Best exercises to get an anxious horse to focus on you

[BatCoach]

For those of you have have sensitive horses, what is the best ways that you have found to maintain the focus on you?

Whenever I take my OTTB into new arena he gets tense and easily distracted. I’m a calm rider and my typical way of dealing with this is letting him walk on a comfortable rein until he settles into his rhythm, which normally works but if there are lots of horses/bikes/tractors etc on the periphery he gets more keyed up. It can get to the point where I know I am not trusting him(defensive riding) which obviously makes him more tense.

I ride him 5 x a week, and he is a sweetheart on the ground, he lunges well and is great in environments he is comfortable with so I know that I can hold his attention and communicate with him, its just that sometimes he gets into survival ‘lizard brain’ and I’d like to know what you guys do to prevent this.

I’ve tried putting him in lateral work, voltes and give him a variety of things to do, but there have been times when all this activity makes him fussy and resistant.

I want to show him down the road, so I need to know that I can trust him in uncertain situations when I can’t control what is happening outside the show ring. Drugging is NOT an option, nor is lunging him until he is too tired to think.

[Abbie.S]

I find it is not WHAT you do, but the INTENTION behind the exercise that matters the most.

You can put the horse into whatever exercise you want, but if you aren’t sitting up there captaining the ship cool as a cucumber and in a zen place yourself, you will find that it doesn’t matter one iota what you do.

I say this with great empathy, as I own a horse with a brain like your horse’s. Fantastic gaits, athletic, a beautiful mover and willing as any horse I’ve ever ridden, but my God, she is an entirely mental ride. You have got to be in zen mode to ride her, and sometimes that means just sitting there while she does the sideways thing, saying to her through your body, “come back, it’s good, come here, be with me”.

I will also say that you should plan on exposure, exposure and more exposure with this horse. Don’t wait until the tractors and trucks and crowds are already there to prepare for them. I literally have a standing date night with a couple rider friend and their spouses reach week where we get on our horses with the sole intention of making as much noise and doing as many disturbing things as we can to get the horse used to it.

There is not a magical movement or aid that brings then back. It’s all in the intent you have while you’re up there.

[dressagediosa]

A few of my favorites are in this article: http://dressagetoday.com/article/dressage-training-exercises-to-calm-your-hot-horse-12474

[beowulf]

when some (OTTBs) get “up” like that, tense and jiggly, i find they are worse if you allow them to “settle” at their own pace - aka absent captain… they need their hands held sometimes and this is one of those times where the hand-holding reassurance is very important.

i like dressagediosa’s link - and use those exercises. my favorite to get a horse really thinking of you is the four - loop serpentine from K - V - L - D - A , etc - keep it on the short side of the arena and try to fit as many as you can until your guy is practically turning on his haunches to do so.

[TrailRides4Fun]

Take him to the arena and just let him hang out and relax under saddle.
Sit on him, but don’t make him drill, drill, drill.
I actually tack up my anxious horse, and then just sit on him and read a book
for 30 minutes.
Teaches him to stand patiently under saddle.
Usually anxious behavior is nervous energy, needing an outlet.
Take away, or rechannel, the nervous energy by doing an activity that doesn’t require a lot of movement.
Let those anxious times become pleasant, relaxed times.
Eventually, he will realize that standing still is a lot nicer than drill.
JMO

[merrygoround]

To put AbbieS’s words in a different way.

Yes, do S/I but ride him into it. Send him forward, S/I from K to B, 10 m circle, change rein on centerline S/I from E to K. Keep your legs on, your head up and think. Throw in a few halt-trot transitions, etc. etc. You are obviously riding at a level where these movements are there. So have at it, use them.

The object being not to punish, but to keep his brain so busy listening to you, that he hasn’t time for anything else.

[Manni01]

[QUOTE=TrailRides4Fun;8509608]
Take him to the arena and just let him hang out and relax under saddle.
Sit on him, but don’t make him drill, drill, drill.
I actually tack up my anxious horse, and then just sit on him and read a book
for 30 minutes.
Teaches him to stand patiently under saddle.
Usually anxious behavior is nervous energy, needing an outlet.
Take away the nervous energy by doing an activity that doesn’t require a lot of movement.
Let those anxious times become pleasant, relaxed times.
Eventually, he will realize that standing still is a lot nicer than drill.
JMO[/QUOTE]

Thank you for that great advice. Thats exactly my experience with hot horses as well!
And I also like the suggestion from the Dressage Today article to study your horse and find out what helps and what makes him more nervous. When I went with my hot unexperienced horse to the first shows I found out that a very crowded ring was a problem She was used to other horses but not to so many. I really messed up one test because she got so tense during the warm up. So for the next test I warmed her up in a ring which was a little further away but much less crowded. It was amazing how different the test was because she was relaxed and happy. I think if there is an easy solution to a problem I usually choose it and dont fight with my horse about situations which might be avoided…

If sitting on him is not possible, go to a group of your friends, talk to them while holding him and ignore him. It might take some time, but he will settle down.

