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 Veteran
Posts: 194
 
Location: Texas | ok first I know it could be a lot of possibilities but while I am sitting at work thinking about it I wanted to just see what everyone else was thinking on this.
I have a super nice gelding . 2 years ago I would have never dreamed he would become a barrel hitter. now fast fwd to now he's turned into an extremely push style horse. doesn't drop his shoulder just flat turns and you really have to work your butt off to get him passed a barrel (like come out of the arena breathing harder than him because you pushed him passed all three so hard) also note in the passed 2 years hes had a lot of time off from the arena but is getting rode (due to surgery) so in the mean time hubby turns him into a head horse to help give him another job and free him up. well now the over achiever horse is wanting to get super quick on the head side. not ducking but as soon as you stand to throw a rope he is going left and does not care if you are ready or not!
I have several different thoughts in my head. Just curious as so what yall say....
Edited by AshleyJ2911 2018-01-18 8:30 AM
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
  
Location: Arizona | Are you still using him for barrels? Maybe he needs more training... |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | Yes I am and hes a solid 1D horse if you can get him passed the barrels. I put a high school girl on him and shes never swung a leg over him and was 2nd in the 1D against nice horse. said he was a blast to run but she came out breathing HARD and said she had to ride the hair off him |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I LOVE those type of horses! |
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| Is he bracing as he goes into the turn and making a rollback instead of getting down and turning? Or is he getting down and gritty as he turns, like he's becoming more catty with that quickness? There are a couple things that come to my mind; is he just anticipating the turn and getting super worked up and excited, or is it a lameness issue where he's not wanting to get low to the ground and actually make the turn, or is he just being a goober and being lazy and trying to do less work faster?
Personally, I really like that heavy push style of horse, because it makes me work 100x harder and stay on top of my game. I had a super gritty mare that ran like that in the poles, she could flat fly, but you really had to push her past to keep them all up, and extremely turny on the end poles. I always came out of the arena breathless.
I can imagine that could get old after awhile, especially if you're wanting to go in there on cruise control and keep him honest (if you feel this is a laziness issue, versus a lameness issue where it could actually be hurting him to get down and turn).
Like you said, lots of possibilities here. What are your thoughts on it? |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | He's getting down and gritty in his turns and just wants everyone out of his way. I'm thinking he's being an over achiever and a know it all . But he can be lazy when you warm him up, wont listen cuts his circles off things like that but show him the pattern and you cant hardly hold him back. Things that bother me are he's real short when moving out his back legs loping and trotting (but could be his style) and I know this is random but he is always crossing his front legs ( could be his personality) but before I work on a few drills I think I'm going to give him the opportunity of a vet check.
Iv always rode free runners and I like the aggressive rider he is making me and I absolutely love him. Its just getting frustrating when I had a hip replacement 7 months ago and I'm trying to get my self back. Ill ride my old man but I love riding him just my knees don't! |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | If he is short in the back, I bet he needs injected. JMO, usually when one changes their style completely it is time for a once over. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| My friend's horse sounds exactly like yours. He gets his SI joints injected now and it's better getting him around the barrels. When it gets time for an injection, he knocks a lot. |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | He hasn't changed his style so to speak he's just getting harder to get around the barrels with out dragging one down.
I'm planning to make a trip to the vet. |
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| I think that’s a great idea to have him checked out by a vet, if anything it will give you peace of mind knowing if it’s a pain issue and/or just his style. Maybe you both could benefit from him spending some time doing different things, like branding calves, moving cows, trail riding, an obstacle course or something where he can’t overthink and overachieve and just has to give it his all at that moment. That might help him chill out and enjoy running barrels more, plus ease things up for you. Or that could just be how he is and “when you get in the saddle, you better be ready for the ride!”
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK |
Sounds like he might need his hocks Injected. He also needs some slow work. If he doesn’t counter are easily, he needs to. When slow working the pattern, as soon as he tries to cheat, counter arc him away from the barrel in a big circle and come back To the spot where the problem started, lope around the barrel and approach again, correct in the same manner as needed. Polishing him up and getting him super responsive to counter arcs will help him stay true to the inside rein being against his neck instead of not honoring like his is now.
