warm-up madness...how to cope

[NewbieEventer]

I find myself more nervous/worried about the warmup than the actual event. I guess my horse and I have bad coping skills in warmup. Part of the issue is that he's very sensitive about his "personal space", and spooks big time if he feels another horse might occupy what he considers his "personal space" (about 40m diameter on a good day) :( Horse is quite the athelete when it comes to spooking (spin, drop shoulder, jumps to side, etc)...and he's so dang fast!! One second he's under you, the next he's literally 10 feet away looking at you on the ground. He tenses up when he sees other horses, which results in me tensing up in anticipation of one of his spooking feats :(

I've been dealing with this issue for quite some time now (he's always had this issue for as long as I've known him), and it really hasn't changed much (for better or worse). I'm not sure why he has this problem with other horses...not just in the ring or under saddle...he's like this even when I'm leading him/hand grazing :confused: If another horse comes anywhere near him, he gets extremely tense. I feel like the only time he truely relaxes are when no other horses are present.

I need to either develop a (much) better seat that's able to sit his spooks, or somehow "train" this out of him (not sure if it's even possible). Anyone else have similar problems? How do you deal with it? What can I do to help him be more accepting of others in "his space"?

My friend's horse is the exact opposite. He hates being alone, and does his best work when there are other horses in the ring at the same time. Why is my horse so antisocial :confused:

[HollysHobbies]

My old trainer used to stand horses like yours in the middle of a riding lesson (jumping) with a rider on. We'd all trot/canter all around her/pass her/at her/from behind in a line...the horse would eventually settle and get used to people passing from all angles.

What drives me NUTS in warmups are the people who can't carry their whips--they're flapping all over the place--I had a draft cross who used to freak out at that. HELLO! Did your trainer not drill you on resting your whip on your thigh (small rant not directed at you! :) )? If you can't carry it properly, don't show with it!

[NewbieEventer]

Thanks, Holly. That might be something I could try...not sure if I should do this exercise mounted or from the ground. Would rather not participate in any more unplanned dismounts, but I also don't want to be trampled :lol:

I don't normally carry a whip, but even if I did, you don't have to worry about my whip coming anywhere near your horse...mine makes sure we're at least 40 m from any other equines at all times :lol:

[Jleegriffith]

As hard as it can be the best solution is to try not to think about what could happen. Tb's are especially reactive to rider tensions so the more you tense up the worst he will be. I try to have a very clear plan of what to do in my warmup. With some horses there is no walking on a loose rein unless you want to be in the dirt;) Have a plan and stick to it. Keep them working the whole time so they don't have time to think about being silly. Use lots of transitions and lateral work to keep them working hard and maintain the focus you need. Look up and breathe! I make myself think relaxing thoughts and if my horses are being tense I might let them canter around for as long as it takes until they can relax. That might mean my dressage warmup will consist of some cantering in two point until my horse relaxes. Use lots of changes of directions to keep them guessing as to where they are going so they don't freeze up in certain spots.

On these types I keep my jump warmup very short. Jumping warmup is always the hardest so in and out as quickly as possible. If the ring is running slowly keep them moving so they don't get tense.

[deltawave]

I hate warmups, too, on a young horse. Sometimes so much that I just don't bother. :) For BN and N, I've occasionally just cantered around (WAAAAY on the perimeter of the warmup area) and gone in and jumped my course. For dressage I have been known to just go for a long hack, somewhere quiet, and show up in time for my test.

I agree that desensitization is the way to go, and a busy lesson is the ideal place to do it! :yes:

[Blugal]

Does he have turn-out buddies? I wonder if he's jumpy because of a past problem with horses beating him up. Either way, maybe he would benefit from a turn-out buddy who is lower on the totem pole.

[regeventer]

My horse is much like yours - very funny about his personal space, and if a horse is coming directly toward, he will do ANYTHING to run the other way!!! He even tried to run away from the horse about to go into the dressage ring next to us - we both had our 60 s bell at the same time - and for a moment I thought we were eliminated because I was sure he jumped INTO the ring over the chains!:eek:
I have just ignored the behaviour, rode him forward, and continue on. Some days he's not so bad, some days we are back to square 1. With my horse, if you get upset, mad, or get into a shouting match, he's accomplished his goal - kinda like ha ha - made you look!
If you can ride him so he is TRULY in front of your leg, the spooks will be somewhat contained and easier to sit. I find when we are in that zone, what might've been a full out spin is woops, a step to the side because you have me powering with my butt so I can't quite get those shoulders up in the air. Concentrate on riding him deep.

That and time/experience!

