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 BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
    
Location: Missouri | I've been struggling the last 2 years with down barrels. The more I try to fix it, the worse it gets. My mare has slowed down from 2/3D to 5D! I'm so in my head, I can't ride worth a crap anymore. I've had alot of support from friends and help, but like I said it seems to just be worse. We have had a few clean runs lately, but omg they were so akward and ugly and 5D.
Never before have I felt like giving up on her until now. I feel defeated. For the 1st time this weekend I considered selling her. It's me, not the horse, and I just can't do what I need to for some reason. I just can't ride her and it makes me so upset and frusterated. I feel like people are starting to think I can't ride my way out of a paper bag, and I've never had this feeling before.
I love this little mare, I've raised her and started her. Part of me would be so selfishly mad if I sold her and someone else did well with her and part of me would be so glad to see her become what I always believed she could be.
I have another good ol reliable old guy and feel like maybe I just need to run him for a while to get my confidence back. He's not as fast as he used to be, but he can still clock 3D and is usually in the money. I haven't drawn a check for 2 freakin years!
So should I just get off her a while? Sell? Get someone else to ride her for a while? Keep trying and trying? |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Maybe you just need to give her another job for a few months, like go trail riding, or work cows on her. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| You both sound like you need a break from each other. Whether you choose to come back to her or not is entirely your choice. But it sounds like neither of you is enjoying it anymore. I would get back on old faithful and let the mare have a break/run with someone else/focus on a different job. You know her best, so use your judgement to figure out what will help her (and you) the most!
Also, I would set the want/need for a check aside right now, and focus on making runs that you feel good about. Unless you are ALWAYS solid top of the 1D, winning a check is essentially a matter of luck. |
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BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | We do alot of just trail riding. Every roper always eyeballs her because she looks like a perfect little rope horse. Lot's of cow. Wish I had some cows. |
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Location: South Dakota | I think many of us go through these valleys in life; keep your horse...maybe stop going to barrel races for a bit, and find yourself again. Spend a lot of time just riding your horse, be a team,forget about barrels for a bit, in time maybe look for a trainer that you relate too and sign up for a clinic or lessons.
Also there are all the soundness issues to consider as well, and your mare maybe trying to tell you there is something wrong....Best Wishes. |
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BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | rpreast - 2016-09-06 12:32 PM You both sound like you need a break from each other. Whether you choose to come back to her or not is entirely your choice. But it sounds like neither of you is enjoying it anymore. I would get back on old faithful and let the mare have a break/run with someone else/focus on a different job. You know her best, so use your judgement to figure out what will help her (and you) the most! Also, I would set the want/need for a check aside right now, and focus on making runs that you feel good about. Unless you are ALWAYS solid top of the 1D, winning a check is essentially a matter of luck.
Thanks I agree with getting off her for a while. Neither of us is having any fun. I'm not too worried about the money, but it would be nice to get lucky once in a while. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| Tbred - 2016-09-06 12:35 PM
rpreast - 2016-09-06 12:32 PM You both sound like you need a break from each other. Whether you choose to come back to her or not is entirely your choice. But it sounds like neither of you is enjoying it anymore. I would get back on old faithful and let the mare have a break/run with someone else/focus on a different job. You know her best, so use your judgement to figure out what will help her (and you) the most! Also, I would set the want/need for a check aside right now, and focus on making runs that you feel good about. Unless you are ALWAYS solid top of the 1D, winning a check is essentially a matter of luck.
Thanks I agree with getting off her for a while. Neither of us is having any fun. I'm not too worried about the money, but it would be nice to get lucky once in a while.
Don't I know it!! Lady Luck and I aren't usually the best of friends  |
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Regular
Posts: 62
| Tbred - 2016-09-06 12:24 PM
I've been struggling the last 2 years with down barrels. The more I try to fix it, the worse it gets. My mare has slowed down from 2/3D to 5D! I'm so in my head, I can't ride worth a crap anymore. I've had alot of support from friends and help, but like I said it seems to just be worse. We have had a few clean runs lately, but omg they were so akward and ugly and 5D.
Never before have I felt like giving up on her until now. I feel defeated. For the 1st time this weekend I considered selling her. It's me, not the horse, and I just can't do what I need to for some reason. I just can't ride her and it makes me so upset and frusterated. I feel like people are starting to think I can't ride my way out of a paper bag, and I've never had this feeling before.
I love this little mare, I've raised her and started her. Part of me would be so selfishly mad if I sold her and someone else did well with her and part of me would be so glad to see her become what I always believed she could be.
