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 The Crazy Mom
Posts: 2132
  
Location: Ainsworth, NE | I have a 5 year old I'm riding for a friend that they want to sell. She is broke but needs some "tuning" (better flex, moving from pressure ect). Right now I think she would do better left first but with more training she might get better/more coordinated with left turns. They want to sell her as a started horse not keep her until totally finished. So for resale purposes would going left hinder her "sale-ability"? |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
 
Location: Southeast Louisiana | I know it's kind of an old mindset, but when I see one going to the left, I can't help but think they had problems is why they were possibly changed to the left. I can't help it, it's the first place my mind goes. So, I'd be ready to answer questions about whether she had problems or not. Now, this is coming from a girl with a horse that goes left first. So, it definitely wouldn't stop ME from buying one I like. Mine can go right, but his runs are better going left. I like his right turns better. I did recently try to sell him, and had one person who was turned off that he went left. So, I guess it can affect sale-ability. If she's just started, I'd just say she's going in both directions, but looking better to the left. If a buyer is determined to go right, they can finish her out that way. |
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| I personally... CAN NOT get a horse to make that pretty swoop into first to the left.... unless i make a circle... i have no idea why but i just can't invension that same swoop in from the ight to the left... maybe my two brains arent connected?!?!  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 639
Location: God's country...aka TEXAS | I think it is the older mindset that automatically assumes a horse has issues if they go to the left. I personally prefer a left handed horse. I think they tend to have an advantage in rodeos where there are offset gates/alleys. They can see their first barrel better. |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Not for me it doesn't. The only time I think it would is if its a horse for a child. We have a sweet little mare that would make someone a great kids horse. She's a lefty, any time I've had a little one try her out they were messed up. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| It would for me because my mom and I trade horses to ride. She can not get riding to the left. I guess 50+ years of only going right makes it hard to learn new tricks. I kind of like it, but we can't afford to have multiple horses that are only for 1 person. |
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Expert
Posts: 1414
| Doesn't matter to me! |
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 If it Ain't a Paint it Ain't!
Posts: 8519
Location: Mansfield, Tx | WOW....
I personally train all my horses to the left ....
You need to listen to the horse.. if the horse is better one way vrs the other then change or start the horse that way... just b/c a horse goes to the left barrel first doesn't mean it's had problems and they were switched.
a left handed horse ALWAYS has better ground( unless your the first horse out) then a right handed horse.
(some ppl need to stop and think about that) how many right handed horse are there and they all tear up the ground ( b/c of the approach they take going into it) but the approach is different going to the 2nd barrel (left) so, there aren't the BIG holes to fall into when running to the left barrel first. Of course unless a left handed horse has ran before you.
JHMO... take it or leave it. everyone has them. I prefer to run to the left barrel first if it fits my horse.
It would NEVER be a buying decision for me one way or the other.
Edited by RunningOnPaints 2014-05-28 7:32 AM
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Expert
Posts: 1226
| Would never have crossed my mind that a lefty would be that way cause of problems to the right. And I don't think that's true. It wouldn't effect my buying decision at all. If they run good why would it matter? Jmo also |
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Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24954
Location: WYOMING | It DOES for some buyers. I had people say so when I had a lefty for sale. A couple wanted to know if I would turn him to the right for them... lol |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I run lefties and righties, so does my sister.
It doesn't bother me. I will say the first time you run a lefty you realize how many arenas have off center alleys! Theres a handful where we run all the time that are a little straighter to the left barrel first than the right and you have to adjust your approach.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | It only affects me on my "blonde days". I have some that are left but most go right. I was exercising a horse and decided to make a practice run. I couldn't figure out why he had the wrong lead going into first barrel and that he ran almost confused into second. It wasn't until I was turning second it dawned on me.... horse goes right first, not left. Thank goodness he's a cool horse and was up for anything but I'm sure he was thinking what is wrong with me.
Now at the gate I remind myself LEFT, or RIGHT first.
I do think left horses have an advantage in the draw as they do tend to hit fresh ground unlike horses who go right.
Personally I try all horses left and right, 90% of mine go better right but I pick what works for the horse. Personally I'd rather run a horse left that smokes his barrels, then take him right and make a mediocre run.
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | I personally like lefties better and it wouldn't affect my decision. the approach to the 1st is usually better and It helps me as a rider ride the horse I'm on and not go into auto pilot! I thought I would have huge problems with my lefty and getting used to it and it came a lot more natural than I thought and I'm happy to have that confidence now :)
Edited by Crowned Image 2014-05-28 11:18 AM
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 Big Gun
Posts: 2216
Location: Texas | Doesn't bother me. I make my horse go both ways, but I prefer left on the one I'm riding currently but this weekend at a 3 day weekend barrel race I took him left, right and back to left. Makes him listen to me too |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | My first barrel horse was a lefty, so it has never bothered me. I start everything both ways, and then pick the way I like them best. Some I have randomly switched back and forth for various reasons. The last horse I sold, I included videos of him going both directions even tho I liked him better left. His current owner is running him right. I don't think she would have bought him if he had been a dedicated lefty. |
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | I do think it deters many from buying one and like someone else mentioned, I usually feel there was an issue that caused a horse to be switched. But that being said, my horse is being started to the left as it seems to be best for him. |
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 pow wow princess
Location: Where ever life takes me, Oklahoma | I'm sure it would a lot of people. My new boy that I have started is gonna be a lefty I tried him to the right, but we just weren't clicking that way, so to the left we went, I wasn't thrilled about it, but thats the way he does the best, so I am rolling with it and he is coming along amazingly well. |
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| I prefer the left actually. The first good/competitive horse I ever ran was a lefty, so it's just natural for me to go that way now. I actually have more horses that go left than right; they probably don't NEED to go left, but it works for me and my horses. |
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 Regular
Posts: 56
Location: Alberta | It wouldn't deter me from buying a horse. Some of the best horses that I have ridden went to the left. A couple of horses that I have trained on barrels I started them going to the right, but somewhere along in their training something wouldn't click and they wouldn't run a nice pattern. So I switched them to the left and they started to lay down some nice runs. That being said I had a horse that I ran to the right for about a year then he started to not want to turn his first barrel so we switched him to the left and he is still making good runs to this day running left.
I agree with what everyone else is saying about going to the left can be a big advantage with offset alleys, where I live we have a lot of them, and just the approach into the barrels you can have better ground. |
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 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | It wouldn't bother me. I just bought a colt that goes to the left. Does anyone think it would have kept Lindsey from selling Martha because she was having trouble and she switched her to the left? |
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