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 Member
Posts: 5
| I have a new barrel horse, owned him for almost a month now. He's 12 years old and been running barrels his entire life. I have been practicing the pattern with him at home. He will run the pattern with no issues there, but when we get to a barrel show he is gate sour and won't go to any barrel. I keep a calm attitude while riding towards the gate as well, one hand on the reins relaxed. Just wondering if anyone thinks he is stressed at shows and developing ulcers from it or if I should try a calming supplement?? |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
 
| It could be a lot of things. Do you know his history, is he blown up? Did you vet him? Was he ran too much and now hates his job? |
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Member
Posts: 5
| The only thing I know is with his previous owner he started to become gate sour so why she put him up for sale, hoping his new owner could fix him. Haven't had a vet look at him yet. His hock clicks when moving so not sure if that's sore, he is on a joint supplement.
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Member
Posts: 5
| I also know that she spent several hundred dollars on him with vet checks, etc. trying to figure out his issue, but he always ran the pattern after getting into the arena I was told. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
 
| First, I would stop practicing the pattern at home. 12 years old and running all his life, i'm sure he knows it by now! Second, get him out and doing something new during the week, give him something else to think and focus on. You should get him to the vet and have him looked over. He could be developing arthritis. Look into an injectable joint supplement rather than a feed, they seem to work better.
Edited by FlyingJT 2015-06-04 4:10 PM
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Regular
Posts: 98
| i would trail ride him in the week and avoid the barrel pattern. Also if there is a show close enough to home for you i would take him and NOT enter but just ride him around and help him relax. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| rodeogirl20 - 2015-06-04 3:32 PM
The only thing I know is with his previous owner he started to become gate sour so why she put him up for sale, hoping his new owner could fix him. Haven't had a vet look at him yet. His hock clicks when moving so not sure if that's sore, he is on a joint supplement.
If you are hearing a clickng sound generally it is a stifle problem.
I wouldn't run the horse until I took the horse to a good lameness specialist.
Horses don't become gate sour for no reason, he is telling you he is hurting. If he is still running a good pattern, he has a lot of heart |
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Member
Posts: 5
| I'm running him at home because I'm trying to get my seat when he turns and impulses leaving the barrels. He has been injected in the ankles before but no change seen. And I have taken him to a show to just work him on the rail he was still gate sour. As for the stifle problem I will look into that, thank you. Yes he will still run a pattern for me, he's a good boy, I just can't figure out where he's hurting. He has well fitting tack as well.
Edited by rodeogirl20 2015-06-04 9:39 PM
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| rodeogirl20 - 2015-06-04 9:36 PM
I'm running him at home because I'm trying to get my seat when he turns and impulses leaving the barrels. He has been injected in the ankles before but no change seen. And I have taken him to a show to just work him on the rail he was still gate sour. As for the stifle problem I will look into that, thank you. Yes he will still run a pattern for me, he's a good boy, I just can't figure out where he's hurting. He has well fitting tack as well.
You need a lesson horse to practice on and lessons to improve your horsemanship .... his previous owner probably did what you are doing and that is the reason he is sour ...
You received some very good suggestions but your final comment tells us you are not going to make any changes ...
Edited by BARRELHORSE USA 2015-06-04 11:03 PM
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Member
Posts: 5
| I don't know what changes to make. I take him trail riding every weekend. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| rodeogirl20 - 2015-06-04 11:39 PM
I don't know what changes to make. I take him trail riding every weekend.
You need to focus riding him outside of the arena.
This is after he has a thorough vet check and the vet gives him the all clear.
Him acting like a dink by the gate even when doing rail work tells me he associates the gate with pain.
To get your seat, there is an endless amount of possibilities without entering an arena.
Chasing cows on a ranch, I have hauled over to friends to chase as I do to have cows.
Cross country jumping
In the fall when I want to work on turns, I lope around hay bales
Polo
Playing tag on horseback in the field with a friend, horses actually like chasing others around
Set up pylons in a worked up field, practice turns in different patterns.
Also in the arena do different drills
Work a cutting flag
Working cow horse
Jumping |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | Get him vet checked thoroughly to rule out pain issues.
Popping/clicking does not always mean there's an issue, however it could indicate the possibility of one developing. My gelding did this for a while, took him to an excellant lameness vet just to make sure, he showed no lamness issues at all, sometimes it's just a tendon/ligament slapping over the joint inside. For some reason mine eventually went away.
Find something else to do to get your seat and stay off the pattern on him even at home. You can learn to click with him on the pattern when you start to run.
When it's time for you to start running him. Warm up him away from everyone else and only take him to the gate when you are ready to make your run.
Some horses, especially some finished, used alot ones just do not need to be parked out by the gate. Mine is like this. It drives him crazy to sit by the gate with all the busy, excitement going on. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | Check for bleeding, at 12 and hock is clicking I wouodnt practice at home save him for shows, may need hocks injected if they have been previously done.
I trail ride my 12 year old all the time, do things outside of the arena. |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | I would get him vetted by a good lameness vet. Also I would start on ulcer meds. A high percentage of performance horses have ulcers and it's just a good way to maintain your horse. |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | Take him to a vet. regardless of what the previous owner has done, it doesn't matter, you need to get him there now.
once you have the problem under control your new boy needs a vacation from the barrels. Cheryl has given you some really great options that will make riding fun for your horse again. |
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Veteran
Posts: 127
Location: Kansas | you can also try riding up to the gate getting off and un cinching the saddle and letting him set there. that might help him learn the gate is not a bad place.
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Barrel Horse issue