Same thing needs to be done in the heading. The counter arcs will help him stay straight as long as the left rein is against his neck. I would want to do some steer stopping also and maybe use a knot rope down the left side a few times.
He sounds like an ambitious horse that needs some slow work, tuning and maybe some vet work :-)
I’ve attached a video that demonstrates some counter arcs. In the middle of the video I demonstrate counter arcing away in various problem areas.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gyfR2S74doQ |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 966
Location: Loco,Ok | He's cowing the barrel. Locked on. Break the lock on the barrel. That frees them up. On heading side. I'd bet he's making you reach a bit more. There's a couple of ways to solve that problem. Use your feet more. What most people do is pump their body trying to get them to the barrel. That's too many signals. Go stop go.stop. move the horse with your legs and bend them with your foot. But first need to break the lock on the barrel. Keep their feet moving forward. Everything , else stops their forward motion. Your body position has to change.Cutters will lock on the cow. Stop running all the way. Step in to the cow. Break the lock on the cow. Same principle applies to barrel horse.
Edited by clampitt 2018-01-10 10:47 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | Iv worked on counter arcs and a little bit of everything. Our horses are ranched on we work cows and ride in the woods and downs trails he gets all of this on a weekly bases. Our horses are family horses from me to running barrels the kids playdaying and my husband roping. He is super broke and responsive slow working. even when it comes to roping we've steer stopped ran knot ropes and worked with the dummy. He knows the difference between the house and being hauled to a competition.
He is very sensitive to using feet and shifting weight so both the husband and I keep that in mind every time we are on him. Its just like Clampitt said he gets locked in when it comes to competition time. |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | I'm also tossing around the idea of something to keep him calm and focused. Is he anxious in competition which makes him get quick and in a hurry.... |
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | AshleyJ2911 - 2018-01-10 10:00 AM
Iv worked on counter arcs and a little bit of everything. Our horses are ranched on we work cows and ride in the woods and downs trails he gets all of this on a weekly bases. Our horses are family horses from me to running barrels the kids playdaying and my husband roping. He is super broke and responsive slow working. even when it comes to roping we've steer stopped ran knot ropes and worked with the dummy. He knows the difference between the house and being hauled to a competition.
He is very sensitive to using feet and shifting weight so both the husband and I keep that in mind every time we are on him. Its just like Clampitt said he gets locked in when it comes to competition time.
You might have to correct him at speed, at a jackpot.
Call it what you want, “locking on”, “cheating”, stepping in too early.
He’s not paying attention to what you’re asking. Could be one or both, soreness and cheating.
A small tight counter arc slows down his hind end, a big counter arc frees him up. |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | yes exactly my thoughts!! (which is why this week I have been working on counter arcs) i'm going to take him to the vet and give him the benefit of the doubt and if he gets the clear we are going back to showing him he doesn't know everything like he thinks! My vet that I trust is 4 hrs away so 'hopefully we can make the trip this weekend! |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | Just a little update.... It was his left stifle! so now that we have that fixed time to see if he will go back to his normal self!  |
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 Veteran
Posts: 239
| AshleyJ2911 - 2018-01-18 7:29 AM Just a little update.... It was his left stifle! so now that we have that fixed time to see if he will go back to his normal self!
Glad you got him vetted! 9 times out of 10 when they start working completely different than they used to it is due to pathological change somewhere!
Hope he comes back good  |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | yes yes my gut said he was off in his Stifle. Now that my hip is going good and hes on his way to feeling better, maybe we can do some good in 2018! |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | How old is He? If he was very young 2 years ago, he could be growing into his style. Joints close, bones change, weight distribution changes as well as simple maturity.His age could tell you a lot. Also any Farrier or shoe changes? I have an amazing FARRIER that If seen add a half second (not over night) to horses by changing the angle, heel height and toe length.
Edited by Swannranch 2018-01-19 1:18 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Texas | He is 9 I had a gut feeling something wasn't right and took him to the vet, it was his left stifle . He wants feeling the same warming up and seem irritable. we hadn't changed anything as far as feet but I never pay attention to that because I married an amazing farrier ;) lol
Hopefully we will see a difference now..... he's never changed his style, was just a lot harder to get passed the barrels and didn't listen as well when he was when running .... |
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Toss this around *vet update*