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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
   
Location: North Dakota | My colt just turned 4-year-old a month ago. He's been so easy going, I just love him! Overall, he's a really good horse.
Pretty much just this year, I started loping him on the barrels. He took to it pretty naturally so I decided to start entering him, since I'm hauling my main horse anyway. I don't care how fast he goes, I just want to start seasoning him to different arenas and give him the experience.
I've had him since he was 6-months-old and I've hauled him along since he was 2. So he has already been exposed to alot.
The lopes a really, really nice set at home but the problem that I am running into is that he is LOOKING at everything when we haul elsewhere. I know it will simply take time, but I am just wondering if there is anything else I can do to help him.
He won't really spook, but as you come up the barrel, he's looking at the fence or the chutes or the wall (indoors) or whatever, and not really paying attention to the barrel! Or actually, he tries to turn the barrel as soon as he can, just in order to get away from the fence faster! He does have a good foundation and listens to my legs, but being a young colt yet, he tends to "forget" when we actually get somewhere.
I normally do exhibitions beforehand and I will circle the barrel a few times to get him to focus on the barrel and not what's around him.
If there is open arena, I do that too.
He rides off by himself or can be left at the trailer by himself. I ride him alone all the time so he has no problems with that.
But he probably would actually start clocking if he would just pay attention!! Thoughts?
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I haven't video'ed anything recently, but these are the 2 videos I have on him this year so far.
https://youtu.be/RflNF1xovfw
On this first run, he was actually looking at the wall, and then "noticed" the barrel beside him and it startled him. Henced why he jumped!
https://youtu.be/hAhy5VzegmA
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| Too much pressure
The atmosphere is very different at a jackpot versus at home.
My colts I try and haul around with me for 6 months before entering.
When I haul my colts, I will do timed onlies and exhibitions to get them used to the atmosphere. I will also ride them during the jackpot near the gate so they can get used to the loud speaker and the commotion.
If this was my horse I would stop entering save my money and just do exhibition and times onlies till he is running a nice pattern. |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | I do haul my colts a good bit before I start even exhibitioning them and just ride them around, so they've gotten comfortable with the atmosphere, noise, etc, but once it's time to exhibition I take a little bit different approach. Once they know the pattern and are confident in where they are going when they come up the alley I quit doing exhibitions before. I have found that if I exhibition and do slow work before it allows my colts the opportunity to find stuff to look at or bugger at. The only time I will take them up the alley before my run is if I get there early enough to get in the pen and just ride around or lope circles before the barrel race starts. My goal is to ultimately train horses that end up as rodeo horses, so I want my first time up the alley to count. Then I will stay after and do slow work or tune ups if needed. I find that they look around less this way.
Edited by Herbie 2015-05-15 9:37 AM
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | I agree With herbie I always do" less is more" attitude.. the youngsters attention span is short.. hes so mellow id not worry to much about drilling things into him. Id do some suppling and stuff because thats how I prefer mine..but the lil jumps or looks etc.. just a typical youngster..have fun and keep it fun and light for him.... Id go ride around but id not work to hard on the pattern and circle alot.. he will get frustrated imho. |
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 ND Sweetheart
Posts: 3471
Location: In My Own Dream Land | I have a 6 year old I have yet to enter because his mind has been too fragile. I've hauled him twice and let the atmosphere grow on him so to speak. I think just do more riding around, and less actual barrel work. Give him some more time. I'd do more open arena riding and not much for exhibitions. Thats just my opinion tho. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | When you hauled in the past have you even been able
to get him in the arena for Just walking,& regular workouts?
If you can, go to some schooling shows and
see if you can get in there early,
and also try renting a few arenas if they are close to
you and acclimate him to the arena environment.
My youngest one improved soo much after doing this! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| I don't know, that horse looks pretty laid back. He doesn't look like the type that spooks much anyway, does he?
It almost just seems like a case of he is going slow enough to have time to look around. I bet if you asked for some hustle he'd work better. But maybe he isn't ready for hustle yet. He looks like a very good boy with too much time to think! |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I have an 18 yr old finished 2D-3D horse that will STILL gawk at stuff in a new pen. I have him leased to a gal who actually will run an exhibition on him if possible at a new pen, then the rest of the runs are FINE - I have NO idea why he is so GAWKY - has ALWAYS been. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Cheryl: Well he's already been hauled around for 2 years, so it's not like this is the first time I've hauled him to a new place. I don't think it is too much pressure for him. He's very calm and laid back with his personality. He's a good boy.
Herbie: That's an interesting idea, because I do know that he is "patterned" and he knows where he is supposed to go and what comes next (you should see him do poles!! He really loves it.). I took him to a really big barrel race about a month ago and just to try it, he did not get an exhibition and I did not circle him before. I just asked him for his leaad (he knows them) and we went. He still was looky-looky at some stuff (worse at the 2nd barrel because that is where the bleachers and crowd were) but he really didn't do all that bad considering. I'm just not sure at this point if it helps him more to do an exhibition so he can see everything first (and get his "looking" over with) or if I should just quit doing them??