I have another good ol reliable old guy and feel like maybe I just need to run him for a while to get my confidence back. He's not as fast as he used to be, but he can still clock 3D and is usually in the money. I haven't drawn a check for 2 freakin years!
So should I just get off her a while? Sell? Get someone else to ride her for a while? Keep trying and trying?
Oh man I feel your pain. I have a mare who is straight up wicked but I can't ride her worth anything it seems like. She's tough to ride mostly because shes mutton withered and runs in hard and sets even harder. She got injured in 2013 and it was the best thing to happen to us. It gave us a break from each other for a year and she came back a half second faster and more consistent. I quit nit picking at her and she was just awesome. Still is. I have kinda hit the same slump with her again this year. Just feeling frustrated about not riding her well. Now, shes hurt herself again (ANYONE GOT BUBBLE WRAP??) and is out for at least a month due to cut. I would just take a step back, breathe, take your other horse and have some fun and come back to this mare. Good Luck! |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| Go to a clinic. Listen and take notes or even better. have someone video the clinic for future reference. That will help more than anything |
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BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | streakysox - 2016-09-06 3:54 PM Go to a clinic. Listen and take notes or even better. have someone video the clinic for future reference. That will help more than anything
I did that in the spring. First time I'd ever been to one. Clinician ran a set on my mare and told me she was really nice and that she'd wait for me. Problem is me and I know it. I even lost 20 pounds hoping that would help. Not that I was that big, I went from 143 to 123 and I've been going to the gym since February. Getting fit to ride, not riding to get fit :) |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | Break off drill!!! My big mare is super ratey, she thankfully is also very honest but running to keep one up is almost as costly as knocking one. Did the break off drill with her 2 days in a row and got her free'd up at the barrel but she found a new gear to and around them also. Went from begging her every stride to go clean and clocking longggg 19's on a standard to hitting and then placing in the 2D on her within about 2 months after introducing the break off drill to her. The 2nd barrel was always a challenge, she is a right barrel first horse. So on the break off drill, I rated her where she is supposed to rate, then counter arc away from the barrel, kiss and a couple taps on the rear end and breeze her off towards the fence out between the 1st and 3rd, breezed her around the perimeter of the arena, and back behind the first, headed back to the 2nd again. With her as soon as I felt her start to scotch on me I did the drill again, counter arced, breeze out toward the fence. The next time behind the first and towards the 2nd I had to rate her, I mean really rate her and she was still looking for a few more gears around the barrel. It is very much the same drill the gentleman I took cutting lessons from had me do on my gelding when he'd get "short" on a cow on a turn back, you have to "break off" the locked on feeling to get them free'd up and moving fluid again.
Anyway, it really gave us the tools to free up her mind and body which helped free my "dont' knock" brain which sometimes make you look down and lock on to the barrel yourself.
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  Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | What is her style? Do you know what you need to do to ride her? Are you listening to multiple people? You said you feel like people think you can't ride. I've been where you are. I went to Danny and Vickie Reinhardt's home and Danny changed my mindset about my horse and my riding with this one sentence.
"Ride him like you own him."
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BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | CanCan - 2016-09-06 7:35 PM What is her style? Do you know what you need to do to ride her? Are you listening to multiple people? You said you feel like people think you can't ride. I've been where you are. I went to Danny and Vickie Reinhardt's home and Danny changed my mindset about my horse and my riding with this one sentence.
"Ride him like you own him."
Her style is, she has to be ridden deep into the pocket, my leg needs to be at the barrel before I sit and ask her to turn. I need to ride her straighter longer at the 2nd and 3rd. Very catty.
She goes where I tell her, and I'm telling her tooooo sooooon! I've been doing drills to ride her to the fence, to train myself to ride her past the barrel. We do awesome at home, then get to a show and I get so in my head, I just jack everything up, lol.
I really need to ride her like Sarah McDonald rides Bling and just push push push. It's hard for me to do. |
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 Three in a Bikini
Posts: 2035
| Whenever I feel this way I stop going.
That doesn't mean I sell out or give up... I just take a break. 
In my world if I am not absolutely THRILLED to be loading up and heading down the road WIN or LOSE, then it is not worth it to attend.
I put way too much effort/time/money into this to let it drag me down. It should only be an exciting time.
