|
|
 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
  
Location: Texas | I'm 90% sure I will be running in mud on saturday. I've never done this and my horse hasn't either.. Do I walk, trot, or lope? Obvioulsy I will be prepared to stop if he is slipping but there's always those horses that LOVE mud so, how do you find that out? |
|
| |
|
 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | Just go for it like it isn't mud. It really all depends on the what kind of mud it is. The mare I am runnign never ran in mud until this year. We haad no choice and I tried to baby her, but she had different ideas. Now she doesn't even blink even at the lakes that form around the barrels.
Where are you up? |
|
| |
|
 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | let your horse pick the speed. thats what I have always done with questionable ground |
|
| |
|
 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | outrundaizy - 2014-09-18 1:38 PM I'm 90% sure I will be running in mud on saturday. I've never done this and my horse hasn't either.. Do I walk, trot, or lope? Obvioulsy I will be prepared to stop if he is slipping but there's always those horses that LOVE mud so, how do you find that out?
When I have to introduce one to running in the mud, I get there early and ride in the pen before the show. Starting at walk, then a trot and finally loping BIG circles. Generally by the time I lope a lap around the arena, I can tell if they can stand up on it or not. Slipping once is expected, but if they can't take the 2nd & 3rd corners without sliding all around, I know they aren't up to running in it. I really try not to handle a horse during a mud run because I don't want to cause a big reaction and get them off balance. The first run or two, I'll just let them cruise until I figure out how much of a mudder I've got. Most times that first mud run will be far from pretty, but there are some horses who develop into mudders. Clifford is one. I'm sharing the links to his 1st mud run (also his 1st time in the perf & only his 2nd rodeo), and one of his mud runs over this year's 4th of July. As you can see, he has gotten it figured out and I just trust him to take care of us. The mud was actually much worse in this year's video - sloppy on top and slicker than snot on a marble underneath - where last year it was really pretty safe mud.
Last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIcbE1XGNLY
this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckO6bTvxWxE |
|
| |
|
Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | This is the college rodeo in Portales, NM
I don't think I will be able to get into the pen before my run, but I guess I will see what I can do! Thank you guys |
|
| |
|
 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | We have a horse that would shy away from any type of mud hole. When he had to run at a muddy arena, we found a big mud hole in the warm up area and loped lots of circles thru it and he ran good. The biggest problem was cleaning all the tack when we were done. |
|
| |
|
 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | this is one of the reason i ride at home in the rain snow sleet and hail....not every rodeo is a sun shiney day............and watch how the bucking horses are handling the ground that will give you a good idea on how to ride it............
m |
|
| |
|
Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | outrundaizy - 2014-09-18 2:09 PM This is the college rodeo in Portales, NM
I don't think I will be able to get into the pen before my run, but I guess I will see what I can do! Thank you guys
I'd be looking for some mud to ride in between now & then if I were you, just to get an idea of how your horse will handle it. Also I second the suggestion to watch the bucking horses. Pickup horses and heading horses are also good ones to watch & guage your speed from. I always watch the team roping to see how the heading horses are handling the ground when they turn steers - it seems to be the best simluation of turning a barrel.
A few other comments - "mud" is good when the arena is sandy to begin with. You typically can't get sand too wet to hold. It can get heavy and slow but the footing is almost always good on wet sand. Deep mud will be heavy and you have to really push the ratey horses into their turns if the footing is heavy. (You will be able to tell this by watching one horse move through the arena I bet) By contrast, if its loose, sloppy, slick mud, rate earlier than normal. I generally try to cruise to & around 1st then speed up if I think they can handle it. If not, just lope through and call it a day. There are always more rodeos but replacing a good horse is hard to do, and if you survive the mud w/out getting your horse hurt, life will go on. Sometimes it's just not worth pushing them full speed. |
|
| |
|
 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| What does your horse do in a muddy lot? If he's used to running around in mud up to his hoo-ha like mine have been this summer, I'd say you're probably OK. If he's a stall baby and has never met a puddle, you might want to make some puddles!
|
|
| |
|
 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | I ran my mare for the first time in mud at a rodeo.......though she would bog down and not run.......i was wrong. We took 5th place out of 30 girls that evening.
Just push and watch your footing. |
|
| |
|
Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | Thank y'all!! I just got back from riding and set up a patch big enough to turn a barrel and got it really muddy, he did great! |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
| we had to run in mud for the first time this summer at dodge city (HUGE rodeo atmosphere) 4" of rain in 2 hours it was awful - but the best thing I did was take my boy out earlier than normal for the warm up and work him in the puddles(more like ponds) and all through the mud trotting and loping got him filthy dirty muddy soaking wet, belly, saddle, leg boots and all -we were covered in it- and he ended up running one of the best runs he ever has - but at first he didn't want to get his toes wet I just had to say oh no we are ALL in - and he was awesome! |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 754
Location: Arkansas | mruggles - 2014-09-18 2:28 PM this is one of the reason i ride at home in the rain snow sleet and hail....not every rodeo is a sun shiney day............and watch how the bucking horses are handling the ground that will give you a good idea on how to ride it............
m I agree with this 100%. I still ride at home, even if it is muddy, hot, cold, etc. My theory is, if it's too muddy/hot/cold to exercise one, then it's too muddy/hot/cold to ask them for their guts comepting.
And I ALWAYS ALWAYS watch the bucking horses if I am unsure, as well as the head horses.
Edited by rodeochick382 2014-09-19 9:09 AM
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 596
Location: Somewhere in the middle of nowhere | outrundaizy - 2014-09-18 4:33 PM Thank y'all!! I just got back from riding and set up a patch big enough to turn a barrel and got it really muddy, he did great!
Did you run last night? How was the arena? It shouldn't have been too bad. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 570
Location: NM | My Stepdaughter ran last night. The ground was fine but I don't think it had really rained there yet. I went to college there way back when and that arena can handle water. It might get sloppy but it shouldn't get slick. |
|
| |
|
 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | My very first amateur rodeo this year was in the mud. Since it was my first time running in the mud and his first time running in the mud, I just let him coast through. I did not push him. We had a slow time but I didn't really care too much because we were safe! It was also our first time with not riding in the arena ahead of time, and not doing an exhibition. So it was quite the learning experience.
It wasn't that muddy ... but muddy enough for our first time!!! (never mind my pilot errors through the pattern....doh!)
http://youtu.be/M3IDUE9v5gc
Ran in the mud our second time at a small family rodeo. Not standing water or anything but I could see the skid marks of horses as we came up to each barrel. Since the stakes were NOT that high, it was not worth it to me to go balls-tothe-walls. So I just let him go through at his own pace. He actually did okay.
http://youtu.be/zR81f6qX9xI
Next time, I might have to try making him kick it up a notch since he handled these ones pretty decent.
Moral of the story -- trial and error!
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| Like others said, it depends on what kind of mud. I can't say I've ever ran my mare in what I consider 'mud' as that is a hurt horse waiting to happen. (my mare is very injury prone though.)
I did run her in pouring rain one time though at Martha Josey's arena. Pretty ugly turns, with a very very mad horse since she hates getting wet, but Josey's arena gets better the wetter it is. So it also depends on what kind of dirt mix is in the actual footing. (I don't know what Martha has, but its some cool stuff, not a slip in the entire race in pouring down rain with standing water. They intentionally put a lot of water on it, we just got lucky with rain to add to it) |
|
| |
Folks on-line