WrapSnap - 2014-01-06 10:43 PM There are those rare colts that just do everything naturally and can run hard enough to win during their Futurity years without their riders having to handle them very much. Most of them will probably need a bit more support, however. I have no issue with seeing a rider giving their young horses the support and guidance that they need at this stage. I'm not talking about a rider being stuck in trainer mode so much, or not running one all out. I'm also not talking about those riders who we see pulling one around and forcing turns. I am talking about that ride where we must still be in control of where our horses place themselves, guiding them to their spots and doing a fair bit of work and thinking for them. There comes a point in each horse's progression where we, as the rider/trainer must trust in our homework and allow our horse to either show us what a good student they have been, or fall flat on their face. I feel that this is where many do their horses an injustice. When I see a horse who came along as a 3 year old, was successful as a Futurity horse and has continued to campaign beyond their Futurity career still being ridden in this manner, it makes me cringe. While I want my colts to be successful as a 4 year old, I want them to go on and be solid, user friendly horses for the rest of their lives. In order to do so, I have to make sure that they know how to stand upright, get and stay under themselves and find their way around a pattern without a GPS. In my program, the Futurity year is a seasoning process and a stepping stone. That being said, I won't haul one that I feel isn't ready to be competitive. Those horses will become 4 year old Open horses, allowed to come on at their own pace and hopefully, collect checks in the lower divisions. What I expect throughout one's futurity year is to have them start answering more of the questions on their own. I expect one to start correcting any bobbles for themselves, hunting that first barrel when we come out of the alley and allowing my job to go from that of "coach" to "teammate". By the end of their futurity year, I should be able to put someone on my horses knowing that my horse is going to go out and do it's job respectably. I don't want to have to give a rider a laundry list of instructions, nor do I want to have a horse who still doesn't know how to get it's job done. Yes, there are times when in order to make a run happen, we must pick up our outside rein, overcome a stumble, or assist one in some way. There are also times when we might come out of the pen and shrug our shoulders, scratch our head and say "Hmmm?". The fact of the matter is, if we go up that alley managing our horse's every step and attempting to be in control of the entire situation, we'll never know how good of a horse we're sitting on. Every time I place an ounce of pressure on my horse's face, I'm taking away from it's ability to run. I don't want to handle one more than necessary, no matter what age. As a trainer/instructor, I am often asked to find horses for clients. When I go look at a horse, I want to be able to ride two handed to a pocket, set one, if need be, drop my outside rein and go to the horn. If I can't do that, I'm probably not interested. Why, you ask? Well, that's about the extent of what most people are going to be able to do while making a run. I don't mind if one is super responsive to the seat and you really have to sit in the middle and stay square. Actually, I like a horse that will "tell on you" a bit. I do, however want to see one that's going to do it's job and allow me to focus on doing mine. That can't happen if they've never been required to share in the responsibility.

BamaCanChaser - 2014-01-07 4:58 PM


If this does happen, what next? Do you tune that week and let them try again at the next run, or do back pedal a smidge and offer a bit more guidance for a little while longer, in the competition runs.