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 Veteran
Posts: 148
 
Location: Rome GA | My horse is just getting seasoned and starting to run. She was running 2d times before she started turning in front of the first barrel. She makes the perfect turn and wants to run on to the second. I've tried taking her until my leg is past the barrel, setting her and counter arcing. I've tried using a strong inside leg all the way to the turn. I've used a whip on her inside shoulder. All of this works a time or two, then we're back to square one. She is a reject cutter, quick and gritty, she seems to like her job, just hit this glitch and I need to nip it in the bud. Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue. Any advice is greatly appreciated. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
 
| If not pain then I would try blinders.
ETA or maybe switching directions
Edited by RoaniePonie11 2014-08-30 3:47 PM
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
 
Location: Pacific Northwest | I rode a horse that did this...just with me...I'd watched my friend pattern him and I'm the only person he ever did this with. He did it with me both times I ran him. I must have just sat too soon or something, but he would literally make a complete turn before the barrel and then go on with the pattern like nothing had happened.
I can't really tell you how to fix it because he was sold not long after that and I don't think anyone else ever got him to do that haha. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: lone star state | I had a horse that did this as well. It was me. You have to learn how to ride all the way past the barrel and not sit before the turn. Easier said than done.... |
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Veteran
Posts: 148
Location: Rome GA | Thanks for the input folks. Keep it coming! My next thought is to blaze by the first to the corner of the pen..just to free her up. I know, I'm crazy. |
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  Texas Lone Star
Posts: 5318
Location: where ever my L/Q trl is parked | Just a bit of info - I was always told that horses can count steps to a obstacle...so if you practice or run the same pattern with the same distance between those obstacles constantly then some horses will turn within those distance, so vary the barrel pattern placement. This could be one of the problem with your horse. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| Kyle - 2014-08-30 7:10 PM Thanks for the input folks. Keep it coming! My next thought is to blaze by the first to the corner of the pen..just to free her up. I know, I'm crazy.
go see terry alexander in carrolton |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | My ex-reiner did the same thing when she was learning barrels. Only, she wanted to do it on the 3rd barrel. Tossed me on my head like a yard dart at a barrel race once. I basically just rode her through the rough patch. I had to be ready for her, just in case she tried it during a run. I rode two handed, sat forward and kicked, while I focused on a point past the barrel. But, with mine, I have to be sure I ride all the way to the barrel even now. If I sit down too soon, she checks up and I have to correct to keep from hitting a barrel.
You might have to sacrifice some entry fees, too. You can't really duplicate the atmosphere of a competition run doing exhibitions. You might need to correct her a few times during a run, if that's the only time she's doing it. So, you might need to stop her before the barrel and turn away from the barrel to get her attention (or counter arc or whatever works).
Like aqhqczy said, be sure yours isn't counting steps or turning a certain distance from the fence.
I always did a lot of work in an open field with six barrels set up in a funnel shape so there was a different distance between each pair of barrels. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1056
| if it's on your mind, he will sense it and turn. maybe ride him to the left for a while. when you go back to right again, don't sit or you will be back at square one. he is listening to your body cues. |
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boon
Posts: 2
| My mare does this too. Except she switches it up every now and then, which to me, means that it is alll myy fault. I really have to think about getting her past the barrel or we will turn right before it or over it.... I saw a video with a girl using tires to school around the barrels. I think I may try it. If anyone is interested in the video I can post it. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | Simple... Move the barrel forward 6 paces..  |
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Veteran
Posts: 148
Location: Rome GA | Thanks for the good advice. I feel like I started it all sitting too soon. She's a real over achiever, just trying too hard. |
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 Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida |
I've taken horses that did this and it's just a retraining process. Slow down to a controlled speed (even lope if you have to), and ride to your spot where your leg is by the barrel, drop your inside rein and turn. If you whip, kick, set them down & do counterarcs, etc. it just makes the situation worse and makes them hate it. Go back to slow where you can control it from happening and form a new "pattern" of turning the first barrel correctly. Pay close attention that you keep your head/chin "up" and your seat "up" until your leg is by the barrel. You may have to make 6-12 runs like this, but you are making a permanent fix - just remember that.
Don't make the solution hard or taxing on them, keep it simple and pain-free. She is just trying to please by turning early.
After turning the first correctly, you can let her go faster the rest of the run and you may get a 4D check while you're reprogramming her, LOL.
Good luck.
Edited by Runaway 2014-08-31 9:58 AM
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | Kyle - 2014-08-31 5:50 AM Thanks for the good advice. I feel like I started it all sitting too soon. She's a real over achiever, just trying too hard.
My sister's old gelding will do the same exact thing if you sit too soon...and he's 20 now. It took my sister quite a few rodeos to get him figured out. The lady that sold him was willing to help though, and he actually came with step-by-step instructions on the pattern, LOL. You just have to ride him all the way to the barrel and stay two-handed until his correct rate point. My mom runs him now and he about dumped her a couple times before she got it figured out! He is just so automatic, when you drop your hand and sit, he's going to turn, barrel or no barrel. He's never turned in front of 2 or 3, but he will hit if you don't ride him all the way into the turn. |
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Veteran
Posts: 148
Location: Rome GA | Runaway - 2014-08-31 10:52 AM
