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| A few months ago I posted about my OTT gelding and that he would grab the bit and run up the pen if you added any speed to the first barrel.
I was given some really great advice and I think I covered all of it that I felt would be useful for him. We have worked on accelerating and decelerating circles in dry work, fast and slow roll backs, tracking cattle and of course so much slow work he could walk, trot and slow lope the pattern in his sleep by himself making sure to reinforce rate at the same point every time.
I made a few practice runs on him at home and he did beautiful. He was very responsive and light at home. I thought he was ready for a race and took him to a back yard race last weekend. There were no time onlys but I thought since he was doing so good at home with collection and rate I would see how it went.
He was so calm warming up and waiting for our turn. In fact I had a few people tell me they couldn't believe he was off the track. As soon as he went into the gate I could feel him tense up from his nose to his tail, like he's panicking. (This concerns me a lot since this is only his third race. The first two were back in May and June.)I walked him in a few circles and then loped him in a few circles and waited for him to relax before approaching my first barrel. I didn't ask for speed, a nice slow easy lope to the first in hopes of keeping collection and his mind calm, but he took the bit, flipped his nose in the air and ran up the pen. I was able to get his nose back, attempted to salvage what was left of our turn and then he took off for the 2nd. I finally got control of him at the second and got him to recollect and we did a nice rocking horse lope to the third making sure to make our turn perfect and then rocking horse loped home.
Does anyone else have any advice? I have never had one off the track and I have certainly never had one just grab the bit and run off like that. I was very defeated because I thought since we had corrected the issue at home it would carry over to the show pen. I was extremely disappointed in myself for thinking I had the problem at hand "fixed".
Edited by cyount2009 2014-01-16 10:00 AM
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Location: Great NW | it will take quite a few time only's. He thinks the object is to go FAST when there is a Crowd. he needs to learn that the object is to turn when there is a crowd. so tons of time onlys with you ALWAYS in charge of the speed. I would continue on this route until he can time only like he works at home. Then Slowly add speed - one barrel at a time. Sounds like he is a VERY competitive horse and he thinks he has it figured out. Patience - he knows how to run that part will happen quickly once he get the game down. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | Maybe give him a few THE Calming Cookies before you compete. Just to take the edge of off him. But it sounds like you are doing everything correct. He just has to learn his new job better and realize it isn't to run around a track anymore. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| do u have a tie down on him |
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| I have had other horses in the past, and still have a horse that was NEVER ran on the track. They panicked when running barrels. I was told by a track vet that some bloodlines are just that way. Once they start running, they lose their minds. Some folks will use dexamethasone to help calm their minds. I don't use it due to side affects. I don't like using any drugs if I can do it naturally, but I don't train horses for a living. I have the luxury of taking my time. I enjoy the process as much as the outcome. But I think to keep these horses usable in the long run, of good, sound mind and body, sometimes time IS the answer... take time, listen to the horse, use common horse sense, be patient.... If you don't have the patience, get rid of him/her. These kinds of horses are not easy. There is good reason Dash Ta Fame horses are winning all over the place. They handle the pressure. Like the Nike commercial says they "JUST DO IT". That's why they can bring the big $$$'s. Like a good labrador retriever verses a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, some dogs are easy to work with. Labs are traditionally laid back, forgiving, a novice can work w/them (as long s they are not from a crazy blood line-Yeah, they have had THEIR genetic problems too) , whereas Chesapeake's are tough, some say bull-headed and need more of a handler to get the job done. The good side is I do believe a lot of the toughest competitive horses have been the toughest nuts to crack. So if you CAN get them to work for you, you really have something to show. Try to be honest w/yourself, and how much effort YOU want to devote to the cause. That's my opinion for what it's worth. |
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 Super PIckle
Location: Where ever | Have you tried a tie down to keep the nose from flipping up? Also I had one that would do this but radomly an changed him to the left first no problem. Found out years later he had a chip in his hind fet lock on the left. |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| drpepper - 2014-01-16 12:13 PM
Have you tried a tie down to keep the nose from flipping up? Also I had one that would do this but radomly an changed him to the left first no problem. Found out years later he had a chip in his hind fet lock on the left.
Yes. I was using a german martingale and twisted o-ring and switched to a tie down. He was respecting it at home but when I took him to the race this weekend he just braced against it. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Lots of expos, time onlys, and I would trot them. If you have a friend see if they'll let you work circles behind the time while they run their expos and time onlys.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| Do you have any arenas close that have an open ride time, or can you get a few friends together to ride at someone's house?
