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| I will be the first to admit that i do not know a lot about training a colt, but you have to start somewhere. What methods do you use when introducing the barrels to a young one? of course i am just going to ride the colt for about a month (he's been broke and had about 70 rides) but where do you start? one barrel drills? when do you move from a walk to a trot? a trot to a loap? a loap to a cruise? Any responses would be helpful! | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 499
Location: ARKANSAS | When i am training a young one i go a lot with FEEL and listening to my horse..First i do a LOT fo riding away from the the barrels to get them really broke and responsive, trail rides etc. then when i start them on the barrels, i start at a walk, and when i do, i stop at each barrel when my leg gets even with each barrel, i do this at a walk till your horse starts to stop at each barrel on his own...make sure you ride correctly, and ask the same thing each time and at each barrel, your horse is learning by repitition. When your horse is stopping on his own at the walk then you can move up the trot.. then you want to trot up to the barrel and walk around and pick up up your trot again on the back side of each barrel.(.when you trot up to the barrel and you sit down in your saddle this teaches your horse that when you sit down it is telling him to rate with your seat rather than with your hands) Continue at this stage till your horse is rating on his own and you will learn by feel when he is ready to move to a faster gait. By stopping when your leg gets even with the barrel it also teaches one to not dive into or shoulder a barrel..or at least i have never had one to do it when i train them this way... hope this gets you started...it does not happen overnight, have fun and a lot of patience!!1 | |
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Impressive!!
Posts: 1954
Location: Idaho | Patterning should be the easiest thing you should do... its getting all the exercises off the pattern that can be hard. Perfect circles, can your horse lope a perfect circle (inside hind leg hooking underneath them, inside shoulder elevated, nose tipped to the inside, ribcage round and back is round, driving up underneath themselves) with just one hand? If not, thats where Id start, making sure you can with just your inside hand, your outside rein there in case you need to guide/help with it. There are a lot of exercises and drills to help making the pattern process 10x easier. Teach your horse to rate off your seat, doesnt have to do with a barrel, use cones or tires. Make sure when you pick up on that inside rein your horse opens that shoulder and engages his hip, it shouldnt be a fight. If my horses can not lope around tires and barrels (exercises) then I wont go to the pattern. Again, it shouldnt be trot the pattern 1000x ... make sure your horse knows how to control their body and you as well, I promise, when you go to the pattern, it will be a piece of cake. Look up Bo Hill, Sherry Cervi, Sue Smith on youtube, they all have some great body control exercises to help you get ready for the pattern  | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 964
Location: Alberta, Canada | I agree with the above -- lots of off pattern suppling/body control exercises. I use the pattern as a reward, even for my babies. Spend lots of time applying the 'rules' for in a pattern off pattern. If a horse can lope or 'run' a small, balanced driving circle off the pattern, it shouldnt be any different for them to do it three times in a row in a pattern :)
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 Expert
Posts: 1526
Location: Texas | I have all my tools so I start loping around one barrel and when I start a colt its at a lope. | |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Everybody has their own way of doing things ...but 70 rides +a month imo makes a horse no where near broke enough to even see a barrel yet. ....once a young one has the basic and im pretty sure im not going to get wiped out..they get rode out in the hills and bush and when i can lope a nice circle and control all parts ....decent roll backs.....reverse arcs...and a good stop......then they go to the barrel patch.....and when i do start to pattern them..i do it at a trot and slow lope.....m | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | Lots and lots of slow work, make sure your horse is super super broke and ready for the job before starting the pattern. I will still walk a pattern on a green horse, personally I don't think it will hurt them to walk it even a hundred times, as long as they can move off your leg, lift their shoulder etc. but I prefer mine to be broke before I start the pattern.
When teaching a young horse to turn, I turn all sorts of objects, including trees and garbage cans on trail rides, I want my horse to set up and turn any object I ask them to and When I ask them to.
If your horse is broke enough they should be able to turn 3 barrels properly with ease and no practice. Or any object at that.
The pattern is the easy part, the hauling and seasoning is the hard work | |
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Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | ladyelbert - 2016-05-29 6:51 AM
When i am training a young one i go a lot with FEEL and listening to my horse..First i do a LOT fo riding away from the the barrels to get them really broke and responsive, trail rides etc. then when i start them on the barrels, i start at a walk, and when i do, i stop at each barrel when my leg gets even with each barrel, i do this at a walk till your horse starts to stop at each barrel on his own...make sure you ride correctly, and ask the same thing each time and at each barrel, your horse is learning by repitition. When your horse is stopping on his own at the walk then you can move up the trot.. then you want to trot up to the barrel and walk around and pick up up your trot again on the back side of each barrel.(.when you trot up to the barrel and you sit down in your saddle this teaches your horse that when you sit down it is telling him to rate with your seat rather than with your hands) Continue at this stage till your horse is rating on his own and you will learn by feel when he is ready to move to a faster gait. By stopping when your leg gets even with the barrel it also teaches one to not dive into or shoulder a barrel..or at least i have never had one to do it when i train them this way... hope this gets you started...it does not happen overnight, have fun and a lot of patience!!1
This is where I'm different then most, I never teach a horse to rate right away, I teach mine forward motion in the beginning and ad rate when necessary. I understand it's important for them and it helps teach them to break down and use their hindquarters in their turns but I never stop at a barrel when teaching a colt the pattern for the first time, I want their feet to keep moving in forward motion always. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 964
Location: Alberta, Canada | RnRJack - 2016-05-30 12:29 PM
ladyelbert - 2016-05-29 6:51 AM
When i am training a young one i go a lot with FEEL and listening to my horse..First i do a LOT fo riding away from the the barrels to get them really broke and responsive, trail rides etc. then when i start them on the barrels, i start at a walk, and when i do, i stop at each barrel when my leg gets even with each barrel, i do this at a walk till your horse starts to stop at each barrel on his own...make sure you ride correctly, and ask the same thing each time and at each barrel, your horse is learning by repitition. When your horse is stopping on his own at the walk then you can move up the trot.. then you want to trot up to the barrel and walk around and pick up up your trot again on the back side of each barrel.(.when you trot up to the barrel and you sit down in your saddle this teaches your horse that when you sit down it is telling him to rate with your seat rather than with your hands) Continue at this stage till your horse is rating on his own and you will learn by feel when he is ready to move to a faster gait. By stopping when your leg gets even with the barrel it also teaches one to not dive into or shoulder a barrel..or at least i have never had one to do it when i train them this way... hope this gets you started...it does not happen overnight, have fun and a lot of patience!!1
This is where I'm different then most, I never teach a horse to rate right away, I teach mine forward motion in the beginning and ad rate when necessary. I understand it's important for them and it helps teach them to break down and use their hindquarters in their turns but I never stop at a barrel when teaching a colt the pattern for the first time, I want their feet to keep moving in forward motion always.
I agree! I'll teach them rate off pattern (in straight lines) but never apply it until necessary! | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 966
Location: Loco,Ok | Barrel is the last thing one sees here.We use them they have a job.The barrel is a place to rest,Keep it fun.One thing with green ones Make is simple.Teach a horse to make a good decision.
Good horseman have definition in the work.By giving clear signals.One step at a time.Dont make a horse gess whats going to happen next.That causes confusion on their part.when they are confused they start to worry,Get anxious and such Loose focus just like people.
Train and tune as close to competition conditions as you can That helps cut down on confusion.
They will let you know when they are worried confused.By their actions.Want them to relax.lick their lips and take a breath.That shows you they are fine and agreeing with you.
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training colts