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 Member
Posts: 8
| That is the question.
Dragon's pattern has gotten positively gorgeous, but she just isn't firing through the whole thing. I've noticed in the playdays I took her to and during our time in a drill team that she tends to run harder the second time. It wasn't until recently that I had two thoughts.
The first is that I'm going to have to really send her in. She doesn't seem to realize she's there to run until after the second barrel, and I feel like she'd be moving quicker through the whole thing if I didn't chicken out on the way in.
The second is that maybe I should exhibition her, to to take advantage of the whole "second run is usually harder" thing. Is that something I should really look into doing? I don't want to get dependent on it, but at the same time, if it helps us reach our potential, it could be worth it?
I should also say that she knows how to run outside of the pattern and is easy to get to, but she's very setty and has trouble opening up on the barrels, even though she seems to really enjoy them.
I'd love to hear everyone's input!
Thanks in advance.
Edited by outofthebox 2018-11-19 8:36 PM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 456
Location: SW MO | outofthebox - 2018-11-19 8:35 PM
That is the question.
Dragon's pattern has gotten positively gorgeous, but she just isn't firing through the whole thing. I've noticed in the playdays I took her to and during our time in a drill team that she tends to run harder the second time. It wasn't until recently that I had two thoughts.
The first is that I'm going to have to really send her in. She doesn't seem to realize she's there to run until after the second barrel, and I feel like she'd be moving quicker through the whole thing if I didn't chicken out on the way in.
The second is that maybe I should exhibition her, to to take advantage of the whole "second run is usually harder" thing. Is that something I should really look into doing? I don't want to get dependent on it, but at the same time, if it helps us reach our potential, it could be worth it?
I should also say that she knows how to run outside of the pattern and is easy to get to, but she's very setty and has trouble opening up on the barrels, even though she seems to really enjoy them.
I'd love to hear everyone's input!
Thanks in advance.
I would say quit exhibitioning. I had a mare that was like this 5 yrs ago or so. Eventually, she would fire the first time.
1) You may not always have the option to exhibition for one reason or another.
2) Horses only have so many runs. The more times you run, the sorer she could get. I would save my horse for runs that I had put money down for.
She will learn, and one day she will fire all the way through. Trust her and send her the first time. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| Mzbradford - 2018-11-19 7:03 PM
outofthebox - 2018-11-19 8:35 PM
That is the question.
Dragon's pattern has gotten positively gorgeous, but she just isn't firing through the whole thing. I've noticed in the playdays I took her to and during our time in a drill team that she tends to run harder the second time. It wasn't until recently that I had two thoughts.
The first is that I'm going to have to really send her in. She doesn't seem to realize she's there to run until after the second barrel, and I feel like she'd be moving quicker through the whole thing if I didn't chicken out on the way in.
The second is that maybe I should exhibition her, to to take advantage of the whole "second run is usually harder" thing. Is that something I should really look into doing? I don't want to get dependent on it, but at the same time, if it helps us reach our potential, it could be worth it?
I should also say that she knows how to run outside of the pattern and is easy to get to, but she's very setty and has trouble opening up on the barrels, even though she seems to really enjoy them.
I'd love to hear everyone's input!
Thanks in advance.
I would say quit exhibitioning. I had a mare that was like this 5 yrs ago or so. Eventually, she would fire the first time.
1 ) You may not always have the option to exhibition for one reason or another.
2 ) Horses only have so many runs. The more times you run, the sorer she could get. I would save my horse for runs that I had put money down for.
She will learn, and one day she will fire all the way through. Trust her and send her the first time.
Absolutely true! Horses only have so many runs! | |
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Member
Posts: 8
| I've never exhibitioned her before a run, but I had the thought to recently. Not having the chance to at certain races is what I was worried about when I mentioned getting too dependant on it.
Guess I'm better off to just quit being a chicken, trust her, and send her in! Lol | |
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Veteran
Posts: 289
Location: Northeast SD | Horses only have so many runs. Don't waste them on exhibitions if they know the pattern.
I'd say it is more of a rider mental issue that you feel more confident after you've made a run. That's where I would start is with your mental aspect of the first run. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
 
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Sounds to me like it's time to start making a finished barrel horse out of her and just make your competition run. That's the only way she's going to learn what she's there for! Trust her, and send her! | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
Location: Duvall, WA | Its my opinion payday horses often don't fire as hard as they could, not like a barrel horse anyway. My theory is they figure they have to go in and run four more times so don't put 100% into each one. Start sending her in, NO CIRCLING, and just run her once each time, see if she starts firing harder. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | There is some science to the whole notion of being faster the second run. Their fast-twitch muscle fibers have been activated. I don't have links on hand, but you can google to learn all about it. :) | |
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