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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
   
Location: North Dakota | I never really thought about it, but I guess I've never trained a smaller horse on barrels before! I am sure that is going to take some "adjusting" on my part! I know every horse is going to be an individual and have their own style no matter the size, but I guess just looking for any GENERALIZATIONS anyone can suggest for a small horse on the pattern. The last 10+ years my main horses have been 15.2 hands (and beefy), and 15.3 hands, and 16.1 hands. Or maybe just stories and you and your horse (and what size) and how you cue them during your run.
For those interested in the horse in question, Dexter is a 12-year-old horse that we've had for about a year and a half. He's right around 14.2 to 14.3 hands. His past is a little unknown, but we do know the poor guy has had some very rough handling and riding in the past. My mom just hasn't had much time to ride him since we bought him (and we couldn't ride him for a few months because of the giant cinch sores he came with  ), so since my Red is out for the year, I thought I would put some miles on him for her and get him tuned up a bit. I've only had him for less than 2 weeks, but I REALLY like him and might not give him back, haha. He's not bred anything special, but he's put together pretty nice and well-proportioned, and seems to carry himself really well. He likes to go and he likes to work. He just needs to learn that I'm not going to whip or spur him to death... He's just a little jumpy sometimes but he's improving pretty quickly. He's certainly very sensitive, which I like, because you can be really soft and light with him.
So I'm teaching an old dog some new tricks! I put him on the barrels for the first time last night just to see what he could do and he did really, really well. He feels like what I would call a four-wheel drive horse .... but maybe he just feels that way because he's so small to me, haha.
Of course, I couldn't post without a picture!
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Location: South Dakota | I like him!!! Looks athletic, and if he likes his job, he will be great fun. It just sucks how horrible some horses are treated, so it makes my heart glad that he is in a better place!! I would just simply suggest straight longer, to make the turn easier on him, rather than a turn that is too round, and binds them up somewhat....but the best way, is the way he will want to do it, and just tweak whatever needs tweaking...Keep us posted!!! |
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | He looks like a nice stout guy!! The horses I used to run were 15.3h and taller as well. I now own and run something smaller (the one in my avatar). MY biggest issue on the pattern is that Im giving her way too much room to turn, like I had to do for my bigger horses. It's an adjustment I have to make. Not used to coming in so close. Ha! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Just treat them normal. I usually keep on mind that small horses are decieving, longer strides than it feels and they can be catty quick little things! |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | ridejg: Part of the reason we bought him is I felt so bad for the poor guy and just kinda wanted to get him out of there. He actually is very sweet and such a gentleman on the ground. Next time I work him on the barrels I"ll have to set up my camera (I ride alone) and see what he looks like.
live2run: Yes, I could see myself giving him too much room in the turn, because I'm used to riding such large long-strided horses! My 16.1 horse almost had more of a rollback type style so I would really send him in hard and straight, and then hold on and let him make his move.
cecollins: I think he is SUPER catty. He's so quick on his front end. I took him over to my reining trainer this week and he really liked how he moved and thought he was pretty quick-footed too. I took a video on him loping him around. If I can get my stupid phone to cooperate, I'll post it.
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I’m 5’9 and my main man is 14.1.
My biggest challenge is staying in the center of him in the turns. He is very quick and catty and with me being taller I really have an effect on him if I get off center.
Training wise I didn’t do much of anything different. I will say because the little bugger is so darn quick he requires almost zero pocket - that one can be a challenge for me. Too much pocket and we will hit the barrel leaving. So don’t be afraid to adjust your “spots” based on what you’re feeling. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1812
Location: Hernando, Ms | I love running short horses. They can be quick turning the barrels. All my horses are short cow bred. |
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Location: South Dakota | r_beau - 2018-05-11 8:25 AM ridejg: Part of the reason we bought him is I felt so bad for the poor guy and just kinda wanted to get him out of there. He actually is very sweet and such a gentleman on the ground. Next time I work him on the barrels I"ll have to set up my camera (I ride alone) and see what he looks like.
live2run: Yes, I could see myself giving him too much room in the turn, because I'm used to riding such large long-strided horses! My 16.1 horse almost had more of a rollback type style so I would really send him in hard and straight, and then hold on and let him make his move.
cecollins: I think he is SUPER catty. He's so quick on his front end. I took him over to my reining trainer this week and he really liked how he moved and thought he was pretty quick-footed too. I took a video on him loping him around. If I can get my stupid phone to cooperate, I'll post it.
