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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
 
Location: Northern Ontario | My 3 year old is so looky and unfocused- I guess its normal for a colt, but I need advice on fixing it before it becomes a problem. We are just doing slow trot-lope exhibition runs and I have brought him to 3 shows so far. He is good at home and in the warm-up area and everywhere else at the show, its just in the arena. I can't really get him in there before either. He shies at our rate points and tries to take off sideways cause he sees the people and scary objects on the other side of the fence. I bring him back and his circles around the barrels and exits are good. Any advice? My others haven't been this spooky.
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 Expert
Posts: 2159
 
Location: NW. Florida | It takes time, just keep doing what you're doing. He's just 3 keep hauling him and exposing him to the sites. It's really a judgement call as to when you've given him enough time. Sometimes you have to add a little speed to get them to pay attention to their job. |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Drugs. I'm serious. Give him a cc of Ace for a while until he decides it's not going to hurt him. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | Seriously the best thing I ever did for my reactive filly/mare was to put her on Keep Cool by Silver Lining Herbs. Got her enough good experiences that I was able to quit using it except for traveling to places she hadn't been in the first 6 months and eventually off of it all together.
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Can you take him to the arena sometimes when its not full of noise and other horses around? Just get him use to the environment before its full of scary stuff, then reintroduce the scary stuff. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2930
Location: North Dakota | SuperTrooper - 2018-07-16 11:08 AM My 3 year old is so looky and unfocused- I guess its normal for a colt, but I need advice on fixing it before it becomes a problem. We are just doing slow trot-lope exhibition runs and I have brought him to 3 shows so far. He is good at home and in the warm-up area and everywhere else at the show, its just in the arena. I can't really get him in there before either. He shies at our rate points and tries to take off sideways cause he sees the people and scary objects on the other side of the fence. I bring him back and his circles around the barrels and exits are good. Any advice? My others haven't been this spooky.
What if you stay late afterwards? And ride in the arena then?
I agree to just keep hauling him as much as you can. Some are just looky-lou's and it takes them a lot of time. If you can, keep their focus on YOU. Train them to pay attention to YOU and not the world around them. Circle, sidepass, counter arc, etc etc. Just keep their feet moving and keep them thinking about what you are asking them to do.
Also, when he is ready to add speed, DO IT. They are honestly less spooky when you get them moving, because they have less time to gawk at things. My 7-year-old still look at the crow's nest, shadows on the ground, etc etc. But if I go in there and ask him to make a run, he doesn't bat an eye.
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
Location: Bastrop, Texas | I’m guessing a lot of experienced colt trainers aren’t particularly surprised, given he’s a 3 year old and he’s only been to 3 shows. I don’t have any experience using Ace in in 3 year olds, but I think most of the suggestions are very sound.
Stay the course. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Seasoning is the Key word, lots of seasoning, when I had youngsters I would always try to run calfs for the ropers back into the holding pens, they always knew I had a young one so they let me do alot of arena work. I would always try to go to arenas that had an open arena and ride with others season horses that help alot too. Takes alot of arena time so dont push them let them go at their own pace..
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2018-07-16 5:47 PM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Southtxponygirl - 2018-07-16 5:45 PM
Seasoning is the Key word, lots of seasoning, when I had youngsters I would always try to run calfs for the ropers back into the holding pens, they always knew I had a young one so they let me do alot of arena work. I would always try to go to arenas that had an open arena and ride with others season horses that help alot too. Takes alot of arena time so dont push them let them go at their own pace..
That. I love moving cattle on young or spooky horses. I really think it gets them focused on what’s in front of them instead of what’s around them. |
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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | I take mine everywhere, even if I don't have time to ride them (tho I usually do). They go to team ropings, junior rodeos, I haul them to the arena when I give lessons--where there is at least one or two trains that go by, barrel races, working cattle, riding pastures, etc. If I have one that has a particularly hard time staying focused, I do like Vita-Calm. Doesn't make them groggy, just helps relax and focus. And it's cheap and easy to find. You can use a little or use a lot. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| I usually don't start exhibition's until they are loping a good pattern, that way when I start I have them coming in at a lope and not giving them time to focus on anything long enough to decide it's scary. Sometimes they still spook but we keep going and then come back around and clean it up the next time.
Sometimes it's so disruptive that you can't ignore it and continue on and you have to deal with it in that moment. First don't let his feet stop moving. If he is spooking when you are stopping at your rate spot, only ask for a half halt and then continue on. If he spooks coming around the barrel, id pick his shoulders up and make him work with his shoulders in and out, doing figure eights, etc. and being hard on him for a little bit until I feel him come back to me. Then turn it correctly and move on to the next. Make him realize that if he's not paying attention to you, than he's going to have to work harder until he does. Usually when they start breathing hard and getting tired, things become less scary. |
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Seasoning Spooky colts