|
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | If you own a competitive barrel horse that listens and lets you drive on the pattern, what is or isn't acceptable as far as your expectations in regards to slow work. I'm talking basic trot, straight lines, lope circle work....warm up work NOT pattern work. Is it important that your horse bend its body? Is it critical to you that it move off your leg and not dump its shoulder? OR do you not pick on a horse if its manageable and doing its thing on the pattern.
I own a horse that is very one sided, meaning works beautiful one direction. I bought him like this and knew he would take some effort. I'm just wondering if the good ones need to just be left alone. I like a broke horse and I am wondering if I am expecting too much. His dental and joint therapy are all UTD. I just started treating him for ulcers because he is hot and chomping his bit. I knew this horse was HOT when I bought him, its no surprise, I just need help justifying my expectations. He is a lovely horse and worth the time. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1611
 
| It depends just on the horse. Some you cannot mess with because they are where they need to be but you can slowly change them over time. Remember an open horse is not a colt he knows his job and knit picking him may cause him to say forget you and just quit clocking for you...no joke I've seen it happen. Everything can be more broke but take your time and don't expect too much too soon. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | He LOVES his job and knows where he needs to be. He flexes his face and bends his body very nice now at the walk and on the trail. He used to be touchy of his face in one direction and I did feel that needed to be addresses because I didn't want a negative response while running. Along with his dental never being done until now, I also have put a gentler bit in his mouth and he seems relieved. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 5293
 
| If my open horses do their job perfectly when I ask them to, I never make them bend, flex, pick, when just daily riding. I leave them alone and let them be horses. They know they can be a horse as long as they work when I ask. 17 seconds of work and a week of being a horse is a good trade. |
|
| |
|
 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | It's a fine line.. I really think you shouldn't slack on their skills away from the barrel pattern even if they are finished and know their job.. because, when you start letting them slack there, it'll eventually trickle down.
I've heard it a million times "oh he's finished, I don't pick at him" and I totally agree with that on the pattern. if they know their job, don't over do it. But I don't think that should carry over to their dry work. |
|
| |
|
  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
Location: ND | casualdust07 - 2015-04-29 1:23 PM It's a fine line.. I really think you shouldn't slack on their skills away from the barrel pattern even if they are finished and know their job.. because, when you start letting them slack there, it'll eventually trickle down. I've heard it a million times "oh he's finished, I don't pick at him" and I totally agree with that on the pattern. if they know their job, don't over do it. But I don't think that should carry over to their dry work.
I agree. You have to maintain the horses solid foundation or it will typically lead to things going wrong on the pattern. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | pippy - 2015-04-29 2:18 PM
He LOVES his job and knows where he needs to be. He flexes his face and bends his body very nice now at the walk and on the trail. He used to be touchy of his face in one direction and I did feel that needed to be addresses because I didn't want a negative response while running. Along with his dental never being done until now, I also have put a gentler bit in his mouth and he seems relieved.
I am just sharing some info. I have a horse that sounds ALOT like yours. Kind of on the hot side, always a little anxious, most of the time gets worse with repeated work (slow or fast) or became very fussy/irratated, didn't want his left side of his head touched, head shy on that side and various other things. After a long time (and I feel so awful about that) of suspecting TMJ issues, took him and had it injected and adjusted. He almost feel asleep while the farrier did him (which is not the normal case). Whole different horse. Just a thought. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | I've found it's a very fine line with my mare. If I don't ask her to flex, bend, lope collected, counter arc, ect at least a little bit each ride, everything starts unraveling. But she doesn't need a lot of that. She gets irritated if I pick too much. |
|
| |
|
 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | SaraJean - 2015-04-29 2:39 PM casualdust07 - 2015-04-29 1:23 PM It's a fine line.. I really think you shouldn't slack on their skills away from the barrel pattern even if they are finished and know their job.. because, when you start letting them slack there, it'll eventually trickle down. I've heard it a million times "oh he's finished, I don't pick at him" and I totally agree with that on the pattern. if they know their job, don't over do it. But I don't think that should carry over to their dry work. I agree. You have to maintain the horses solid foundation or it will typically lead to things going wrong on the pattern.
All of the above.... |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 562
Location: Alabama | I have some that HAVE to be ridden and "reminded" in order to get the results I want in the arena, and then I have some that do their job and all we do is pony from the four wheeler thru the week.
My OPINION is if it's not broken, don't fix it. I personally don't like to nit pick a finished horse unless I see a pattern of mistakes or sense some laziness/unwillingness.
