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Veteran
Posts: 120
| I just started running barrels about a year and a half ago and my horse recently got injured so I have been borrowing a horse from someone to run for the summer. I do not seem to get along with this horse at all and am having a hard time getting with her. My first couple runs on her were great but now things just keep getting worse because our styles don't match and my confidence is really taking a hit (I'm starting to question my riding ability and what not). What do you do with a horse that you can't seem to get along with or don't ride that well on? Do you try to adapt to their style or find a horse that better suits you? I have never had an experience like this before and it is extremely frustrating!
I do not own this horse and am just borrowing her but I am curious if this has happened to someone with maybe a new horse they bought or something. Thanks!! |
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 Member
Posts: 23
| If you are doing this to have fun, find a horse to have fun on. There are tons and tons of them out there. Don't make yourself miserable when you don't have to be. When we have a bad run we say "on to the next one", well thankfully, we can do the same with horses. Unless you are doing this as a career, find something to have fun on. |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| triselaine - 2016-06-05 8:52 PM
If you are doing this to have fun, find a horse to have fun on. There are tons and tons of them out there. Don't make yourself miserable when you don't have to be. When we have a bad run we say "on to the next one", well thankfully, we can do the same with horses. Unless you are doing this as a career, find something to have fun on.
Very well said!! Running this new horse has really taken all the fun out of it for me so I think it may be time to move on! Thank you! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
 
Location: Somewhere around here | I agree move on. I'm sort of in the same situation as you (owning, not borrowing though) and after lots of try and confidence going down in myself and training I decided to sell him (and keep him for sale lol). It can be tough just saying that something isn't going to work out but like the other poster said, there are a lot of other horses out there! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
Location: Georgia | Im going through the same thing. Ive had to change my line up of horses recently and I am having problems getting with one of the new horses. It has taken a hit on my confidence as well. Im struggling to let this one go because I know the potential this horse has, shes top notch caliber. In the past I have been very good about adapting my riding style to fit the horse better, but after getting a full time job I just don't have the time or energy to put out what it takes to do that anymore. I think im ready to move on and spend time on the ones I know I can just hop on and ride well. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| I'll be the odd man out. Go take a lesson. Or 5. Or 10. And don't for a second feel ashamed about it!
Barrel racers seem to be the only group of equestrian athletes who don't ride with a trainer religiously. If I went to a cutting and hadn't been to my trainers the week before, I made sure to hit the practice pen or the flag there in order to get in a 'mini lesson'.
Adapt. Learn. Grow. And let this horse teach you something new! It could end up being insanely beneficial for you in the long run to learn how to ride a different style horse! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | If you and the horse dont fit, then I would move on. I would worry about not riding this horse right and mess it up for the owner. Theres another one out there to fit you somewhere you just got to find it.
I have known of ladys that buy and they just dont click, so better to move on and find that right horse, when you dont click its just not any fun, you know you dont click and yes the runs just keep getting worst and then you start dreading running barrels. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| It's kind of between you and the owner - if she's okay with you continuing to learn the mare and maybe have some bad runs then I say go for it - you'll be a better more adaptable rider at the end. If she's worried about the horse getting off her A game then it may be time to move on.
I just sold a horse that I patterned and brought along because once he really got run his natural style did not work with my natural riding style, despite having trained him. His new owner is getting along beautifully and having better more consistent runs than I ever did. |
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| You may never find another horse that fits "your style of riding". The rider is supposed to be the thinking partner and adapt to the horse ... you are there to assist the horse ... not change the horse!!
If you look at your favorite horse ... it was the one you spent many hours on pasture, trail riding or just messing around and both of you gained confidence in each other, instead of hammering them in the arena.
Look at the number of NFR winners that won 1-2 or even 10 and never found another horse to compete on because they would not adapt to the horse's abilities and they kept looking for a duplicate of their super horse and just disappeared into the sunset ...
ALSO ............. Do what others have suggested ... go take some lessons and ride the trainers seasoned lesson horses .... keep your checkbook handy ... you MIGHT find you another fun horse to enjoy... |
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 Expert
Posts: 2161
Location: NW. Florida | I've always been told a good rider adapts to the horses style. I see people buy a winning horse then they change the style of the horse, then they stop winning on them. If something is winning and I'm buying them because they're winning, I'm not going to change anything. I buy the bit, tiedown, whatever I can. |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| rpreast - 2016-06-06 3:40 PM
I'll be the odd man out. Go take a lesson. Or 5. Or 10. And don't for a second feel ashamed about it!
