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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
 
Location: Northern Ontario | I had this cute 14.2hh gelding before I went to college. Unknown breeding but he looked like a little cowhorse and originally came from alberta. Anyway, Trooper was small and not very fast, rough trot ect but he was quick on his feet and had a powerful hind end. As an example, when I was breaking him and working in the roundpen, he would either get low to the ground(like a cutter) or rollback when changing directions. He was quick and snappy on his feet and could spin like an NRHA champ when motivated(ie spooking haha). So all this was natural ability because I was more clueless than I am now
My coach has a pretty little mare that is extremely catty. She can turn a barrel really tight without even slowing down. She said that she was really lazy when she got her as a 3yr old and didnt work how she does now.
This is my question. Is cattiness natural ability or you can get it with training? Can you really teach a horse to be quick and snappy or they always had it in them? I really like the catty horses. Oh and can a taller horse be quick and snappy or its a small horse thing? Both horses in my examples were 14.2 and not super stocky |
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | Well one thing is for sure, you can't teach a horse to be catty, or "gritty" but many people prefer those type of horses, some seem to have more heart. I have a very very "catty" mare, in fact her momma was nick named "cat" so I believe it is a hereditary trait. She will pin her ears and wag her tail and smoke a run!
I also believe some horses have more natural ability then others, I prefer a horse that is quick and light footed, not every horse moves the same. My filly was very lazy, I did lots of exercises with her to keep her lighter on her feet and quick footed around a barrel, including setting up ground poles, trotting over them helped her pick up her feet.
Some horses are heavy footed and still make great barrel horses, but that's what's makes it fun, learning all the different styles and riding different horses.
I think the most important factor in a winning barrel horse is heart. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
Location: Northern Ontario | If a horse has natural cattyness, will they show it when you start riding them or you have to develop it(if its naturally within them)? Like can you tell if a horse will be catty undersaddle just by the way it moves out in the field and undersaddle the first few months? You can make a horse who has natural quick movements dull with improper training so can you make a duller horse snappier(quick) with training?
Edited by SuperTrooper 2014-11-19 12:03 AM
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Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | You an teach a horse to be snappier and lighter on their feet but I do not believe you can teach them to have grit or cattyness, that comes naturally |
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 Expert
Posts: 2013
Location: Piedmont, OK | I don't think you can teach it. i think they are either born with it or not..... |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | I've always called what you are referring to as cattiness, quickness. And there is a difference between a horse that is fast and one that is quick. The one that is fast is fast between, and the quick horse is fast around a barrel because they are so light on their feet. Quick horses usually run great patterns but don't always have the fastest times. Usually you can see this trait in the pasture. I believe a lot of it is genetic. In my experience they tend to be cow/cutting bred, smaller, and lightly built. I prefer a quick horse for poles. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
Location: Northern Ontario | Yes thats what I mean by cattyness....quick fluid and snappy movements! :) |
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