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Location: Gadsden, AL | I have a full blooded Polish Arabian who I've been barreling and training myself for about a year and a half now.
I'm having some serious problems keeping him calm and focused on the pattern. Sometimes he even goes into what my grandfather calls his "Little Arabian Fits" where he does nothing but back up and balk up a storm. They're so bad that I think I might have more success running the pattern backwards than forwards...
Anyway, someone reccommended VitaCalm? I'm really big on giving my animals all natural and even organic feeds or supplements and I just needed to know what other people thought about it and what success or failures they had.
Also, suggestions to help with the problem that DON'T include supplements or feed changes would be especially welcome. We're all about saving some money where we can. But any suggestions at all would be more than helpful.
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
  
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I like B-1 crumbles, its takes a few weeks for results and I use it for one of my horses that is a nervous fella. I know it dont work on all horses but I like how my guy is alot more relaxed.
What type of feed are you feeding? And does your horse stay stalled up? |
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Member
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Location: Gadsden, AL | I feed really simple. Just about 3/4 of a medium sized bucket of 14% beef pellets and a small scoop of oats. And he's never stalled, always out in a big pasture. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | navesiancore - 2014-04-11 5:36 PM I feed really simple. Just about 3/4 of a medium sized bucket of 14% beef pellets and a small scoop of oats. And he's never stalled, always out in a big pasture.
Glad to hear that he stays out and not stalled up. Just a question why beef pellets, this is a cattle feed right? And 14% is pretty high.
And I know that this type of breed is a pretty hot horse naturally. |
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Location: Gadsden, AL | We have angus beef cows on the land where my horses are at, it's just what my grandfather feeds all of them.
He's pretty cheap when it comes to feeding five horses and 50-70 head of cattle. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | navesiancore - 2014-04-11 5:45 PM We have angus beef cows on the land where my horses are at, it's just what my grandfather feeds all of them. He's pretty cheap when it comes to feeding five horses and 50-70 head of cattle.
Oh OK, but I cant see feeding him Beef cattle feed would be good for him, can you put him in a pen by himself and get some lower protein horse feed for him and get him on some B-1 supplement, the B-1 does not cost much. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | With him eating cattle feed he must think hes a cow and should not be rode, lol  |
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Member
Posts: 10
Location: Gadsden, AL | Surprisingly, this is all we've ever fed my horses. They are in excellent shape, and are actually much healthier than the average barrel horses we see at competitions. But I'm definitely willing to try feeding him something else. (: |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | How offten do you feed him? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 555
Location: Puky midwest | Magarestore is great for this |
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Member
Posts: 10
Location: Gadsden, AL | Once a day |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
| animal element detox for a daily supplement and in the zone for competition days worked awesome for mine - and I had tried several different things - this was the best and its all natural and helps many other areas - definitely made a huge difference on calming and focus |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Years ago I trained Arabs full time. We had a polish Arab for 10 years that I just donated to a Therapy place due to a family crisis. Still have one half Arab. I love the breed-- they're highly intelligent and they don't take any crap but they'll try their heart out for you if you ask right.
One thing that happens with them a lot is that people over cue and over stimulate. They don't take as much leg or rein as other breeds do. What happens is the people squeeze to hard or they use their hands too rough for them. They're thinned skinned and naturally light so they take half the effort to ride. I'd look at much you're cueing and if you're releasing quick enough when he tries, especially coming in the gate.
Another thing is that they're extremely sensitive to tension in a rider. If you're tense or nervous, he's going to feel it right off. That can make one get upset at the gate as well.
Something else about Arabs is that you show them something 1-2 times and they've got it. You have to be really careful to not over-work them on the pattern. They get seasoned really, really quick. That means they don't need an exhibition -- you just run in a class whether you're ready to or not because they just don't need that extra run.
If he were mine, I would spend a whole lot of time focusing on relaxing and just walking and making it enjoyable. I'd also develope some cues of when it's time to rest and when it's time to go -- I can guarantee you he's smart enough to learn the difference. The key is to be extremely consistent in teaching & using it inside & outside of the pen, and being very specific with it. You can teach a horse to stop just by releasing your breath if you're consistent enough.
When he gets flighty or upset, don't fight with him. Just keep him soft and keep his feet moving in different directions and give him something to think about and re-direct that energy. Soon, he'll start to focus on that instead of what he's upset about. For instance, when he starts backing up, let him but make him move his hip over while doing it. Or if he's prancing forward, let him go forward but turn it into a lateral half pass -- I've seen that slow down a lot of horses really quick.
Also, check your saddle fit. Most regular barrel saddles don't truly fit an Arab. Some of the semi QH bars will but not always. Arabs have one less rib so their backs are short but their ribs are well-sprung so they're not necessarily narrow.
And also, check for any source of pain -- teeth, tack fit, etc.
As far as feed -- I've really had the best luck on Strategy or Total Equine. All my horses have gotten much hotter when on beet pulp. |
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