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Expert
Posts: 1561
  
| Any drills or recommendations on getting one to really hunt down the 1st barrel?
I have one off the wall idea but im not sure I should share it...  |
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Location: Somewhere up North | My technique may be off the wall too, LOL
I like to teach them double rate at the 1st and less at the 2nd and 3rd. What I mean by double rate is I ask them to set down about 20' from the first over and over again after loping down the alleyway. I get them to the point where they are almost doing it on their own in an environment where they are paying attention. I then reaffirm this as I start to haul and exhibition them where there is a lot going on around them (i.e. other horses around and people in the stands and walking around the arena). As I progess in adding speed, I am always attentive to how they are rating the first. If they stop rating the first then I slow them back down until they do. If you are patient with them, they will maintain their rate as you progress the speed.
If you are talking about an older horse, or one that is younger but running and not rating, it may take longer. With older horses, I will even enter some warm-up classes just to set them down going to the first so they don't get to strong when you run them for real.
I also wanted to add that I circle the first multiple times and when rating, make sure you get them to do it on their own and you are not in their mouth before you add speed. Good luck!
Edited by buckeye4u 2015-03-23 8:33 PM
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Well... give them a gun, camouflage, and tell them to be very quite. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I wish I knew. Then I'd know what I did with my horses so I could help Matt with his newest one. lol. In all seriousness, I have 3 that really hunt that first barrel - now that we fixed Clifford's sore spots - and it's very rare that I actually have to set one going to first. My only guess is they learned it through repetition and consistently being ridden to the same spot, plus all 3 of these are naturally pretty setty. Even the two off the track are just itching to get down and turn. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| WetSaddleBlankets - 2015-03-23 8:32 PM
Well... give them a gun, camouflage, and tell them to be very quite.
This is correct. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1062
Location: Probably On the Road to the Next Barrel Race! | I've trained quite a few, and that is a great question...I never have figured it out, other than some are just ratey and/or naturally hunt that first barrel. I've found no particula thing works consistently. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1273
Location: South Dakota | Great question. I guess one thing I have noticed is that my horses seem to hunt first barrel more since I quit going at it so straight. |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | Timber Creek - 2015-03-24 9:21 AM
Great question. I guess one thing I have noticed is that my horses seem to hunt first barrel more since I quit going at it so straight.
same spot as you, I'd either go in too straight or run up the middle too long and basically make a 90 degree turn at it. Once I fixed my arch and started talking to him calmly he will rate naturally. For me it's figuring out my approach.
He's kind of a free runner with the right encouragement so the first time he rated on his own without me having to check him 100 times from the alley I thought he was getting ready to buck me off he rated so hard haha. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | I've found that finding the correct pocket is the key. Teaching a lot of rate and not letting them run by. I have 1 I give the big swoop pocket and another I run in about 3 foot from the barrel. Another is about 6 foot from the barrel. It all depends on how they can use themselves. One of the things that is really old school is to keep them shaped (I sometimes do a circle before heading to the barrel) hold their nose inside a little and then slightly tug to get them to come around. Stopping at your rate point every time is key too. Some horses I rate and then slowly make my way around the barrel. Others I rate and increase speed around the barrel, depending on how their feet move.
Working a single barrel in the middle of the arena helps too, get them really cruising and making them find that one waaay out there.
Edited by LMS 2015-03-24 8:45 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Very simple, its genetics/want to/ drive that has to come from the horse. I don't believe you can really teach that. Those horses that you can come from the back 90 and they hunt and inhale the first barrel want to do it because they love what they do, not a drill. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | WetSaddleBlankets - 2015-03-23 8:32 PM
Well... give them a gun, camouflage, and tell them to be very quite.
Hahahhahahaha  |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | I start all of my horses in a big open pasture, no fences. I don't know that i've ever had a horse that their first barrel isn't their strongest barrel. I don't feel like I do anything special in getting them to rate and turn it, I just keep everything consistent and try to go on the same tracks every time no matter the speed. With no fences, my horses learn to rate the turn rather than rate off of the fence.
