|
|
 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
   
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I was scanning through the November BHN yesterday and the part where Ed wright talked about loping and working up to making a "moderate run" on grass jumped out at me. How is this possible? Would a certain type of dirt actually allow this, because it sounds like a good way to get hurt at my house. We have Hebert (A-bear) and Rilla silt loams. |
|
| |
|
 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | If anyone wants to paste the article here, I'd dearly love to read it. I do think you can teach a lot of horses to handle different types of ground. Martha's horses can handle 'iffy' ground so well, I'd love to know any tips he's got....I've watched her for years on lots of horses smoke runs where everyone else is having heck. |
|
| |
|
 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i lope my horse on grassy side hills in the summer (its not steep just a slopey hill)...i think anything you can do to prepare them for different types of ground is beneficial.......especially if your rodeoing..rodeo ground can be a challenge..lol.......................and horses run and buck and fart around in grassy pastures and they handle that......
m |
|
| |
|
 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: EDGE OF INSANITY | I don't have an arena at home, so my horses have all learned the pattern on grass out in the pasture. I get them up to a slow lope, and then Once they are ready for speed, i will go to a local arena and work them some. The horse i'm running now, clocks better on trashy ground than pretty manicured arenas-i've often wondered if him learning how to handle turning on the grass contributed to this |
|
| |
|
 Water Weight Barbie
Posts: 6829
Location: Oz, Kansas | Back in the old days we made due with what we had. We used to practice barrels & poles in the pasture & my horses were as sure footed as a goat. |
|
| |
|
  Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | lookout hill - 2014-10-28 9:35 AM Back in the old days we made due with what we had. We used to practice barrels & poles in the pasture & my horses were as sure footed as a goat.
Yep....pretty much......I can remember making runs in grass arenas........ |
|
| |
|
 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | I was just having this conversation with PJ about her mares. I would love to see the article. I trained my old mare on metal barrels set up in a pasture. We never made a run out there, but I loped her around them plenty. She was tough at rodeos no matter what ground because she stood up in her turns so well and kept moving forward. If you watch her videos even when she was in her 20's with PJ she has a very straight up style with no wasted "slide".
PJ set up some barrels way out in the back pasture and has been working her mares at a trot, but she babies them a lot more than I ever did mine! lol She asks for money or Back On Track products for her birthday and Christmas. I took good care of my mares legs...wrapping, hosing, etc.., but I used her a lot harder than I see horses get used now. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 554
| We sure don't have much grass out here in AZ, what is that stuff?   |
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Don't get me wrong--I lope circles on grass and have barrels set up on grass. And this is where I ride when it's wet because it's sloped so the water drains off. But I wouldn't dream of running or even loping the pattern there because the dirt under the grass is like concrete unless it's wet, and then it's slicker than snot. My horses don't turn hard in the pasture either because they will fall down. They will all but stop and roll back when they want to turn around. I've never lived anywhere else with horses, so I had no idea these other things were possible. LOL |
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | rachellyn80 - 2014-10-28 10:00 AM I was just having this conversation with PJ about her mares. I would love to see the article. I trained my old mare on metal barrels set up in a pasture. We never made a run out there, but I loped her around them plenty. She was tough at rodeos no matter what ground because she stood up in her turns so well and kept moving forward. If you watch her videos even when she was in her 20's with PJ she has a very straight up style with no wasted "slide".
PJ set up some barrels way out in the back pasture and has been working her mares at a trot, but she babies them a lot more than I ever did mine! lol She asks for money or Back On Track products for her birthday and Christmas. I took good care of my mares legs...wrapping, hosing, etc.., but I used her a lot harder than I see horses get used now.
Nothing from the November issue is up on their website that I could find. This one had several interesting things in it that would make it worth buying tho. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1028
| My arena is actually all grass right now, except around the barrels (I took a hoe and dug it up a bit for some traction). Our grass was growing so well out there, I couldn't bring myself to till it all under.