Bibliafarm: Oh he doesn't get overworked on the barrels. I only do barrel work once during the week, and then if we haul that weekend. I don't over-do it. If he gives me something good one time, I quit and move on. The rest is spent either trail riding, or ME practicing riding in my English saddle on him.
tThompson: If you'd be around my colt, you'd know he wasn't fragile at all! Very easy going guy. He's not going to "blow up" or anything. :-) Super friendly and very curious.
imturning3: Yup, as I've said, he has been hauled since he was 2 (so all last summer and the summer before). I've always rode him around the grounds to see the sights and sounds, and when I could, he got ridden in the arena too. He's already been exposed to quite a bit, and he's never been much bothered by things. Did a couple green-broke western pleasure classes with him last year too, and ridden in crazy warm up pens, and he could care less about the horses buzzing around him.
Star1218: He's never been one to spook. The most he'll do a take a couple steps to the side. That's about it. He only "bolted" on me one time (if you can even call it bolting), where he saw something scary and "ran" for 10 feet until I told him to WHOA. Which he did. He'll look at stuff, obviously, but I can usually coach him through it and he's fine. I have wondered if he does have too much time to think. I've been slowly teaching him how to breeze this year. He's still never hit top speed yet but he seems to quite enjoy it. It's come across my mind that maybe I should try to hustle him and see what happens at a race. I've hustled him a few times at home, and he did nicely with it. He hasn't learned how to "take off" with speed yet, so I'm not sure how fast I could get him going haha. No fault of his; I've just taken things very slow with him.
Griz: Well I am just praying he's not gawking his whole life!! Haha, althought I'm sure there are horses that do that.
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | How are you reacting when he looks at something, and when he actually spooks each time?
As far as riding it through to give them some confidence, I try to act like the scary thing doesn't even exist, stay calm, look and focus on where I want to go, and push them forward.
I get to the ring super early to try to get a chance to get in ahead of time and spend a lot of time in there just relaxing. If there's something really terrifying, I'll just relax and trot circles around it starting at a distance he's comfortable with and gradually move closer as he relaxes.
I go to a lot of open shows and do ranch classes and one thing I like about that is there's a lot for them to look at on the rail and that's where we have to stay. If you show in everything you can by the end of the day they're tired little ponies.
I have a young horse and an unseasoned older horse that's spooky as all get out that I'm hauling this year so this will be something I'll be working on a lot too! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2674
Location: Silver Lake, MN | I have a finished 13yo mare who still "looks" at stuff...but not when I am running. I agree with Herbie I think he has too much time to think. I noticed when you circled him it took him a few strides after you asked to go into the lope. I also have to consistantly work on this with my mare. Keep them engaged, soft in the rib cage and ask for some impusion. This has always been hard for me as I doubt myself and my horses sense that. My trainer got on and had both my 4yo and my older mare working like a dream. This will get them paying attention to you vs the surroundings and not have time to "look". |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | FairWeather - He doesn't really spook and doesn't get nervous about it. He's more gawking at stuff and slowing down as he gets closer to it. Moreso, he's unsure about galloping direclty toward the fence and he literally is just WAITING for me to tell him he can turn. I'm using my legs to continue driving him forward, I usually also talk to him too. I myself like to look at a point on the ground that I know I need him to reach for him to be far enough past the barrel to make his turn. I do take him to more than just barrel races, but we just haven't had anything yet this year (besides barrel races). I will be doing local hunter classes with him, as well as reining, and other gaming events.
Carrie - "Being slow to lope" is definately something we are currently working on and he is doing much better. Overall, I am working on making him quicker to my cues when I ask him to do something, so when I do ask for that lope he picks it up right away.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 372
| so is it that you haven't gotten an answer?
Or you haven't gotten the answer that you wanted?
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 That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| Drugs...Just kidding...but some do.
Edited by Whiteboy 2015-05-15 4:25 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 113
| From the videos he doesn't look patterned enough to be entering. He doesn't even know how to use himself around a barrel yet. I wouldn't be hauling him yet if he was mine, At the most if I HAD to haul I would trot exhibitions |
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 Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | MeepMeep - 2015-05-15 4:47 PM From the videos he doesn't look patterned enough to be entering. He doesn't even know how to use himself around a barrel yet. I wouldn't be hauling him yet if he was mine, At the most if I HAD to haul I would trot exhibitions
Meep Meep has spoken. End of discussion. lolololol You crack me up Meep Meep. |
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Expert
Posts: 2674
Location: Silver Lake, MN | r_beau - 2015-05-15 4:03 PM FairWeather - He doesn't really spook and doesn't get nervous about it. He's more gawking at stuff and slowing down as he gets closer to it. Moreso, he's unsure about galloping direclty toward the fence and he literally is just WAITING for me to tell him he can turn. I'm using my legs to continue driving him forward, I usually also talk to him too. I myself like to look at a point on the ground that I know I need him to reach for him to be far enough past the barrel to make his turn. I do take him to more than just barrel races, but we just haven't had anything yet this year (besides barrel races). I will be doing local hunter classes with him, as well as reining, and other gaming events.
