run n rate - 2014-02-05 6:00 PM

I think it depends on the horse. After running a ratey mare for years my version of rating one was to quit kicking. Then I ran a Beuduino bred mare for a friend, she was constantly yelling "rate, rate, RATE!!!! For the Love of GOD RATE!!!" I kind of finally got it, with that mare you had to slowly pick up and ask ever so sweetly for "hey, can you check back here with me, we are going to turn and probably shouldn't do so with an 18 foot stride carrying you 32 MPH..." If you grabbed her her head flipped upside down and you were on a trial ride.
I now have two free runners, but the gelding will rate nicely where ever you ask for it, the mare you kind of have to ask her the same way I did the Beuduino mare and tag on "if you rate and turn here, you will get to run like a striped azzed ape to the next barrel, won't that be great???" The other mare is a barrel hunter, she gets out of the trailer and rates anything that is round and taller than her knee ,with you merely going from Ed Wright very forward hip tilt encouraged position to ever so slightly rolling your hips under and she's rating back to you. If you don't do it she tends to rate herself but on her front end. On a horse like her you do not want to run out an open gate with a garbage can holding it open....just an FYI.

hoofs_in_motion - 2014-02-06 7:49 AM

I rate my mare, she is a push type, if I don't rate her....she rates herself which throws me off during the run. I quit kicking once I hit my rate point, give her a check which is lifting my inside hand and kiss her through the turn. I like push type horses.