Good luck

[Kairoshorses]

I have to say that warm up is my buggaboo, too. I HATE it.

The other riders who are focused (many of the BNT) simply don't look at anyone else, thus either I move or they run into me I've actually been run into, and I'm now freaked out--so my attention is turned outward, where it shouldn't be.

If I can find someplace else to warm up, I do. I really, really, really hate the warm up area.

[Hilary]

I feel for you. This was my horse for several years. She simply couldn't cope with other horses moving around her. She would leap and buck and spin and bolt. Concentrating on me was not in the cards, nevermind how disruptive it was for the other people.

In the immediate, I warmed up away from everyone else. Sometimes that meant in the parking lot (yes I would always get permission if I was somewhere weird). Sometimes that meant not jumping - at BN and even N it's possible to warm up on course. not ideal, but better than getting dumped and scaring the horse.


Jump warm ups were worse because something about having the horses jump when she couldn't see them was terrifying for her.

In the long run, take him to busy places and hang out. Don't ride. Chill with him and watch the warm up from a safe place. Then try sitting on him and watching.

Next would be riding with one or 2 other horses in the ring. Working on getting close to them and staying calm.

It takes time and you have to recognize that you do probably anticipate and get nervous - how can you not!

One of Star's issues was probably due to her living at my house and never being ridden with a group.

Now her personal space is about a 10 foot area around her fine self, not an entire dressage ring, and she will pin her ears flat on her neck when near another horse but she keeps working. So it can get better but it takes a long time.

[yellowbritches]

My old trainer used to stand horses like yours in the middle of a riding lesson (jumping) with a rider on. We'd all trot/canter all around her/pass her/at her/from behind in a line...the horse would eventually settle and get used to people passing from all angles.
This is a very, very good suggestion. Do it on the ground, at least to start with. Try to keep your body language as relaxed as possible (without risking him getting away if he panics). Do it A LOT. If people ever lesson in grass, take him out with them and let him graze (this is a big tool in teaching them everything is cool). Take him to little low key schooling shows and do the same thing...just hang out (may be best to start by hanging out on the periphery of everything, and gradually work your way into the commotion). We've done this kind of thing with horses that had various issues and it always seems to help.

I am not a fan of warm up. My old horse always got very, very upset in warm up and would try and shut down on me. It was always ugly, but, thankfully, he'd snap out of it as seen as he entered the in gate and would be fine. Poor guy, his anxiety wasn't helped while at a h/j show, when we were SLAMMED into by a totally oblivious kid. :no: Of course, my anxiety over it isn't helped at all with Paco, who DOES shut down. Thankfully, Vernon, who's the important one could A) Care less and B) Needs very little jumping warm up. Nice for me. I can canter around, jump a couple of fences, then go in or hang out until it is our turn.

[NewbieEventer]

Thanks for all the suggestions :yes: And, it's kind of comforting to know that others have had similar problems. Glad he and I are not the only freaks :lol: I think the standing him in jump lessons is a great idea. I should just make him face his fears and show him that nothing bad will come out of it :yes: (up to this point, I've pretty much just been trying to avoid these "scary situations" as much as possible)

As far as turnout situation...he's out with a herd of 5 other geldings...and probably 3rd in "rank". He's definately not a follower and can be perfectly content with his own area of grass far from the rest of the herd (though if others happen to be where he wants to be, he doesn't object much).

[vali]

If you figure out the answer, I'd love to know. My mare is actually fine in groups at our barn, and in smaller warm-ups, but the huge open warm-up areas with 20-30 horses going at once on dressage warm-up day really fries her brain. Lunging her in side reins seems to help a little, and then if we can find a quieter area it helps, but that's not always possible. And if she goes into season, all bets are off. I've got her on hormones now and I'll see how that works, but in the meantime I'm growing her tail out and braiding a red ribbon in it.

[Donkey]

My mare can be quite reactive to other horses. What I've done with success is lounge her while having another horse and rider circle her circle in the same/opposite/faster gait until she relaxes - then she's done for the day. We also work on the lounge with having another horse charge at her and then at the last minute turn away. Also lounging her next to a jump and having another rider w/ horse time it so that they are taking off or landing just in front of her (next to her circle) or behind her.

[enjoytheride]

My mare is like this and she will spin, bolt, and try to run out of the arena. First, don't be afraid to lunge her a bit hard so she is a little tired. Then I pick a spot with about a 20 M circle or slightly bigger. I trot 5 steps, walk two steps, trot 5 steps, change across the diagonal of my circle, trot 5 steps, halt for one second, change across the diagonal, etc. Make your changes dressage changes, come across your diagonal, really change that bend, push out on your circle, come across again, change your bend, etc.

