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Veteran
Posts: 111
| Silly Filly - 2016-02-17 2:43 PM
IdahoBarrelRacer756 - 2016-02-17 12:36 PM I've been working a ton with my filly about relaxing and calming down, and listening to me, rather than looking and being concerned with everything else in the world and trying to run out of her shoes. She kind of lost her mind on me a few months ago as I was starting to speed her up on the pattern, and I had to basically start over with her. I started on the ground, and worked a ton on teaching her to lower her head with pressure from my hand on her poll, among other things. Weirdly enough, I tried this from the saddle with her the other day when she was getting worked up, and it seemed to really help her re-focus. I've been walking her up to the rate point of the barrel, stopping her, putting my hand on her head/upper neck until she lowers her head, and then just letting her sit as long as she wants to. I'm definitely not saying this is going to help your horse specifically, but my filly really seemed to need to know I was there and it has seemed to help her get her confidence back and settle down. I would say any little process like that you can come up with to settle her down and remind her you're there, and that she can be calm and focus on you, could make a huge difference.
I had to chuckle when I read the part about lowering the head. I was taught to lower their head at a reining clinic years ago. The horse that I taught to lower his head, used it whenever he felt anxious. He would just automatically lower his head when he was facing something he considered stressful, like running barrels. lol Obviously, that was not what I wanted him to do. Just relating what happened to me!
This is so funny! They definitely think of ways to outsmart us.
But if I'm being totally honest, this filly going in with her head down wouldn't hurt! She's kind of like a giraffe. Maybe I've created a natural tiedown!
It's crazy though how something so simple has helped settle her and get her confidence back. She takes big deep breaths and licks her lips. Who would've thought?
Edited by IdahoBarrelRacer756 2016-02-17 7:24 PM
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| and sometimes they just hate barrels i had 1 3/4 speed beautful set of can hammer he would drop kick them out of pen cindy bought him started roping turned down megas bucks 10 yrs later to him to dan and vicki clinic as her barrel horse hurt
yep 3/4 speed beautiful drop the hamer honed in on the barrel hit hard
he hated barrels they just like people some like some dont some excel some ave
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 Porta Potty Pants
Posts: 2600
| Look into MagRestore (Magnesium) and Equine Focus. Then try all the things that have been suggested.
Edited by azsun 2016-02-17 9:49 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Everyone has posted some great suggestions.
You could also try removing the barrels completely from the area you're working in, if she still gets nervous when she sees them. Set up some tires, or anything else, and let her see that the pattern isn't so bad and she can do some slow, relaxed work on a pattern she's familiar with. When you get her used to that, you can slowly re-introduce the barrels into her work area. | |
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Location: northeast | Been there done that! Some people don't want to hear the truth but this horse does NOT like barrels. If you have a nice horse that enjoys everything else, well enjoy everything else with this horse! Good luck | |
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