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| remember hot shot was not very tall and he could run
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I’m currently finishing/seasoning one that’s 14.1 on his tippy toes. I’m 5’7”. Like someone else said, staying centered is the most important thing you can do because little horses feel it more if you get out of kilter. Don’t look around too quick because they can respond faster than a big horse. This guy broke my worst habit—looking around too far too fast. If I do it on him he will hit a barrel or come out on the wrong side. You may have a problem finding boots that fit and a lot of times their pasterns are so short there isn’t room for a full coverage boot and an overreach. I’ve had better luck with polos or splints, or just using an overreach boot. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | ohmax: Yes, staying centered is key! As I'm getting used to him, I find myself "falling forward" sometimes because he can stop so quick and he's so compact. Of course, I had a baby less than 3 months ago so I'm still getting my core strength back! That might have something to do with it too. ;-)
daisycake: I honestly have no idea how fast he is. I trusted him enough to breeze him in the field for just a little bit on Monday - we didn't go very far and I didn't push him because he's not at all in shape - but he really took off with no problem (and stopped no problem too!) and seemed to really like it. He likes to cover ground. He's be perfectly happy to lope everywhere we go; and I'm tempted to let him because he has a really nice lope, LOL.
three 4 luck: He actually has nice bone structure in his legs-- not too small. I put my size medium professionals choice boots on his front feet this week and those'll do fine for him. They's a smidge big, but they will work. I like to use overreach boots every time I ride, but only boot up the legs when working on the barrels or reining.
Edited by r_beau 2018-05-11 3:42 PM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| r_beau - 2018-05-11 3:40 PM
ohmax: Yes, staying centered is key! As I'm getting used to him, I find myself "falling forward" sometimes because he can stop so quick and he's so compact. Of course, I had a baby less than 3 months ago so I'm still getting my core strength back! That might have something to do with it too. ;-)
daisycake: I honestly have no idea how fast he is. I trusted him enough to breeze him in the field for just a little bit on Monday - we didn't go very far and I didn't push him because he's not at all in shape - but he really took off with no problem (and stopped no problem too!) and seemed to really like it. He likes to cover ground. He's be perfectly happy to lope everywhere we go; and I'm tempted to let him because he has a really nice lope, LOL.
three 4 luck: He actually has nice bone structure in his legs-- not too small. I put my size medium professionals choice boots on his front feet this week and those'll do fine for him. They's a smidge big, but they will work. I like to use overreach boots every time I ride, but only boot up the legs when working on the barrels or reining.
Ditto. I went to a jeff smith c3 because of the 9” front to help with he tendancy to get forward - building core strength has def helped too, but sometimes physics just suck. I also spend a LOT of time in my
slow on downward transitions and not falling on his front end, reminding myself that adding leg is always the answer to keeping the booty under him. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | Finally got my phone to cooperate. It's just my reining trainer loping circles on him both ways, but I think he naturally has a really nice lope. Not bad for being totally out of shape!
Video
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| I agree that I think they tend to be quick and catty. The biggest thing I had to learn was to push my the whole way because she's so quick that as soon as I think about turning, she's shut down and around it. This made it really important for me to learn to stick with her so I didn't get left behind. |
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Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24953
Location: WYOMING | OutlawsLastDance - 2018-05-12 9:14 PM
I agree that I think they tend to be quick and catty. The biggest thing I had to learn was to push my the whole way because she's so quick that as soon as I think about turning, she's shut down and around it. This made it really important for me to learn to stick with her so I didn't get left behind.