That would let you ease into the show environment with fewer people, and you could do whatever work you needed to do. |
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Expert
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| quikchik - 2014-01-16 1:18 PM
Do you have any arenas close that have an open ride time, or can you get a few friends together to ride at someone's house?
That would let you ease into the show environment with fewer people, and you could do whatever work you needed to do.
I wish! Everyone comes to my house to ride! LOL I may be able to take him to the fair grounds but their ground is bad, bad, bad on the down time and it scares me to even slow lope. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| cyount2009 - 2014-01-16 1:30 PM
drpepper - 2014-01-16 12:13 PM
Have you tried a tie down to keep the nose from flipping up? Also I had one that would do this but radomly an changed him to the left first no problem. Found out years later he had a chip in his hind fet lock on the left.
Yes. I was using a german martingale and twisted o-ring and switched to a tie down. He was respecting it at home but when I took him to the race this weekend he just braced against it.
let him roll in there and park his butt then ease around first barrel
I mean let him roll aways then bring him back park him. my sons mare that is the only thing thing that made her rate the first barrel
totally against what you would normally think . I watch terri do it to a marth 6 mons at my place you could see the light dawn
but reward and get off pet put up or turn out |
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  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | I see you accelerate and decelerate at home but have you actually let him roll at home to see if he will come back to you? Work on one rein stops to help you get more of his mind. I would try a combination bit on him so he can't grab the bit entirely away from you. At your next race ride him down so he is good and tired. Do 3 time onlys on the 3rd one lope to the first barrel Stop get off and uncinch and put him away. Good luck with him. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 503
| I'm in the same boat! My guy is good at home but he gets to a race and loses his mind. Where do you live? Maybe we can haul our crazies together. 
I just figure I'll take my sweet old time and get him used to the sites and going slow. Lots of exhibition runs this summer is on my to do list. Good luck :) |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| you may want to try a waterford bit. They can't grab all those little balls and run with them. Also something I learned from OTTB's a long time ago was if you DROPPED the reins they stop. They are trained to brace against your hand and that means go faster. When the race is over...the jockey stops pulling and lets the reins looser. Then the horse starts trotting. Seems like its counter to everything we were taught but trust me...I got an OTTB when I was 10 and he ran off with me daily until I learned this. |
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Location: Texas | I am having the exact same problem!!! If you get it figured out please let me know. :-) |
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| While this horse does need more slow work, I understand that when they start getting a bit on the muscle, the brain can shut down. I've got a gelding that is very well trained and is not been as bad as your guy. However, he can get really uptight and I think that makes me uptight and it can escalate. I started giving him Oxygen supplement plus the Oxy Boost gel from a tube before a run. It made a big improvement in keeping his brain working and more focused on his job and not nerves, IMO. While this will not replace training, it might help control the nerves so that the training can proceed. My guy was also off the track and was too nervous in the box to make a rope horse.
Good Luck. |
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Expert
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| RodeoCowgirl4u - 2014-01-17 12:21 AM
you may want to try a waterford bit. They can't grab all those little balls and run with them. Also something I learned from OTTB's a long time ago was if you DROPPED the reins they stop. They are trained to brace against your hand and that means go faster. When the race is over...the jockey stops pulling and lets the reins looser. Then the horse starts trotting. Seems like its counter to everything we were taught but trust me...I got an OTTB when I was 10 and he ran off with me daily until I learned this.
Thanks! I never thought of that! I'll put that in my book of tricks! |
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Expert
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| MO gal - 2014-01-17 9:13 AM
While this horse does need more slow work, I understand that when they start getting a bit on the muscle, the brain can shut down. I've got a gelding that is very well trained and is not been as bad as your guy. However, he can get really uptight and I think that makes me uptight and it can escalate. I started giving him Oxygen supplement plus the Oxy Boost gel from a tube before a run. It made a big improvement in keeping his brain working and more focused on his job and not nerves, IMO. While this will not replace training, it might help control the nerves so that the training can proceed. My guy was also off the track and was too nervous in the box to make a rope horse.
Good Luck.
I agree, he needs more slow work on the pattern, evident of last weekend! I thought about the Oxy-gen too!
I have a few races coming up that I will take him to for time onlys but no pressure.
