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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 357
 
| So my gelding can run right or left on the pattern. I was told when I bought him that they thought he was faster to the left but ran him both directions. I think I ride better to the right and have trouble keeping the barrels up to the left. So my question is should I keeping trying to get with him to the left or just focus on my stronger side the right? This horse has won a lot but he is out of shape and I am super rusty (having kids and taking a 5 year break) Please feel free to give me some criticism or advice on my riding just don’t be to harsh.
Videos to the left
https://youtu.be/G70IOb1kSfQ
https://youtu.be/Jpz4M0EFrtE
https://youtu.be/m7Gx3OIlKZQ
Videos to the right
https://youtu.be/cd9QDQlxrd4
https://youtu.be/4fJjCDDPYy0
https://youtu.be/xpSI7ofbUak
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
  
| He is your horse and I would ride in the direction that you feel most comfortable with |
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One Grateful Mom
Posts: 2702
Location: wolverton,mn | I think you should do what you are more comfortable with.
i looked at 4 runs,to me it looks like you tend to lean to the right in the right hand turns. That may be why you tip more when starting from the left. Just my observation.
I have a mare that I have a tendency to do the same on!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| Right! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas |
Since you feel more comfortable and feel stronger running to the right I would focus on running right  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: Kansas | The only difference that stuck out to me is going left you are not driving far enough past and turning to soon. Seems like you are more confident driving deeper going right. I also have one that goes both ways and they say better to the left...so I am learning to have faith and kick to a deeper rate point. Which for my mare means I have to kick to my third "oh chit" thought. LOL Good luck looks like a fun horse. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
Location: Georgia | Id be interested to see some outdoor runs of him to the left. You do look more comfortable with your turns going right but it looks like you horse fires harder going left. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Are you out to win or just have fun running?
If your horse is better left and you want to start winning races, maybe teach yourself to get better. You said you've had some time off and need to refresh yourself. Prime opportunity.
If you think he'll get better to the right, go that way because you are more comfy and can help him more.
If you simply want to have fun and be safe and feel comfy and the 1D isn't your goal and he's consistent to the right, go right.
There are SO many things that come into play. My one gelding is better to the left, but my mom rides him. She has serious issues going left, to the tune of a face plant at second because she sat the wrong way, so she runs him to the right. He's fine that way for her and is fairly consistent that way. She has fun and that's all that matters. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | hotbear03 - 2018-11-11 11:46 AM I think you should do what you are more comfortable with.
i looked at 4 runs,to me it looks like you tend to lean to the right in the right hand turns. That may be why you tip more when starting from the left. Just my observation.
I have a mare that I have a tendency to do the same on!
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I see the same thing as hotbear. OP, you seem to really lean your upper body when you are making a turn to the right. Horse appears to be fine either way, so I would take him to the right barrel first and then have you focus on NOT leaning on one turn.
My current younger horse, I never knew which way to take him b/c he started out going better to the left barrel first, but then I switched him to the right barrel first after 2 barrel clinics both said he turns fine either way.
But...... then I took a lesson with my English trainer and we found that he tends to lean a little bit on a circle to the left but does NOT do it on the circle to the right. So I switched him back to running barrels to the left one first, and I think he is doing better than ever.
So that is where taking lessons in other disciplines can help you figure out "weak points" in your horse, that you can apply on the barrel pattern.
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I have 2 that can run either way and win. One I take right and one I take left for entirely different reasons. The righty prefers to run down alleys on the right lead, and the lefty has some mental scars at the left barrel so we ease into it and then take off..hard to ease into a left turn if you go right first and want to be fast. Honestly, I'm equally comfortable running to the right and to the left, so I pick whichever direction fits the horse the best. |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
Location: North of where I want to be | If you are just getting back in the swing of things take sometime and just ride. Get to know how he works and how you work with him really wel before getting to choosy. Get balanced. And then as a team figure out what direction works best for you.
I like all of my horses to run both ways. It has always made for horses that can handle any ground, and just about any situation.
Big scary banner at the left we go right first so we are in our groove and focused.
Rutty, slick footing at the right ...we can adjust to deal with it.
But you cannot do any of that until you are working together
Good Luck! |
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When you have a horse that runs left and right