LOST CONCENTRATION l HOW TO REGAIN IT
It can be frustrating when a horse’s mind is a million miles away from the task in hand. Five-star event rider Bubby Upton explains what causes an equine to lose focus and how the rider can re-engage his brain
AHORSE LOSES concentration for two major reasons: the first is reacting to seeing or hearing something for the first time; the second is getting bored because the demands of a ridden session are insufficient to engage his clever brain. Over time exposure to new places and experiences teaches a horse that there is no need to become distracted, but how you introduce him to these new things will be dictated by his character. I am a big advocate of exposing young or green horses in a controlled way to ensure that they don’t become overwhelmed and explode.
Some horses will have the brain to take on a challenge like a new venue or atmosphere, while others need to be protected. A very good horse of mine, Its Cooley Time, fell into the latter category and I had to produce him very carefully. He’s now nine with a great three-star record, but he couldn’t have handled the big atmospheres as a youngster.
Distracted horses tend to learn that if they don’t listen to their riders they get in a pickle and make mistakes, such as getting too close to a fence, for example. Ultimately, though, you should treat and train your horse as an individual, taking into account his history and character and adopting an empathetic, patient view. When you genuinely know your horse, you will find the key to his potential.
PROBLEM: My horse is nosy and won’t stop looking beyond the arena.
FIX IT: Horses give warning signs when they’re about to lose focus —and lifting the head is a big one. You can practise certain attention-grabbing techniques in training so that in a competition environment you have a tried-and-tested toolkit to refocus him. A go-to of mine is to ride a little lower, widening and lowering the hand for a couple of strides as though asking for a longer outline. This new instruction will help to regain your horse’s attention and