Edited by Knation85 2015-04-30 10:27 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | I got a horse in on consignment that was tough to ride, could hardly lope a decent circle, couldn't even walk a perfect circle without throwing her hip around, and ran some crazy patterns but man did she CLOCK! Her runs were half out of countrol but she always clocked amazing. I saw her as a project horse so I purchased her myself because we just got along so well and I was excited to see what I could do with her after fixing some issues. She was not consistent and I was nervous before every run because I never knew what to expect. I knew she would clock but I didn't know if she was going to pull wide coming out of 1st, dive in at 2nd, or swing out and pause coming out of her turns. Lots of bad habits that someone let her get away with. This horse had some of the best hands in the business in her past and ran in the juvenile at the BFA but somewhere down the line she picked up some bad habits that either were started from pain that was over looked, bad riding, or being blown up mentally. Anyways, nearly 2 years later she rides like a completely different horse! She is much more confident, happy, and is so broke! She is my favorite horse to ride now. I do not drill her on the pattern but just getting her more broke and more handy away from the pattern has helped nearly all of her issues on the pattern. I am just starting to add the speed back in and am excited to see how she clocks now. Even if she clocks the same as before at least now she should be much more consistent and I will be much more relaxed knowing what to expect when I go into make a run knowing I can help place her if need be without her just doing what she wants. If I feel she is getting in a little tight I can now lift and shape her without worrying that she will just drop in instead!! She is much calmer and relaxed at the gate too! I think she understands more now and like I said is so much more confident. My big break through moment with her was when I realized she associated the inside rein with her outside hip! So we worked on lots of one rein stops with keeping her hip in! She was not allowed to ever step that hip out when I asked the nose to come to the inside. It was like the lightbulb went on for both of us at that moment! It was such an amazing feeling to finally figure that problem out since that was her #1 issue. |
|
| |
|
 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | I think if it aint broke dont fix it.......what works for one horse may not work for another......some horses need regular reminders and some just dontM |
|
| |
|
Good Ole Boys just Fine with Me
Posts: 2869
Location: SE Missouri | I have one that if you don't stay on his case he is a monster! Will get flat, pushy, and just bratty in general,I just don't run him until he's soft and riding consistently. The more you ride and have structure/routine for him the better he is. I swear he thrives on drills and is so fun to run when I haul him. He gets so fractious and nervous if I didn't have a routine for him, he would lose his marbles.
I have another that is polar opposite, just ride him outside.. Let him do what he wants (he plays and will crow hop at first) and he will never let you down on the pattern until he steps off a barrel then it's time to get him some relief (chiro or injection).
|
|
| |
|
 I"m Jealous!
Posts: 1737
Location: Benton City, WA | mruggles - 2015-04-30 10:05 AM I think if it aint broke dont fix it.......what works for one horse may not work for another......some horses need regular reminders and some just dontM
 This exactly!
I have 2 nice open horses that are total opposites. If I don't ride my gelding bridled up and collected, and get after him, he gets lazy and dumpy on the barrels too. My good mare is OTT (ran for 4 years) and hotter than hot...if I waited to run barrels on her until she could lope slow, show horse circles...I would still be waiting. But with her, no matter how much of a retard she is to warm up (it gets pretty intense when you have to warm up on the track at a rodeo where she raced at) she is always always going to work, as long as she's not hurting. Trying to do slow work on the barrels on her is basically a complete waste of everyone's time. And a major **** off for both of us. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 494
| The Aint broke don't fix it post above was great! I totally agree. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 628
Location: Missouri | I agree with the if it's not broke don't fix it. The only reason my good mare makes mistakes is if I make them. We hit barrels only if I kick it over coming out and we only go ride if I don't cue here before a turn. My gelding on the other hand...if we don't practice until he is about to fall over I have NO idea what he is going to do. I have to make sure he is flexing, bending, turning, loping, backing, stopping, etc etc etc. It's just 2 different horses and 2 different styles. In fact I never ride my mare, she gets ponied. You know your horse better than anyone. If you feel he is making mistakes out of being an idiot and not listening I would say tune on him, but if it is you who is making the mistakes and sending him to the wrong places then maybe attend a clinic to work on your skills. I had to go to a clinic to run my mare. I was use to young horses you messed with 24/7 and didn't realize I need to let her be and just keep her in shape. Good luck |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: TN | I rarely do any pattern work on my finished horse. I agree on the whole 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' motto. Half the time I don't even ride him, I pony him with the 4-wheeler or off of my young horse. However, from time to time he gets a little sloppy on the patter so I'll do some shape work. So if he starts doing something during a run that's unacceptable, we work on it, otherwise I leave him be. Every horse is different. Good luck!! |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | I am glad this post popped back up. Lots of great insight and I'll update you. It has been 10 days or so and we have had LOTS of hours of one rein stops and bending/flexing. Haven't even really loped yet. Pattern work on this horse isn't the problem, its that no one broke him out. If you didn't hold on his face while his ears were in front of your eyes, he was bolting. Its super ugly. Slow work in an arena? Forget it. We have made huge improvements in the past 10 days. And honestly, this horse is/was such a blown up horse as far as slow work, I wouldn't keep him if he didn't respond to training. The horse doesn't need to see a pattern, he loves it and is handy, but I have to be able to warm the horse up. Nothing I am doing will hurt him while running, and in the long run I will have a confident happier horse! Edited to add that I like to enjoy my barrel horses as working horses too.
Edited by pippy 2015-05-07 3:09 PM
|
|
| |
Folks on-line