[Lusoluv]

I got to test my lateral aids and Zen skills today! My 3/4 TB mare was really up. The paddocks are so nasty with our winter weather that she is basically standing all day, not moving and letting off steam.

She is normally SO calm, but a few days this month have been very trying - including today. With 7 other riders cruising around and jump lessons going on - mare felt like she wanted to explode. I’ve only had her for a few months so with her cantering in place and lifting off all 4 (think pogo stick) I had to be smart. Took a deep breath, softened my knees and elbows and started shoulder-in/counter shoulder in multiple times every circuit of the arena. Several voltes around fences and anywhere I could. Was it instant success? No. But it kept me from abandoning the ride and letting her anxiousness get in my head. The fireworks calmed down and after 30 minutes I could canter and do all the work I wanted to with a calm, forward and soft horse.
Several riders said they couldn’t believe I rode her through this because they’ve never seen her so hot - she’s famously calm for a youngster. I was pleased to ride through it and live to tell. Now I’ll have more confidence should this happen at a show, etc…But as another poster said, you must remain calm even when things are going sideways (or up and down) as in my situation

[soloudinhere]

I have a mental ride as well. Mine doesn’t stand until he’s worked out his energy so we walk - with no contact or expectation - until he is bored. This can mean getting on 20 minutes earlier than needed but we walk. Until there is nothing else to see. Like we have all the time in the world. Then we start doing serpentines, figures etc at the walk. Literally until he is bored to the point of equine tears.

I also often don’t canter until I’m in the ring if he is jacked up, because it can make him more agitated.

When he’s doing the giraffe omg-look-at-that-thing I sit tighter (not deeper, but I close my thigh against the saddle) and take the inside rein to say “hey, I am up here, and I am your pilot in this adventure” and if he really tunes me out that is not negotiable and he does a turn on the haunches or forehand until he gets over himself. I did have to instill some groundwork respect for this to work, but we have pretty much gotten past the “my brain is not in my head” stage through groundwork, respect, and some dinner mints in my pocket that he gets rewarded with for keeping his brain in his skull. My guy is young and he’ll get over it as he gets older, but I really do have to ride the brain more than the body.

[MysticOakRanch]

Lots of transitions - LOTS! I like the serpentine idea (I use serpentines a lot), but would add transitions all over - walk at every centerline for example. I always keep my mare on curved lines (circles or serpentines) when she is having a hot day - and we will trot 5 steps, walk 5 steps, trot 5 steps, walk 5 steps. I’ll add some SI and haunches in or out also. Keep them BUSY so they have to focus on you.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

NOTHING worked for me until I knew I had his attention on the ground every single time before I got on.

He is expected to be focused on me before I even mailed up now. I do in hand exercises, ones that I can mimic mounted. if he starts to do the thoroughbred plant and stare or if he gets too interested in what is going on around him, we stop what we’re doing and go back to the in hand exercises except I am now mounted. It’s like a reset button to his brain. He MUST LOWER HIS HEAD. Non negotiable.

We have improved leaps and bounds by doing this.

[RedHorses]

With mine the key was an exercise he could do, but one difficult enough that he needed to pay attention to it. Taking enough of his mental focus off the scary stuff by demanding it for something else. Relaxation exercises were not suitable as he needed active direction and communication with the rider/leader. And yes, the rider does need that zen we’re doing this thing now, nothing else matters state.

For one horse this was a tiny figure eight in walk, then slightly bigger in trot. By tiny I mean small enough that he would fall over if he didn’t pay attention. I used different things for another horse as his training was progressing quickly and the difficultly doable with focus exercise was changing constantly.

For some horses the lack of guidance just allows the anxiety to build and build until they feel they just have to escape. At speed.

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=TrailRides4Fun;8509608]
Take him to the arena and just let him hang out and relax under saddle.
Sit on him, but don’t make him drill, drill, drill.
I actually tack up my anxious horse, and then just sit on him and read a book
for 30 minutes.
Teaches him to stand patiently under saddle.
Usually anxious behavior is nervous energy, needing an outlet.
Take away, or rechannel, the nervous energy by doing an activity that doesn’t require a lot of movement.
Let those anxious times become pleasant, relaxed times.
Eventually, he will realize that standing still is a lot nicer than drill.
JMO[/QUOTE]
that’s all fine and good advice, just don’t forget to mention that making a hot/keyed up/frantic horse stand still can backfire just as quickly with the horse rearing and your book getting sent flying :lol:

takes a lot more than one session IME, but what is better is to have him stand while you are dictating or participating a lesson, etc - so he can watch the ho-hum of the horses around him.

