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Location: Georgia | Ok, so I am pretty much planning on competing in my first rodeo, its an IPRA santioned rodeo and its being put on literally 5 minutes from where I board. I haven't competed in 2 yrs so I am a little nervous to say the least! I have 4 weeks to get my self and horse in shape, my reason for this post is can anyone give me suggestions for a first timer?? He is fine with flags, not sure how he'll be with all the noise...my thinking was get on him early and do a lot of walking around the rodeo getting him used to as much as possible, anything anyone wants to suggest to me would be much appreciated! Give me the good the bad and the ugly! |
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 Saint Stacey
| Depends on the horse. A lot of horses seem to get worse the more they look around. Some do better without being shown everything. Biggest mistake I see is girls spending way too much time warming up. |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | Make sure you don't miss call in. |
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Extreme Veteran
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| Ask for slack...less noise/people/distractions. |
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Posts: 5658
Location: Georgia | Maybe instead of entering and paying the $60 fee, I should just haul him there and see how he is with the sights and sounds etc..without actually competing, especially since I haven't hauled him in some time. I have no idea how he will react to cows and bulls since they are in the chutes next to the alley...This could have disaster written all over it. So maybe my question should be how to you prepare for rodeo? Do you start out with just taking your horse and getting them used to it, or do most of you just go for it? How many of you just went for it? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| I usually start by exhibitioning or asking for slack. I also haul to friend's houses when they are roping and get them used to more noise, confusion and the like. Usually I go to the first couple of rodeos with the idea we are looking to just survive and have a good experience, rather than trying to win. The ground, the chutes, the crowd...its all new. |
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Location: Georgia | KindaClassey - 2015-08-28 6:05 PM
I usually start by exhibitioning or asking for slack. I also haul to friend's houses when they are roping and get them used to more noise, confusion and the like. Usually I go to the first couple of rodeos with the idea we are looking to just survive and have a good experience, rather than trying to win. The ground, the chutes, the crowd...its all new.
Thats pretty much what I am planning to do. Just go for the experience, run in slack and see how he handles it. |
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10D Crack Champion
| Are there other rodeos in the area before then? Even junior or high school rodeos? Any place that would have a rodeo atmosphere would be good to see how he will react. That way you would kind of have an idea of what to expect.
I don't know anything about anything so take my opinion and advice with a grain of salt. Is he a barrel hunter? Will he come in from any angle, any gate, any location in the arena and hunt the first barrel? If he doesn't, work on that....... with slow work. If he hunts the barrels, he my not be as likely to look around when he gets in the arena. Also haul him places where there could be a bit of a rodeo atmosphere. Hauling him to a roping and just sitting outside the arena near the fence on the horse would be good.
Make a few runs to try to get with the horse and build confidence for both of you.
Edited by sodapop 2015-08-28 10:17 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| rattleandroll - 2015-08-28 3:11 PM
Ask for slack...less noise/people/distractions.
I second this.
The worst thing you can do is get really nervous, and tense. Just relax, and your horse will too, especially if it's his first rodeo. |
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
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Location: Texas | connie - 2015-08-28 3:18 PM Maybe instead of entering and paying the $60 fee, I should just haul him there and see how he is with the sights and sounds etc..without actually competing, especially since I haven't hauled him in some time. I have no idea how he will react to cows and bulls since they are in the chutes next to the alley...This could have disaster written all over it. So maybe my question should be how to you prepare for rodeo? Do you start out with just taking your horse and getting them used to it, or do most of you just go for it? How many of you just went for it?
I think this is a great idea, I was going to suggest before I saw you already said it yourself!
I was a nervous wreck at my first rodeo... But I had a well trained, seasoned, in shape barrel horse.
Is your horse young? Or is he older/more seasoned? I think this will make a huge difference in how you approach it. I just went for it and started entering rodeos and my ferst 2 rodeos I was in the perf. I rode way better in slack because I had my mind right and my horse honestly couldn't have cared less, which shocked me.
BTW slack is during the day or late at night, no crowd, no music, you usually don't don't see much going on. The perf or performance is when the actual rodeo happens. You may already know this but if not there ya go!
If you have a really solid pattern on your horse since its so close I would run in slack and then come back for the performance and walk around during that and see how he acts! |
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Location: Georgia | outrundaizy - 2015-08-29 12:31 AM
connie - 2015-08-28 3:18 PM Maybe instead of entering and paying the $60 fee, I should just haul him there and see how he is with the sights and sounds etc..without actually competing, especially since I haven't hauled him in some time. I have no idea how he will react to cows and bulls since they are in the chutes next to the alley...This could have disaster written all over it. So maybe my question should be how to you prepare for rodeo? Do you start out with just taking your horse and getting them used to it, or do most of you just go for it? How many of you just went for it?
I think this is a great idea, I was going to suggest before I saw you already said it yourself!
I was a nervous wreck at my first rodeo... But I had a well trained, seasoned, in shape barrel horse.
Is your horse young? Or is he older/more seasoned? I think this will make a huge difference in how you approach it. I just went for it and started entering rodeos and my ferst 2 rodeos I was in the perf. I rode way better in slack because I had my mind right and my horse honestly couldn't have cared less, which shocked me.
BTW slack is during the day or late at night, no crowd, no music, you usually don't don't see much going on. The perf or performance is when the actual rodeo happens. You may already know this but if not there ya go!
If you have a really solid pattern on your horse since its so close I would run in slack and then come back for the performance and walk around during that and see how he acts!
thanks for your reply, he is a 9 yr old, I haven't competed much on him nothing in the past 2 yrs, but for the past two years I have really bonded with him and we really trust each other. Now that being said, as nervous as I am getting just thinking about it, I am def. going to run slack, then bring him back during the perf. and see how he is with everything. |
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Location: Georgia | sodapop - 2015-08-28 11:08 PM Are there other rodeos in the area before then? Even junior or high school rodeos? Any place that would have a rodeo atmosphere would be good to see how he will react. That way you would kind of have an idea of what to expect.
I don't know anything about anything so take my opinion and advice with a grain of salt. Is he a barrel hunter? Will he come in from any angle, any gate, any location in the arena and hunt the first barrel? If he doesn't, work on that....... with slow work. If he hunts the barrels, he my not be as likely to look around when he gets in the arena. Also haul him places where there could be a bit of a rodeo atmosphere. Hauling him to a roping and just sitting outside the arena near the fence on the horse would be good.
Make a few runs to try to get with the horse and build confidence for both of you.
Thats a good idea, I know there are a bunch or rodeos coming up all over Ga in Sept. Just hauling to one and seeing how he handles it! thanks! I wouldn't say he is a barrel hunter, not like my mare was, but he is smart and sane so I have that on my side. lol...thanks! |
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