What's odd is, so far he handles the box like a pro, I have only followed cattle out of the box but he doesn't try to run off, get defiant and try to turn around or break with out being asked. He runs right to the hip and stays there, he doesn't want to run ahead or drop back. My husband has his eye on him as his next horse! |
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 Elite Veteran
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| Sounds like he is stressed in the new environment and I mean the arena. A warm up pen and at home are completly different. It will take time. My gelding is off the track and he has ran up the pen once. I use to do 3-4 time onlys. The first one at a trot, the second one at a lope, the third one at a lope but would stop at each barrel and walk around it, then the 4th I would let him go his own speed. My gelding had to get use to the environment. One main tool I used alot after he ran up the pen was one handed stops. I would do them at home and during time onlys. Asking for his attention and reaction at the drop of hat helps them calm down and re-focus. Do you feel like he has the correct bit in his mouth? |
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Expert
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| spitzh - 2014-01-17 9:52 AM
Sounds like he is stressed in the new environment and I mean the arena. A warm up pen and at home are completly different. It will take time. My gelding is off the track and he has ran up the pen once. I use to do 3-4 time onlys. The first one at a trot, the second one at a lope, the third one at a lope but would stop at each barrel and walk around it, then the 4th I would let him go his own speed. My gelding had to get use to the environment. One main tool I used alot after he ran up the pen was one handed stops. I would do them at home and during time onlys. Asking for his attention and reaction at the drop of hat helps them calm down and re-focus. Do you feel like he has the correct bit in his mouth?
I did... at home. But I'm not so sure it's right at a show. I was using a twisted O-ring and martingale at home for a while but he was raising his head way up and felt like he was leaning on the martingale (if that makes any sense) and I knew that wouldn't be enough at a race so I did some playing around with bits and found that he really loved the Charmayne James Low Port Pretzel with a tie down. I had a ton of feel and he was really light both on the pattern and in dry work with it. I didn't feel like he was leaning or pulling on it like he does on some of the others I tried. He was really soft in the warm up pen at the race but clinched when I rode in to make my "run". I usually try to go less with my bit selection but I'm wondering if I need to step it up to something a little more aggressive. I am not a fan of combo bits, although I have several for just in case, but I am wondering if that is an avenue I need to explore a little?
I have a TON of bits and hacks if there is something you could suggest I try. At this point I am open to all suggestions. I bought him in the spring of 2012 gave him some time off, started softening him in the fall of 2012, did tons of ground work and riding to get him broke and then started the slow work in the spring of 2013. I feel like I've done my homework but his actions are proving otherwise. Blah! I've trained several nice horses and have never had one take so long to finally click! It's so disheartening!
Edited by cyount2009 2014-01-17 10:23 AM
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | I'm not sure its the "ott" that is a problem. I just say that because I have had non-ott that had the same problem, and ott horses that did not. I think it is more the personality of the horse.
More good advice on here, lots of time only's or pay the fee and super slow trott or walk the pattern (if allowed) and see the $25 as a training fee.
We have one that we finally gave up on after about 7 years. She can win a show, or have a nervous breakdown. Most athletic horse I have ever seen and way fast, but no matter how slow or fast you go at a realy show she will panic.
We did ace her for about 6 months, gradually reducing the amount until it was none, but she eventually hit panic mode. The ace did help, but it also slowed her down by .5 to a full second. We did it hoping that maybe it would help her relax during the run and not be so nervous.
I always wished I could give her some xanax...just something for anxiety, but we tried every possible over the counter product made. The closest thing to working was a product called FOCUS, not made by any of the big name companies. But it eventually quit working too.
I have a friend though that was able to work the same problem out of her mare, but she is never really calm going in the arena, but she doesn't panic and run off or freeze anymore.
