PROBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PEN

GEORGE WRITES - "I'd be grateful forever if you can help me. My horse anticipates the lead change and charges through the middle of the show pen. The funny thing is that he only does it in the show pen. He doesn't do it at home and he doesn't do it in the warm up arena. He doesn't even do it in paid warm ups. Only in the show.

At home we don't change in the middle. We change at the back of the circle off the counter canter or while coming straight down the side of the arena. This problem is driving me absolutely bonkers. Please help before I go out of my mind or send my horse to the glue factory." George

WARWICK'S RESPONSE

George,
It sounds like you have a great lead change maintenance program at home, which leads me to believe that you probably don’t have a lead change problem.
The thing that really sticks out is that you are the only one who knows the difference between the paid warm-up and the show pen. So you must be doing something different either when you prepare him for the paid warm up or when you show.
Lets start with the paid warm ups. If I have a horse that thinks he knows the difference between the paid warm up and the show pen I’ll make sure that my preparation is exactly the same as if I was going to show him. This includes the intensity of the preparation, right down to wearing hat and chaps, as well as any back gate procedure you may go through (brushing out the mane and tail, removing noseband etc). If you can get your horse to take the bait in the paid warm up, go easy on him, if he’s already worried then aggressive corrections won’t help. It sounds like he is anticipating the change of direction as well as the lead change, so when he charges off through the middle, just guide him off into the circle he just left. Come around again and let him try it again. Bait him to head across the middle by looking over there or even leaning over there .If you normally set him up for a lead change with your leg do that too.
If you horse won’t take the bait in the paid warm up then we need to look at how you show him. I would suggest being a lot slower and softer with your hand when you change directions and softer with your leg when you ask for the change.
I hope this helps George

Till next time..................................Warwick

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