I started a colt on barrels out there this spring, and I will say that he's already handling bad ground better than some finished horses I've ran. Of course, I've never made full out runs at home, just loping, but all of my horses seem to handle themselves well on it. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 96
| I live on red clay. Everything I own runs and slides on it. We never have problems on trashy ground because they know how to handle it. My one mare prefers mud up to her ears... |
|
| |
|
The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | Here on the coast in Oregon, I live and ride in mud roughly 8 months out of the year. I haven't ever loped the whole pattern in our fields though. I'll set the barrels up, lope to my rate points and the trot the actual turns. Our ground has a lot of clay content though, if you genuinely tried to run on it - you'd get hurt. BUT my horses get turned out in the slippy slop all the time, and I contribute that to their sure-footedness. They run and buck and slide and make me close my eyes on a regular basis. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1162
Location: White Mountains of AZ | I always ride my young/older horses out in pasture... find bushes or trees to lope around. I think it really does help their footing. You see so many horses who are run and worked only on prepped arena ground, that when you get them out anywhere other than that arena, they are tripping and stumbling around. I want my horses sure footed wherever I go. You don't always have awesome ground for your horse to run on at rodeos/barrel races, and you and your horse should be able to handle whatever ground is thrown your way :) Obviously still being safe of course!!! |
|
| |
|
 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 9:30 AM
I don't have an arena at home, so my horses have all learned the pattern on grass out in the pasture. I get them up to a slow lope, and then Once they are ready for speed, i will go to a local arena and work them some. The horse i'm running now, clocks better on trashy ground than pretty manicured arenas-i've often wondered if him learning how to handle turning on the grass contributed to this
I'm the exact same way! I like that my horses learn how to handle themselves on bad ground instead of getting used to nice, manicured dirt. The spot where I have barrels set up is mostly weeds with a little grass, so as long as I keep it mowed down, it's not slick. I live on hard, black dirt, so I really like it after it rains--the ground is soft enough that they can keep their footing, but not so soft that they can really dig in, so I don't go faster than a slow/medium lope. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: EDGE OF INSANITY | Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 1:08 PM
horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 9:30 AM
I don't have an arena at home, so my horses have all learned the pattern on grass out in the pasture. I get them up to a slow lope, and then Once they are ready for speed, i will go to a local arena and work them some. The horse i'm running now, clocks better on trashy ground than pretty manicured arenas-i've often wondered if him learning how to handle turning on the grass contributed to this
I'm the exact same way! I like that my horses learn how to handle themselves on bad ground instead of getting used to nice, manicured dirt. The spot where I have barrels set up is mostly weeds with a little grass, so as long as I keep it mowed down, it's not slick. I live on hard, black dirt, so I really like it after it rains--the ground is soft enough that they can keep their footing, but not so soft that they can really dig in, so I don't go faster than a slow/medium lope.
This is kind of off topic, but I don't have problems with my horses running past barrels, which i think goes back to them learning the pattern out in the open. It doesnt matter how far from the fence the barrels are, my horse is going to find them and turn |
|
| |
|
Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 12:20 PM
Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 1:08 PM
horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 9:30 AM
I don't have an arena at home, so my horses have all learned the pattern on grass out in the pasture. I get them up to a slow lope, and then Once they are ready for speed, i will go to a local arena and work them some. The horse i'm running now, clocks better on trashy ground than pretty manicured arenas-i've often wondered if him learning how to handle turning on the grass contributed to this
I'm the exact same way! I like that my horses learn how to handle themselves on bad ground instead of getting used to nice, manicured dirt. The spot where I have barrels set up is mostly weeds with a little grass, so as long as I keep it mowed down, it's not slick. I live on hard, black dirt, so I really like it after it rains--the ground is soft enough that they can keep their footing, but not so soft that they can really dig in, so I don't go faster than a slow/medium lope.
This is kind of off topic, but I don't have problems with my horses running past barrels, which i think goes back to them learning the pattern out in the open. It doesnt matter how far from the fence the barrels are, my horse is going to find them and turn
I actually agree with that--they learn to listen to me and not rely on a fence. I've always practiced poles and barrels out in the wide open, with only a little work in an arena. For the most part, the only time my horses see an arena is at a race. |
|
| |
|
 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| The area I ride in is hard clay. It powders up if it's dry enough, but we don't have a tractor, so there is no digging it up, just a loose powder on top from horses going over it.