Carrie - "Being slow to lope" is definately something we are currently working on and he is doing much better. Overall, I am working on making him quicker to my cues when I ask him to do something, so when I do ask for that lope he picks it up right away.
My mare is the queen of being "slow to lope" so I feel your pain and it is something I am working on as well. I think that is probably why I picked that up. LOL. We will all get there right? |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| He just looks lost to me, keep plugging along and he will figure it out. |
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| It's probably just mare issues. |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | Whiteboy - 2015-05-15 4:56 PM It's probably just mare issues.
She probably has cramps. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | LRQHS - 2015-05-15 4:52 PM MeepMeep - 2015-05-15 4:47 PM From the videos he doesn't look patterned enough to be entering. He doesn't even know how to use himself around a barrel yet. I wouldn't be hauling him yet if he was mine, At the most if I HAD to haul I would trot exhibitions Meep Meep has spoken. End of discussion. lolololol You crack me up Meep Meep.
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2015-05-15 5:08 PM
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | MeepMeep - 2015-05-15 4:47 PM From the videos he doesn't look patterned enough to be entering. He doesn't even know how to use himself around a barrel yet. I wouldn't be hauling him yet if he was mine, At the most if I HAD to haul I would trot exhibitions I do agree that the videos "aren't showing much". Honestly, for his first couple races, I really didn't pick on him much (and maybe I should have). I just wanted him QUIET and to have a good calm experience. He does do a much better job at home, and we have (or should I say *I*) have been getting him to work better at the last few races, as far as using his body right. Well, the best I can based on his "baulking" issue, which maybe isn't the right word because he's not flat out stopping on me; just reluctant to go forward.
I will have to try to get a recent video the next time we go to something.
As ItsMe said, he honestly has no clue what is going on, haha. It hasn't really "clicked" for him yet on why we are going around 3 barrels. "Lost" is a good word for him!
Edited by r_beau 2015-05-15 5:38 PM
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Whiteboy - 2015-05-15 4:56 PM It's probably just mare issues.
I'm probably missing the boat on the joke here, so forgive me for "not getting it" ...... but he's a gelding. ?? |
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 pressure dripper
Posts: 8699
Location: the end of the rainbow | My opinion, which is worth exactly what you paid for it.... I like him. You appear to be doing a good job with him. He is a colt. You are riding him like a colt & expecting him to behave like an older horse. When you start circling at the begining of the first video it looks to me like you are hoping he will pick up a lope. It also looks like you are hoping he will lope up to the barrels & turn them. You need to ride him like you mean it. I don't mean get aggressive with him, I just mean ride confidently. If you expect him to geek & look he will. If you expect him to pay attention to you he will. And that slow to lope business--- ask, then tell - then make.. no more than those 3 chances ever. You are leading this light brigage - be a confident leader. Riding colts is like talking with children...say what you mean & mean what say.
Edited by willrodeo4food 2015-05-16 10:19 AM
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I have watched the videos, and read your comments.
As others say, I am not sure he is broke enough to be competing.
It looks like you have to try very hard to get him into a lope, it took over a circle at one time to lope him, he should be doing this in a few strides this is what I expect of my green horses.
On the video where he spooks at the barrel and jumps sideways, he is not collecting around the barrel, on the first barrel on the back side he dumps on his front end to slow down which then throws you forward and you become unbalanced. I notice he is doing this on all his turns.
Also he doesn't seem to give his nose well, when you are circling first, his nose is always sticking out even when you have contact on the reins, I would expect when I pick up they tuck their nose.
To comment on my first comment, hauling for 2 years can mean different things, this is where the too much pressure for a horse can come from. I will start hauling mine and leaving them tied up to the trailer, then I will progress to riding before or after then I will progress to riding around during the event, and lastly will start doing exhibitions on them.
I want a chance to win money before I enter, so I like them to be running fairly good before I enter.
Also all horses respond to pressure different, he looks like a very quiet horse, his response to the stimuli is to look around. He is overwhelmed with the environment and is not listening to you. This is when he is pressured up
I have one when he feels pressured up, you would never know to see it, and his response it to bolt, and refuse to listen. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | I am in no way a pro, but I agree with Willrodeo. I have a 4yo I'm just taking out and went to a Lynn Mckenzie clinic with him - by far the best thing I could have done for both of us! He is still super 'lost' - I mean, doing flying lead changes and direction changes between barrels, it's pretty hilarious - but I am riding him a lot more confidently and asking him for more around the pattern. Not to say he doesn't look, but he is learning to listen to me and is doing a great job with trying.