[TrailRides4Fun]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8510506]

that’s all fine and good advice, just don’t forget to mention that
making a hot/keyed up/frantic horse stand still can backfire just as quickly
with the horse rearing and your book getting sent flying :lol:

takes a lot more than one session IME, but what is better is to have him stand while you are dictating or participating a lesson,
etc - so he can watch the ho-hum of the horses around him.[/QUOTE]

I have been dealing with my ‘over the top’ anxious horse for quite some time,
(6 years to be exact).
I take EVERY opportunity to find interesting and creative
ways to help him relax,
and make our interactions enjoyable and CALM.
I realize that you are 'mocking ’ my methodology, which is fine,
but it actually works for me and my horse.
I will read aloud so when he hears my voice, he can hear a
relaxed tone.
So far, with this horse, ALL of the various calm down exercises
I have used, have worked.
OP rides frequently (5x a week).
I think thats A LOT of drill, drill, drill.
My suggestion is not so much about drill, which probably heightens the horse’s anxiety bc its always work, work, work, and nothing different.
Make the work time more enjoyable by not having the horse actually work.
Like Ray Hunt always said, make the horse your partner.
Think HARMONY with horses.

Really, the lack of creativity is sad, Beowulf.
Trying something different, that I didn’t read in a training manual,
doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merit.
Sorry, my thinking ‘outside of the box’ is so unusual for many
COTH members.
Good luck OP, I hope you find my suggestions helpful

[TequilaMockingbird]

I find lots of transitions with walk, trot, halt and a couple reinbacks really focus my mare’s attention as well as getting her forward and working off my seat. By lots I mean 4-6 transitions on each long side. I’ve gotten some really amazing downward transitions doing this. I usually do this exercise when she starts out fussy about contact and behind the leg. But I’ve also used it on days when she is more concerned about what is going on around her, jigging and being generally inattentive to the rider.

[quietann]

[QUOTE=TrailRides4Fun;8510556]

Really, the lack of creativity is sad, Beowulf.
Trying something different, that I didn’t read in a training manual,
doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merit.
Sorry, my thinking ‘outside of the box’ is so unusual for many
COTH members.
Good luck OP ;)[/QUOTE]

I don’t think beowulf meant what she said in an insulting way, but she was reminding us, and you, that sitting on a horse while just “standing around” can be dangerous if the horse suddenly spooks. It’s an extension of the fact that mounting and dismounting are among the most dangerous times for a rider, as is very relaxed walking (think Courtney King-Dye.)

It works for you; that’s fine. But I’d be scared to not keep my focus on a “nervy” horse like what’s being talked about here. (Then again, something that nervy would not be a good match for me!)

[TrailRides4Fun]

[QUOTE=quietann;8510579]
I don’t think beowulf meant what she said in an insulting way, but she was reminding us, and you, that sitting on a horse while just “standing around” can be dangerous if the horse suddenly spooks. It’s an extension of the fact that mounting and dismounting are among the most dangerous times for a rider, as is very relaxed walking (think Courtney King-Dye.)

It works for you; that’s fine. But I’d be scared to not keep my focus on a “nervy” horse like what’s being talked about here. (Then again, something that nervy would not be a good match for me!)[/QUOTE]

I am never not aware of what is happening with my horse.
Those -unaware times - are the most dangerous times when dealing with an unpredictable horse.
I’ve been dealing with this particular spooky and unpredictable
horse for 6 years.
During that time I have racked my brain for new ideas and
methods to instill trust, and reduce fear.
My ideas & methodology isn’t for everyone,.,
and neither are ALL the other ideas that I see posted, necessarily, the ‘end all/be all’ solutions for every problem horse.
Different strokes for different folks.

My intention is to offer ideas to the OP.
Again, best of luck OP

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=TrailRides4Fun;8510556]
I have been dealing with my ‘over the top’ anxious horse for quite some time,
(6 years to be exact).
I take EVERY opportunity to find interesting and creative
ways to help him relax,
and make our interactions enjoyable and CALM.
I realize that you are 'mocking ’ my methodology, which is fine,
but it actually works for me and my horse.
I will read aloud so when he hears my voice, he can hear a
relaxed tone.
So far, with this horse, ALL of the various calm down exercises
I have used, have worked.
OP rides frequently (5x a week).
I think thats A LOT of drill, drill, drill.
My suggestion is not so much about drill, which probably heightens the horse’s anxiety bc its always work, work, work, and nothing different.
Make the work time more enjoyable by not having the horse actually work.
Like Ray Hunt always said, make the horse your partner.
Think HARMONY with horses.