I won't make a hard run on it, but will lope through it. My horses handle hard, lousy ground well. They just don't handle deep ground the best. Good manicured arenas are fine as long as they aren't deep, deep sand. |
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | http://youtu.be/X7DwNPDb2xA
This looks grassy, but it's worked up dirt that got rained on and grass grew over it. It's packed, but they can get a foot-hold in it and it's not a big deal to work them on it. Not what I was thinking of when I read the article and it said "lope and run the pattern on grass".  |
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 12:27 PM horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 12:20 PM Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 1:08 PM horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 9:30 AM I don't have an arena at home, so my horses have all learned the pattern on grass out in the pasture. I get them up to a slow lope, and then Once they are ready for speed, i will go to a local arena and work them some. The horse i'm running now, clocks better on trashy ground than pretty manicured arenas-i've often wondered if him learning how to handle turning on the grass contributed to this I'm the exact same way! I like that my horses learn how to handle themselves on bad ground instead of getting used to nice, manicured dirt. The spot where I have barrels set up is mostly weeds with a little grass, so as long as I keep it mowed down, it's not slick. I live on hard, black dirt, so I really like it after it rains--the ground is soft enough that they can keep their footing, but not so soft that they can really dig in, so I don't go faster than a slow/medium lope. This is kind of off topic, but I don't have problems with my horses running past barrels, which i think goes back to them learning the pattern out in the open. It doesnt matter how far from the fence the barrels are, my horse is going to find them and turn I actually agree with that--they learn to listen to me and not rely on a fence. I've always practiced poles and barrels out in the wide open, with only a little work in an arena. For the most part, the only time my horses see an arena is at a race.
I set my barrels up in a 40 acre corn field a couple of days ago and made a hard run. That chit was deeeeep. The bad part of not having an arena right now is my horses work great with no fences or huge pens where the barrels are out in the middle of nowhere, but they have a hard time running to a fence in a little pen, especially when it's inside. |
|
| |
|
| I used to live .2 miles from the Wrights. The grass/ground is very sandy there. So I could see working on grass seeing how the grass/ground gives so easy (not slick). Now I live in east Texas.....and there's no way i'd try to even high lope on this grass/ground around here. Sandy in some places....but mainly clay or dark top soil. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: EDGE OF INSANITY | Three 4 Luck - 2014-10-28 2:48 PM
Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 12:27 PM horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 12:20 PM Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 1:08 PM horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 9:30 AM I don't have an arena at home, so my horses have all learned the pattern on grass out in the pasture. I get them up to a slow lope, and then Once they are ready for speed, i will go to a local arena and work them some. The horse i'm running now, clocks better on trashy ground than pretty manicured arenas-i've often wondered if him learning how to handle turning on the grass contributed to this I'm the exact same way! I like that my horses learn how to handle themselves on bad ground instead of getting used to nice, manicured dirt. The spot where I have barrels set up is mostly weeds with a little grass, so as long as I keep it mowed down, it's not slick. I live on hard, black dirt, so I really like it after it rains--the ground is soft enough that they can keep their footing, but not so soft that they can really dig in, so I don't go faster than a slow/medium lope. This is kind of off topic, but I don't have problems with my horses running past barrels, which i think goes back to them learning the pattern out in the open. It doesnt matter how far from the fence the barrels are, my horse is going to find them and turn I actually agree with that--they learn to listen to me and not rely on a fence. I've always practiced poles and barrels out in the wide open, with only a little work in an arena. For the most part, the only time my horses see an arena is at a race.
i agree! My horse really struggles with deep ground and i think its because he's not used to it-kinda like going from running on the road to running on the beach. Fingers crossed on not hitting barrels indoors-so far so good here |
|
| |
|
 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | My mare was first started on the pattern on grass in the pasture, but only loped it at the fastest. But I will agree, that if the ground is too deep at an arena, she doesn't handle it the best, but neither do a lot of the horses I'm running against. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | Depends on where I'm at in the pasture as to what my ground is like. I have a small pattern set up, and at 1st it's hard clay with rocks here and there, at 2nd it's the same but at third its all black dirt that stays thicker than snot. And I have no where else to move the pattern around at all. Oh and it's also not level, but the most level spot in the place. I won't make a run, but a nice lope through works well for me. And you would think that my mares would both love trashy ground because of that fact, but actually my mare craves trashy ground and the kids mare loves nice jackpot type of ground. |
|
| |
|
 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place |
Me too. Black dirt and grass back in the good old days. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | Three 4 Luck - 2014-10-28 1:48 PM
Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 12:27 PM horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 12:20 PM Gunner11 - 2014-10-28 1:08 PM horsepoor1 - 2014-10-28 9:30 AM I don't have an arena at home, so my horses have all learned the pattern on grass out in the pasture. I get them up to a slow lope, and then Once they are ready for speed, i will go to a local arena and work them some. The horse i'm running now, clocks better on trashy ground than pretty manicured arenas-i've often wondered if him learning how to handle turning on the grass contributed to this I'm the exact same way! I like that my horses learn how to handle themselves on bad ground instead of getting used to nice, manicured dirt. The spot where I have barrels set up is mostly weeds with a little grass, so as long as I keep it mowed down, it's not slick. I live on hard, black dirt, so I really like it after it rains--the ground is soft enough that they can keep their footing, but not so soft that they can really dig in, so I don't go faster than a slow/medium lope. This is kind of off topic, but I don't have problems with my horses running past barrels, which i think goes back to them learning the pattern out in the open. It doesnt matter how far from the fence the barrels are, my horse is going to find them and turn I actually agree with that--they learn to listen to me and not rely on a fence. I've always practiced poles and barrels out in the wide open, with only a little work in an arena. For the most part, the only time my horses see an arena is at a race.
