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 Veteran
Posts: 134
 
| I just bought a mare that i LOVE but she has been doing Jr Rodeo for the past year and a half. I have her second and third barrels figured out but i just cant figure out her first. She runs right barrel first. I can not seem to figure out where she needs to be to get that barrel correct. No matter how i take her in, she comes out wide and stiff. What is a standard approach for a rodeo mare? I dont have an alley-like option where i ride. Could this be part of the issue? I've never ridden a rodeo horse before so i want to make adjustments based on what she knows. Obviously she needs flexing/bending work but i want to help her slowly by understanding what she is probably used to. The owner is at Worlds so i don't want to bug her but i want to run her this weekend. Thanks!!! |
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  Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
  
Location: Displaced Iowegian | As long as there was a center alley, I never considered any difference in approach. I have run my horses at rodeos AND shows and always approached the barrel in the same spot....Did you ever watch this horse run with the previous owners?
edited to add: However, there was an adjustment to be made if the entrance was a "side gate"..........
Edited by NJJ 2014-10-31 8:52 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 134
| NJJ - 2014-10-31 9:50 AM As long as there was a center alley, I never considered any difference in approach. I have run my horses at rodeos AND shows and always approached the barrel in the same spot....Did you ever watch this horse run with the previous owners?
edited to add: However, there was an adjustment to be made if the entrance was a "side gate"..........
I have never seen a video of her run, so i m a little blind on her and want to do right by her in making changes. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 972
Location: Texas! | Have you contacted the previous owner and asked what they suggest? |
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 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | NJJ - 2014-10-31 8:50 AM As long as there was a center alley, I never considered any difference in approach. I have run my horses at rodeos AND shows and always approached the barrel in the same spot....Did you ever watch this horse run with the previous owners?
edited to add: However, there was an adjustment to be made if the entrance was a "side gate"..........
^^^^^^^^^^^ This. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | there is no difference in a rodeo approach or a jackpot approach.............its the horses approach................my guess is your coming in to tight (for her to be blowing off the turn) and maybe try straighter longer to your first..........
m |
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 Works Hard For The Money
Posts: 4469
Location: Memphis, TN | I think there are really two ways that people usually approach first. One being straight to the pocket and the other more of a swoop running more up the middle towards third then swooping in. If your area tends to run rodeos in small pens she is probably swooping in essentially because first is right as you leave the alley so you run straight up the alley then turn. If they run big pens it could be more straight the pocket. You will just have to try different points until you find it. You can use a cone and mark a point and then move it in or out until you find a spot that feels right. Once you find that spot keep the cone for your own visual until you do it out of habit. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | The trick to setting up a good first barrel is getting to the same point to start your turn regardless of where you begin from. If you practice at home finding your point from different (crazy) places, you will never find a competition setup that trips you up. Horses blow out of a barrel because their shoulder got in too tight and cut off their forward motion, or the rider pulled too much on their head, or because they are hurting somewhere. So I would first try picking a point to run to that gives her more room through the first 3/4 of the turn, and don't try to force the turn. If you get stiff and pull, she's going to pull back. I had this conversation with my daughter yesterday--if you pull on your horse, she's going to think you're playing tug-of-war...now who do you think is going to win? LOL |
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 I keep my butt inside
Posts: 3281
Location: Weatherford, Texas | As a general guideline for a rodeo horse----if they blow off the back it is because you set too soon on the front. Push her farther into the turn and then let her come around. Rodeo horses don't have the long rate lines that a lot of jackpot horses have and are use to RUNNING to the first and not just cruising. Mine run straight to a point about four to six feet to the left of the first barrel (straight in line to the second) and then aim about one step past that===almost up the fence. That way the set straight and then they take the turn.
You may want to set up a cone or something in the "alley" area so you feel like you are leaving a turn and headed to second. People get caught up wanting to approach the turn different than the second two----it should be the same approach as you have for second and third. Make a run on clean ground- and if her second and third are excellent and fast then look at the marks...taht should tell you about what space you need.
ETA- like the poster above- aim from all over the place. Something I do with young horses is cruise the pattern and then finish loping to the right around the pen....when I get between second and third along the fenceline, turn in and cruise it from that direction...rinse and repeat all the way around teh pattern so you are always aiming from a different spot ( and so they learn to run the pattern and not run off hte fences)
Edited by cooper08 2014-10-31 10:24 AM
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sorrel horse ranch - 2014-10-31 9:40 AM NJJ - 2014-10-31 8:50 AM As long as there was a center alley, I never considered any difference in approach. I have run my horses at rodeos AND shows and always approached the barrel in the same spot....Did you ever watch this horse run with the previous owners?
edited to add: However, there was an adjustment to be made if the entrance was a "side gate"..........
^^^^^^^^^^^ This.
I agree ^^^^ |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | mruggles - 2014-10-31 9:43 AM there is no difference in a rodeo approach or a jackpot approach.............its the horses approach................my guess is your coming in to tight (for her to be blowing off the turn) and maybe try straighter longer to your first..........
m
And this too ^^^^^  |
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Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | Southtxponygirl - 2014-10-31 10:36 AM mruggles - 2014-10-31 9:43 AM there is no difference in a rodeo approach or a jackpot approach.............its the horses approach................my guess is your coming in to tight (for her to be blowing off the turn) and maybe try straighter longer to your first..........
m And this too ^^^^^
Again I love your avatar Roxie. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sorrel horse ranch - 2014-10-31 11:08 AM Southtxponygirl - 2014-10-31 10:36 AM mruggles - 2014-10-31 9:43 AM there is no difference in a rodeo approach or a jackpot approach.............its the horses approach................my guess is your coming in to tight (for her to be blowing off the turn) and maybe try straighter longer to your first..........
m And this too ^^^^^
Ha ha ha ha ha,,, I think they are so cute too Linda, the little dogs just have that look to them that just cracks me up when I see them dressed up. Thank you for the likes of all my scary little Halloweeny Avatars I'm having fun with finding all these cute pictures, LOL..   |
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Rodeo approach to first barrel