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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
 
Location: Saskatchewan | Hello all!
I've spent a few years getting my mare working on this horse (I brought her up from a yearling, shes now 6) for barrels.
Apparently in all our slow work and me being stuck riding babies I forgot how to ride a horse thats going faster than a lope!
I'm looking for a gentle critique as my confidence as a jockey is almost nonexistent, but I'd just like to know how you think we are doing??
I know that most of our problems are rider error, but we are both fairly green, we've only run 3 times this year, and once last year, and lots of things will improve just with experience.
Both of these runs landed us in the middle of the 2D (roughly).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRpQivnsTWs
And in this more recent run, I rated her way harder than in the first video, resulting in nicer turns I believe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYv8lJehRv8
I train in a loose ring snaffle and I'm currently running her in a smooth mouth dogbone jr. cowhorse but I want to get my hands on an easy 5 by reinsman or something similar.
Thanks in advance!  |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
 
| To me everything still looks really jerky... which could be lack of confidence on both parts. You pull and release then lead with your rein, then pick up with your rein... lots of motions going on for one turn. I would focus on your "spot" and what you want/need your ques to be. I would also slide your hand down the rein. You just have a lot going on. Horse has a lot of try!!!!  |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| I personally would slow down, as I watched the first video and the horse had no rate going into the turns causing the turns to be wide.
I would also shorten your stirrups and this may help you |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Saskatchewan | Rate has always been our downfall, and I spend most of my time drilling it into her brain.
Thanks ladies!
I might try shortening my stirrups a hole! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| Quite your hands, try to hustle with your seat and legs not so much your hands. rate her a little sooner, and keep working with her on rate at home(that can be done at a walk and trot without having to make runs at home and risk blowing her up). She really hustles for you and try's! |
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 How freakish is that?
Posts: 3927
Location: Oregon | It's not just that you need to rate, you need to slow it all down and make it smooth and perfect and then add speed. Shes a nice mare and you look like a pretty good rider so just work on making is slower and prettier with smooth nice corners then gradually speed up. Don't try and win the race, try and make a perfect run. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Slow way down, and you need to get your hands down too, you need to help this horse on rating her barrels you didnt help her at all, even at a slow lope rate her down to a trot so that she will understand what rating is all about. Just go back to slow work on her, she looks like a nice one so take your time with her... |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| QHriderKE - 2015-06-25 2:58 PM
Rate has always been our downfall, and I spend most of my time drilling it into her brain.
Thanks ladies!
I might try shortening my stirrups a hole!
You also need to drill it into her brain, colts are not push button, they need a lot of guidance, you cannot throw the reins at her and expect the same as at home.
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | Agree with the rating. It can be tough with horses that don't naturally want to do it. It took the free runner I patterned FOREVER to catch onto it.
What I did with him was every time I worked the pattern, I started by stopping at each barrel, maybe having him back up 3-4 steps too. He also had an issue with staying collected around the barrel so sometimes I would stop him before leaving and have him settle.
Then I would trot to the barrel, melt to a walk, stay at a walk the entire way around the barrel and reinforce stepping over in his hind end as we were leaving (because of the whole not staying collected he would blow off wide), trot to the next, repeat.
Then I would lope to the barrel, melt to a trot, reinforce not blowing off, lope to the next.
When I loped the pattern I usually had him lope a nice, big, easy circle. Generally I would spiral in and out at each barrel. Basically with him I had to make sure he wasn't already thinking "okay lets bolt to the next one!!" before we were even around the current barrel we were at. I tried to make sure he never really knew when I was going to ask him to go the next one, and if I felt him even try to anticipate I would have him circle until he relaxed. It was boring as heck but his brain was going 10000mph so he never got "bored" because it took him awhile to even register what I was asking.
At races I had to work more on being perfect than being fast, and constantly hearing "why dont you push him a little harder" was irritating, but I KNEW that if he went any faster he was going to lose his mind and also pick up some really bad habits.
The result I have now is a consistent, level-headed free-runner that knows his job.
And who is also the most accident prone horse in the world and currently a pasture ornament but that is neither here nor there  |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Saskatchewan | ^^^^
Yours sounds lexactly like mine and I have been doing very similar exercises as you, I guess I just have to do it more. I ride without the pattern more often than not, lots of pasture riding and we dabble dressage/english, I guess I need to use the barrels more! |
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How freakish is that?
Posts: 3927
Location: Oregon | Can you go take some lessons from someone that knows how to train a barrel horse? Really there are some things someone could show you that might make it all click. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | QHriderKE - 2015-06-25 1:52 PM Hello all! I've spent a few years getting my mare working on this horse (I brought her up from a yearling, shes now 6 ) for barrels. Apparently in all our slow work and me being stuck riding babies I forgot how to ride a horse thats going faster than a lope! I'm looking for a gentle critique as my confidence as a jockey is almost nonexistent, but I'd just like to know how you think we are doing?? I know that most of our problems are rider error, but we are both fairly green, we've only run 3 times this year, and once last year, and lots of things will improve just with experience. Both of these runs landed us in the middle of the 2D (roughly ). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRpQivnsTWs And in this more recent run, I rated her way harder than in the first video, resulting in nicer turns I believe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYv8lJehRv8 I train in a loose ring snaffle and I'm currently running her in a smooth mouth dogbone jr. cowhorse but I want to get my hands on an easy 5 by reinsman or something similar. Thanks in advance!
what a pretty mare.. and lots of talent ..I think if you slow her way down and learn body control and true "rate". I see you yanked her to slow down with your hands and not your seat body...so her body was still going out of control... I think take some time and get control of her body , some suppling and flexing and I think bending in her ribs etc...without being in her face and you all will be great. id get some lessons to..ride her hind not her face.. slow down until you accomplish that in my opinion.....shouldnt take to long to master that.... good luck.. |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Work on your rate points at home, at a walk or trot. For your horse, I'd say at least a horse length away from the barrel. Dena Kirkpatrick's videos show this really well.