Staying on a small space he can think of as his will help him relax and changing what you do every 5 seconds helps him focus on you. Really work on your transitions and see if you can do them off your seat only, no reins. Trot a couple fences and come back to the trot or walk as quietly as possible, go back to your circle, trot another fence, go back to your circle. Go out and jump your course then come back to the warmup and stand on the edge and watch the other people, or go back in and work on your small area again.

The key is to really force him to focus in on you %100 and to really think of it as riding dressage, don't let him do one thing for too long.

[mvp]

Oh yes, had one of these. When she "left" it was so fast you'd have one of those Wiley E. Coyote moments-- Sitting on air, look at the camera, body starts to fall, neck stretches and the rest of your body catches up.

At home. Bring him to the Grand Central of a lesson in-hand with a halter and stud chain. Camp out and maybe feed him treats.

Do the same (minus the treats) on his back.

Then (step two) "do calculus" on him. This means that when he's planted or cruising around, you leave him alone. When he tenses up, you through a mental problem at him-- a halt, turn on the haunches toward a wall, leg yield, transition, whatever. Do enough that he's concentrating hard on his job. The ride can be little physical work but quick and demanding, or it can involve harder physical work. Doesn't matter-- you just want to take up all of his brain cells.

There are two purposes. One is to get him to listen to you when he's thinking about ditching you to save himself. The second purpose is entirely mental-- the horse can learn that life is good when he offers relaxation and gets much harder when his mind wanders.

Now if the other peeps in the schooling ring would get theirs just as broke...

[sch1star]

Just building on what Jlee said (the chill-in-busy-lesson when off then on will also help I bet) - not only have a plan but create a warmup routine that you use almost every time at home. You have to pick things that you're likely to be able to do in a real warmup area (i.e., serpentines might be impractical). For my horse it was medium walk, then trot figure 8 with a couple steps of walk in the middle, walk leg yield into trot both directions, canter circle light 3pt. The figure 8s ended up being variable sizes but I was never unable to find some kind of space to do them in.

This may not work for all horses but I have not seen it fail yet if it's well established at home. Beginning the routine when away will tell your horse you're about to do something he understands, something predictable, and will help him get in the Zone. Thinking about your own personal mini dressage test may help you be less nervous too.

Little home-association type things like that can also really help in other areas. I've been working with a student whose mare likes to jig when she asks for a more active free walk, so at home we started doing our free walks across the diagonal with a halt at the end letter. So far, no more jig in the tests. My pony can be tough to keep straight in the CL halt so now we always end our rides with a good CL halt. Apparently the prospect of me getting off is sufficient incentive for him to be more agreeable :winkgrin:

[Ajierene]

I worked with a horse with similar problems. He was fine at home, though he was at a small barn without a lot of traffic in the arena. Take him out to a show and it wasn't the show that bothered him, but it seemed the commotion of 50 different horses going in 50 different directions. His former owner was reminiscent of a 5 year old - you know, floppy reins, horse going wherever, no control whatsoever. Take him to a show and the horse was in charge, not the human. Well, the horse would get scared, not be sure what to do,next thing you know the brains have leaked out the ears and all is lost.

I got on him at home and simply said - when I say left, we go left. When I say serpentine, we serpentine. Took him to a show and into the warm up. He started to get nervous and I said - when I say circle, we circle. He visibly relaxed and let me be in charge.

So you might want to just concentrate on keeping his attention. Like what sch1star said, I used to do a 10-20M figure eight exercise at home that followed to the warm up area, which helped calm him down with familiarity. I also did not ever try to just walk him on a loose rein, we were always 'doing something'. He did a 180 in his attitude.

[wabadou]

I hate warmups, too, on a young horse. Sometimes so much that I just don't bother. :) For BN and N, I've occasionally just cantered around (WAAAAY on the perimeter of the warmup area) and gone in and jumped my course. For dressage I have been known to just go for a long hack, somewhere quiet, and show up in time for my test.

I agree that desensitization is the way to go, and a busy lesson is the ideal place to do it! :yes:


I completely agree.
I posted here last summer about my daughter's very sensitive gelding who started wigging out in warmup and then was a basket case for his jumping.
We started getting creative and bypassing the warmup if it's crazy and just finding somewhere else to quietly hack, then maybe sneak in for 1 warmup fence and back out to wait to be called. It worked great!
Another idea, if you can go in during a break like a lunch break, it's generally much less crowded.
Good luck :)