And as far as the awkward ugly 5D rides go... We have all been there! I don't know the struggles you are facing with this particular horse, but I do know that a positive mindset can change a lot of things. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1286
Location: Mississippi | Exactly where you are right now - it is becoming where I don't want to go because I know I will be disappointed. For every 1 clean run we have about 5 knocked runs. I need to do exactly what you are saying in order to ride mine too. I know I put way too much pressure on myself and feel like I am letting down my husband, trainer, etc when I run which makes it worse. Hugs! |
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Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| I have thought about this all day. I have a little pen pal that runs in youth rodeos. I have never seen her run or even a video. She had the winning time everywhere but would hit a barrel. This is what I told her. Make sure you sit up in your turns. You are leaning into the turn. If you have a picture of yourself turning the barrel and you are in a straight line with your horse, you are leaning into the barrel. Let me use myself as an example. Look at my teeny picture in my avatar. Nice pic don't you think? I am right in line with my horse. That means I am leaning. I had that paint where he would hit the second barrel most of the time. Sitting up fixed it.
Solution,. Go back to basics. Start at a trot. Stand up. Both hands on the reins. When you get to your rate spot, SIT. Weight on outside stirrup, drop outside rein and push back on your horn. Do not look at the barrel, look where you want the horse to go. That means look past the barrel to the fence then to the next barrel. Don't just let your horse turn the barrel, guide the horse around it. Surprisingly they go right where you look. Practice this till it just comes natural to you. Think it will take more than 5 or 6 times. Then you are ready to speed up to a slow lope. When you get good at this at a slow lope it will happen faster.
My little pen pal thought she could remember to sit up running, she did and was winning right away. The key is instead of saying "I already do that" she was willing to try something to improve. |
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 Some Kind of Trouble
Posts: 4430
| My vote is get off her for a while and ride the other one. You're in your head and sometimes the harder you try, the worse it gets. Get your confidence in yourself back and let her have a break while you're at it.. things make look a lot clearer then. |
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BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | Dodge629 - 2016-09-08 10:15 AM My vote is get off her for a while and ride the other one. You're in your head and sometimes the harder you try, the worse it gets. Get your confidence in yourself back and let her have a break while you're at it.. things make look a lot clearer then.
Yes thank you, that's my plan. I'm going to continue to do drills at home and retrain myself. I got on the old reliable last night for the 1st time in a few years, as my daughter has been running him. We have 2 huge races next weekend and she's not real happy I'm taking him back for those 2, lol.
I told her she could run the mare...........I got a look, you know the look you get from a teenager? |
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Veteran
Posts: 285
| Think about what you are doing different than you use to. Everyone goes through these things. Work on riding and the checks will come. Might need to take a break from running barrels and enjoy each others company. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Tbred - 2016-09-07 8:27 AM CanCan - 2016-09-06 7:35 PM What is her style? Do you know what you need to do to ride her? Are you listening to multiple people? You said you feel like people think you can't ride. I've been where you are. I went to Danny and Vickie Reinhardt's home and Danny changed my mindset about my horse and my riding with this one sentence.
"Ride him like you own him."
Her style is, she has to be ridden deep into the pocket, my leg needs to be at the barrel before I sit and ask her to turn. I need to ride her straighter longer at the 2nd and 3rd. Very catty.
She goes where I tell her, and I'm telling her tooooo sooooon! I've been doing drills to ride her to the fence, to train myself to ride her past the barrel. We do awesome at home, then get to a show and I get so in my head, I just jack everything up, lol.
I really need to ride her like Sarah McDonald rides Bling and just push push push. It's hard for me to do.
sooo-my daughter is riding my "good" horse because I started another one-I hit a lot of barrels with that "good" horse BUT if I didn't it was awesome-changed a saddle one year-tipped almost $2K worth of barrels that summer-huh-dummy it was the saddle! Fit the horse great but not me-went back to the old saddle-no more problems-point? Have you changed ANYTHING?? If so-WHY-IF not, WHY! Now back to my daughter-after watching her struggle and struggle with this little powerhouse-who BTW is an awesome heel/breakaway horse too-he just loves to work! My husband comes out one day and gets on him-can get him by every stinking barrel-no problem! We all finally realized my daughter was leaning! She still has to be on her game but hasn't tipped in 6 runs-she still simply steps in the outside stirrup and keeps her shoulders straight-she's not winning races-but getting closer every run-the horse is scary fast to ride and I don't think I ever let him full out GO. point? Are you leaning? You've lost weight-does your saddle fit you-find ONE thing to concentrate on as you walk into that gate (make sure someone is there with you telling you what to concentrate on) and DO it! You know you can-so DO it! BUT dont expect perfection EVERY time......... |
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