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Veteran
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| My mare is a really ratey cutting bred horse, she likes to try and turn on top of the barrels instead of around them sometimes too. I've been working on her making a better pocket and keeping her front end up, but she still likes to try and duck in sometimes during a run. Usually she works pretty well in a snaffle, but at a barrel race I definitely do need more control as she likes to act more mare-ish when competing. Not sure what to run her in... |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
 
| I run my similar gelding in a CM 44.
We had similar issues, Chris's clinic really helped work through it. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
 
Location: on the fine line between insanity and geniusness | I ride a bunch of cow horses and cutting rejects. I've had luck with the Kathy James and a simplicity. I also spend a lot of time reminding them to go forward. I lope tons of circles around the barrels... usually until the are free and moving forward into my hand and not dropping their shoulder and turn too hard too soon. |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| Ashley Lynn - 2017-05-01 9:30 PM
I ride a bunch of cow horses and cutting rejects. I've had luck with the Kathy James and a simplicity. I also spend a lot of time reminding them to go forward. I lope tons of circles around the barrels... usually until the are free and moving forward into my hand and not dropping their shoulder and turn too hard too soon.
Just played around on the pattern with her on Saturday, (little niece was over and wanted to 'run' barrels), so I took her through to warm her up and she went wide. Never thought I would be so happy to have my horse turn wide. Then I made sure to circle a couple times around each barrel so she was finishing them and she kept great forward motion. Don't want to get too excited yet but I'm hoping it wasn't a fluke and that she is finally making some progress.
And also, do you do tons of circles around the barrels when they are set up in the pattern, or just work on nice balanced circles around a barrel.. I just want her to keep this up without over-working her on the pattern! |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| OhMax - 2017-05-01 7:51 PM
I run my similar gelding in a CM 44.
We had similar issues, Chris's clinic really helped work through it.
Would love to go to a clinic of his, heard nothing but great things. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: on the fine line between insanity and geniusness | Prairie Rouge - 2017-05-01 10:28 PM
Ashley Lynn - 2017-05-01 9:30 PM
I ride a bunch of cow horses and cutting rejects. I've had luck with the Kathy James and a simplicity. I also spend a lot of time reminding them to go forward. I lope tons of circles around the barrels... usually until the are free and moving forward into my hand and not dropping their shoulder and turn too hard too soon.
Just played around on the pattern with her on Saturday, (little niece was over and wanted to 'run' barrels ), so I took her through to warm her up and she went wide. Never thought I would be so happy to have my horse turn wide. Then I made sure to circle a couple times around each barrel so she was finishing them and she kept great forward motion. Don't want to get too excited yet but I'm hoping it wasn't a fluke and that she is finally making some progress.
And also, do you do tons of circles around the barrels when they are set up in the pattern, or just work on nice balanced circles around a barrel.. I just want her to keep this up without over-working her on the pattern!
I'll do it in random patterns and one barrel at a time. I decided cow horses are bred to stop and turn- NOT to go forward! This helped mine realize it's okay not to crank down and throw their belly on the ground. I don't care what you do, you'll never take the turn out of a cutter, it's what their bred to do- but when they realize they can loosen up and GO FORWARD... it makes for a wicked fast turn!!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| When you all find the solution, please let me know!! I have one JUST IDENTICAL to what you describe. They can be SOOOOOOOOO catty and they listen way to darn much!! LOL Mine will turn as soon as you even REMOTELY think about sitting down for a turn lol |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
Location: MN | HA! I'm still trying to figure out my little cutting bred paint pony. He seems to be different from pen to pen. I run him in very light bits in small indoor arenas. Were still trying to figure out bigger pens. My go to right now is a chain mouth oring combo. But it just seems I need a little more grab if that makes sense. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| Personally, the way I figure out what to run in is just trial and error =p haha. But for pretty much every horse, I ride at home in an o ring snaffle, or a chain bit. I always try running in that at shows as long as I can. For the most part, I've only ever had one horse that I've needed something more severe than a jr cowhorse. I feel like a lot of people are bitting up their horses now when its unnecessary. As long as there's trust, and a good foundation, after some seasoning your horse will settle down and hunt the barrels =] Sounds like you are doing a great job! Slow work was a fabulous idea, it'll just take time for her to be seasoned the correct way and put it all together now. She just needs some confidence |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| Katielovestbs - 2017-05-02 10:53 AM
Personally, the way I figure out what to run in is just trial and error =p haha. But for pretty much every horse, I ride at home in an o ring snaffle, or a chain bit. I always try running in that at shows as long as I can. For the most part, I've only ever had one horse that I've needed something more severe than a jr cowhorse. I feel like a lot of people are bitting up their horses now when its unnecessary. As long as there's trust, and a good foundation, after some seasoning your horse will settle down and hunt the barrels =] Sounds like you are doing a great job! Slow work was a fabulous idea, it'll just take time for her to be seasoned the correct way and put it all together now. She just needs some confidence
As a person who didn't feel like I was over-bitting my horse, I agree with this. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I go ride with my trainer, if I have anything more than a snaffle on he will take it off and have me switch.  |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| How did I figure out what to run my horse in???
