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  Independent Cuss
Posts: 3978
    
Location: Dearing, GA | When you introduce a new horse to the pattern, what is the first thing you do? Lets assume the horse knows the basics, and has a quiet handle under saddle and on the ground.
I'm interested to see what everyone teaches first. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I start the horse at a walk, I stop at all the rate points, before I begin the turn, I make sure my horse is collected, and shaped up, then I walk around the barrel and go to the next, stop at the rate point and repeat. |
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Doggy Diaper Designer
Posts: 2322
Location: WI | I guide to the key points and go around each barrel a couple times until they start to feel soft going around them and get the idea, then on to the next. |
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 Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| If I didn't train the horse I assume nothing... and will bend and turn without the barrels to see what he DOES know. Then I walk the pattern a million times in the exact spot I want him to run it. When I feel he kind of gets it I'll have him trot between the barrels and rate to get around it. One thing I do is I work in a series of 3, when I come off the third barrel I'll head to the fence around the first barrel and start again without stopping until I finish the third pattern, on the third I'll walk straight to the fence. I don't want my horse to anticipate what I'm asking.
eta photo
Edited by suzy2qtee 2015-04-13 7:47 AM
 (barrelpattern 001.jpg)
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 barrelpattern 001.jpg (85KB - 173 downloads)
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Independent Cuss
Posts: 3978
Location: Dearing, GA | Thanks. I've never been around this horse, don't know what his handle is at all. I know he has 30 rides on him, but I've never worked with a horse that I haven't started, so I was wondering if you approached this kind of horse any differently than one that you've started. I guess it's not really different, just have to review the basics to see what they know. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Mine have more than a basic handle....i pretty much ride mine for 2 years before they even see a barrel..i want them broke broke broke.......but i also dont futurity any of mine...i like to have them running at 6......i know thats not gonna work for a lot of ppl but that my program......and the first time they see a barrels its done at a trot......i dont stop at the barrel i ask for slower forward motion.......and carry on.....M |
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Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| mruggles - 2015-04-13 10:08 AM Mine have more than a basic handle....i pretty much ride mine for 2 years before they even see a barrel..i want them broke broke broke.......but i also dont futurity any of mine...i like to have them running at 6......i know thats not gonna work for a lot of ppl but that my program......and the first time they see a barrels its done at a trot......i dont stop at the barrel i ask for slower forward motion.......and carry on.....M
With an older 3-4yr BROKE BROKE horse starting at a trot is perfectly acceptable... |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| mruggles - 2015-04-13 10:08 AM
Mine have more than a basic handle....i pretty much ride mine for 2 years before they even see a barrel..i want them broke broke broke.......but i also dont futurity any of mine...i like to have them running at 6......i know thats not gonna work for a lot of ppl but that my program......and the first time they see a barrels its done at a trot......i dont stop at the barrel i ask for slower forward motion.......and carry on.....M
I am with mruggles on this one. I have seen older broke horses running 1D times in a month from when they were started on the barrels to the 1D time. Not all horses but the majority. |
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Independent Cuss
Posts: 3978
Location: Dearing, GA | The horse I'm about to take on is a 5 year old paint gelding with Merridoc on his papers- that's all I know about his breeding. His owner is a friend of mine, and said that when she got him a few months ago he had 8 rides on him. She's been working with him since, and finally got to meet him this past weekend when she took him to a fun show/barrel race. He's big, pretty, and actually pretty calm and collected. I haven't seen her really ride, since I had my own students and horses to worry about at the show, but she reached out and asked me to start patterning him. I'm going to have her ride him for me, and really put him through his paces so I can see where he is and what her ability with a horse like that is. |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | I try to make sure they can turn the "barrel" like I want them to without a barrel. I will walk the first few time they ever see the pattern, then it is a trot from then on.
I also work the pattern both ways to see which is more natural for them, unless I am starting for someone else who has a preference. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | mruggles - 2015-04-13 10:08 AM Mine have more than a basic handle....i pretty much ride mine for 2 years before they even see a barrel..i want them broke broke broke.......but i also dont futurity any of mine...i like to have them running at 6......i know thats not gonna work for a lot of ppl but that my program......and the first time they see a barrels its done at a trot......i dont stop at the barrel i ask for slower forward motion.......and carry on.....M
That's exactly what I do, except I usually start them on the pattern when they're 4 if I have them at that age. Starting at a trot keeps them focused better, and half halting instead of stopping works better for making what I like to ride. I can't imagine a 30 day horse would have the kind of handle, balance, and strength I want them to have when starting the pattern. If they can't trot a fairly correct pattern the first time I ask, they're not ready. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| Totally agree with both above. I really like mine broke enough that that can do what I ask on the pattern the first time I ask for it. Starting at a trot, of course - not faster. |
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