IMO the trick to getting a good first barrel in every pen is the approach and hitting the same "spot" no matter how the arena is set up. I see so many people sending their horse the same way in every pen rather than going to look at the angle from the alley to the first. My goal is to keep the angle to the first barrel the same in every pen. In a narrow pen that is long, the angle will have to be further up the pen to the third to get the right angle, in a wide short pen, the angle will have to be more towards the first barrel to hit the same "spot". I hope that makes sense....it's hard to explain. If i'm at an arena i've never been to, I will go stand in the alley before I get on my horse to see the angle and find the right path to the spot I want to hit. It's different at every pen I go to. |
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 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| FLITASTIC - 2015-03-24 8:54 AM
Very simple, its genetics/want to/ drive that has to come from the horse. I don't believe you can really teach that. Those horses that you can come from the back 90 and they hunt and inhale the first barrel want to do it because they love what they do, not a drill.
I agree with this. I've had horses that want to run barrels, and horses that run barrels because it's their job. If it's just a job to them, they do it because I ask them to. That doesn't mean they aren't looking for the barrels, but I can tell the difference of one that's really hunting for that turn compared to one that is just going through the motions.
I also agree that time and consistency play a huge role. If you are consistent with your pattern and the way you ride, a horse knows what to expect and goes in the arena with confidence. But if, for example, one time you blow in there and don't help your horse and miss the first, then the next time you compensate for that and get in their face, then do something different the next time, that horse is going to be confused about what it is exactly you're expecting of him. |
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Expert
Posts: 1273
Location: South Dakota | Crowned Image - 2015-03-24 8:32 AM Timber Creek - 2015-03-24 9:21 AM Great question. I guess one thing I have noticed is that my horses seem to hunt first barrel more since I quit going at it so straight. same spot as you, I'd either go in too straight or run up the middle too long and basically make a 90 degree turn at it. Once I fixed my arch and started talking to him calmly he will rate naturally. For me it's figuring out my approach. He's kind of a free runner with the right encouragement so the first time he rated on his own without me having to check him 100 times from the alley I thought he was getting ready to buck me off he rated so hard haha.
It took me quite awhile to train myself not to go so straight, lol! |
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Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | LMS - 2015-03-24 8:44 AM I've found that finding the correct pocket is the key. Teaching a lot of rate and not letting them run by. I have 1 I give the big swoop pocket and another I run in about 3 foot from the barrel. Another is about 6 foot from the barrel. It all depends on how they can use themselves. One of the things that is really old school is to keep them shaped (I sometimes do a circle before heading to the barrel) hold their nose inside a little and then slightly tug to get them to come around. Stopping at your rate point every time is key too. Some horses I rate and then slowly make my way around the barrel. Others I rate and increase speed around the barrel, depending on how their feet move.
Working a single barrel in the middle of the arena helps too, get them really cruising and making them find that one waaay out there.
I think you're right about finding the right spot being a big part of teaching one to hunt that first barrel. I'll be the oddball here and say that I almost never stop a horse at their rate point. That might be part of my routine the first few times I show one the pattern but by and large, I'm not a stopper. I do try to always drop my outside rein and sit deep at the rate point and am continually amazed at how much they can cue off that outside rein. |
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 Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | I traded even up for JC, as a 7 yr. old because she ran to the fence before she turned the 1st barrel (never up the fence) every single time, then was awesome after that...that's why I got her...she had so much potential but all the rating exercises by her previous owner never sunk in....She was also a handful in the gate and I think that got her pumped up and not listening, so I had to work on that too, but I worked her slow at home teaching her to rate by my voice, but she was a 15,3 1300# strong mare, so I needed more, and instead of using bit power, I opted for a steel nose tie down adjusted to a spot where she would hit it if she got her head up too high in order to not pay attention to me...(plus, she had no respect, so I worked on that on the ground too)...