I became an expert at buying and selling bits! I started with my old go-to O-Ring combo bit. He hated it. Went to other combo bits, L and W, Hodges Futurity, etc. He hated those. Almost all were dogbones, because he's sensitive.
Tried other dogbone bits, jr. cowhorse, longer shank l and w, snaffle.
Went to a Jim Warner hack. Likes that one ok, but gets his nose out and doesn't listen sometimes.
Tried a mullen mouth bit. He did ok in my old pleasure bit just to ride around at home, but wanted swivel shanks. Hated that one.
Went to chain mouth for sensitivity issues after vet said he had a damaged and narrow palate. Snaffles were absolutely never going to be effective.
Tried a chain o ring, too light, tried a chain jr cowhorse too light.
Finally settled on 2 that are basically the same. A chain Molly Powell and a CJ grasshopper. He LOVES them both! I run in the MP because the CJ is just a little longer shanked so I get on him a little more during a run. Plus the MP has a very small gag action to help with the same thing. But at home, he gets the CJ.
My horse is very ratey. Don't even have to have reins in hand to stop at the end, just sit down. Hunts barrels. I had to work on ME riding forward, looking forward vs at my spot. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Katielovestbs - 2017-05-02 11:53 AM Personally, the way I figure out what to run in is just trial and error =p haha. But for pretty much every horse, I ride at home in an o ring snaffle, or a chain bit. I always try running in that at shows as long as I can. For the most part, I've only ever had one horse that I've needed something more severe than a jr cowhorse. I feel like a lot of people are bitting up their horses now when its unnecessary. As long as there's trust, and a good foundation, after some seasoning your horse will settle down and hunt the barrels =] Sounds like you are doing a great job! Slow work was a fabulous idea, it'll just take time for her to be seasoned the correct way and put it all together now. She just needs some confidence
You hit the nail on the head about trial and error..  |
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Veteran
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| FLITASTIC - 2017-05-02 9:13 AM
When you all find the solution, please let me know!! I have one JUST IDENTICAL to what you describe. They can be SOOOOOOOOO catty and they listen way to darn much!! LOL Mine will turn as soon as you even REMOTELY think about sitting down for a turn lol
Are you describing your horse or mine?! XD We will have to start a research team to figure out our horses! |
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Veteran
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| Katielovestbs - 2017-05-02 11:53 AM
Personally, the way I figure out what to run in is just trial and error =p haha. But for pretty much every horse, I ride at home in an o ring snaffle, or a chain bit. I always try running in that at shows as long as I can. For the most part, I've only ever had one horse that I've needed something more severe than a jr cowhorse. I feel like a lot of people are bitting up their horses now when its unnecessary. As long as there's trust, and a good foundation, after some seasoning your horse will settle down and hunt the barrels =] Sounds like you are doing a great job! Slow work was a fabulous idea, it'll just take time for her to be seasoned the correct way and put it all together now. She just needs some confidence
Thank you!! I really needed to hear this, I can feel that she has a lot to give, I just need to figure out how to make everything click!! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | My mare is super honest and doesn't like to hit barrels or duck but she likes to start her turns too soon. I find that she ran well in an plain o ring snaffle but this spring I just started working her in a few different hacks and a sidepull. She is more free in both of these things than she ever was in a snaffle or any bit. |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| MidWest1452 - 2017-05-02 1:14 PM
My mare is super honest and doesn't like to hit barrels or duck but she likes to start her turns too soon. I find that she ran well in an plain o ring snaffle but this spring I just started working her in a few different hacks and a sidepull. She is more free in both of these things than she ever was in a snaffle or any bit.