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Veteran
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| Don't know if this will fit with your issue or not, But- We had a horse that was ott. He was trained for barrels when we bought him but not seasoned. He was very fast and a nervous type. He could fly to the first barrel. My daughter was riding him and he was missing the first most runs because of no rate. We put more bit and worked with "getting a hold of him" at rate spot and he soon started going up the arena. He would only do it at rodeo and big shows. At home he was perfect. I started riding him and put him back in a snaffle and did lots of slow work at home off the pattern to calm him(the least little run and he could not walk, just prance) Anyway, ended up I could run him in the snaffle or a light hack, and IF I left his face alon and trusted him at the first he would eat it up. I could get away with a quick rate tug , but had to quickly give him back his face to turn. If I did not let him have his face- up the fence we would go. You could see him if you paid attention at the first, kind of waiting at a certain moment to see what we were going to do. He would sort of brace and get ready, but if you threw him his face he would relax and turn the heck out of the barrel. If you touched him-he just kind of said FU. It sounds easy, leave his face alone-but the speed he went it was one of the hardest things to do. We won a lot as long as I did my part and left his face alone-I got where I grabbed a handful of mane up towards his ears to help me remember and just used my body to rate him. |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
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Location: Oklahoma | I think you need to try a bigger bit at the show. You can always work your way back down when he has a little more experience on him. Maybe a Cervi or a goosetree gag especially if he will work good in an O-ring. Nothing wrong with a light bit, I try to go as light as possible, but you have to have control too. |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| clover girl - 2014-01-17 1:13 PM
I think you need to try a bigger bit at the show. You can always work your way back down when he has a little more experience on him. Maybe a Cervi or a goosetree gag especially if he will work good in an O-ring. Nothing wrong with a light bit, I try to go as light as possible, but you have to have control too.
Thanks! I have a few of both I will try on him! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 11:26 AM
clover girl - 2014-01-17 1:13 PM
I think you need to try a bigger bit at the show. You can always work your way back down when he has a little more experience on him. Maybe a Cervi or a goosetree gag especially if he will work good in an O-ring. Nothing wrong with a light bit, I try to go as light as possible, but you have to have control too.
Thanks! I have a few of both I will try on him!
I agree with this..... He may need an agressive bit for awhile till he stops his BS on the first. He might be to the point where he is being a brat. I had a roping mare that would try to out run the calf. I tried everything and one day my trainer said throw the rope (where ever, it doesnt matter) and when you get close to the calf, pull as hard as you can till you come to a complete stop. (Trust me, I like staying light in the mouth.) I did that about 3 times with a more aggressive bit and she quit doing it. Then I switched her back to the lighter bit and she rated the calf great..... the light bulb came on after she stopped being so bullheaded. Horses are freakin weird. |
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 Left Out
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Location: Silex Missouri | I ride a lot of OT quarter horses. Here is something not many think about. Those horses are taught to run into the bit. So if you are pulling on him with both hands he will probably brace against you and keep going. You need to either go in one handed and do a one handed bump or do more work on getting him to understand a two handed bump. And you might need to teach yourself to not "hold" onto him on the way to your barrel. Get off of the reins and out of his mouth. I am NOT saying you are yanking and pulling but if you are trying to "hold" him in order to rate him you are backing up. Because he will end up bracing on you hence the down the fence or run off reaction you are getting. |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| willyturnit - 2014-01-17 1:53 PM
I ride a lot of OT quarter horses. Here is something not many think about. Those horses are taught to run into the bit. So if you are pulling on him with both hands he will probably brace against you and keep going. You need to either go in one handed and do a one handed bump or do more work on getting him to understand a two handed bump. And you might need to teach yourself to not "hold" onto him on the way to your barrel. Get off of the reins and out of his mouth. I am NOT saying you are yanking and pulling but if you are trying to "hold" him in order to rate him you are backing up. Because he will end up bracing on you hence the down the fence or run off reaction you are getting.
I did try to "hold" him at the race to keep him from running off so that makes very good sense to me! You are the second or third person to mention the bracing on my thread. I will be starting this in his slow work immediately. He has a ton of talent and what seems to be a wonderful mind so I am willing to try just about anything to get this corrected! It will be hard for me to break my own habit of two handed to the first though  |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I also do not think it is an OTT problem. I have ridden and restarted a handful of OTTs and once they learn to give to the bit and once they are retrained to not brace, I have never had the problem again, especially of one no timing because they run off.
I also will agree with the other poster that I've had other horses who WOULD no time and they never set foot on a track. One of them was a cute little cow pony I trained, he tore his check ligament.. we did surgery but he never mentally got over it, or maybe we missed something else, but he too was one where you could do all the slow work you want at home, make a practice run, feel like he's ready to enter- and he totally either run off at the first or duck the second. I sold him to a family with full disclosure, heck they remember all of it. He's a family/kid horse for her daughter and he might lead line the barrels at most.
the other one was a super nice well bred FG granddaughter. out of a super nice female family. Had all the right bells and whistles on her papers and on her handle. couldn't find anything physically wrong with her and my friends told me I was the problem, not her. So I traded her with a barrel horse trainer/seller for a track broke 3YO.
