It is frustrating when a horse becomes distracted when youre riding them, their minds seemingly a million miles away from the task at hand and certainly not focused on you. It can also be concerning, as you feel you have lost your horses concentration and they are no longer listening to you.Every horse will lose focus at some point. It could happen when youre hacking or at a competition, or when youre training at home or having a lesson and anywhere else you ride your horse. How quickly and easily you win back their concentration depends on how you deal with it in the first place. It is also possible to prevent a loss of focus by recognising the early signs and engaging your horses brain accordingly.Why do horses lose concentration?According to five-star event rider Bubby Upton, a horse loses concentrationfor two major reasons:Reacting to seeing orhearing something for thefirst time; Getting boredbecause the demands of a riddensession are insufficient to engage theirclever brain. Over time, exposure tonew places and experiences teachesa horse that there is no need tobecome distracted, but how youintroduce them to these new thingswill be dictated by their character.Iam a big advocate of exposing youngor green horses in a controlled wayto ensure that they dont becomeoverwhelmed and explode, says Bubby, who made an incredible comeback from a spinal injury in less than nine months to finish 10th at Badminton in May earlier this year.Some horses will have the brainto take on a challenge like a newvenue or atmosphere, while othersneed to be protected. A very goodhorse of mine, Its Cooley Time, fellinto the latter category and I had toproduce him very carefully. Hes nownine with a great three-star record,but he couldnt have handled the bigatmospheres as a youngster.Distracted horses tend to learn that if they dont listen to their riders theyget in a pickle and make mistakes,such as getting too close to a fence,for example, continues Bubby. Ultimately, though, youshould treat and train your horse asan individual, taking into account theirhistory and character and adoptingan empathetic, patient view. Whenyou genuinely know your horse, youwill find the key to their potential.Look for warning signsAccording to Bubby, horses give warning signs whentheyre about to lose focus and liftingtheir head is a big one.You can practisecertain attention-grabbing techniquesin training so that in a competitionenvironment you have a tried-and-testedtoolkit to refocus them, she says. A go-to of mine isto ride a little lower, widening andlowering the hand for a couple of stridesas though asking for a longer outline.This new instruction will help to regainyour horses attention and compensatefor the hollowing when they lifted theirhead, thus returning their head carriageback to the original frame, adds Bubby. With practice,this adjustment will be subtle to the eye,but will communicate your intentionperfectly to your horse.Dont freezeSome riders instinctively freezewhen they feel a horse lose concentration or spook, taking off theirleg and blocking the rein. This, however,makes you totally ineffective in the saddle and givesyour horse permission to continue beingevasive or reactive.The only way to engagea horse who becomes distracted in thisway is to give them more to think about, advises Bubby. You need to give them more to do to regain theirfocus. Transitions are a great place tostart, not just between gaits but withinthem, too, as well as transitions into lateralmovements, such as leg yield or shoulder-in.Bear in mind, though, that you need to bein control throughout these transitions tomake them count, so aim for just a few stepsof shoulder-in, or a couple of lengthenedstrides rather than careering round theschool in a big extended canter. It is aboutquality, not quantity.Jump from trotSometimes, knockingfences down can be because yourhorse isnt engaging with thequestion. At other times it mightbe because theyre rushing or itmay be a combination of both.My advice is to reduce your speed.There is value in jumping froma slow trot and this is somethingthat I do all the time. It gives thehorse time to register and readwhats in front of them and, as withyour flatwork, you can give themmore to think about by addingbounces and take-off and landingpoles, says Bubby.As tempting as it may be toallow the horse to canter, dont risk themcharging through and ignoring thequestion. Keep the trot steady andlet the exercises do the work.Reinforce the basicsBubby explains that the solution to a horse not listening out hacking which may result in them spooking or napping, for example depends on the degree of severity. It is a good idea to ask your trainer or instructor for help.If yourhorse is young, new to you, or has had achange in routine, such as a move to a newyard, they could be genuinely concernedabout the question in hand. In this case,your best bet is a lead horse, but dontbe tempted to let your horse follow theirbuddy nose to tail,says Bubby.Keep the horse on your aids,following the path you choose and dontallow them to drift into the other horse.Again, truly knowing your horse comesinto play here. Are they having an off day,or is soreness developing? If you suspectdiscomfort, be quick to call your vet orsaddler. If youre confident it is naughtinesscreeping in, reinstall the basics of legmeans go and hand means whoa at home.Image (stock): copyright ShutterstockRelated contentPiggy March training: jump out of trot to test rider balance and build trust in your horseOliver Townends training tactics for a horse who is very tense or freshRos Canters grid exercise to slow a keen or strong horse when youre jumpingCaroline Moores five cross-country gears for a safe and confident clear roundThe post Bubby Uptons tips for helping a distracted horse focus appeared first on Your Horse.