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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1001
Location: Kansas | I am having a hard time with my first barrel approach on a mare who is long bodied. I am not sure why I am having such a hard time but I am trying to find the "right" approach - how long to stay straight where to start my gradual arc to a point and it just keeps feeling funky.
Little past history, have not owned her too long (purchased her in July of last year). She was a lefty and started to set way too soon on second and third barrels, we knocked quite a few. So I stopped hauling, had a lameness exam done Had her hocks injected in November she was very sore. Her left hand circles were much more natural than her right so it made sense to switch her to the right. We are only at a walk trot and I have spent a lot of time driving her into the pocket and working on NOT turning until her hip is at the barrel but I just cannot find a groove that feels right for my first and it is effecting 2 and 3.
Would love any tips or advice or videos anyone could share with me. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
  
Location: Texas | do you have a video?
I don't exactly think about my horse's length when I approach any barrels. Yes, maybe the size of the circle I make around the barrel, but the approach is always the same. Inside hind leg needs to be under and driving, shoulders need to be free and elevated. Rib cage needs to be bent and round. When I stop at the first I make sure that they aren't starting the turn with their shoulder first, because that will either lead to hit barrels or going past it to avoid hitting.
Edited by casualdust07 2015-03-17 10:57 AM
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | kscanchsnglaziergal - 2015-03-17 8:33 AM I am having a hard time with my first barrel approach on a mare who is long bodied. I am not sure why I am having such a hard time but I am trying to find the "right" approach - how long to stay straight where to start my gradual arc to a point and it just keeps feeling funky. Little past history, have not owned her too long (purchased her in July of last year). She was a lefty and started to set way too soon on second and third barrels, we knocked quite a few. So I stopped hauling, had a lameness exam done Had her hocks injected in November she was very sore. Her left hand circles were much more natural than her right so it made sense to switch her to the right. We are only at a walk trot and I have spent a lot of time driving her into the pocket and working on NOT turning until her hip is at the barrel but I just cannot find a groove that feels right for my first and it is effecting 2 and 3. Would love any tips or advice or videos anyone could share with me.
I agree a video would be helpful.
My gray horse is long bodied, and there are a bazillion videos of him on youtube. Search for Melanie McGee and look at any of the Chance videos. Here's a page of search results that show some of his runs from State NBHA, where he has done exceptionally well the last three years. The 1st round in 2012 was when I first found the sweet spot for his first barrel. He naturally wants to go find the barrel so I have to use my inside foot and sometimes my outside rein to hold him up straighter a little longer. I aim for the time line as my spot to let him cut over to the barrel. If you watch several of the videos there are different angles so you can get an idea of how far I run before turning him loose to go turn the barrel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/jokerscowgirl/search?query=chance+at+state |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1001
Location: Kansas | Unfortunately I do not have a video. After reading your response maybe my real problem is my pocket. I feel like I have too much room going in to my turn.. yes at a trot and maybe that is because I have no inside hind leg driving and she drifts. What exercises do you do to encourage that? I am finding it hard to explain maybe I should try to get a video. |
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Regular
Posts: 99
| Since she was having issues with her hocks, she may still be afraid that it will hurt upon her turns. Give her time and let her know she doesn't hurt anymore when doing the barrels. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| I have my horse's hocks injected every 4-6 months. I can tell when they need it again by their performance. May need injecting again. |
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Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | kscanchsnglaziergal - 2015-03-17 1:09 PM
Unfortunately I do not have a video. After reading your response maybe my real problem is my pocket. I feel like I have too much room going in to my turn.. yes at a trot and maybe that is because I have no inside hind leg driving and she drifts. What exercises do you do to encourage that? I am finding it hard to explain maybe I should try to get a video.
I have trouble doing much on the pattern at a trot for some reason, and I really can't accomplish anything at a slow trot. LOL. If I can trot quickly around a barrel, it's not bad but if I slow down to a leisurely trot everything falls apart on any horse. It's definitely a weakness of mine, but to compensate, I don't trot the pattern much. If you have too much room coming in, they'll have to take an extra step on the backside to get around that I swear it feels like that takes a full second during a run. On most of my horses, I aim to be close enough that I can touch the barrel with my inside foot if I stick it out as far as possible. Mine run in close, go past a half step on the backside and come out close enough that about 1/2 the time I have to lift my inside foot up to miss the barrel. They're all a little straighter from head to tail than some folks like them, but if I can get just a touch of bend in the ribs, I can make that teardrop style turn (as Terra Bynum called it) work for me.
I don't really teach driving the inside hind leg per se, but I'll do a lot of rollbacks and really ask the horse to move out of the rollback once they have the basic idea. Since I can do this off the pattern, then use the same cue on the pattern, it seems to work well for me without souring one on the pattern. I also follow Hollywood's Fan's advice from several years ago and step into my outside stirrup to help one snap off the barrel. If I step outside, I can easily turn my outside toe out and push their ribs in towards the barrel to straighten up & finish the turn so they can leave for the next one in a straight line. Everything I've got has been really ratey so I'm always trying to drive ONE MORE STEP with my seat and legs & perhaps that takes care of that inside leg problem for me.
Not sure if any of that makes sense but maybe something will spur another thought & you'll end up on the right track. (Or maybe that is just how my brain works.....takes an idea and tweaks it until it works for me LOL) |
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