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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| I have been having issues for the past couple of years with using too much hands in my turns. I have a soft, quick, barrel horse that needs me to keep my hands quiet and not even touch his face. He never fights me at all, our issue is that I pull him onto the barrels on the backside. I pull the rein out towards the barrel. This is old habit from my younger days running barrels on free running horses that I had to physically pull around the barrel and pray they turn. Now each time there is an issue with a run it all goes back to me over-riding with my hands. When I do slow work and make practice runs my hands are perfect... How have you kicked this habit, and what advice can you give me? I'll post videos if needed. |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
 
Location: Texas | English lessons. We can all benefit from that. |
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 BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | IowaCanChaser - 2017-06-28 12:37 PM I have been having issues for the past couple of years with using too much hands in my turns. I have a soft, quick, barrel horse that needs me to keep my hands quiet and not even touch his face. He never fights me at all, our issue is that I pull him onto the barrels on the backside. I pull the rein out towards the barrel. This is old habit from my younger days running barrels on free running horses that I had to physically pull around the barrel and pray they turn. Now each time there is an issue with a run it all goes back to me over-riding with my hands. When I do slow work and make practice runs my hands are perfect... How have you kicked this habit, and what advice can you give me? I'll post videos if needed.
I recently discovered that bits are not effective when you pull sideways, lol. Pull back or up, not out. A trainer/clinition had me pull out and look at my bit. After seeing it and pulling straight up and seeing the results in my horse, it fixed me.
A friend saw me make a run and I started to revert to pulling out, she said I quickly corrected myself and pulled up. It's amazing how fast my horse comes around when I go up instead of out.
Now........I'm not talking about picking your hand straight up to your face level, lol, not that high, lol.
Thumb up |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | How long are your reins? Can you lengthen them to give yourself some wiggle room? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| clover girl - 2017-06-28 2:35 PM
How long are your reins? Can you lengthen them to give yourself some wiggle room?
I tried that and currently ride with pretty long reins for a barrel racer. |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | I have the same problem. My mare doesn't need help in her turns and yet I always end up yanking on her. I don't have heavy hands when I'm riding around, I usually have her on a draped rein.
I had an atrocious run on the 18th, when I watched it in slow motion I wanted to chop my hands off. Since then I have been practicing at a walk and trot and having myself somewhat dramatically sit back and literally drop my hand until I have zero contact with her.
My hope is that when I run this weekend at least SOME muscle memory kicks in and I sit harder than I usually do and leave my horse alone lol |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | Tbred - 2017-06-28 2:17 PM
IowaCanChaser - 2017-06-28 12:37 PM I have been having issues for the past couple of years with using too much hands in my turns. I have a soft, quick, barrel horse that needs me to keep my hands quiet and not even touch his face. He never fights me at all, our issue is that I pull him onto the barrels on the backside. I pull the rein out towards the barrel. This is old habit from my younger days running barrels on free running horses that I had to physically pull around the barrel and pray they turn. Now each time there is an issue with a run it all goes back to me over-riding with my hands. When I do slow work and make practice runs my hands are perfect... How have you kicked this habit, and what advice can you give me? I'll post videos if needed.
I recently discovered that bits are not effective when you pull sideways, lol. Â Pull back or up, not out. Â A trainer/clinition had me pull out and look at my bit. Â After seeing it and pulling straight up and seeing the results in my horse, it fixed me.
A friend saw me make a run and I started to revert to pulling out, she said I quickly corrected myself and pulled up. Â It's amazing how fast my horse comes around when I go up instead of out.
Now........I'm not talking about picking your hand straight up to your face level, lol, not that high, lol.
Thumb upÂ
Yes, yes, yes! Lol!
All growing up through my late teens I was taught to pull out and back to my hip. Started taking lessons when I was 7, went to several clinics, etc.
Whyyyyyyyy??? It has been the worst habit to break now that I know better.
And OP, just like you, my hands are perfect riding colts and slow working a pattern. Try to send one through the pattern and I almost always revert back to my old ways. I'm so appreciative of the colt I'm currently running. He really tells on me when I do it, it's made me extra aware of it and I'm working hard to correct it. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Josey clinics have a whole session on hands. I suggest either attending one of their clinics or getting Mark's video from the clinic on using your hands properly. That was money well spent. I am so much better. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| IowaCanChaser - 2017-06-28 2:41 PM
clover girl - 2017-06-28 2:35 PM
How long are your reins? Can you lengthen them to give yourself some wiggle room?
I tried that and currently ride with pretty long reins for a barrel racer.
I do this too and I've found longer reins to be more of an issue. Maybe it's because I have long arms on a short necked horse.
Make sure your stirrups are an appropriate length to give you a solid secure seat. Heavy hands can sometimes be compensation for an insecure seat.
I shorten my reins so I don't have to make big moves with my hand and I can think about sitting down and pulling my elbow back to turn. I also don't like to have to mess with a lot of rein in between the barrels when I change hands.
An English instructor I had growing up explained it well. If you elbows are at your side and bent 90*, imagine that your forearms are mounted on drawer slides - they go forward, they go back. They do not go out. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Ohio girl moved to PA | I had this problem about 2 years ago. Ever since i started riding we were always taught to pull to our hip and crank around that barrel (WHY?!?!?!) ill never know. But 2 years ago i sent my horse to an amazing trainer and she actually taught me correct placement and all the small things we were never taught in 4h.. well being that she trained my horse i HAD to learn her ways or he wouldnt work. he cam home in december and i our show season doesnt start untill the en dof feb sometimes march depending on the weather. I used all that time to reset my body to doing it her way. walk, trot, lope. Of course for the beginning of the season i was reverting back to old ways during a run, but i just kept practicing at home and honestly one day it all came together, my horse worked perfectly like he should and it was like wow. I also have friends yell "hands" around barrels and it helps a ton!!! good luck, i know its hard to adjust but it just takes time. youll get it! |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I literally talk to myself outloud during the run. I'll say "gather" on a big exhale at my rate point and then "don't pull/outside leg" when he's committed to the turn. Of course when things get wild (he's a bit of a free runner) that all goes to sh8t.LOL |
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