Second, shorten your reins some and don't pull "out" with your hands; practice tucking your reins against her neck and sitting down at your turns.
And am I the only person who thinks the ground in those videos is fast? I think a lot of horses would have trouble rating in that pen because the ground doesn't hold them when setting up for the turn.
Overall, I think you're doing pretty well!
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 878
Location: "...way down south in the Everglades..." | What a nice mare! She has a lot of try for sure. Like others have said it needs to be more smooth and fluid and there's some good advice on here to work on.
On the jockey side of things I think you need to slow your own self down and that's where your mare will become more fluid and relaxed. You're in major run/hustle mode so when you come into your turns and set her you are not sitting down in the saddle enough IMO. I think it would help her tremendously with rate with a clearer body weight cue rather than riding her face. When you rate, sit down in your saddle, get your weight in your seat bones and quiet your hands. If your body is more secure in the seat I think it will help quiet your hands naturally. Think smooth, calm, pretty around the barrels. You honestly have a nice looking mare and you are a good rider. Keep up the good work! |
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 I Want a "MAN"
Posts: 3610
Location: MD | Fun2Run - 2015-06-26 12:53 AM Work on your rate points at home, at a walk or trot. For your horse, I'd say at least a horse length away from the barrel. Dena Kirkpatrick's videos show this really well.
Second, shorten your reins some and don't pull "out" with your hands; practice tucking your reins against her neck and sitting down at your turns.
And am I the only person who thinks the ground in those videos is fast? I think a lot of horses would have trouble rating in that pen because the ground doesn't hold them when setting up for the turn.
Overall, I think you're doing pretty well!
This ^^ & Nice horse! :) |
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 Veteran
Posts: 212
| you ride well but for a horse in her level of seasoning I think you need to sit back on your but and keep your hands lower. shortening them would be good and just try to use your body to rate her and just guide her around the barrels. I think you are trying to hustle with your hands the minute you are leaving a turn so she isnt finishing them which means she isnt set up good for the next one. I understand wanting to push on a horse that isnt turning perfect to "make up time" but i think you could slow down and fix turns and clock just as well if not better :) good luck |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Saskatchewan | You're all so kind! (Especially the comments on my horse!)
I am trying to get into some clinics, but trying to get in between work and what ever else is becoming quite the chore, I may be attending a little clinic by Jane Melby in July. If it all works out it will be a weekend adventure!
I rode this morning before it got too hot, and used only one barrel cause my other two blew away last night, and just did some spiral work on it, in and out, walk to trot, whoa, rollback and repeat the other way. We even got into a bit of lope work too, big lope circles until she relaxed into it and let me bend her aroind my leg, one smaller circle and ease back into a walk with as little rein as possible.
Without the barrel we did a lot of the same work but in a figure 8 (figure 8s are my favorite!) And I would make it a big figure 8 or a smaller one, just making her think about her feet.
Every now and then we school English, and do lots of suppling work then, some leg yeilds and shoulder ins as well. I like to bust out the trot poles now and then too!
I appreciate all the awesome feedback! |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | QHriderKE - 2015-06-26 10:46 AM You're all so kind! (Especially the comments on my horse! ) I am trying to get into some clinics, but trying to get in between work and what ever else is becoming quite the chore, I may be attending a little clinic by Jane Melby in July. If it all works out it will be a weekend adventure! I rode this morning before it got too hot, and used only one barrel cause my other two blew away last night, and just did some spiral work on it, in and out, walk to trot, whoa, rollback and repeat the other way. We even got into a bit of lope work too, big lope circles until she relaxed into it and let me bend her aroind my leg, one smaller circle and ease back into a walk with as little rein as possible. Without the barrel we did a lot of the same work but in a figure 8 (figure 8s are my favorite! ) And I would make it a big figure 8 or a smaller one, just making her think about her feet. Every now and then we school English, and do lots of suppling work then, some leg yeilds and shoulder ins as well. I like to bust out the trot poles now and then too! I appreciate all the awesome feedback!
You look really good on that horse, you will get that rating mastered in no time |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Saskatchewan | I feel like rate is a common problem are there are so many tricks out there, I just gotta go through em all till something clicks!
My horse is a gem! I use her at brandings dragging calves to the pot and I've done so many all day roundups with her it's not even funny. She was supposed to be in the roping pen but I had other ideas lol |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 371
| Teach your horse to rate off of your seat and not your hands. My mare is trained this way. I start at a walk, collect her up and push her into the bit. When I am ready I keep my hands exactly how they are and keep her collected, I then sit deep and kick my legs forward. The horse after it gets what you want should stop and actually go into reverse if I do not bring my legs into a neutral position. My cue to stop backing is to put my legs into a neutral position underneath me. I do not do anything with my hands besides keep her collected up. After you can do this at the walk, trot and transition down to a walk by your seat only. My hands are used to guide and position the horses head where I want. My seat and leg position controls stop and speed. Hope this makes sense. |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | I didn't read all the comment, but I do agree you need to slow things back down. Dena Kirkpatricks technique is a great source to look at and I like Danyelle Campbell too (you tube winning runs)
When riding colts (or any horse) your key is controlling their feet (and body..which leads to their mind, look up Ray Hunt) having the ability to adjust speed within a gait (and smooth transitions) which comes with body control and using your body/hands to ask for the transitions.
Best of luck, your horse definitely tries hard for you!
Edited by dream_chaser 2015-06-27 9:31 PM
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 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
Location: NC | BEAUTIFUL HORSE!!!!  |
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Green horse & green jockey (critique?)