|
|
 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
   
Location: Montana | Just like thte subject line says, how long do you take a horse to just do times onlies/exhibitions before actually entering? And how long after you start entering do you do time onlies/exhibitions before you make your competing run? I know every horse is different, and I'm not talking about a young horse necessarily, just one that isn't seasoned yet and has hauled a handful of times and handles commotion and different arenas well.
|
|
| |
|
 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I entered my 10 yr old the first time we took him. There is nothing like the pressure of the actual event when you are in time-only or exhibitions. We donated our money the first year and hit the 4D some.
This horse had been hauled to various things so it wasn't about the hauling. But he'd been trained way wrong (like aiming directly dead on with the barrel) so it took a year to undo what was done, as well as getting him comfortable with himself at speed. |
|
| |
|
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Depends on the horse. Nervous or young horses get them longer than solid horses who handle everything. At some point you have to donate the entry fee and try it.
I'd like to enter some rodeos this year so I've stopped doing warm ups since I don't get them at the rodeo. If I'm trying to sort an issue out or made an equipment change that I havent got to run in yet I still throw one in from time to time. |
|
| |
|
 Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | When you get down to two exhibitions per show and your horse can handle a competition type run the first time with not many mistakes a few times you haul to new pens then I'd say start entering. My 4 year old has been to 3 places now and he's down to two exhibitions with his first being a real run. Sometimes Ill lope through and make a run the 2nd time depending on surroundings. After he makes a solid run the first exh when we hit 3 or 4 races I'll quit exhibitions and just go to entering for the most part. He's young but acts nothing like a young horse.Eta- you want them to be confident when you run into a new pen and that starts slow and letting them get used to not ton of pressure in a new pen. They will gain confidence and start rolling in harder and not looking. They learn they are going in to hunt the first and not look around.
Edited by Dash4KJ 2014-05-29 8:29 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I hate time onlys. lol Waste of money, so the sooner you can not have to do one the better. lol I do a time only for what it was intended. To MAKE A RUN, and not lope around a barrel 10x. So what I do is train at HOME, then when I feel the horse is ready I do a time only, but make an actual run. If they can handle that. THen I enter. |
|
| |
|
 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | I have one mare (OTT) that is 9yrs old that is a nervous wreck at runs so I haul her with and just exhibition and sit around on her. I usually don't like to exhibition often but since she is so nervous I just really want her to get some confidence and relax before I enter. She is putting enough pressure on herself I don't need to add to it. She is very tense during the whole time in the arena so currently I am just taking her nice and easy and trying to stay out of her way as much as possible to just let her gain confidence in herself. She has always been a nervous type of horse. She was on the track until she was 7 so we have worked on a few issues that she developed at the track. She was nervous at the trailer, nervous to saddle, and did not know how to handle herself at all when loping to the right. She would dang near just take off and run a big circle. |
|
| |
|
 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | If they handle commotion and different arenas, and can go in and work the first exhibition, I will stop doing exhibitions and just enter up. I'm not a big exhibition person, but this year I have done quite a few of them because I don't have an arena at home or time enough to haul to one frequently, so I've been training one mostly through exhibitions.
I didn't do too many exhibitions before I started entering Clifford, and I think I stopped doing them before competition runs a couple months later when I started trusting that he'd go in and try to work the first time. He was 8 when I got him and 9 when I stopped exhibitioning so not a young horse, and he had run on the track then been hauled as a bulldogging prospect to rodeos for a summer so definitely was used to different arenas and commotion. |
|
| |
|
 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | If you can't get in the arena before hand, time onlys 2 per. for my jumpy horse he gets one that we go in and stop at each barrel and have a look and all the scary things emphasizing on getting comfortable, and then we do a "run" through he picks his speed. for my sass master he gets a "trot through" or a lope in place through, and then an attempted 3/4 speed. they'll get those until I deem them seasoned, or until I don't need them to get me comfortable.
20 extra bucks at a barrel race for a more prepared horse and rider makes complete sense to me. I couldn't imagine asking for 100% and not giving my horse the preparation he deserves.
ETA: i have a 7 and 8 year old. I bet I'll be doing time onlies on them until they are probably 10/12?
Edited by Crowned Image 2014-05-29 9:44 AM
|
|
| |
|
 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | Well for my three year old, she's going to exhibition for a year because I'm not going to ruin her futurity eligibility.
I want to get her in as many arenas as possible in case I feel she's ready to run at the 4 YO futurities.. I don't want to play catch up with hauling her if I spent most of my time at home.
So we were trotting a lot in the winter with a little slow loping. Last weekend we got to a race and they were about sold out of tickets so I only got one for her.. so we loped through a medium pace one time and quit. She worked great.
I'm going to progressively speed her up, and will switch to 2nd exhibitions on the stakes as we get closer to December to see where she is clocking.
Once she starts entering, I will try and wean her off exhibitions…maybe just one or two to get her in the arena first like they allow at futurities.
