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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
  
Location: East Tennessee | I am going to try out my first real deal barrel horse. What are some things that you all do when trying a new horse? Mind you I haven't been running barrels very long so I'm kind of nervous. |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
 
Location: southeast Texas | My thought, you don't feel comfortable, don't buy horse. Get something that you can have fun on. Not something you can grow into. An older horse that has been there and done that is a good teacher is invaluable. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sparky16 - 2014-06-24 12:02 PM I am going to try out my first real deal barrel horse. What are some things that you all do when trying a new horse? Mind you I haven't been running barrels very long so I'm kind of nervous.
How long have you been running barrels and what kind of rider or you and how finished is this horse that you are going to be trying out? If hes a finished barrel horse and a hard runner, I would be looking for something that will run the speed that you feel good at. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
Location: East Tennessee | Well I have already had the slow poky horse. This mare I am trying is beginner safe and will go whatever speed I want. I have been riding for 30yrs and consider myself a decent rider. I have been doing barrels off and on my whole life. Just got serious enough to compete this year. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sparky16 - 2014-06-24 1:03 PM Well I have already had the slow poky horse. This mare I am trying is beginner safe and will go whatever speed I want. I have been riding for 30yrs and consider myself a decent rider. I have been doing barrels off and on my whole life. Just got serious enough to compete this year.
Good deal  , I hope that this is the horse that your looking for  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
Location: East Tennessee | I just get nervous when I go try out horses. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sparky16 - 2014-06-24 1:23 PM I just get nervous when I go try out horses.
Oh I understand nerves can be a stinker,lol... Just take a deep breath and you will do good if this is the right horse for you. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Take someone with you, who knows your riding and limitations.
Video the entire ride, if the seller rides first video how she rides then you on the horse.
Vet check the horse before money has changed hands, take the video with you and have the vet watch it too.
Figure out what you can afford for yearly maintenance before the vet check, then discuss the vet check findings with the vet and possible maintenance costs the horse will need.
Then discuss with the person who went with you and get their honest opinion, there are lots of horses out there you don't have to buy the first one, make sure the horse suits all your needs. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | Take the horse to a barrel race/rodeo. I have seen too many horror stories, where the horse is a perfect beginner horse at home, or at practice, but get it to the pressure of a competition and you find out it's been blown up.
Get a vet check (using your vet, rather than seller's vet). Have realistic expectations about the vet check. If you have a vet worth his/her salt they will find something wrong. Will this something prevent the horse from performing, will it end it's career early, or how much will it cost to maintain it, are the types of questions you want to ask. Then you have to make the personal decision as to if you're ok with it. |
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 Regular
Posts: 63
Location: At A Barrel Race! | Just bought a really nice barrel horse... And wish I could have had a checklist, I just made up my own. Here is a few questions I always ask.
- Can the horse stand tied to a trailer all day by itself?
- Is he okay loading into the trailer?
- Do you shoe the horse?
- What do you feed him? (Some horses get fed different things)
- What kind of bit do you use?
- Does he have any bad habits?
- Has he had any injuries/ and or Abscess in his past? Is he prone to his hooves cracking? (I think this is a big one, considering if the horse is abscess prone)
- Do you ride him on the barrel pattern during the week? (This is more of a question you will need to ask if you go to rodeo's every weekend)
- Does he eat/ drink on the road?
- Does he spook easily/ anything he is scared of? (My new horse is afraid of plastic bags... thankfully I asked that question and didn't have to figure it out the hard way. ^.^)
- Is he easy to catch?
- Does he need any special care?
- Why are you selling him?
- Is he up to date on all vaccinations?
- Has he had his teeth floated recently?
- Do you/ When do you give your horse chiropractic adjustments?
*You always want to ask to ride the horse. **This is a must for a barrel horse.**
*Some people want vet checks, so ask if you can have one if you would like.
This might not be to helpful and you might have come up with these already... but this is just the little checklist I made for myself when I went to buy my new horse.
Good luck and I hope he works out for you! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
Location: East Tennessee | Thanks everyone! |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| Pull Blood as soon as you can with owner permission. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| I have told people when they look at a barrel horse if theymdont feel completly comfortable dont buy the horse. There are a lot of horses in the worldand ther is one that you will feel good riding. I told this to,a friend of mine that bought a horse and spent good,money on this horse drove 8 hourse to,look at this horse went to,a,show girl did not ride horse at all this horse intidiated the girl and she ended up giving horse away. He was too nice to give away. Nothing wrong with horse buy he got a little prancy at gate scared her. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| I have told people when they look at a barrel horse if theymdont feel completly comfortable dont buy the horse. There are a lot of horses in the worldand ther is one that you will feel good riding. I told this to,a friend of mine that bought a horse and spent good,money on this horse drove 8 hourse to,look at this horse went to,a,show girl did not ride horse at all this horse intidiated the girl and she ended up giving horse away. He was too nice to give away. Nothing wrong with horse buy he got a little prancy at gate scared her. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| Rodeo_Queen_21 - 2014-06-24 2:11 PM Just bought a really nice barrel horse... And wish I could have had a checklist, I just made up my own. Here is a few questions I always ask. - Can the horse stand tied to a trailer all day by itself? - Is he okay loading into the trailer? - Do you shoe the horse? - What do you feed him? (Some horses get fed different things ) - What kind of bit do you use? - Does he have any bad habits? - Has he had any injuries/ and or Abscess in his past? Is he prone to his hooves cracking? (I think this is a big one, considering if the horse is abscess prone ) - Do you ride him on the barrel pattern during the week? (This is more of a question you will need to ask if you go to rodeo's every weekend ) - Does he eat/ drink on the road? - Does he spook easily/ anything he is scared of? (My new horse is afraid of plastic bags... thankfully I asked that question and didn't have to figure it out the hard way. ^.^ ) - Is he easy to catch? - Does he need any special care? - Why are you selling him? - Is he up to date on all vaccinations? - Has he had his teeth floated recently? - Do you/ When do you give your horse chiropractic adjustments? *You always want to ask to ride the horse. **This is a must for a barrel horse.** *Some people want vet checks, so ask if you can have one if you would like. This might not be to helpful and you might have come up with these already... but this is just the little checklist I made for myself when I went to buy my new horse. Good luck and I hope he works out for you!
Thanks for the checklist!! (I don't think I have EVER had a horse that wasn't afraid of plastic bags though - they are the DEVIL)!! LOL |
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Regular
Posts: 63
Location: At A Barrel Race! | Griz - 2014-06-25 5:45 AM
Thanks for the checklist!! (I don't think I have EVER had a horse that wasn't afraid of plastic bags though - they are the DEVIL)!! LOL
You're very welcome! Glad I could help, and yes! Doesn't help when people are so messy at rodeo's, leaving their trash to fly around! |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | Go with your gut instinct. If it feels right, there's a reason. If it feels wrong- there's a reason. With my horse Bunny, I knew as soon as I got on and walked her off that we were getting her. Same thing with Lucy. I have made the mistake in the past of trying to make one work or make one fit, or make me like it because its what I thought i wanted… learned the hard way, the feeling is either there or no.. For ME at least.
Also remember, no horse is perfect. Have an idea of what you can live with and what you absolutely cannot tolerate.
Edited by casualdust07 2014-06-25 1:03 PM
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