Gadgets for keeping a horses attention XC - or advice?

[DITZ]

Been watching the Olympics today and the commentator mentioned 1 horse who was wearing little sheepskin things on his bridle as apparently he loses focus when out.

It occured to me I could probably do with something like this as Fly warms up really well making you think all is fine then you go on the course and BAM he's like "whoa whats that! Who are all those people!" and spends so much time looking at everything else he backs off. There is nothing challenging about the fences and I'm not asking too much of him (I dont think) but he is always really sticky over the first few until he settles and often by then we are eliminated. I've known him almost go head first into a tree because he was too busy looking at the spectators!

Any ideas anyone??? He did used to be the same SJ and has sorted that so he *should* do the same with XC eventually but I could do with some advice to try and speed the process up:rolleyes:

[Mehitabel]

the little sheepskin jobs look like they'd work well. what does he do? i used to have a friend who rode her pony with a big fluffy sheepskin noseband cover so he had to bring his head down from the horizontal...

[Iron Maiden]

Those sheepskin cheek piece thingumies are meant to act a bit like blinkers & stop the horse being distracted, presumably by what's going on behind them. Might be worth a bash if you think this is a problem with Fly. Mrs P does the 'OMG snakes tigers and alien spaceships :eek:' thing when she sets out xc too. I just put it down to her being a bit nappy and generally babylike, hopefully she'll grow out of it - if not maybe she'll end up adorned with half a dead sheep on her head :o

[XxXAmeyXxX]

I think there called french blinkers, might help you find them a bit easier than "those fluffy things you stick on the side of a bridle" :)

[DITZ]

I thought he'd have grown out of it by now too Helen! Still he persists and was as bad yesterday as he's ever been. OK its his first XC comp in almost a year but he shouldn't revert back quite so far surely?? And anyway, its always an issue. Once he's focussed he does go (mostly) well but the first few are really tricky.

Having looked up french blinkers (thanks Amey) I think I could proably make a pair of those with some sheepskin and velcro. Worth a try...

[whatever]

The problem you may have is that they are not allowed under BE rules, only FEI. If th eproblem only happens at comps and the comp is run under BE rules (most are) then you wont be able to use them.

[Iron Maiden]

I thought he'd have grown out of it by now too Helen! Still he persists and was as bad yesterday as he's ever been. OK its his first XC comp in almost a year but he shouldn't revert back quite so far surely?? And anyway, its always an issue. Once he's focussed he does go (mostly) well but the first few are really tricky.

Having looked up french blinkers (thanks Amey) I think I could proably make a pair of those with some sheepskin and velcro. Worth a try...


Ooooh where did you go?

Have you ever been to Kedleston, near Derby? I've heard really good things about their xc course. I've been having lessons with a lady who's done advanced BE, she's brill & I'm planning on dragging her along there for a session - don't know if you might care to join us if it could be arranged. In a moment of lunacy I entered Mrs P in an Intro in September so we need to get in as much practice as we can or it might all go a bit bumps up! :eek:

[Sophie..*]

I understand your problem! As soon as we get into the arena at one show -only- he looks into the feild next door, and then seems to forget theres a 2,6 jump infront of him!! :rolleyes:

[DITZ]

The problem you may have is that they are not allowed under BE rules, only FEI. If th eproblem only happens at comps and the comp is run under BE rules (most are) then you wont be able to use them.

Ooooh where did you go?

Have you ever been to Kedleston, near Derby? I've heard really good things about their xc course. I've been having lessons with a lady who's done advanced BE, she's brill & I'm planning on dragging her along there for a session - don't know if you might care to join us if it could be arranged. In a moment of lunacy I entered Mrs P in an Intro in September so we need to get in as much practice as we can or it might all go a bit bumps up! :eek:

Went to Eland Lodge to do their HT. They have a ODE coming up on Bank Hol weekend which I was going to go to but my local course are running a PC one so going there instead.

Not been to Kedleston, didnt even know there was one! Good luck with the Intro!

[barnabyrudge]

I was watching xc on Horse & Country tv the other week and the commentator mentioned that Zara Phillips was using sheepskin blinkers on her horse, the 2nd commentator who was an eventer was very quick to put him right and say they were not blinkers but were being used because the horse was sore from his bridle. :D:D The horse may well have been sore or was that just a way around the rules??? Draw your own conclusions.

[DITZ]

The problem you may have is that they are not allowed under BE rules, only FEI. If th eproblem only happens at comps and the comp is run under BE rules (most are) then you wont be able to use them.

do you know how was she getting away with using them in the olympics then?

[Just Interested]

do you know how was she getting away with using them in the olympics then?

Because the Olympics is run as an FEI event.

Also - you CAN use them for BE see .http://www.britisheventing.com/documents.asp?section=000100010014&sectionTitle=Download+Area Click on Annex 5 Saddlery & Equipment... just can't wear for dressage

So go for it, anything has got to be worth a try. Nothing more frustrating than knowing your horse has the ability but does not always want to show it!