For those who don't like exhibitions/time on lies… be glad you have them if you run in organizations as they are a significant money maker for our association as far as year end awards go! |
|
| |
|
Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| I don't think you'll find a right or wrong answer to this question. Pretty much whatever your comfortable with. I would prefer the horse to be cruising through. The first time I took my gelding out I was planning on doing a time only but I ended up entering him and he won a check in the 4d. |
|
| |
|
 Veteran
Posts: 209
| With my 5yr old I exhibitioned her when I bought her in the fall as she was 5yr old futurity eligible. She's always been good about handling new arenas and not ducking or spooking at all. The past couple times I have done one exhibition and then enter. And on the Monday race I went to I only exhibitoned as I was changing bits and wanted to see how she felt in it but she went in a made her run and worked great so next time I probably won't exhibition. If you have one that is handling hauling and isn't too spooky or jumpy you can try doing fewer exhibitions and seeing how they handle it. |
|
| |
|
Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Thanks very much! My mare is 13...the last couple of years I was just having fun hauling her to some jackpots, doing an exhibition or two and then competing, usually getting 21-22 seconds on a standard pattern. From June 2013 until now we have not competed as I had some confidence issues after a horse accident and needed some time. So, this year I took my mare to a highly recommended barrel trainer, who put 5 weeks on her and she did awesome with them, and I got some training help myself. My mare is cruising a nice pattern at home, with a few mistakes when we add speed on the first barrel...not hitting, our approach is off, but I know it is me setting her up wrong and I'm working on that. She is a calm horse, not spooky or jumpy unless something flies out at her really fast, is good with other horses, wonderful around people, and is fine with dogs. Gets a little hot when she knows she is going to do her job, but likes her job and is manageable in a snaffle bit as that is what the trainer says is all she needs...and it is. The place where the jackpot series I'm planning to attend is being held is an arena I used for practice a lot last year, so it is a place she is used to as well. I feel mentally she is fine, but I'm also thinking that probably the first couple of times it isn't going to be the prettiest or fastest of runs.
I was just wondering if it was a bad mistake to just go, enter without time onlies/exhibitions, have some fun, and work at home on anything that needs some help. I think you all answered my question!  |
|
| |
|
 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | I agree, depends on the horse. My gelding who is now 13 did time onlies for about 3 months when I first started hauling him as a 4 year old and actually the last month he didnt' need them at all. My 12 year old mare I think I did time onlies on her basically because I started hauling her around with the gelding and figured I was there, she was too young to run but we could get her in and get her some experience. By the time she was ready to enter up I never did do another time only on her. Neither of them needed it to help them find a barrel and neither of them needed it to help them stay quiet in the alley or thru the gate.
Now my 11 year old mare was a different story all together. I seriously think I hauled and time only on her for 2 years. I was ready to give up to say the least a few times, finally figured out if you didnt' gut up and send that little toot, she'd gawk and grab her butt and "play". I've ridden a few that basically have to have time onlies to keep their brains about them and those I dont' think you can do enough slow easy TO's on. |
|
| |
|
 Veteran
Posts: 246
Location: Idaho | This is pretty horse specific but I have a little system. In their first year of competition, i buy the 3/$10, i lope all of them, and progressively get faster (i dont have an arena at home and rarely practice) when i feel like they are starting to go in and look for the barrel, I drop down to one before we run. In their second year I only do one in arenas they have never ran in before. By the end of year two and all of year three they stop getting time onlys unless I need to reiterate something or try a new bit. When I am running multiple horses they might have to drop to one TO before a run a lot sooner :)
I guess I should add that I usually enter my horses fairly soon. When i feel like they are starting to look for the barrel, I enter. Sometimes if I have very little pattern work Ill enter novice but I usually enter the open. Thats what 4&5Ds are for in my opinion. So you can pay the open fees and have a chance and winning your money back while seasoning. Unlike rodeos where you know you are writing a check for an amount you know you wont see again when you are running a green horse for experience, 4Ds can keep you motivated and going down the road :)
Edited by TSlashO 2014-06-01 12:58 PM
|
|
| |
|
Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | TSlashO - 2014-06-01 11:53 AM This is pretty horse specific but I have a little system. In their first year of competition, i buy the 3/$10, i lope all of them, and progressively get faster (i dont have an arena at home and rarely practice) when i feel like they are starting to go in and look for the barrel, I drop down to one before we run. In their second year I only do one in arenas they have never ran in before. By the end of year two and all of year three they stop getting time onlys unless I need to reiterate something or try a new bit. When I am running multiple horses they might have to drop to one TO before a run a lot sooner :)
Thanks! My horse is already hunting the barrels...was before she left the barrel trainer's place, and knows pretty well how to rate a barrel up to 3/4 speed. Once we hit high gear, our rate is a little late on our first barrel, but I'm thinking it is just something that will come with a little more slow work up to fast work. I don't have an arena where I keep her, but have access to a large flat pasture that I can do quite of bit of work on up to a lope/high lope on the barrels.
I know it is horse specific, but figured you all have worked with different kinds of horses and would have a good idea. :) Thanks! |
|
| |
How long do you do time onlies/exhibitions before entering?