Barrel racers seem to be the only group of equestrian athletes who don't ride with a trainer religiously. If I went to a cutting and hadn't been to my trainers the week before, I made sure to hit the practice pen or the flag there in order to get in a 'mini lesson'.
Adapt. Learn. Grow. And let this horse teach you something new! It could end up being insanely beneficial for you in the long run to learn how to ride a different style horse!
I have been riding with the people who actually trained this horse as a 3 year old (she's now 11) and it seems like nothing is helping. I think if I liked her personality a little more things would be easier but we don't seem to click at all together which is a bummer because she is a quick little horse! |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| Southtxponygirl - 2016-06-06 4:05 PM
If you and the horse dont fit, then I would move on. I would worry about not riding this horse right and mess it up for the owner. Theres another one out there to fit you somewhere you just got to find it.
I have known of ladys that buy and they just dont click, so better to move on and find that right horse, when you dont click its just not any fun, you know you dont click and yes the runs just keep getting worst and then you start dreading running barrels.
This is exactly where I'm at right now! I have tried adapting to her personality but someone has let her get away with pushing them around so she has a ton of bad habits. Whenever I feel like I am getting somewhere with her, we make a run and it was worse than last time and it makes me not even want to ride her or haul anywhere! I think it's time for me to say goodbye. lol |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | nicole.b - 2016-06-07 8:17 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-06-06 4:05 PM If you and the horse dont fit, then I would move on. I would worry about not riding this horse right and mess it up for the owner. Theres another one out there to fit you somewhere you just got to find it.
I have known of ladys that buy and they just dont click, so better to move on and find that right horse, when you dont click its just not any fun, you know you dont click and yes the runs just keep getting worst and then you start dreading running barrels. This is exactly where I'm at right now! I have tried adapting to her personality but someone has let her get away with pushing them around so she has a ton of bad habits. Whenever I feel like I am getting somewhere with her, we make a run and it was worse than last time and it makes me not even want to ride her or haul anywhere! I think it's time for me to say goodbye. lol
I feel for you, you need to beable to look forward to that next run and know that you will be excited about it, not worring about it being a bad time. Find a horse that you can enjoy and bond with, if you dont have that bond things cant be fun.. How much longer is your horse going to be out? |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| Southtxponygirl - 2016-06-07 8:14 PM
nicole.b - 2016-06-07 8:17 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-06-06 4:05 PM If you and the horse dont fit, then I would move on. I would worry about not riding this horse right and mess it up for the owner. Theres another one out there to fit you somewhere you just got to find it.
I have known of ladys that buy and they just dont click, so better to move on and find that right horse, when you dont click its just not any fun, you know you dont click and yes the runs just keep getting worst and then you start dreading running barrels. This is exactly where I'm at right now! I have tried adapting to her personality but someone has let her get away with pushing them around so she has a ton of bad habits. Whenever I feel like I am getting somewhere with her, we make a run and it was worse than last time and it makes me not even want to ride her or haul anywhere! I think it's time for me to say goodbye. lol
Probably another 6 months or so...he tore a suspensory so I won't be competing until next summer most likely:( I may try to find a colt to buy that I can work with this summer just to give me something to do! |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | nicole.b - 2016-06-12 5:11 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-06-07 8:14 PM nicole.b - 2016-06-07 8:17 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-06-06 4:05 PM If you and the horse dont fit, then I would move on. I would worry about not riding this horse right and mess it up for the owner. Theres another one out there to fit you somewhere you just got to find it.
I have known of ladys that buy and they just dont click, so better to move on and find that right horse, when you dont click its just not any fun, you know you dont click and yes the runs just keep getting worst and then you start dreading running barrels. This is exactly where I'm at right now! I have tried adapting to her personality but someone has let her get away with pushing them around so she has a ton of bad habits. Whenever I feel like I am getting somewhere with her, we make a run and it was worse than last time and it makes me not even want to ride her or haul anywhere! I think it's time for me to say goodbye. lol Probably another 6 months or so...he tore a suspensory so I won't be competing until next summer most likely: ( I may try to find a colt to buy that I can work with this summer just to give me something to do!
Yept, I would find something that you can work with, you may even make you another barrel horse in time.  |
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