I don't want to be a debbie downer, but IMO if he is worth spending the money on, I would take him to the best vet you can get to, look him over with a fine toothed comb- including radiographs of areas they think are problems. If they can't find anything significant wrong with him, I would send him to the best trainer you can and get their honest opinion. sometimes they don't get over what ever their issue is that makes them break the pattern or lose their head. |
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 2:10 PM
willyturnit - 2014-01-17 1:53 PM
I ride a lot of OT quarter horses. Here is something not many think about. Those horses are taught to run into the bit. So if you are pulling on him with both hands he will probably brace against you and keep going. You need to either go in one handed and do a one handed bump or do more work on getting him to understand a two handed bump. And you might need to teach yourself to not "hold" onto him on the way to your barrel. Get off of the reins and out of his mouth. I am NOT saying you are yanking and pulling but if you are trying to "hold" him in order to rate him you are backing up. Because he will end up bracing on you hence the down the fence or run off reaction you are getting.
I did try to "hold" him at the race to keep him from running off so that makes very good sense to me! You are the second or third person to mention the bracing on my thread. I will be starting this in his slow work immediately. He has a ton of talent and what seems to be a wonderful mind so I am willing to try just about anything to get this corrected! It will be hard for me to break my own habit of two handed to the first though
what willyturnit says about bracing is totally true regardless of the previous career or discipline of the horse. If you are holding their head in the alley, and all the way to the barrel- the only thing you can do when it's time to check him is give it back and pull again. So when you give it back for that second, you dump them on their front end, because they are bracing against your hand. Then there is no way you are going to get him back in time to turn the barrel. |
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Left Out
Posts: 6797
Location: Silex Missouri | cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 2:10 PM willyturnit - 2014-01-17 1:53 PM I ride a lot of OT quarter horses. Here is something not many think about. Those horses are taught to run into the bit. So if you are pulling on him with both hands he will probably brace against you and keep going. You need to either go in one handed and do a one handed bump or do more work on getting him to understand a two handed bump. And you might need to teach yourself to not "hold" onto him on the way to your barrel. Get off of the reins and out of his mouth. I am NOT saying you are yanking and pulling but if you are trying to "hold" him in order to rate him you are backing up. Because he will end up bracing on you hence the down the fence or run off reaction you are getting. I did try to "hold" him at the race to keep him from running off so that makes very good sense to me! You are the second or third person to mention the bracing on my thread. I will be starting this in his slow work immediately. He has a ton of talent and what seems to be a wonderful mind so I am willing to try just about anything to get this corrected! It will be hard for me to break my own habit of two handed to the first though
Start at a walk. Work on one rein stops if it makes you more relaxed that way. Plus, if you are preparing yourself for a run off and tightening up your body then you are sending body signals to him without you probably even noticing it. So, try talking to yourself out loud while you are riding him. Sing a slow song or something. It will help you because you will be working on the lyrics of the song. I know some are readin this thinking "yeah sure sing yourself a song" but it is more about the rythm of the song than anything else.
People forget or maybe dont get that riding a horse and pretty much everything about a horse is rythm. They move in rythm. You have to learn their rythm and work with it. Some horses never really get over the race track training and bracing on the reins. Some get over it and you never have a problem with it. It's about the individual. |
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Expert
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| willyturnit - 2014-01-17 3:38 PM
cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 2:10 PM willyturnit - 2014-01-17 1:53 PM I ride a lot of OT quarter horses. Here is something not many think about. Those horses are taught to run into the bit. So if you are pulling on him with both hands he will probably brace against you and keep going. You need to either go in one handed and do a one handed bump or do more work on getting him to understand a two handed bump. And you might need to teach yourself to not "hold" onto him on the way to your barrel. Get off of the reins and out of his mouth. I am NOT saying you are yanking and pulling but if you are trying to "hold" him in order to rate him you are backing up. Because he will end up bracing on you hence the down the fence or run off reaction you are getting. I did try to "hold" him at the race to keep him from running off so that makes very good sense to me! You are the second or third person to mention the bracing on my thread. I will be starting this in his slow work immediately. He has a ton of talent and what seems to be a wonderful mind so I am willing to try just about anything to get this corrected! It will be hard for me to break my own habit of two handed to the first though
People forget or maybe dont get that riding a horse and pretty much everything about a horse is rythm. They move in rythm. You have to learn their rythm and work with it. Some horses never really get over the race track training and bracing on the reins. Some get over it and you never have a problem with it. It's about the individual.
