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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 408
| Am I the only one that sees something wrong with ponying horses in a very congested/crowded arena??? I pony mine at home but out of respect to my fellow riders I won't do it at barrel races, mostly if the arena is super busy. It drives me up the wall! Ok, rant over... I need the weekend to get here PRONTO!!!  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 617
Location: London Ontario | As someone who has a barrel horse, a pole horse annnnd a breakaway horse... I don't see an issue in it. I think it's more so arena etiquette that's the issue. Left to left. If you're just walking your horse around the arena, stay to the middle, or even better, get the heck out. Those people that walk around the entire time in group of four or five make it much harder for everyone.
I also don't feel that 15 minutes before the start of a rodeo is the correct time to be fencing your horse. If your horse wants to run to the fence, he will. Schooling on him 15 minutes before your run isn't going to help.
And feel free to run into me cause my horses won't lose in our little game of chicken  |
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 Queen Bee Cat Owner
Posts: 3629
  
Location: Way up North | I would have to agree. I pony all of the time but I do it at home or if it's at a race it's away from everyone else, not in the warm up with everyone. I try to be very mindful of space and my horses too. It's usually the people that don't pay attention to their horses either and never even realize that their sweet little horse they are ponying has tried to kick or bite 3 times in the last lap alone. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| If ponying is done politely there are things that bother me far more. Keep them snubbed up and moving with you. I try not to pony unless it’s an indoor poor weather type of event and that small portion of open arena time is the best chance to warm horses up on good footing.
Having someone slam on the brakes and rollback into me bothers me a lot more for example. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | OhMax - 2017-10-12 2:26 PM If ponying is done politely there are things that bother me far more. Keep them snubbed up and moving with you. I try not to pony unless it’s an indoor poor weather type of event and that small portion of open arena time is the best chance to warm horses up on good footing. Having someone slam on the brakes and rollback into me bothers me a lot more for example.
This.
Keep them close and put them against the fence so that they stay in line. I see no problem in ponying if it's done right. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| If I'm running two in the same class (and near the same slot as each other) I will pony in the warm up pen. But, if their runs are farther apart, I don't see the point in warming them up at the same time. I do pony youngsters around, so they get the feel for being around other moving animals in an arena...but ONLY if they are broke broke to ponying and have been to races before, and I expect them to behave 100%. Even so, as others have said, I hold them very snug to me, and up against the fence if I can. Before a race is not the time to risk anyone's horses!! Your own, or others =] Definitely bugs me seeing people pony around with 10 feet of slack in the rope... |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| MC1993 - 2017-10-12 12:07 PM
As someone who has a barrel horse, a pole horse annnnd a breakaway horse... I don't see an issue in it. I think it's more so arena etiquette that's the issue. Left to left. If you're just walking your horse around the arena, stay to the middle, or even better, get the heck out. Those people that walk around the entire time in group of four or five make it much harder for everyone.
I also don't feel that 15 minutes before the start of a rodeo is the correct time to be fencing your horse. If your horse wants to run to the fence, he will. Schooling on him 15 minutes before your run isn't going to help.
And feel free to run into me cause my horses won't lose in our little game of chicken
I hate the people that ride in a group of 4-5 and just gossip. Get out of the arena and do that. I don't have an issue with people ponying unless they are having issues controlling any of their horses.
My mare will not lose in the game of chicken, either. She is a boss beast and lets it be known. |
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Ponying