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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
   
Location: Ft Worth TX | I was talking to a friend the other day that truly thinks cross loping, cross cantering, cross-firing, disunited lope, or whatever you want to call it... is a common problem in barrels horses and people overlook it.... On any horse I have had that "cross loped" around a barrel it has always been resolved with a chiropractor, further training on flying changes, or more slow work. Several of her horses cross lope, is it the a way that someone would ride that could cause this? I have never really had a big problem with this on my horses I build, but growing up in a English saddle "cross cantering" was a big no-no that must immediately be corrected and was NEVER overlooked. In my book a horse that does this is either sore or not broke enough. Am I crazy to think this? |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
 
Location: Phoenix | Cross-firing to me either indicates soreness, or the horse doesn't have the strength or isn't being corrected. It's up to the rider to correct the horse when he does this. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I, as well as all my barrel racer friends, see it as sign of soreness and never overlook it or consider it par for the course. We make many trips to vets and chiros and spend lots of $$ to keep our horses feeling good. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | also besides what others mention.... make sure rider is not causing it.. mixed cues , unbalanced etc.. |
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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
Location: Ft Worth TX | Bibliafarm - 2015-05-24 4:35 PM
also besides what others mention.... make sure rider is not causing it.. mixed cues , unbalanced etc..
This is what I was really wondering because certainly every horse this girl steps over cannot be sore, she runs a lot of different horses in a year and i have seen maybe 2 that did not cross lope. What mixed signals could contribute to this issue? |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | due to her body shifting unbalanced on hind.. if she throws her weight to one side.. horse trys to compensate. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Could be letting her horses hind end be kicked out. She maybe getting too much face in a circle. |
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 Peecans
| Whoop Z Day Z - 2015-05-24 4:41 PM
Bibliafarm - 2015-05-24 4:35 PM
also besides what others mention.... make sure rider is not causing it.. mixed cues , unbalanced etc..
This is what I was really wondering because certainly every horse this girl steps over cannot be sore, she runs a lot of different horses in a year and i have seen maybe 2 that did not cross lope. What mixed signals could contribute to this issue?
in this instance i would think they are asking for leads on the front end and accidently shutting off the back end in the process so they cant get the correct lead there.
Edited by della 2015-05-24 7:44 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | daisycake123 - 2015-05-24 6:49 PM
Could be letting her horses hind end be kicked out. She maybe getting too much face in a circle.
I was thinking this too....and correct me if I'm wrong but perhaps too much of her body weight to the inside of the circle? Or would that just cause the horse to drop the shoulder, not cross fire? |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| If you have too much inside line and keep your inside leg on one it can cause the rear to kick out it does not need to be much to cross fire. |
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 Proud to be Deplorable
Posts: 1929
| I would have to agree with your friend. I see many barrel racers that cross fire to some degree. While pain can be an issue I see it as secondary issue. The primary issue IMO is rider error. Poor departure poor hand placement poor leg cues and the failure to understand that you must move the back end of a horse before you move the front end. Mostly I see this error when running to the first and almost always it is because of a poor departure. I see a lot of riders at barrel races that just bump and go and try to control the horse from the front end and ignore the back end. The back end MUST move first.
Edited by jbhoot 2015-05-25 8:22 AM
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | jbhoot - 2015-05-25 8:58 AM I would have to agree with your friend. I see many barrel racers that cross fire to some degree. While pain can be an issue I see it as secondary issue. The primary issue IMO is rider error. Poor departure poor hand placement poor leg cues and the failure to understand that you must move the back end of a horse before you move the front end. Mostly I see this error when running to the first and almost always it is because of a poor departure. I see a lot of riders at barrel races that just bump and go and try to control the horse from the front end and ignore the back end. The back end MUST move first.
exactly... control of horses hind with her body and weight and not ride the front |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | jbhoot - 2015-05-25 6:58 AM I would have to agree with your friend. I see many barrel racers that cross fire to some degree. While pain can be an issue I see it as secondary issue. The primary issue IMO is rider error. Poor departure poor hand placement poor leg cues and the failure to understand that you must move the back end of a horse before you move the front end. Mostly I see this error when running to the first and almost always it is because of a poor departure. I see a lot of riders at barrel races that just bump and go and try to control the horse from the front end and ignore the back end. The back end MUST move first.
You've explained this well, but am curious as to how you teach it? And while on a horse, how can you feel or see if they are cross-firing? Thanks! |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
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I understand this completely. Xena will crossfire with me if I hold her nose too much, or if I change her direction (say to miss an oblivious rider in a crowded warm up that I've got to go around). But she'll settle back to correct as soon as I release her nose or we return to a sane line loping.
When Xena crossfire's without any 'distraction' then I know her stifle is hurting her. |
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