When I started going to jackpots, I never allowed her to go faster to the first barrel than the speed she could correctly turn it, and she would hit the tie down and back off at slower speeds and rate the barrel good, then I let her run after that...I did get her somewhat calmed in the alley, but she was always strong and aggressive when it was time to go....The steel nose really helped here because she hated hitting it and I just made sure she waited on me and didn't just take me to the 1st barrel....she had to know I was the brains, not her....I guess I did that all summer increasing the speed up and down to the first barrel until she was listening to me every time...eventually, I graduated down to a wire tie down and then to none...at her very best, she was running in a Goostree Delight with no tie down and winning rodeos, and she never regressed, ever...I know this doesn't work on every horse, but it's worth a try, I let the tie down take the place of pulling on her mouth with a stronger bit...she turned out to be one of the best horses I've ever owned, and I've had some good ones...so that fix worked on her great....she's 24 and retired now...she was a keeper and gave me a real nice Designer Red filly too.... Just one of many ways to get results... |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I rate at the same spot every time at the first barrel when i slow work. i don't change my approach, i don't change how far out I rate. and i get them tuned to me shifting my weight back and sitting deep.
Bunny will inhale the first if she feels good. if she's sore somewhere, the first thing she does is go by the first, and she will SAIL by it.
She is a very free runner so I have really instilled the rate in her... stop at the same spot, every time, settle down and think about it, then I walk around the barrel. trot the rest of the pattern like normal.
I don't stop very far from the barrel. If I am stopping at the 2nd or third, I stop with my leg past the barrel. When I stop at the first, I stop before the barrel but it should take no more than three steps to start the turn. I want them to stop at the spot they will end up slowing down to turn.. I don't want them rating at the timer and I don't want them going by. |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| Our horse is very green to barrels and seems to be a looky loo headed to the 1st, sometimes she will be looking in the stands and other times all the way down the fence line. I believe their approach is good, we have some very reliable people that watch and help us and they never say anything about that. |
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 Peecans
| Itsme - 2015-03-24 1:57 PM
Our horse is very green to barrels and seems to be a looky loo headed to the 1st, sometimes she will be looking in the stands and other times all the way down the fence line. I believe their approach is good, we have some very reliable people that watch and help us and they never say anything about that.
"Our horse is very green to barrels" That tells me you dont need to do a bunch of drills, if everything is correct it will come as the horse gets more seasoned and confident that n different areanas.
I have been tough rate dose not come from stopping the horse time and time in the same spot, rate comes from giving the horse confidence in the approach and turn and the proper room for them to work by the barrel.
Id just keep consistent and be there to help my horse if they needed but not micro manage all the way there, as you want the horse to take the responsibility eventually.
Time time time :D |
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 IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
| FLITASTIC - 2015-03-24 9:54 AM Very simple, its genetics/want to/ drive that has to come from the horse. I don't believe you can really teach that. Those horses that you can come from the back 90 and they hunt and inhale the first barrel want to do it because they love what they do, not a drill.
I am going to be odd man out...
I do agree that some horses have God given talent and that things come easier to those horses. However, the large majority of horses we have to work at making them into something.
I also believe that horses can be trained to correctly turn a first barrel. I just personally feel that there are a limited number of trainers out there that have the horsemanship to make multiple horses super stars.
We don't have a limited number of horses that we can't train, we have a limited number of horseman out there that can make it happen. |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| magic gunsmoke - 2015-03-24 10:40 PM
FLITASTIC - 2015-03-24 9:54 AM Very simple, its genetics/want to/ drive that has to come from the horse. I don't believe you can really teach that. Those horses that you can come from the back 90 and they hunt and inhale the first barrel want to do it because they love what they do, not a drill.
I am going to be odd man out...
I do agree that some horses have God given talent and that things come easier to those horses. However, the large majority of horses we have to work at making them into something.
I also believe that horses can be trained to correctly turn a first barrel. I just personally feel that there are a limited number of trainers out there that have the horsemanship to make multiple horses super stars.
We don't have a limited number of horses that we can't train, we have a limited number of horseman out there that can make it happen.
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Teaching one to hunt 1st...