My Western Pleasure Horse Isnt Mentally With Me During Classes?

Question

I have an incredibly smart AQHA/PHBA gelding that has extensive training (he can walk, trot, lope, back up, do turns on forehand and haunches, take his lopes from a stand still in one stride, do amazing flying lead changes every two strides if you wanted him to, counter canter, leg yeild) in western pleasure, horsemanship, english pleasure, and trail class (he was a world champion). My god, he is amazing... with over 800 PHBA points. But what I cant figure out is that we work out at home, and he does amazing. Then we get to the show and he really just dinks around during the class. He will put his head up and look around. But then we do a pattern, or trail class and he is totally there, and works his hardest. But like, it doesnt help me when I do an awesome horsemanship pattern, and then we get on the rail and he speeds and has his head up when he goes and doesnt listen whole heartedly. I dont only do rail work, I do trail and road riding with him too... but he still is bored....

Here is some more to add... I take him to the show very early in the morning. And we do ride around the arena. He does fine. We do trail rides alone and with other horses, he is out with 4 other horses during the day. He isnt afraid of noises...

Everyday I do a new thing with him at home for practice. We dont always go in circles around the ring. We do patterns in the center, we ride down the road, I practice english one day, western the next, then do bareback. I change everything all the time. Again, let me state it... he does SUPER SUPER good during patterns in the center. But just gets racy going around.

ALSO... he is a older horse (about 10) so I am not training him to do reining. I do wesern pleasure and english pleasure and that is all.

ALSO... he is a older horse (about 10) so I am not training him to do reining. I do wesern pleasure and english pleasure and that is all.

The answer about getting him used to having horses pass him, and him passing horses doesnt help. He was heavily campaigned, he doesnt care about other horses passing him, or him passing other horses. I want to know how to get him to get his mind back to me. Maybe he is bored?

The answer about makeing him a reining/cutting horse.... No thankyou, because I said he is 10. Reining is too hard on the legs for me, and I dont want to teach him somthing new. Now, by saying he is racing on the rail. That doesnt mean he is fast enough to catch a steer. He is going much faster than the average in my class (who by the way are very very slow moving western pleasure horses). Please know, he is a fast western pleasure horse... not a slow game horse for gosh sakes.

I think giving him 90 days off would be a waiste of time. He doesnt ride all winter, so he had well over 90 days off. Now its time to work. Starting on ground work would also be... boring to him. He line drives, and lounges just perfect. Also, I only ride him everyother day (somtimes every two days) because he doesnt need riding everyday as he is broke. But what I want to focus on is the bordom inside the arena...

Answer 1

It doesn't sound like training is a problem. It sounds like he's a "busy" horse...he's one of those that LIKES the challenge of difficult things.
Some years ago I worked with a Morgan stallion who got in a bad habit of nickering in the ring. He would not utter a PEEP in the warm up ring or at home at another horse...but he was smart enough to figure out in the ring he could do it and so as to not mess him up correction was difficult at best. There was one show he'd already messed up (broke into a lope for unknown reasons) and then started nickering...knowing the class was already done for him the trainer took the opportunity and smacked the shaft of the cart with the whip - scared him as he thought he was next. But from that class forward he never did it again - it served notice that even in the ring he would get corrected.
I guess with that in mind what I would do is go to a smaller "nothing" open show. When he starts dinking around there correct him and make it count. It's frustrating to have horses sometimes that ARE smart enough to figure things out!! But from a horse standpoint a show is a show - a state fair or regional show or open show are all performances. It doesn't sound like he's misbehaving from lack of training but sounds like he's just easily bored. There's no challenge to the rail work.

Answer 2

I would start by giving 90 days off. When you begin again start with nothing but ground work, and only do it a few days a week not every day. Then get in the saddle and focus on what he seems to enjoy the most. A lot of the time, it isn't that the horse is bored or being bad, he just wants to be a horse and not work so much. A horse no matter how willing to work and please, needs equal time to just be himself. He sounds like a phenominal animal so show him how proud you are of him and give him a vacation of sorts. I work with abused horses, difficult horses, and preformance horses specifically jumpers and racers. Most of these horses rest more than they are worked. For example, we stick each one on a "walker" clean the stall then put him back. other days we swim them for a few minutes, turn them out to do what they want, etc.We only do havy riding twice a week. All of them are more full of life, are well conditioned, and are willing to work when asked. Also, try to give him a day or two off right before a show, he may do better whe he gets there.Hope this helps. Good Luck

Answer 3

You already know that he can do everything you are asking him for, since he does it so well at home and before the class begins. He is definitely trying to see how much he can get away with. You need to take him to an open show and use the classes as training time. Do not let him get away with anything. You have to show him that you are the boss, earn your respect back from him. If you don't, he will learn that he is in control and does not have to worry about being reprimanded by you. My last show horse would act like this all the time. Just don't give up or give into him - it worked for me-we won AQHA National Rookie of the Year.

Answer 4

Is it because he doesn't like the other horses on the rail? Do you ride (other than shows) alone? I had a friend whose horse was fine at home and very fast at shows. Turns out for her, he sensed that she was nervous at the shows and the angle of his feet was off. A different farrier noticed it and over time corrected the angle and he is now wonderful and jumps 3' courses. You may need to practice ride in groups, so he is used to the other horses in front and passing him. Or use him just for individual classes like reining and western riding. Since he does so well alone.

Answer 5

How often do you ride him around other horses? In new places? Maybe he is just curious. Try getting to the show early and ride him around so he can look. Sounds like he is either excited or anxious, but if he does fine on patterns and all, maybe he is just interested in the new sights and sounds, other horses, etc.
If you can take him around on the rail a few times before or in between classes, such as during warm-up, maybe that will help. Good luck!

Answer 6

When you are riding at home are you riding in the Same tack and gear you show with? look closely at yourself, chances are, in order to present a good picture to the judge, you are riding stiffly, holding your breathe or are not having fun. Your horse will feel this, compound your "strangeness" with stiff show tack and its no wonder a horse becomes distant from his rider in the arena. When you are doing pattern work he is getting familiar cues from you and there is enough external stimulus (obstacles changes of direction or speed etc.) to keep his mind occupied and on the practiced task at hand. Back on the rail he gets to think more about the Strangeness of you and the show tack, speeding up is a classic indicator of an uncomfortable horse and a stiff rider.

Answer 7

You know ...he may just be focusing on playing with your head. He sounds like a well trained boy with a bit of adolescent devil in him. He probably is wanting more from you, what, I'm not sure of, but I have a 19 year old that plays the same dang game. Sometimes I just let him cut loose and then we start again over and over the right way until he gets tired of horse play and starts work. He just might have pent up energy. Sounds like a healthy kid to me.

Answer 8

I love Western and English. Kind of different I know. I like to ride western for soft hands and English for a good seat. I'm sure others can accomplish this in other ways, I just enjoy switching it up.

Answer 9

Western pleasure?? Since he's so smart, maybe he's bored. Try some other stuff like reining or cutting, get him focused & using his brain!

Answer 10

sounds like he is bored with regular pleasure classes...he likes to keep himself business and challenged with things to where he has to pay attention.