Posted 2014-08-03 1:46 PM Subject: Speeding up a young horse?
Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427 Location: South Central Florida
Daughter was given a little mare about 2 years ago. She was 5 and never been touched, so she has done everything.
The mare is coming along really nice and has been running a second off her good 1D mare consistantly for about 6 months now. Her pattern is picture perfect.
She is pretty setty and easy going, but she seems ready to speed up. However even though she will open up in a pasture nothing seems to work as far as speeding up in the arena. She just won't really RUN.
Never really had this problem before...it's not like she can't run any faster, you can see she is just high loping when in the arena, but really reaches and moves when working cows or playing in a field, in the arena she looks cautious and unsure about going faster.
I'll try to post an arena video but not sure I know how.
Don't want to blow her up or upset her confidence, but looking for ideas besides just breezing her. Maybe she just needs more fitness...
She is 7 now, and not green broke, she is very broke.
Posted 2014-08-03 2:30 PM Subject: RE: Speeding up a young horse?
Expert
Posts: 2685
Can she be opened up or work with a little more fire under her butt in the arena without the barrels set up? Like lope all the way around the pen and gradually ask for more? Then go back down without asking her to turn or jamming her into the ground to stop? Maybe rollbacks to get some take- off under her?
Posted 2014-08-03 3:37 PM Subject: RE: Speeding up a young horse?
Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427 Location: South Central Florida
RoaniePonie11 - 2014-08-03 3:30 PM Can she be opened up or work with a little more fire under her butt in the arena without the barrels set up? Like lope all the way around the pen and gradually ask for more? Then go back down without asking her to turn or jamming her into the ground to stop? Maybe rollbacks to get some take- off under her?
Thats a good idea. Have not done a lot of whoa work or roll backs because she is so naturally ratey...maybe work them a little faster. She warms up in the arena on practice nights, so maybe she can work faster in the practice arena like when she warms up.
In a pasture, working cows she will get it...moves right out.
I like the roll back idea but at a faster speed...maybe she is afraid she won't know when to rate (I know sounds weird) on her own.
Posted 2014-08-04 1:44 AM Subject: RE: Speeding up a young horse?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 371
to get my mare to start striding out in the pattern I used a stiff crop coming out of the barrels. I carried it in my right hand and after turning the first(right barrel) I gave her one good tap to encourge speed coming out of the barrel while I got up over her and hustled her a bit at the same time. I did this on the second and third barrels. I originally started this exercise at home where she was comfortable and I carried it and used it for 4-5 hot runs. now she has no issue extending her stride and running a little more to the barrels. when I started this she was running 4D and has now been clocking in the 1D/2D at big races.
Speeding up a young horse?
