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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| What are common mistakes to avoid for someone new to the futurity world? |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
  
Location: Where I am happiest | Training by the Calander. Rather then training the horse for when he is ready himself. Knowing when to back off and just letting him come on himself. Some can take it and some just aren't mature enough. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
| My first mistake was thinking I wanted to do the futurity thing - second mistake was getting determined to futurity one of mine!!
I'm assuming you are talking BFA Juvenile? If so, be sure to invest in lots of comfy and WARM clothing. I don't care that most of them are in the south. Memphis, Augusta, Murfreesboro and SE Arena were all miserably cold cold cold.
If I ever decide to futurity another of mine I won't be traveling with it as much. I'll let the trainer have all the 'fun.' |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | Trying to onesie twosie it.
And if you're going to do that, be prepared to be crotch deep and pull the plug. It's really easy to have all your eggs in the one basket and not be able to see the fact that the horse just isn't ready or isn't talented enough to compete.
It hurts when your $20k deep into training and entry fees and you pull they plug because they suck.
But it hurts even worse to be that deep and take them to town and watch them suck in front of other people
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| Most futurities have a late fee or what have you if you miss payments each month. I always said that if I had a true barn burner of a horse I would just enter late and pay the penalties instead of being out 1000s of dollars and have to not go. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | This is just my theory because I barely got to do any of it.. but here's what I would/will do differently if I get to do it again.
Haul and exhibition at the big shows all year (if you are doing it yourself and not paying a futurity trainer to take care of it). I know that sounds obvious... but in addition to hauling to the close stuff to get them going, they really need to exhibition and see the arenas that have all the banners, the solid walls, the noise, the stalling overnight.. etc.. Mine were ready to go as far as knowing the barrel pattern and going to correct speed. But I never took them to the arenas that they will be at as futurity horses, so, mine was a little green at the one I took her to.
Then by March she was solid..by May I was ready to late enter her into the rest of them... and then she was out 4 or 5 months with an injury. And by October when I was back on her I just figured there's no point to jump in now.. so next year I'm doing bigger shows, hauling the young one with her, and we will see how that goes. |
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Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24953
Location: WYOMING | You can not get your colt out and about enough! GO GO GO... go to ropings, sortings, barrel races, parades! LOL
Think about the ground you will be running on. If its different from your area... make an effort to go where its closer to the venue.
Make sure your colt is comfortable stalling. Yep... I had one who lived outside most of the time and once in a stall on the road it wore itself out adjusting.
You gotta let those babies make some decisions and fail without nit piking. Confident colts out run people.
EVALUATE your prospect. Fragile minds get more fragile on the futurity trail. Consider pedigree and who matures faster.
Plan ahead for farrier needs. Maybe take your own shoe puller.
Don't think you can't beat them... everyone can be outrun!
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7550
Location: In The Land of Cotton | geronabean - 2018-11-14 2:17 PM You can not get your colt out and about enough! GO GO GO... go to ropings, sortings, barrel races, parades! LOL Think about the ground you will be running on. If its different from your area... make an effort to go where its closer to the venue. Make sure your colt is comfortable stalling. Yep... I had one who lived outside most of the time and once in a stall on the road it wore itself out adjusting. You gotta let those babies make some decisions and fail without nit piking. Confident colts out run people. EVALUATE your prospect. Fragile minds get more fragile on the futurity trail. Consider pedigree and who matures faster. Plan ahead for farrier needs. Maybe take your own shoe puller. Don't think you can't beat them... everyone can be outrun! So true and good solid advice.
Mine live outside and can get into shelter if they want. No stalls. Mine has been to Tx, KY, GA and everywhere in between this year. She has been on vacation more then I have. Been to every kind of pen they have. Has been broke down on the side of the road. Loaded into a strange trailer in parking lots.
All I can do now is wait and see what happens. If she doesn't clock, and win, oh well. She will be nice later.
Edited by 3canstorun 2018-11-15 8:00 AM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 346
Location: USA | I agree! I feel that I am rushing my colt and I really need to back off and not "train by the calendar". I have a Greg Olsen futurity spot with two stalls available, make me an offer. Message me if interested.
I feel that he's going to be really nice, but I'm am feeling pressured that he's not where he needs to be and this point. Going to let him tell me when he's ready.
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 Scooters Savior
Location: "Si Fi" Ville | Here’s a few things that I found important,
make sure you know the rules for each futurity.
I always found ourselves in a barn with several sick horses. I would definitely get an immunity booster from the vet and give it prior to hauling.
I always carry tubes of oneprazole too.
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