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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Entering arena

6 replies

Sun3535 · 11/09/2023 12:05

So we've had pony a year. She was a bit much for my daughter to begin with but they are slowly getting there. She can be a bit nappy, say she hacked then wants to go in the arena she's a pain to walk in but if she goes in there first she's absolutely fine.
When we first got her, we took her out a few times jumping and she was fine, would walk from the warm up to arena fine but one day suddenly decided she wasn't going to. We had the whole trying to turn around, hoping on the spot, doing tiny rears. Ive tried leading her in but pony won't have any of it. Daughter got off, walked her in by hand, got on and she was fine.

We seem to have this everywhere we go now.

Ive checked her teeth, had physio, saddle and bridle checked and nothing seems to have changed.
My only thought was that shes either had a bad experience and relates it back to that, I'm wondering that because she was a bit strong that dd had jabbed her in mouth or something or that's she completely testing DD out.

Dd has pushed her into the arena but its very chaotic and I think it makes her a little nervous. She literally has to canter out of one gate into another and then when she gets in there pony is completely wired and it's not a great start.

What she been doing is taking her into the middle of the warmup, getting off and walking her into the arena and getting on in there. That way she doesn't have the opportunity to get her own way iynwim.
Does anybody have any experience with how to deal with this and also, are you allowed at other competitions to get on the arena??.

She hasn't been to any competitions oberer the summer, they've had lots of lessons together over the summer and a few clinics where she's been fine. It's just a pain when thinking about getting out x

OP posts:
Newuser75 · 11/09/2023 12:53

I don't think you are allowed to get on in the arena. Although they may make exceptions for you at a friendly unaffiliated place.

My only thought is could it be ulcers? As I know they can affect behaviour in many ways.

Other than that have you tried reversing the pony into the arena?

Newuser75 · 11/09/2023 12:54

Also how often is she ridden in arena vs hacked? They do tend to get fed up if ridden in arena most of the time.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 11/09/2023 13:11

Has she been scoped?

Sun3535 · 11/09/2023 13:15

Hi, no not tried reversing, not sure if it would be possible though. 😕
She does hack a few times a week but its very short as we don't have much off road hacking. Shes ok with the arena at home as long as she goes in there first, if she goes hacking and then asks her to go in she won't x

Ulcers isn't really something I had thought about tbh 🤔 x

OP posts:
Lastqueenofscotland2 · 11/09/2023 13:39

She’s probably very school sour. But I’d be getting her scoped and potentially checked for KS before “forcing” her to go in arenas at competitions.
She isn’t testing your daughter, horses don’t think like that, she’s trying to communicate that for some reason she’s not happy to do it.

xmb53 · 11/09/2023 15:01

Have you the option to walk around an empty arena and then into the empty arena? It may be what is around or in the arena that is putting pony off. Firstly in a head collar, then in a bridle, then saddle and then with Dd on top? Then do the same with things in the arena? You might find something is the trigger.

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