Thank you so much! I can't wait to start implementing this in his training.
ETA - I'm gonna look like a crazy woman singing to myself at a race but I'm sure going to try it!
Edited by cyount2009 2014-01-17 3:49 PM
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Left Out
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Location: Silex Missouri | cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 3:47 PM willyturnit - 2014-01-17 3:38 PM cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 2:10 PM willyturnit - 2014-01-17 1:53 PM I ride a lot of OT quarter horses. Here is something not many think about. Those horses are taught to run into the bit. So if you are pulling on him with both hands he will probably brace against you and keep going. You need to either go in one handed and do a one handed bump or do more work on getting him to understand a two handed bump. And you might need to teach yourself to not "hold" onto him on the way to your barrel. Get off of the reins and out of his mouth. I am NOT saying you are yanking and pulling but if you are trying to "hold" him in order to rate him you are backing up. Because he will end up bracing on you hence the down the fence or run off reaction you are getting. I did try to "hold" him at the race to keep him from running off so that makes very good sense to me! You are the second or third person to mention the bracing on my thread. I will be starting this in his slow work immediately. He has a ton of talent and what seems to be a wonderful mind so I am willing to try just about anything to get this corrected! It will be hard for me to break my own habit of two handed to the first though
People forget or maybe dont get that riding a horse and pretty much everything about a horse is rythm. They move in rythm. You have to learn their rythm and work with it. Some horses never really get over the race track training and bracing on the reins. Some get over it and you never have a problem with it. It's about the individual. Thank you so much! I can't wait to start implementing this in his training. ETA - I'm gonna look like a crazy woman singing to myself at a race but I'm sure going to try it!
Well don't try to be so loud that it sounds like you are a yodling fool :-) You hear people saying "easy easy" or similar and it's in a rythm. But you might want to impliment it at home and see how it works first. It is mainly to relax you and get into a rythm. But if I did it at a barrel race, well people around here would just think I'm being me! |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| willyturnit - 2014-01-17 3:51 PM
cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 3:47 PM willyturnit - 2014-01-17 3:38 PM cyount2009 - 2014-01-17 2:10 PM willyturnit - 2014-01-17 1:53 PM I ride a lot of OT quarter horses. Here is something not many think about. Those horses are taught to run into the bit. So if you are pulling on him with both hands he will probably brace against you and keep going. You need to either go in one handed and do a one handed bump or do more work on getting him to understand a two handed bump. And you might need to teach yourself to not "hold" onto him on the way to your barrel. Get off of the reins and out of his mouth. I am NOT saying you are yanking and pulling but if you are trying to "hold" him in order to rate him you are backing up. Because he will end up bracing on you hence the down the fence or run off reaction you are getting. I did try to "hold" him at the race to keep him from running off so that makes very good sense to me! You are the second or third person to mention the bracing on my thread. I will be starting this in his slow work immediately. He has a ton of talent and what seems to be a wonderful mind so I am willing to try just about anything to get this corrected! It will be hard for me to break my own habit of two handed to the first though
People forget or maybe dont get that riding a horse and pretty much everything about a horse is rythm. They move in rythm. You have to learn their rythm and work with it. Some horses never really get over the race track training and bracing on the reins. Some get over it and you never have a problem with it. It's about the individual. Thank you so much! I can't wait to start implementing this in his training. ETA - I'm gonna look like a crazy woman singing to myself at a race but I'm sure going to try it!
I am tone deaf and terribly off key as well as incredibly shy and stand-offish so I would try not to draw any attention to myself in the process! But I bet singing under my breath would help me because I am sure that un-knowingly I am gearing up for a run off.
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 Expert
Posts: 1558
Location: TX | A lot of OTT's get flash backs at races. Especially when they get in the alley and hear the speaker. Mine have, I know, related the alley to the starting gate, blast off and think it's the track and forget about their new job and that 1st barrel. It takes a lot of time for some to get it figured out and a lot of reassurance and alley work. You have to really retrain their brain. |
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Panic at a race