My gelding is doing well with the pattern when there are 'markers' - cones, tires - around the barrels, but he hasn't learned how to pick barrels out of a pen yet and drive to them.
Your colt is cute. I think he's doing a really great job, but I wouldn't be worried to step it up on him and ask him for more. He'll probably still jump and look a bit, but riding with purpose will help him 'get in line' with you. |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| Whiteboy - 2015-05-15 4:56 PM
It's probably just mare issues.
Why you... |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | Don't really have advice, just wanted to say that I'd be happy if my 5 y/o were loping around barrels like that! Your mare (? I got confused along the way...) looks great. You are a quiet, correct rider and it shows in your horse.
If you've been hauling that long, it may be time to up the ante a little bit. She (?) looks as if she'd be content to slow lope forever if you let her :) Also, imo, she is using her body correctly for the speed you are asking her to go...she probably hasn't had a reason to get down and dirty in a turn yet...
Also, jmo, enter away! She doesn't look competitive yet, but who cares...it's your money! Enjoy the ride. 
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| Itsme - 2015-05-16 12:15 PM
Whiteboy - 2015-05-15 4:56 PM
It's probably just mare issues.
Why you...
lol...gotta give you some crap!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | I'm going to agree with willrodeo4food and then give you my COMPLETELY unprofessional opinion, I remember when you first started him yourself and were worried about doing it on your own and when he backed into the hot wire with you and have followed your journey with him. I would be tickled pink to have a 4 year old going that nicely, calmly, and honestly, confidently. If he was worried about stuff he wouldn't just toodle around with you like that. His little jumps are nothing I would be concerned with, I would take the most recent advice and ride him like you mean it (which is darn hard on a young horse because you start to wonder if they mean it too lol) because I think that will help him look to you and get moving around the barrels and in general.
He still has a lot to learn as all colts do but if you have the money and time I don't think he's too green to enter, it's a different feel than just exhibitioning so even if he's not totally ready to do it (which I think he is) he's still learning and growing and you're not stressing him out by entering him. I think it takes a long time to really get a horse working the pattern the way you want them to and I don't really see anything I would be super concerned about.
Edited by redmansmyman11 2015-05-16 1:42 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | just4fun - 2015-05-16 12:08 PM
Don't really have advice, just wanted to say that I'd be happy if my 5 y/o were loping around barrels like that! Your mare (? I got confused along the way...) looks great. You are a quiet, correct rider and it shows in your horse.
If you've been hauling that long, it may be time to up the ante a little bit. She (?) looks as if she'd be content to slow lope forever if you let her :) Also, imo, she is using her body correctly for the speed you are asking her to go...she probably hasn't had a reason to get down and dirty in a turn yet...
Also, jmo, enter away! She doesn't look competitive yet, but who cares...it's your money! Enjoy the ride.
This as well |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Thanks for the tips and thoughts everyone. I guess that is mostly what I was wondering: should we continue to easy lope or should I start asking more of him. Again, I know it's hard to tell from videos that are almost 2 months old but it's a good reminder for me to ride him a little different.
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| Whiteboy - 2015-05-16 1:20 PM
Itsme - 2015-05-16 12:15 PM
Whiteboy - 2015-05-15 4:56 PM
It's probably just mare issues.
Why you...
lol...gotta give you some crap!!
Like I dont deserve it. |
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 I"m Jealous!
Posts: 1737
Location: Benton City, WA | willrodeo4food - 2015-05-16 8:18 AM My opinion, which is worth exactly what you paid for it.... I like him. You appear to be doing a good job with him. He is a colt. You are riding him like a colt & expecting him to behave like an older horse. When you start circling at the begining of the first video it looks to me like you are hoping he will pick up a lope. It also looks like you are hoping he will lope up to the barrels & turn them. You need to ride him like you mean it. I don't mean get aggressive with him, I just mean ride confidently. If you expect him to geek & look he will. If you expect him to pay attention to you he will. And that slow to lope business--- ask, then tell - then make.. no more than those 3 chances ever. You are leading this light brigage - be a confident leader. Riding colts is like talking with children...say what you mean & mean what say.
I agree with all this! He looks nice and relaxed, but he has no idea that its a timed event or that he needs to focus.
I wouldn't call him spooky at all- he's just not really paying attention. There is a big difference. I think you have a lot of good things going and foundation on him, although I would make some changes to get him working off his hindend better.
One thing that might actually help you is simply going faster to the barrels, and then really emphasizing the rate at/ around the barrels. Right now he's essentially going the same speed all the way through, which I think is allowing him to be pretty lazy. |
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What do you do to help a young one pay attention?