How many of you take multiple horses to shows and what are your..?

Question

plans for combatting buddy souredness.

I usually haul 3, cutting back to 2 shortly and you would think they were joined at the hip. I usually have it set up ahead of time to have stalls far apart so they are seperated and then they NEVER see each other during the show. One is a donk, the other a mule, so seperate classes.

What other tips do you have or do to help prevent that at shows?

Answer 1

We haul between 5 -7 to Ptha rated shows - and we have a couple that are in different divisions and classes & some are in the same.
We have the screamers & the anxiousness, cant stand still stuff going on - depending on who it is - we sometimes keep a "buddy" by the outgate if its not too much trouble -esp. the green babies whove never been in the pen before - if thats not possible,then we make sure that theres a buddy down in the stalls -most of our horses are put together in the same "block" of stalls,so someone is generally around.
We also rotate as well.The same group doesnt go every weekend - so theres some break up there -so no one can get to the place in their heads that they "cant live without " so & so.Weve found that helps immensely.
Good luck

Answer 2

Buddy sourness is usually a problem started at home. I have taken many horses to shows. Buddy sour is not a problem. I take care to not allow that at home. Changing things up, ground work, and not using the buddy system to begin with seems to aleviate that problem. Owners seem to train their horses to have a buddy. They do this unknowingly. Many people with single horses decide that horse is lonely and get it a 'buddy'. Next thing you know they are inseperable. We tend to put human logic and thought into our horses heads instead of thinking like a horse. I would suggest lots of work one on one with you at home and treat each horse as an individual. Also, you should expect a donk or mule to be very vocal in new situations. They are more vocal in general.

Answer 3

I think your idea of stalling your horses far apart on the show grounds is a good one.

You need to make a special effort to see if can get your horses past the joined at the hip mode...Clinton Anderson has cracker jack ideas on this.

When I was hauling to shows it was not uncommon to have between 8 and 12 horses from our trainer's barn stalled on the same aisle. We were on the road constantly and I think once they're used to that idea, comfortable with it, you will "hear" less from them.

Answer 4

Ugh yes! Othello and Riptide...you'd think they were conjoined. Chantilly and Karma never leave Othello even though he could care less about them. First, Othello gets taken off the trailer. Then 20 minutes later after much screaming from the two of them, Riptide and Karma come off. Riptide is uninterested in Karma so Karma just has his little fit for a minute when they go in seperate stalls. Then Chantilly comes in after we get everyone else settled. She screams for a second but then forgets about it and becomes infatuated with the horse next to her. Oh and yes, I have to pay extra to have the horses in seperate tents of barns. Otherwise we will have bucking tantrums in the middle of a course because they are calling to eachother. They have to be in seperate barns so they forget about eachother all together. We also only enter divisions that have rings on opposite sides of the show grounds lol One time when it was only Karma and Othello, my little lovers, I had to have Othello On the fence line while I was riding Karma in a class so they wouldn't have a fit.

good luck

Answer 5

I think you are doing a good job what you are doing to prevent buddy souriness.
Usally 3 other horses along with my horse is being hauled.Usally the barn(I board) gets stalls together,they really don't seem to buddy up,there is so much activity going on between loading the reluntant loaders,and the ones that do not like their ride along buddy that usally after everyone is loaded and peacfully munching their hay,that we are gratefull and on our way-lol
they are showed inn diffrent classes,sometimes it will be the same hunter pleasure, but the horses are jittery with the atmosphere it's self I don't think they notice that their home buddy is in the same ring.
After classes,and in stalling area,they seem to preformm their normal at home behavior with eachother, eating hay and ocassionally pinning ears back between bars to prove a point.

Answer 6

When I used to take my old gelding places, he was such a politician, had to talk to everybody. Embarrassing at times! Do your long-ears talk to each other when you have their stalls separated? I will "listen" for you at the shows I go to! lol
I used to haul with a friend of mine. She had a 5 year old gelding who would just freak if he was away from her 7 year old mare. He was a dream to ride when we were at her place, but couldn't handle himself at shows if he was apart from the mare. If they were in the ring together and not close, he was just about uncontrollable. Never got broke of this habit. She ended up selling him and now he is with other horses, and the new owners haven't had a problem with him.

Answer 7

I bring horses according to what horses i want to ride for certain events and what horses my family wants to ride.

Although I have been using a friend of mine - Fallon's horses for shows now. I usually bring her barrel mare Cassie - but im looking for my own barrel mare.

My kids have their own ponies. and my husband has his ranch horse. So usually 2-4 horses per show. Depending if my kids want to compete, and if i want to. I have a 7 horse trailer so it works.. plus we have living quarters.

If my horses have a problem with buddy sourness, i seperate them apart in their paddocks. My stalls are sturdy and any horse ive had with this problem has been seperated at home aswell. I try not to ride them together either. but i dont know your entire situation etc.

Answer 8

I've had to keep the show horses separated from everyone to stop this. At least just by a fence line - so far this has worked for me and the screaming and bad behavior has vanished.

Answer 9

2 Horses and 1 Pony.

Answer 10

I take 13 horses, each horse for a diffrent event. It all just depends on what u can handle.