half wild

[FreedomStar]

ok, there is a thoroughbred gelding at the stable where I ride, he's 10 years old, chestnut, 16 hands, maybe over. His name is Gaby. He was a race horse, and then an eventer. Anyhow, I was supposed to ride this guy in the show yesterday, but he was acting half wild in the warm up arena. I went on warming him up, assuming he'll settle down. He didn't. Tried cantering him a few times, he literally grabbed the bit and bolted. Had to use pulley rein to get him under control, but I was so freaked out about him that I just got off and switched to another horse. When I got off of Gaby, he was frothing at the mouth. He's always like this at shows only though. What is wrong with him?

[IrisSilverMoon]

Could be the fact that he evented and was raced. All he's known is to be excited at shows.

I also used to ride a thoroughbred who was an ex racehorse and eventer. The only place you can show him is in dressage where he's a perfect gentleman. But try to show him over fences or in a class with more than one horse and he's horrible! He'll either try to avoid the fences or take them at a gallop, and he tries to race with the other horses when shown in multiple horse classes. *shrugs* we've never put any time into fixing it, i don't really think it's worth it since we're a dressage barn int he first place, and in the second he's not all that happy over fences or showing in groups (he HATES other horses).

what sort of show was it? Maybe he'd be better at dressage likethe horse i know??

[FreedomStar]

no way, not a dressage horse. I hate to say this, because he's so young and talented, but I think he's just lost interest in showing, even if it is a small, unimportant schooling show. He's a perfect gentleman in lessons.

[galadriel]

If he hasn't been many places since doing high-stress competitions, he may think that every competition is one where he will NEED to "bolt" as soon as given the opportunity. Many ex-racers never get past the idea that any time they go someplace, they're going to race; they're going to be asked to go from 0 to fastest in an instant. Most will settle after they realize they're not at a racetrack ("oh, there are jumps over there; I must be jumping this time") ...

One of my most interesting rides on my ex-racer was when my landlord rented a loudspeaker and floodlights for his baseball diamond right next to the stable. Every time I got Kat to stop, she'd turn and face the baseball crowd, as tense as could be. Anything I asked her to do, she'd do at a full bolt. Eventually I realized that she thought that was a racetrack over there! and we weren't going to accomplish anything that day (I was dense for a little while, trying to figure out what on EARTH had gotten into my girl!)

If the horse is wild at shows because he thinks they're high-stress jobs, then there ARE solutions! Been through it with many an ex-racer. It involves going to a LOT of shows and not competing until he's comfortable--even it it means trailering all over the place just to get out, walk around, maye lunge a little bit, and go home. Maybe trailer somewhere with a crowd and loudspeaker, tack up and ride around but NOT in the arenas, and then go home. Once he gets used to shows not being such a high-strung event--no bolting from a halt to a gallop, no stress--he'll be ready to be asked to compete. Once he relaxes, he'll probably be fine! :)