BFN - 2019-01-24 10:51 AM

I personally don't ask my horses to "walk up" the alley flat footed. The horses are ready to run and anticipating it and I feel it is easier on them to start back further and let them go a little faster than a walk to the alley.... but it does all depend on the horse I am riding. But generally, I go from a trot to a lope to letting the horse run... or with the calmer horses, I will slow lope up to the point in the alley where I want to let the horse run from.

I also believe that it is easier on the horses physically if they build up speed vs going from a walk to a dead run. Just my opinion.

MOGirl07 - 2019-01-24 11:40 AM

So if you are in a holding pen, what would you do? What would he do? Is he still charging the alley or is it just as soon as you ask him to move when it's your turn?

FLITASTIC - 2019-01-24 11:28 AM

Does the horse smoke the pattern??? If so, I would just leave them alone. Maybe pony to warm up off another horse, saddle up and get on about one drag before you run.

ready2rodeo - 2019-01-24 11:53 AM


He is a cool as ice. Its only when I go to go in when its my turn

bbennington - 2019-01-24 1:33 PM

My horse is similar to this. If I try to hold him back he will pop up. He is 18 years old and I’m not going to change him. What work best for us is to have a routine that I do the same every time. I get him warmed up, then get off , hand walk him while I’m waiting for my turn, once the horse before me goes in I stop kind of by entry To the alley, get on, put my rubber bands on and take a deep breathe and off we go. He is the type that hunts the barrels so that’s never an issue for me, the more speed he has the better.

He isn’t the first horse I have rode like this and find it easier sometimes not to pick at them as long as they do their job.

OhMax - 2019-01-24 9:42 AM

When you had him gone over did you include a scope for bleeding?

I ask because it can be such a funny thing. I have heard of bleeders behaving this way at the gate on occasion - they want to work, they love their job, but the anxiety of bleeding can also make them want to just get it over with. I never think it’s a bad thing to rule it out in general.

I would work on a clear cue. At home in the arena or pasture - if your hand is down on her neck that’s her cue to walk. Flat footed, not allowed to go any faster, period. And then you need to come up with a clear “go” cue. And train it. Work on it. Right now I’m asking you to walk, now I’m asking you to go fast. Make sure she understands and responds, the same you would train any other cue.

Generally mine will walk if I’m one handed and my hand is down on their neck, I’m relaxed and breathing (breathing is important!). If I pick up both reins but my upper body and seat are still back and upright, we trot - doesn’t mean it’s a soft trot, if we’re in an alley we’re on the muscle. When my hands and upper body go forward we go.

It’s not perfect, some situations are different. If there’s no holding pen and it’s a wide open “back 40” to the arena - I know I better have someone walk us in or walk with us on a horse. But by the same token I’ve also handled those situations without someone there when I was at the top of the drag and positioned myself accordingly while the tractor was running, dropped the reins and stood there until they opened the gate, turned and off we went.