Is your horse named Chevrolet? I mean, if it needs 40 acres to make 3 turns that would be a good name for him. |
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Haha.  |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 623
Location: /ARKANSAS | I have an arena half the size of a dressage arena. I had lots of sand brought in, over the years it has been covered with grass, putting roundup on it became old fast, the grass and sand footing has so much give without shifting a lot. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1611
| I'd like to read this article or any others about getting one to move their front end.
Edited by astreakinchic 2014-10-29 9:20 AM
|
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | SwingingGdiamond - 2014-10-28 2:20 PM I used to live .2 miles from the Wrights. The grass/ground is very sandy there. So I could see working on grass seeing how the grass/ground gives so easy (not slick). Now I live in east Texas.....and there's no way i'd try to even high lope on this grass/ground around here. Sandy in some places....but mainly clay or dark top soil.
I gotcha. Seems like it would have been smarter to qualify that statement in the article then. Or maybe I'm not giving people enough credit.
|
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | astreakinchic - 2014-10-29 8:30 AM I'd like to read these article or any others about getting one to move their front end.
This one was more about teaching them to stand up straighter and stay more square when the ground is crappy, using experience (bad ground) as a teacher. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1611
| Three 4 Luck - 2014-10-29 9:37 AM
astreakinchic - 2014-10-29 8:30 AM I'd like to read these article or any others about getting one to move their front end.
This one was more about teaching them to stand up straighter and stay more square when the ground is crappy, using experience (bad ground) as a teacher.
They must move their front end to do this. To stand up straighter. I'm not saying to be "front-endy" but to move the front end to have a quick come around. On grass if they lock their front end and don't come on around they will slide.
Edited by astreakinchic 2014-10-29 9:12 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Do You Feel Lucky Punk?
Posts: 3156
Location: NM...the Land of Manana | rowdy256 - 2014-10-28 9:07 AM We sure don't have much grass out here in AZ, what is that stuff?
LOL, it is that dead looking brown stuff you see scattered about in random clumps. |
|
| |
|
 Saint Stacey
| I don't think you need to practice on grass. I think where people screw up is that they only train and practice on ideal ground. Thus allows for a lot of bad habits to develop. Mainly in that it allows a horse to lean in the turn instead of standing upright and driving up underneath themselves. They then start clocking at jackpots where the ground us ideal so their riders think it's time to rodeo. At that point it falls apart because rodeo ground is unforgiving when it comes to a horse that doesn't stand upright in the turn. Our ground tends to get hard at home. While we don't run on it, we do train on it and make sure all of them stay upright no matter what speed they go. |
|
| |
|
 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | I lope through the pasture, but I won't ask my horse to lope the barrel pattern on grass. |
|
| |
|
Water Weight Barbie
Posts: 6829
Location: Oz, Kansas | sorrel horse ranch - 2014-10-28 3:51 PM Me too. Black dirt and grass back in the good old days.
We also used to race trains when they went by so I wouldn't say we were the sharpest crayons in the box but our horses were tough & could handle any ground conditions. |
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | astreakinchic - 2014-10-29 9:10 AM Three 4 Luck - 2014-10-29 9:37 AM astreakinchic - 2014-10-29 8:30 AM I'd like to read these article or any others about getting one to move their front end. This one was more about teaching them to stand up straighter and stay more square when the ground is crappy, using experience (bad ground) as a teacher. They must move their front end to do this. To stand up straighter. I'm not saying to be "front-endy" but to move the front end to have a quick come around. On grass if they lock their front end and don't come on around they will slide.
