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 Member
Posts: 29
Location: MO | My new horse is doing his job and doesn't need any help/tuning whatsoever. He has been there done that, older, free running automatic barrel horse. It's me that needs some tuning. I've only had him for over a month or so and I'm still trying to find my groove with him. He's the first Lefty horse I've ran after running nothing but Righty's, and we actually get along great. Just fine-tuning things like finding a consistent rate spot at the 1st, and trusting him on the 2nd keeping my hand to his neck letting him work. What are some ways/tips that I can work on these things for myself, without really taking him through the pattern too often? I don't want to lope him through a bunch of sets because he doesn't need it, nor his legs ran off. Would do more harm than good. Just curious what some of ya'll do when you encounter the issue of "it's not you, its me". |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
 
| Try and get ' You' in the groove by doing things outside the arena and not on the pattern. So if you need help with say pocket into the first barrel, find an open field or bush and pretend its a barrel and practice that way. Then you or the horse won't get bored.. LOl Is your last name McIntosh? Same as me! |
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Member
Posts: 29
Location: MO | Nice to meet you fellow McIntosh haha! And it's not so much a pocket issue, it's moreso finding a good spot to consistently check him up at and ask him to rate the 1st. With him, he has that one-track thoroughbred mind so you can't ask him to haul booty to the 1st because he won't rate and will go real deep past it, no matter how early you check him. It's hard to find that balance smooching him up just enough to kick another gear to where he's not loping to the 1st, but not going at it too hard where he'll run past.
Edited by featuremeJP 2018-08-13 3:39 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1515
 
Location: Illinois | I'd work on teaching him to rate when you ask, can be done anywhere. If I sit and squeeze with my legs, my horses rate whether I'm going at a trot, lope, sprint, whatever. I don't have to turn anything or go near a barrel. I call it my "easy button." If I do that and also say easy at the same time they go into a lower gear. Something like that might benefit you with him. I also agree with what was stated above, go out of the arena and try to use other objects to drill on and find what works for you. |
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  Independent Cuss
Posts: 3977
Location: Dearing, GA | Try riding bareback! Trusting a horse to walk and jog with you bareback can translate into trusting him in other aspects.
Also, you can practice the barrel pattern without barrels. Use cones, tires, trees, that one spot on the ground, etc. to practice your rate point and keeping your hands where they need to be.
Give yourself more time, you'll get with him! |
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 Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20904
Location: LouLouVille, OK | Videos are so important... if you can get videos to watch yourself and then the next run you work on something you seen in the video before... |
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Member
Posts: 29
Location: MO | Yes I agree, I love the benefits of riding bareback and tend to do it pretty often! Thank you I will definitely try some of those things out in the pasture! |
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It's Not You, It's Me.