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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 540
 
Location: My own little world :) | Does anyone have a good routine they follow when they start their youngens on the pattern? My gelding is walking the trotting the pattern perfectly but yesterday we started trying the lope and it feels like the wheels are falling off the bus! Its not horrible but he doesn't feel as soft and supple as he did at the walk and trot. What is a good plan to follow when starting young ones loping through? Thanks! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| the best thing i could say is I have never asked the horse to lope, they always do it on their own. I just trot until they start loping in between and then eventually, one turn at a time they will begin to lope the turn, usually the third comes first. Idk why that is, but they always seem to come along really fast after they finally get comfortable loping the whole turn. Hope that helps! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 178
| I do not have them lope the pattern until they can lope smaller circles and do one, or even two barrel exercises correctly. They do not see the pattern until they have a firm foundation. Even with my seasoned horses, I do not necessarily practice the pattern- it's all one barrel or multiple barrel work, getting them to listen, and using their body to turn correctly. By the time they are ready for the pattern, it's a piece of cake. If they are started right, the rest will fall into place. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| joplin21 - 2014-05-15 12:42 PM
I do not have them lope the pattern until they can lope smaller circles and do one, or even two barrel exercises correctly. They do not see the pattern until they have a firm foundation. Even with my seasoned horses, I do not necessarily practice the pattern- it's all one barrel or multiple barrel work, getting them to listen, and using their body to turn correctly. By the time they are ready for the pattern, it's a piece of cake. If they are started right, the rest will fall into place.
I do this a lot too. It helps a lot so if you do run into problems, its not neccessarily on the pattern and you can fix it before it causes bigger problems. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 540
Location: My own little world :) | You guys have some good ideas! So the first time they ever lope through does it feel perfect? I really hardly spend any time on the barrels and I thought maybe that is why we were having a little bit of difficulty. Or maybe I am being too critical? It wasn't horrible just not exactly how I would like it. I also like them to be really broke before I start them on the pattern. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | Heck no it doesn't feel perfect! Lol.
I've been working my gelding on the pattern since March and he 'CAN' lope the pattern, but I want it done right so we are doing trotting still!
When he does lope the pattern I feel like it all comes undone. So we do something else (roll backs, lope the area outside of barrels, pick a barrel to turn to let him get the feel of turning at a lope and getting under himself better, learning to not anticipate the turn and wait for my cue, or whatever else I can think of)
Then I go back to the pattern. I'll do a nonstop pattern and trot it and then try to lope it. It is usually considerably better.
Slow work is always key. My gelding actually loves to try to lope or slow gallop it, but I don't let him.
I also do something called 'funnel' barrels so he doesn't necessarily need to be on the pattern and get sour with it, but gets the idea of barrels.
You set up the 1st and 2nd, and then use poles that 'funnel' down to where the 3rd barrel area is and you just do the 1st and 2nd turns the whole time. You can lope or trot them. And the width gets smaller and smaller.
The pattern is set up like this, but I don't follow how they do it. I just do 1st and 2nd barrel turns not the turn the barrel on the same side the whole time. But I guess you could do that too.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&do... |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | Nope it doesn't feel perfect. It depends on the horse though. Some are more natural than others. I just reward a good effort though. Their feet may not be exactly perfect and they may feel a bit awkward but I just stay calm and ride them nice and easy and try not to pick. I want them to gain confidence and enjoy it so I just make sure to ride them to their spots and stay focused and let them just work. They may skip around a bit or feel clumsy but I don't get after them for it and lope a billion circles around the barrels. I just go on and within a couple days they will start to get the feel of it. I work on the smoothness away from the pattern and eventually they will put it together. Once they start understanding more than I may start to pick at them a little but really I try to just let them pick their own style and keep their confidence up. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 540
Location: My own little world :) | Good to hear! Yes he just feels a little clumsy not like a huge train wreck or anything. I guess its just that he feels really good at the trot that I was maybe expecting too much at the lope. |
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Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | Zanadoo88 - 2014-05-16 11:18 AM Good to hear! Yes he just feels a little clumsy not like a huge train wreck or anything. I guess its just that he feels really good at the trot that I was maybe expecting too much at the lope.
Remember that the trot and lope are two totally different beat gaits so the steps are all new to him. I can't remember if it was Bo Hill or what futurity trainer that says she very rarely trots the pattern but walks and lopes it often to keep the feel as close to a run as possible. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 540
Location: My own little world :) | Just Bring It - 2014-05-16 11:30 AM
Zanadoo88 - 2014-05-16 11:18 AM Good to hear! Yes he just feels a little clumsy not like a huge train wreck or anything. I guess its just that he feels really good at the trot that I was maybe expecting too much at the lope.
Remember that the trot and lope are two totally different beat gaits so the steps are all new to him. I can't remember if it was Bo Hill or what futurity trainer that says she very rarely trots the pattern but walks and lopes it often to keep the feel as close to a run as possible.
Wow that is very interesting! Yea I guess sometimes I worry when we start to lope that I'm going to screw him up or make him not like his job because to me it just feels pretty awkward so I would imagine he feels the same way ;) |
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