Good job not drugging him, you did the right thing

and for what JackieE said i agree. You always warm a horse up before a class. When we showed and our classes started at 7 or 8 AM we were at the barn at 4AM to bathe and school the horses before the class. It would prob. help tons and tons (unless they didn't have an area for warm up, but every show i have ever been to has a warm up ring, and many have a warm up class.

If they don't have warm up rings, and you are showing late in the day you can always enter a walk trot class in another division if possible earlier in the day.

And yes!!! Haul him to a ton of shows and don't show. Don't even ride at first, just have him in his stall, go for a walk, maybe have a bath etc.

good luck!!

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