Really, the lack of creativity is sad, Beowulf.
Trying something different, that I didn’t read in a training manual,
doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merit.
Sorry, my thinking ‘outside of the box’ is so unusual for many
COTH members.
Good luck OP, I hope you find my suggestions helpful ;)[/QUOTE]

holy fruitbat – why the snark? i wasn’t mocking you at all - not sure where you got that from my post.

i’m glad the method worked for your one horse. but that is one horse. if we are being fair “just standing there” is part of training 101, which starts on the ground. however, not all horses tolerate just being told to STAND there without training, especially not OTTBs. i’ve sat on more than one fresh off the track TB who just could not stand still – and if you tried to make them, they would rear. IMHO it is dangerous to pick a fight like that without installing the basics first, which you would need to do before you just pulled a book up and crawled on a horse. most OTTBs right off the track would crawl out of their skin if you were holding something in hand U/S while asking them to stand… your post was a good contribution, but it’s fair to point out that you can’t just clamber onto a horse with a book and expect them to be quiet - that’s a really dangerous situation for the average rider.

[Gloria]

I’ve dealt with a fair amount of anxious horses. Some do better with just standing, while others with the same method will backfire on you. It really depends on the horse.

An innately lazy horses will probably do better if you ask him to stand and chill. Similarly a nervous horse due to over stimuli (mental overload) can do good standing still and given time to think over “what just happened.”

On the other hand, a high strung horse will tell you in a second how much you don’t matter if you prevent him from moving his feet. It’s far safer for this kind of horses to march forward, so they can start to use their brains.

With that said, sometimes, you must tell a high strung horse to stand still, or vice versa. There is not one bullet-proof method. As a rider, you must adjust every single ride.

Regardless which method, the biggest deciding matter is the rider, whether she can have her seat centered and collected regardless whether whether she gets a fire breathing dragon underneath. Riding horses has a lot to do with mental fitness, and adjustability of the rider.

[cnm161]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8510657]
holy fruitbat – why the snark? i wasn’t mocking you at all - not sure where you got that from my post.

i’m glad the method worked for your one horse. but that is one horse. if we are being fair “just standing there” is part of training 101, which starts on the ground. however, not all horses tolerate just being told to STAND there without training, especially not OTTBs. i’ve sat on more than one fresh off the track TB who just could not stand still – and if you tried to make them, they would rear. IMHO it is dangerous to pick a fight like that without installing the basics first, which you would need to do before you just pulled a book up and crawled on a horse. most OTTBs right off the track would crawl out of their skin if you were holding something in hand U/S while asking them to stand… your post was a good contribution, but it’s fair to point out that you can’t just clamber onto a horse with a book and expect them to be quiet - that’s a really dangerous situation for the average rider.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=TrailRides4Fun;8510556]I have been dealing with my ‘over the top’ anxious horse for quite some time,
(6 years to be exact).
I take EVERY opportunity to find interesting and creative
ways to help him relax,
and make our interactions enjoyable and CALM.
I realize that you are 'mocking ’ my methodology, which is fine,
but it actually works for me and my horse.
I will read aloud so when he hears my voice, he can hear a
relaxed tone.
So far, with this horse, ALL of the various calm down exercises
I have used, have worked.
OP rides frequently (5x a week).
I think thats A LOT of drill, drill, drill.
My suggestion is not so much about drill, which probably heightens the horse’s anxiety bc its always work, work, work, and nothing different.
Make the work time more enjoyable by not having the horse actually work.
Like Ray Hunt always said, make the horse your partner.
Think HARMONY with horses.

Really, the lack of creativity is sad, Beowulf.
Trying something different, that I didn’t read in a training manual,
doesn’t mean it doesn’t have merit.
Sorry, my thinking ‘outside of the box’ is so unusual for many
COTH members.
Good luck OP, I hope you find my suggestions helpful ;)[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=quietann;8510579]I don’t think beowulf meant what she said in an insulting way, but she was reminding us, and you, that sitting on a horse while just “standing around” can be dangerous if the horse suddenly spooks. It’s an extension of the fact that mounting and dismounting are among the most dangerous times for a rider, as is very relaxed walking (think Courtney King-Dye.)

It works for you; that’s fine. But I’d be scared to not keep my focus on a “nervy” horse like what’s being talked about here. (Then again, something that nervy would not be a good match for me!)[/QUOTE]

Lots of good points everywhere here, and I think much of the stylistic differences between posters may have to do with their horses’ inherent tendencies.

You’ve really just got to know whether you’ve got a horse that is hot/reactive but settles with boundaries, or hot/reactive and explodes in confinement. If Option A is the horse you’re sitting on, absolutely learning patience is the way to go. If Option B is the one you’ve saddled up, you’d be better off getting it moving at a very consistent tempo with very nuanced changes of figure and bend and it will be much more likely to relax than if you asked it to stand still.

That doesn’t mean that a method is WRONG. Just that it’s not as effective for a certain horse. Oh, and for extra fun: the ride you need to provide may change from day-to-day. Hurray dressage, am I right?