I've done a lot of groundwork with my horse and she responds really well when riding in a halter. I was thinking about trying an S-hack but I feel as though I will need more control at a race. Especially since she acts really mare-ish sometimes. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Prairie Rouge - 2017-05-02 4:12 PM MidWest1452 - 2017-05-02 1:14 PM My mare is super honest and doesn't like to hit barrels or duck but she likes to start her turns too soon. I find that she ran well in an plain o ring snaffle but this spring I just started working her in a few different hacks and a sidepull. She is more free in both of these things than she ever was in a snaffle or any bit. I've done a lot of groundwork with my horse and she responds really well when riding in a halter. I was thinking about trying an S-hack but I feel as though I will need more control at a race. Especially since she acts really mare-ish sometimes.
What do you mean by saying your mare acts really mare-ish sometimes? This is the second time you said this  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| Here was my progression...
Started in a snaffle at almost 3. She listened really well, but she always played with it. She would pull it out of my hands, she'd shimmy her head and make faces, she'd carry her head funny, just went very inconsistently. Had her vet checked, her teeth were fine, no pain anywhere. The mare was not lame or off one ounce. Has always been mouthy/played with everything, chewed on everything. So, eventually I tried a lifesaver (to give her something to play with)....HATED it. Loved to play with it, but it was way too much. Went back to the snaffle. As she got a hair older, I tried a S hack to get her to focus on her runs and less on playing with her bit. She ran like a champ in it, and LOVED it but eventually got stiff in her turns. So I tried an O ring combo, with the 3 piece twisted mouth and shes been in that for many years now. The end. :) |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| Southtxponygirl - 2017-05-02 4:16 PM
Prairie Rouge - 2017-05-02 4:12 PM MidWest1452 - 2017-05-02 1:14 PM My mare is super honest and doesn't like to hit barrels or duck but she likes to start her turns too soon. I find that she ran well in an plain o ring snaffle but this spring I just started working her in a few different hacks and a sidepull. She is more free in both of these things than she ever was in a snaffle or any bit. I've done a lot of groundwork with my horse and she responds really well when riding in a halter. I was thinking about trying an S-hack but I feel as though I will need more control at a race. Especially since she acts really mare-ish sometimes.
Like she acts really testy sometimes. I'm literally the worst at describing things and I don't know how else to put it. Like she always has a little bit of an attitude, some days the attitude is bigger than others. If that makes a little more sense??? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118
Location: The South | OhMax - 2017-05-01 7:51 PM
I run my similar gelding in a CM 44.
We had similar issues, Chris's clinic really helped work through it.
I am SO happy you said this, I just put my deposit down for one of his clinics. I can't wait!!! |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Prairie Rouge - 2017-05-02 8:02 PM
Southtxponygirl - 2017-05-02 4:16 PM
Prairie Rouge - 2017-05-02 4:12 PM MidWest1452 - 2017-05-02 1:14 PM My mare is super honest and doesn't like to hit barrels or duck but she likes to start her turns too soon. I find that she ran well in an plain o ring snaffle but this spring I just started working her in a few different hacks and a sidepull. She is more free in both of these things than she ever was in a snaffle or any bit. I've done a lot of groundwork with my horse and she responds really well when riding in a halter. I was thinking about trying an S-hack but I feel as though I will need more control at a race. Especially since she acts really mare-ish sometimes.
Like she acts really testy sometimes. I'm literally the worst at describing things and I don't know how else to put it. Like she always has a little bit of an attitude, some days the attitude is bigger than others. If that makes a little more sense???
Oh OK, yep that makes more sense  |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| OutlawsLastDance - 2017-05-02 7:29 PM
Here was my progression...
Started in a snaffle at almost 3. She listened really well, but she always played with it. She would pull it out of my hands, she'd shimmy her head and make faces, she'd carry her head funny, just went very inconsistently. Had her vet checked, her teeth were fine, no pain anywhere. The mare was not lame or off one ounce. Has always been mouthy/played with everything, chewed on everything. So, eventually I tried a lifesaver (to give her something to play with)....HATED it. Loved to play with it, but it was way too much. Went back to the snaffle. As she got a hair older, I tried a S hack to get her to focus on her runs and less on playing with her bit. She ran like a champ in it, and LOVED it but eventually got stiff in her turns. So I tried an O ring combo, with the 3 piece twisted mouth and shes been in that for many years now. The end. :)
I've been wanting to try an O-ring combo bit too! :) Glad you found something she loves to run in! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| Thank you! I highly recommend it! |
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How do YOU figure out what to run your horse in?