|
|
 Veteran
Posts: 193
 
Location: USA | Hey guys, so I just got an OTQH mare and she is beautiful!!! With only 3 outs and only being match raced I LOVE her! Plus, shes a grey (I'll try to post pics later) She is also smoking fast! But I've never worked with QH's from the track just TB's and right now she's a little spirited so I'm gonna let her settle in right now in her new home. But I was wondering what type of bit do you mainly use when re-training them? I was told if she got a little strong to use a D-Ring twisted wire but first I think I'm gonna try a snaffle bit with her. Also whats the first thing you do after you get all their ground work done and established whats the first thing you work on in the saddle? Moving off your leg, Counter arches etc;
Thank you~ |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: Great NW | I always turn mine out and let them just chill out while their bodys cleanse. Seh will settle once she comes down from her high :) She needs to learn all her basics. Get the Clinton Anderson Tapes out or watch you tube versions of his training steps and you will not miss a step. Good luck and have fun with your new addition. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1898
| speedjunkie - 2014-02-26 11:27 AM
I always turn mine out and let them just chill out while their bodys cleanse.  Seh will settle once she comes down from her high :) She needs to learn all her basics. Get the Clinton Anderson Tapes out or watch you tube versions of his training steps and you will not miss a step. Good luck and have fun with your new addition.Â
I agree! The basics are very important. Start from the ground up. You may find that she has some good training on the ground but there will also areas where she is lacking. Tie her head around with a smooth o-ring snaffle. lots of ground driving. When she starts giving consistently then you may want to start riding. You may be able to stay in the smooth snaffle and you may feel you need a little more. I went from a smooth o-ring to a nice twisted wire on mine and stayed there for a long time. If she starts to get stiff and starts pulling, leaning or bracing on the bit go back to the ground. You always want to stay as soft as possible. I found with my gelding that nice light bumps were my friend. Do not jerk.
When I got my gelding he would break at the poll with light rein pressure but had little response with left or right direct rein and would root out and push on the bit when I asked him to stop or slow down. Lots of ground work and the light bumping, and he is now super soft on dry work and on cattle, much more responsive then I had ever imagined he would be.
As for what to work on first, I think getting them to flex in the snaffle and getting a good whoa is the most important thing at first. If you are using your reins and legs correctly from the beginning all the "fancy" stuff will be much easier. |
|
| |
|
| RodeoRider97 - 2014-02-26 11:22 AM
Hey guys, so I just got an OTQH mare and she is beautiful!!! With only 3 outs and only being match raced I LOVE her! Plus, shes a grey (I'll try to post pics later) She is also smoking fast! But I've never worked with QH's from the track just TB's and right now she's a little spirited so I'm gonna let her settle in right now in her new home. But I was wondering what type of bit do you mainly use when re-training them? I was told if she got a little strong to use a D-Ring twisted wire but first I think I'm gonna try a snaffle bit with her. Also whats the first thing you do after you get all their ground work done and established whats the first thing you work on in the saddle? Moving off your leg, Counter arches etc;
Thank you~
************************************************************
************************************************************
Do not under estimate what match racers do to horses .... they are not restricted to not using every drug in the book, nerving or hyping one up with restricted drugs right at the starting gates at a match race ...
Pay special attention to any limp or gimp and scars on knees (chip surgery or injections) while you are teaching her the basics ...
Use an offset O-ring 3/8" 2 piece smooth mouth bit and learn to use it two handed to work on stopping, turning with one rein and doing lots of trail and pasture riding before you start any arena work. Clinton Anderson bought the patent from my old bit maker and these bits are available thru him for $45 .... Learn to use a good snaffle bit with split reins and with your hands one side at a time and this can easily become the only bit you ever need ...
Keep in mind snaffle bits work off the pressure on the lips at the corners of the mouth .. so you could drop the bit without a smile or only half a wrinkle at the corners ... this will help keep the horse from running into the bit as they are taught to do on the track ..
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2121
Location: The Great Northwest | The basics are the foundation on which you build your horse. Very few of the track horses have had basics installed. I would start on the ground building the basics. The basics/respect learned on the ground will be a huge help when you ride. Clinton Anderson has the best step by step method of teaching the basics. Go to the web site downunder horsemanship. |
|
| |
|
 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | How long has she been off the track?
I've got two OTQHs but didn't get either of them straight from the track, so I have no experience bringing one down off the racetrack high or doing their very early retraining. I will say that everything I do with them is done slowly until they have it completely right, then I try it at a faster pace. Clifford (the one I've had since Nov. 2012) is now patterned on barrels but I spent a ton of time just walking the pattern so we could do things correctly. I had to really work with him on moving off my feet, bending through the ribcage, basically anything that didn't involve running straight fast. He has always tried to do what I've asked, but it took a little time and patience to get him to slow down and figure things out rather than rushing through things and guessing at what I wanted. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 193
Location: USA | She literally just came from off the track. But she is just so calm and laid back even all the way back home from TX to NC. Even right now she's just as calm as can be. But earlier I guess with the cold air she was a little fresh. And I train all my horses with Clinton Andersons method and I'm going to start her as if she was un-trained. And she has no blemishes on her legs, hooves, body but I don't know if she's ever been injected but she doesn't seem like anything is wrong with her she's 100% sound and we're planning on getting her checked by our vet and getting her shod. |
|
| |
Folks on-line