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 Expert
Posts: 2128
  
| So I have just begun seasoning and hauling my horse. He has been entered 5 times so far. He is clocking right at or a little under a second off of the winning times. 1 second seems like a lot to make up. For those of you who have started and seasoned your horses, how long did it take to see peak performance from your horse. How much time were you able to make up hauling and seasoning? Just wondering what to expect from your experiences. I know all horses are different. Thanks in advance for the feedback :) | |
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 As Good As I Once Was
Posts: 1211
Location: frozen tundra of pa | Just for a gauge,since all horses are different it took me a year of hauling for one horse to knock that one second off of his time but he didnt get hauled every weekend either | |
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Location: Somewhere up North | You are right, it does depend on the horse. Some horses are more laid back and you can push them harder while others are cruising a nice pattern at 1-second off and if you push them too hard, they begin to unravel. Withouth seeing any of your runs; and how your horse handles, it is hard to say what your horse needs.
I've had all different kinds and the thing I have learned is that you need to read each horse differently. I have two young horses (1 5-yr old and 1 4-yr old) and the 5-yr old cannot handle the added speed at this time while the 4-yr old is ready to step it up.
Just continue to read your horse and do what is appropriate. I personally like to let the horse add speed on their own over time. It may seem like a slow process but when you get to the point where you are clocking well, it is worth the wait. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | I too started last year hauling a 7 yo gelding i trained, we entered roughly 20 races over the year last year. We started out clocking in the 19's & 20's, and in July we entered what I considered a big race for us! We won a check with a 19.263, and by the end of the year we were clocking in the mid 17's. I am very pleased, and more than ready to get after it this year, because I feel like we can improve!! We videoed alot of our runs, so I can see the things I need to improve on, my horse is a push style horse, which is hard for me to ride, ( i feel) bc I am not an aggressive rider. So I need to remember to kick all the way all the time!!!
Good Luck to you and keep after it!!! | |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I am running 4 geldings that I trained and seasoned myself, and each one has come on at a different pace.
The newest addition, Streak, took a while to even get to 2 seconds off, and just recently has run in the 3D. He's been with me almost a year, but needed a lot of work on his right lead and right turns so he wasn't solid loping the pattern until about August and I didn't start entering him regularly until late September. He drew a handful of 4D checks in the fall and has started to figure out the first barrel, which is where we're losing all our time, so I expect him to be in the 2D locally by the start of the summer. I don't know if that's the ceiling for him and only time will tell.
My blaze face sorrel, Clifford, has a ton of videos on my Youtube channel (search for Behold He Reigns, barrel racing and they should pop up). He initially was 3 seconds off my seasoned rodeo horse, but hit the 2D on about his 5th competition run, clocked in the 1D at state NBHA finals on his 18th run, and won the 1D at an added money race on his 23rd run ever.
Dec. 2nd, 2012 - 1st run -- http://youtu.be/8YgohSK5byM
June 1st, 2013 - 27th run ever & 4th rodeo run -- http://youtu.be/id-BvcKIIAs
June 20, 2014 - his 1st rodeo win -- http://youtu.be/S6QmdOCFWC4
Oct. 19th, 2014 - State NBHA 2nd round -- http://youtu.be/tht8HtWkJso
In 2014, he really came on and I ran at more rodeos than jackpots because he handles all types of ground. Until he came up sore recently and needed some maintenance, he was a threat to win any jackpot or rodeo.
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| Thank you guys for the insight. I am looking forward to this year and much improvement (hopefully) :) | |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Every horse is different, and every rider is different too, LOL. My mare and I are still about 2 to 2.5 seconds off (closer to the 2.5 seconds off) but over the past 3 years I have entered her about 14 times or so I think, so not consistent and it was mostly my fault. Each run we make, though, is a little faster. However, my mare will likely top out as a 3D horse, but I don't care, we have fun and she is makes the same run...the fastness mostly depends upon how hard you push her. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1092
Location: OK | rodeowithjoker, what was that you said on your way to the second in the first video? LOL!
I right now have a mare who has had 90-120 days, not consistently, I'd say it took me 6 months to put that training on her, and I've entered her twice. She's really smart and laid back, so I'm hustling a little and letting off the gas way too soon until she gets really comfortable. As she gets better at placing her feet in the turn, I'll let off the gas later and later so I'll be hustling all the way in there. I feel like right now she could take more speed, but I'm trying to contain myself and keep from scaring her. In this mare's case, I'll have her seasoned and ready to go by summer if I get to go 1-2 times per month. She never spooks in a run and so far is handling ground well. It also helps that we do all kinds of other stuff on her, so she's never bored and she does plenty of slow things besides just running barrels. | |
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Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | jojammer - 2015-02-18 2:17 PM rodeowithjoker, what was that you said on your way to the second in the first video? LOL! I right now have a mare who has had 90-120 days, not consistently, I'd say it took me 6 months to put that training on her, and I've entered her twice. She's really smart and laid back, so I'm hustling a little and letting off the gas way too soon until she gets really comfortable. As she gets better at placing her feet in the turn, I'll let off the gas later and later so I'll be hustling all the way in there. I feel like right now she could take more speed, but I'm trying to contain myself and keep from scaring her. In this mare's case, I'll have her seasoned and ready to go by summer if I get to go 1-2 times per month. She never spooks in a run and so far is handling ground well. It also helps that we do all kinds of other stuff on her, so she's never bored and she does plenty of slow things besides just running barrels.
It should have been WOW! LOL. He threw me for a loop by accelerating across the pen because I had never asked for any speed at all. That was about the 5th day he saw the pattern, and the only reason he was entered is that it was a three-week Bonus Race qualifier series and I knew attendance wouldn't be great so he would have a shot at the 5D qualifier. He was 2nd in 4D that day, won 4D money the next two weeks and won the 5D qualifier, then went to Lincoln in April and won the 5D saddle with a really bad run......I sure am glad I entered him too soon! LOL. | |
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