For those who wonder about switching from right to left.......

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For those who wonder about switching from right to left....... Moderators: luluwhit, gotothewhip, cindyt, crossspur, ForumAdmin Jump to page :	Last activity 2015-01-12 1:37 PM 5 replies, 3093 views View previous thread :: View next thread
General Discussion -> Barrel Talk


rodeowithjoker Reg. Jun 2006	Posted 2015-01-12 8:52 AM Subject: For those who wonder about switching from right to left.......
Am I really the Weirdo? Posts: 11181 Location: Kansas	There are many threads on here about switching a horse from right to left and how long it takes them to figure it out so I thought I'd post this video from yesterday. It is my 1993 model (22 years old this year) gelding Joker running to the left without any practice runs. He's been running to the right his whole career except a couple random runs - the last in July 2008. My boyfriend is having surgery on his right wrist later this month but wants to try and compete at our district NBHA 3 days later if he feels up to it, so we've looked at the 7 horses we run and decided my Joker is the best candidate for a handicapped rider. Joker hasn't had the most reliable first barrel - you have to check him at least once - because of some past hock soreness, and Matt and I agree that once you get him lined out going to the first barrel (either direction), he's got the rest of the pattern figured out, so Matt wants to run him to the left and figure any help finishing 2nd & 3rd can be done left handed. Just to ease our concerns about taking an old horse the opposite direction, I volunteered to run him left at our NBHA yesterday. Since he's so old and solid, I didn't do an exhibition on him or anything, just went in and sent him left instead of right. He figured it out about the time line and made a really nice run. His last run in that barn to the right 2 weeks ago was a 16.325 and yesterday going left he ran a 16.469. We were a couple spots out of the 3D money but I'm afraid I may like him better as a lefty right now! LOL. http://youtu.be/FTrNX-E0Q2k?list=UU3h0VmyuYbqBRUor4JBQVlA
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Three 4 Luck Reg. Sep 2003	Posted 2015-01-12 8:54 AM Subject: RE: For those who wonder about switching from right to left.......
Accident Prone Posts: 22277 Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR	If only they were all so easy!
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rodeowithjoker Reg. Jun 2006	Posted 2015-01-12 8:58 AM Subject: RE: For those who wonder about switching from right to left.......
Am I really the Weirdo? Posts: 11181 Location: Kansas	Three 4 Luck - 2015-01-12 8:54 AM If only they were all so easy! :) This horse has spoiled me for a good many years. I smile every time I get to send him down the alley. He's not the fastest but he makes the same run every time and that's worth a lot.
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Griz Reg. Sep 2003	Posted 2015-01-12 11:34 AM Subject: RE: For those who wonder about switching from right to left.......
Industrial Srength Barrel Racer Posts: 7264	That's awesome!!
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rachellyn80 Reg. Jan 2004	Posted 2015-01-12 1:34 PM Subject: RE: For those who wonder about switching from right to left.......
Jr. Detective Location: Beggs, OK	Many times when you switch an older horse to the other direction it works out well. The side that has taken most of the abuse for their whole career gets a break. I have one that will clock within a tenth either direction and be in the first or second division. You just have to make sure that you have his hip pushed way over when you're coming up the alley if you want him to run to the left.
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rodeowithjoker Reg. Jun 2006	Posted 2015-01-12 1:37 PM Subject: RE: For those who wonder about switching from right to left.......
Am I really the Weirdo? Posts: 11181 Location: Kansas	rachellyn80 - 2015-01-12 1:34 PM Many times when you switch an older horse to the other direction it works out well. The side that has taken most of the abuse for their whole career gets a break. I have one that will clock within a tenth either direction and be in the first or second division. You just have to make sure that you have his hip pushed way over when you're coming up the alley if you want him to run to the left. I'd been thinking about switching him for a few months, and Matt's surgery gave me the extra push to do it. The only reason he ran to the right so long is that his right hock arthritis has always been a little worse than on the left side. I think the guys will get along pretty well in a couple weeks if Matt is up to riding 3 days after surgery. My gray is one of those who clocks the same as long as you set him up for the correct lead going in the alley. I ran left one day and right the next last year at a 4-day rodeo series and he was .005 apart on those runs. I love being able to pick my direction based on the setup.
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