I've taken horses that did this and it's just a retraining process. Slow down to a controlled speed (even lope if you have to), and ride to your spot where your leg is by the barrel, drop your inside rein and turn. If you whip, kick, set them down & do counterarcs, etc. it just makes the situation worse and makes them hate it. Go back to slow where you can control it from happening and form a new "pattern" of turning the first barrel correctly. Pay close attention that you keep your head/chin "up" and your seat "up" until your leg is by the barrel. You may have to make 6-12 runs like this, but you are making a permanent fix - just remember that.
Don't make the solution hard or taxing on them, keep it simple and pain-free. She is just trying to please by turning early.
After turning the first correctly, you can let her go faster the rest of the run and you may get a 4D check while you're reprogramming her, LOL.
Good luck.
I don't understand, drop the inside rein, could you explain that part? |
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Veteran
Posts: 148
Location: Rome GA | Thanks so much for all of your replies. I am encouraged by everyone's input. I have faith in this mare, I want to fix this correctly. She's not acting mad or anything, as a Runaway says, she's just eager to please. Thanks again! |
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Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida | Kyle - 2014-08-31 2:29 PM Runaway - 2014-08-31 10:52 AM
I've taken horses that did this and it's just a retraining process. Slow down to a controlled speed (even lope if you have to), and ride to your spot where your leg is by the barrel, drop your inside rein and turn. If you whip, kick, set them down & do counterarcs, etc. it just makes the situation worse and makes them hate it. Go back to slow where you can control it from happening and form a new "pattern" of turning the first barrel correctly. Pay close attention that you keep your head/chin "up" and your seat "up" until your leg is by the barrel. You may have to make 6-12 runs like this, but you are making a permanent fix - just remember that.
Don't make the solution hard or taxing on them, keep it simple and pain-free. She is just trying to please by turning early.
After turning the first correctly, you can let her go faster the rest of the run and you may get a 4D check while you're reprogramming her, LOL.
Good luck.
I don't understand, drop the inside rein, could you explain that part?
Sorry, I meant to say drop "outside" rein!
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Veteran
Posts: 148
Location: Rome GA | Runaway - 2014-08-31 2:59 PM Kyle - 2014-08-31 2:29 PM Runaway - 2014-08-31 10:52 AM
I've taken horses that did this and it's just a retraining process. Slow down to a controlled speed (even lope if you have to), and ride to your spot where your leg is by the barrel, drop your inside rein and turn. If you whip, kick, set them down & do counterarcs, etc. it just makes the situation worse and makes them hate it. Go back to slow where you can control it from happening and form a new "pattern" of turning the first barrel correctly. Pay close attention that you keep your head/chin "up" and your seat "up" until your leg is by the barrel. You may have to make 6-12 runs like this, but you are making a permanent fix - just remember that.
Don't make the solution hard or taxing on them, keep it simple and pain-free. She is just trying to please by turning early.
After turning the first correctly, you can let her go faster the rest of the run and you may get a 4D check while you're reprogramming her, LOL.
Good luck.
I don't understand, drop the inside rein, could you explain that part?
Gotcha! I thought this all sounded so good, just wanted to be sure I had my game plan down pat. Thanks! |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | Don't practice the barrels. Work on riding straight. and this is part of you problem. I've tried using a stong inside leg all the way to the turn <----- this can be very confusing when your trying to correct it. |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
Location: Bastrop, Texas | I've been to this party. It was totally my fault, not my horses. For one thing, I think I asked for rate, before I should have. Another thing was I noticed that I went to the horn too soon. After a couple times, what was a simple matter of pilot error became a habit, because I would start to anticipate him turning early, and my body language asked him for a turn.
It can become a vicious cycle. |
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Veteran
Posts: 148
Location: Rome GA | That is exactly what I've done...it's becoming routine now. I'm a real setty rider and she's taking it as a cue to turn. I can't blame her, I am standing up better and riding her to the turn. It's getting to be habit now and I need to fix her along with myself. |
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 1D Lawn Mower
Posts: 1417
Location: Southeast, Texas | We have a mare that did the same thing. We run left first, and she would turn a perfect barrel.... Before the barrel. Tried a lot of slowing down and re working, watched endless videos of us to see if I had started doing something different, and even went to the right first.. Which almost got me ditched when she did the same thing on third. Our problem? Sore hocks. A sore RIGHT hock, to be exact. When she hurts, she anticipates the turn and turns to soon. I would definitely have her hocks checked! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| I have a 4 yr old starting to try to do this . She never has , but I'm keeping it from happening . I just slowed her back down to a trot & lope to keep her listening to me . Like you said they are just over achieving :) but they have to remember to listen to the rider . I have had two 4 yr old mares & they both have done this . Maybe it's me too ! Ill be sure to be paying attention to what I'm doing as well ! |
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | I also started doing some one handed drills at home. It helped a lot once I got her to where I could stop one handed without her thinking it was a cue to turn as soon as I let the outside rein drop. It's now more of a cue to set and I can move her over one handed if I need to. |
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | I think we need to trade horses for awhile, mines REALLY good at getting past the first barrel   |
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Veteran
Posts: 148
Location: Rome GA | Thanks for the suggestions! |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Lots of good suggestions. What helps me to keep riding... is to either pick a spot on the fence or watch the horses outside ear until my leg is past the barrel. Helps me to have something to focus on vs someone saying "you're setting up too soon" ... my response "im not trying to" lol |
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Turns perfect turn before the first barrel