Agreed! Mine is 14h and doesnt need much rate room. I try to ride the whole way! She thinks turn, turn sometimes too much like on #3 here Im justa kicking! Lol!!
https://youtu.be/zYJs3n5FXB0 |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | geronabean - 2018-05-14 9:14 AM OutlawsLastDance - 2018-05-12 9:14 PM I agree that I think they tend to be quick and catty. The biggest thing I had to learn was to push my the whole way because she's so quick that as soon as I think about turning, she's shut down and around it. This made it really important for me to learn to stick with her so I didn't get left behind. Agreed! Mine is 14h and doesnt need much rate room. I try to ride the whole way! She thinks turn, turn sometimes too much like on #3 here Im justa kicking! Lol!! https://youtu.be/zYJs3n5FXB0
Nice run! |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | Well, I've been rather slow to get you guys some videos! I did some practicing on him today, so the video is not great because I just did it myself. And it was 90 degrees, so we did tons of walking in-between. I feel like we look better on video, rather than the disaster I feel in the saddle, LOL. Okay, disaster is probably harsh, but DANG he is so quick. I think he could scoot out from under me if he wanted. Thankfully, he does seem to be a really good boy and takes care of me, and stays under me.
I think this is only the 4th time I've worked him on the pattern. The last time we practiced, I decided he turns better to the right, so I switched him the other way.
Speed between the barrels, I know he is not going to be very fast. He only clocked on my app at 32 mph max speed. My other horses clock (max speed) 39 mph and 41 mph. But possibly he will make up for it in his quick turns.
https://youtu.be/aRgHb9kgJWY
The first lope through is far away, but at least you can see the whole pattern in one piece. Sorry about the zig zags going to the second barrel. We worked on poles first (video below if you want to see) and I think he saw the poles when we came around the barrel and thought he was supposed to weave!! Silly boy.
Things I need to work on:
1) Don't give him too much pocket going in. He doesn't need it. (at 40 seconds, I broke down to a trot to avoid coming back on top of the barrel! He just sucked in there.)
2) Stay two-handed in the turn all the way through, because I can keep him from drifting at the end of the turn with support from the outside rein. (like our mistake at 47 seconds)
And for fun, here was our pole bending lope throughs. This was his second time on the pole pattern. I ran it both ways, and I think he would do better to the right.
https://youtu.be/IT3r6U-wCD8
Edited by r_beau 2018-06-05 10:04 PM
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| He sure is cute! I bet you have a blast with him, Dexter landed in the honey pot! |
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  Expert
Posts: 1584
Location: Central Texas | Neat horse! |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | Yeah, I really like him so far. He's fun to ride.
My only "complaint" is that he paws and digs like a son-of-a-gun at the trailer. Drives me crazy! Oh well, there's worse things he could be doing I suppose.
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 The Vaccinator
Posts: 3810
Location: Slipping down the slope of old age. Boo hoo. | Three 4 Luck - 2018-05-11 1:30 PM
I’m currently finishing/seasoning one that’s 14.1 on his tippy toes. I’m 5’7”. Like someone else said, staying centered is the most important thing you can do because little horses feel it more if you get out of kilter. Don’t look around too quick because they can respond faster than a big horse. This guy broke my worst habit—looking around too far too fast. If I do it on him he will hit a barrel or come out on the wrong side. You may have a problem finding boots that fit and a lot of times their pasterns are so short there isn’t room for a full coverage boot and an overreach. I’ve had better luck with polos or splints, or just using an overreach boot.
Agree with staying centered and quiet -- my college rodeo horse was maybe on tippy toes 14.2. I am 5'8". At that point in my life I was very thin (those were the days....). He taught me to sit up, stay centered and ride quiet. Loved running him. And he hung in with the WPRA horses at local rodeos and on the college circuit (we were 2nd in our region a couple of times!). He was stout and I wish I had a dozen just like him.... he was running x cow bred. |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | My advice is to stay on the inside of the tracks. If you let your smaller horse get in the big horse tracks they can get sucked down in the dirt. My not matter as much at barrel races, but after 8 or later on the ground the ruts get deep. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | delta cowgirl: Oh absolutely. I have to make myself stay centered or he tends to throw me forward because he's so compact and quick. It's actually helping me to stay two handed in the turns too b/c it forces me to SIT and keep myself centered.
clover girl: Good thinking. I don't think he's going to need much room anyway, so that's a good tip to stay close to the barrel and stay inside the ruts.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 623
Location: /ARKANSAS | I have gone from a 16 hand horse to one that is fifteen and shorter body. When I pull myself up to finish the barrel I feel like I am over his head and it feels really odd. I guess I need to concentrate on staying in the middle and maybe it will be easier to get with him. |
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Tips on running a smaller horse?