinking side of yourself as what if's as he will if you keep thinking it