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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 396
 
Location: Iowa | Hey guys! So last night was the first time I have ran my gelding on not so perfect ground and he really did not want to sit for turning the barrel and he really safeftied up and didn't run in between barrels. I just let him pick the speed since it was our first time in muddy conditions. He has been placing 1D/2D at NBHA with great ground but last night he was probably a 4D time. So my question is....is there a way to improve the way he runs on bad ground so we both get confidence? Every other horse of mine has just been a natural mudder! Thank in advance! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 600
Location: Oklahoma & Texas | I like to turn mine out in it like if you have a muddy pasture or arena and sometimes I'll chase/play with them when they are young and they learn how to get their footing...build their confidence so when they go through it with you on their back they are familiar with it....hey atleast your horse is smart enough to realize the footing was slick and slowed up...definitely would rather have that than a reckless one and break a leg in it..I'd just try and seek out places that are wet to ride in and gain some experience probably won't be hard to find em right now lol |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| That's where having a really broke horse that you can control is nice. You can help them through. But luckily we have so many barrel races available to us these days i just don't enter if ground is bad. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: Kansas | Years ago I had two horses that I ran...one loved the hard, slick and shifty ground (think gravel on a parking lot) and the other wanted it perfect. After costing me rodeo money just like yours by safetying up I only worked her when it was muddy. Nothing fast and furious, but she learned that it was okay and she could stand up. She would still safety up, but not quit. |
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 Saint Stacey
| You have to have a horse that stands up and doesn't lean in the turn. You as a rider need to stay centered and help instead of throwing the horse off. That is what builds confidence. You shouldn't expect a horse to clock 1D times in the mud if they have no expierence in it. |
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 I"m Jealous!
Posts: 1737
Location: Benton City, WA | Rausch_Jessica - 2015-05-16 9:49 AM Hey guys! So last night was the first time I have ran my gelding on not so perfect ground and he really did not want to sit for turning the barrel and he really safeftied up and didn't run in between barrels. I just let him pick the speed since it was our first time in muddy conditions. He has been placing 1D/2D at NBHA with great ground but last night he was probably a 4D time. So my question is....is there a way to improve the way he runs on bad ground so we both get confidence? Every other horse of mine has just been a natural mudder! Thank in advance!
There are worse things than a horse that safetys up...especially you say it was his first time running in the mud, be patient, give him time to learn. I have had both types: horses that will safety up when ground conditions are poor, and those that will work their legs off no matter what.
I rodeo, but honestly, even still I would rather have my horse safety up when the groud is truly adverse, than make a spectacular run for me, and then be lame...I have learned with my good mare, if the ground is unsafe, just not to run her because she will work, but she will hurt herself too. Hard lessons learned |
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 Go For It!
Location: Texas | I won't run in mud... If it's just wet and the ground is sandy then I might make a run. But I never run in mud... if it's a rodeo, then the other days could get better ground and so there is no point in making a run... But the main reason is because I'm just older and wiser now, ;).
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | this what they ran in this weekend in Jacksonville
Edited by CrossDRanch 2015-05-17 3:40 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | CrossDRanch - 2015-05-17 3:38 PM
this what they ran in this weekend in Jacksonville
Yes it was a mess. My horse didn't do great but the ground was safe. I think mine was the only one who slightly slipped but he really gets down on his hind end on his first and well our first was in the middle of the biggest puddle. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | Phifer was the photographer this weekend. Go check out rodeobum and look at the pics....wow, it sure looked bad, glad the dirt seemed to be ok. lol, there is def. a difference between rodeo dirt and jackpot dirt. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 396
Location: Iowa | Thanks guys! I will try riding him more when the ground is a little mucky so he can get some confidence...after all I would like to rodeo on him someday. The arena we ran in kinda looked like the one posted above...sandy and soaked...he had a beautiful pattern just at a lope, so I won't be upset! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 628
Location: Missouri | I won't run them in mud. Not worth it. That being said, I highly believe there are rodeo horses and barrel horses. Some horses love the crap ground and it works with their turning/running style. I would be patient and work with the horse on some muddy/crap ground and decide from there. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 396
Location: Iowa | mlh0972 - 2015-05-18 9:34 AM I won't run them in mud. Not worth it. That being said, I highly believe there are rodeo horses and barrel horses. Some horses love the crap ground and it works with their turning/running style. I would be patient and work with the horse on some muddy/crap ground and decide from there.
I truely believe that too...my old horse was for sure a rodeo horse and just loved bad ground...this one, we will have too see. He may just be my NBHA horse and barrel bash horse! |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | SKM - 2015-05-16 9:11 PM You have to have a horse that stands up and doesn't lean in the turn. You as a rider need to stay centered and help instead of throwing the horse off. That is what builds confidence. You shouldn't expect a horse to clock 1D times in the mud if they have no expierence in it.
Ditto.
The first time through in mud I don't push one. I figure they can pick their own pace, I'll sit in the middle and try to stay out of their way. Some horses handle mud and some don't. I am lucky to have two who will stand up on anything.
This was Clifford's first mud experience (and only his 2nd rodeo ever) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIcbE1XGNLY
And this was a few months later - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckO6bTvxWxE |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | CrossDRanch - 2015-05-17 3:38 PM
this what they ran in this weekend in Jacksonville
Water Polo!!!!!
Try these...
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Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | grinandbareit - 2015-05-17 7:46 AM
I won't run in mud... If it's just wet and the ground is sandy then I might make a run. But I never run in mud... if it's a rodeo, then the other days could get better ground and so there is no point in making a run... But the main reason is because I'm just older and wiser now, ;).
Yeah... I've noticed.... The older we get, the slower we heal...  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 628
Location: Missouri | I use these and they DO help. |
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | I try to work my horses on ALL ground at home - even if I can't set up a barrel, I will do the corkscrew exercise (in-out-in-out spirals) on all sorts of ground. Hard shallow ground, deep ground (be really careful bc of tendons), mucky muddy ground, dry shifty ground. I will haul to crappy ground in order to work my horse. I'd much rather practice on crap and run on the occasional perfection, than practice on perfection and run on the occasional crap. |
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 Peecans
| I think having a feet lot and lots of swampy type land helped my horses with this in the past a lot.
My paint he pefred the mud, regardless of thebother days were dry and nice he always brought home money if there was mud, he loved it.
If your horse knows nothing but pefrect ground, they will not understand how to trust you and thier body to stay up and make a good run. To truly get confident in less than ideal ground you need to spend time on it. You dont have to run barrels on bad ground for practice but ride around trot lope a bit just get comftrotable.
Also be very aware of your body position. If you get tense, and stiff. You know runing and ready to rate for a barrel and get that "OMG my horse is going to fall, blow by, the worst is going to happen" stiff worried barrel approach, that body posture is going to go right to your horse and if he does slip or worry he cant sit and turn you have no chance to help him and will make it worse. Stay lose and cool and centered like you always do.
My brown mare has never liked working in mud at home, she hops like a deer through it if we have to really work a tuff feeder, she roped in the mud one, it was funny cuz i was not on her. I think its the splashes on her belly she hates that. So they are all different, not every horse has it in them to be a mudder. They yellow one, her daughter I expect to be just like the paint.
However if the ground is flat out unsafe, walk away (well ride lol) no rodeo pays enfoughfor me to risk my horse. |
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Saint Stacey
| The American semi's were a great example of horses that can clock on ideal ground getting beaten by it when it's not so great. You watch the videos and the ones that stood up survived. The ones that leaned had issues. |
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