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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
 
Location: Alabama | Looking for some exercises to soften up a barrel horse.
No matter what I ride him in, snaffle, multiple hacks, multiple bits, whatever when I pull my gelding around he snatched his head up and fights, it doesn't matter if I touch with my pinky or pull him around he's gonna swing his head and fight.
He has had his teeth done by a very good equine dentist, he's been vetted and chiropractored, the whole 9.
When he lopes around he's the same way he doesn't want to come to your hand and bend he pulls against you as much as you pull him.
I haven't had him but a few month so i want to work on this before it gets worse.. |
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 Go For It!
  
Location: Texas |
My suggestion would be to get some qualified help. Someone who is a good horseman and let him or her give you a lesson on collection. Your problem is a common one and is easy to fix if you have the right tools in your tool box.
Good luck.
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Member
Posts: 24
Location: Canada | Look up Clinton Anderson on Youtube, he has some GREAT training techniques that may help your situation! |
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  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | One rein stops. He has to stop and you don't give back the rein till he " gives"/softens / relaxes..when that happens release immediately. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| You have had him vetted and teeth done - great! Now check for how low his palate is. MANY horses will have a low palate and just cannot take even the gentlest of pressure on it.
As suggested above, get with a really good local to you trainer, check his palate, and work through it with someone who can teach you correct collection.
It is fixable - Good Luck! |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| Barrelracingroper12 - 2015-04-06 6:28 PM Looking for some exercises to soften up a barrel horse. No matter what I ride him in, snaffle, multiple hacks, multiple bits, whatever when I pull my gelding around he snatched his head up and fights, it doesn't matter if I touch with my pinky or pull him around he's gonna swing his head and fight. He has had his teeth done by a very good equine dentist, he's been vetted and chiropractored, the whole 9. When he lopes around he's the same way he doesn't want to come to your hand and bend he pulls against you as much as you pull him. I haven't had him but a few month so i want to work on this before it gets worse..
Here is your problem. Soften up your hands never hold, pull, or yank. Ease into everything with fingertips only...thats the goal. I thought it was bull and I thought I had good hands until I rode with a reining trainer. I literally could not lope the filly around he had me get on. It took me like 15 mins to get my hands right until I could lope her without her running off. She was taught to be "on the bit" when you got ahold of her she was ready to work and my hard hands made her nervous and excited. At first I thought too many buttons but after working with barrel trainers who work this way it makes total sense. I'll never go back to hard mouthed won't stop horses ever again, there is no excuse for it. Get with some qualified to help you and in our industry its actually pretty hard to find someone who "knows" and let them help you get your hands right. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Softer hands means a quieter softer horse. It takes time and being patient with your horse develop the feel and the give and take when you're riding.
A Horse like this I would work in a smooth snaffle, and a rope halter and work on softness through the face from the ground first and work him just like a colt that was being broke. Work on getting give from a standstill first - when he gives you slack, you reward him with slack. Then work on getting the same thing from the ground moving forward.
Then after he's good and soft from the ground, then work on him at a standstill under saddle and gradually progress from there.
Horses like this haven't been taught to give and are just like a colt in that respect. You have to go back and build a whole new foundation and work on lightness and balance. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Barrelracingroper12 - 2015-04-06 5:28 PM Looking for some exercises to soften up a barrel horse. No matter what I ride him in, snaffle, multiple hacks, multiple bits, whatever when I pull my gelding around he snatched his head up and fights, it doesn't matter if I touch with my pinky or pull him around he's gonna swing his head and fight. He has had his teeth done by a very good equine dentist, he's been vetted and chiropractored, the whole 9. When he lopes around he's the same way he doesn't want to come to your hand and bend he pulls against you as much as you pull him. I haven't had him but a few month so i want to work on this before it gets worse..
I agree with the other poster. You should NOT be pulling on him. Ever.
If he pulls against you or doesn't want to come to your hand, then you just need to have more patience than he does. Wait on him. But do not pull.
I would advise you to find a good reining trainer in your area that you can take some lessons with, or even leave your horse there for a while. Or even a dressage trainer. Learn what it takes to have good feel and quiet hands, and wait on the horse to get the response you want.
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Softening up a barrel horse