"Keeping the front end moving" wasn't specifically addressed in this article that I remember. I know what you're talking about tho. I have one that wants to get down and cow a barrel which makes his front slow down and rear step out. I have specific exercises that I do with him that have improved him tremendously. Bumping with my inside leg while sitting down and driving his rear helps, but that by itself doesn't keep him correct. |
|
| |
|
BHW's Simon Cowell
Location: The Saudia Arabia of Wind Energy, Western Oklahoma | SwingingGdiamond - 2014-10-28 2:20 PM I used to live .2 miles from the Wrights. The grass/ground is very sandy there. So I could see working on grass seeing how the grass/ground gives so easy (not slick). Now I live in east Texas.....and there's no way i'd try to even high lope on this grass/ground around here. Sandy in some places....but mainly clay or dark top soil.
That is what I was going to say. My house is pretty sandy soil and you could work barrels in the grass all day. |
|
| |
|
 Peecans
| I think the more you can do the better your horse will be, my horses are all good with different ground and i belive this is because i use them on the farm. Working in feedlot pens, in the winter the ground had frozen lumps every where the horse really has to learn how to watch thier feet and still work to get the job done. In the summer they can be deep and they really learn how to be light in deep wet stick ground. And in the pasture the grass, deadfall, hilly uneven ground, they really learn to keep thier feet under them.
AND the most important part if they get in a bad spot, slip, stumble what ever they know to not panic and make it worse and i trust my horses enfough to not get in thier way, sit still give them thier face. They know better than me how to get stood back up. I see most horses that go down *(NOT ALL)* start to slip and they and or the rider panic and make it much worse.
|
|
| |
|
 Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | SKM - 2014-10-29 7:33 AM
I don't think you need to practice on grass. I think where people screw up is that they only train and practice on ideal ground. Thus allows for a lot of bad habits to develop. Mainly in that it allows a horse to lean in the turn instead of standing upright and driving up underneath themselves. They then start clocking at jackpots where the ground us ideal so their riders think it's time to rodeo. At that point it falls apart because rodeo ground is unforgiving when it comes to a horse that doesn't stand upright in the turn. Our ground tends to get hard at home. While we don't run on it, we do train on it and make sure all of them stay upright no matter what speed they go.
That sounds like our arena. Work it, it gets chewed up and gets hard. A little sprinkle helps it even if it means me taking a day off. I too would rather teach a horse to stand up instead of just letting them just flail around the barrels. That messing around doesn't work on trashy ground. |
|
| |
|
 Go Your Own Way
Posts: 4947
Location: SE KS | SKM and Della - I agree ! We do the same.
|
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1087
Location: Midland, MI | I work my horses and make practice runs on worked up loose dirt, mud, hard clay, grass, deep ground etc. anything and everything! My mares will run on everything and do their best. If I leave the barrels up and my horses' shoulder isn't out, we place at every rodeo we enter, any weather conditions and any ground type. And when they stumble at home I keep them going, I don't stop and baby them. And when we make a run at a show and they stumble we barely lose any time. They just work through it and keep going. It's beneficial to you and your horse, as well as your entry fee to practice on anything and everything. It's part of training a barrel horse. |
|
| |
|
 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | SKM - 2014-10-29 9:33 AM I don't think you need to practice on grass. I think where people screw up is that they only train and practice on ideal ground. Thus allows for a lot of bad habits to develop. Mainly in that it allows a horse to lean in the turn instead of standing upright and driving up underneath themselves. They then start clocking at jackpots where the ground us ideal so their riders think it's time to rodeo. At that point it falls apart because rodeo ground is unforgiving when it comes to a horse that doesn't stand upright in the turn. Our ground tends to get hard at home. While we don't run on it, we do train on it and make sure all of them stay upright no matter what speed they go.
Big ditto to this. Joker started his career running at county fairs and horse shows where the ground was often hard and packed by the time timed events started, and that dude can stand up on ANYTHING. He has always stood up and stayed square while turning. When Clifford was starting out, I loped through on some really bad ground and it turns out, he works really well on slick nasty hardpan ground. Of course he just may not know well enough to slow down LOL. |
|
| |
|
 Go For It!
Location: Texas |
I'm too old to risk an injury to me or to them, lol. I won't run if the ground is crappy at a barrel race either. I'll safety up. These suckers are already expensive enough without an injury... And since these 2 horses will probably have to last me forever - I'll keep them, and me, on good ground. :)
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | I'm sorry. I will go with ground that is a little bit trashy but I am just not going to put my horses or myself in a position to be crippled on ground that I feel is unsafe while practicing/training on the pattern. I have paid out to much money through the years because someone did not take proper care of the horses legs/feet and what they were running on and I unknowingly purchased the problem. I don't rodeo so nice great ground is my choice. It's great that we have a choice and great that everyone can make that choice. |
|
| |
BHN article about bad ground