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Regular
Posts: 65
| Can someone explain to me the difference between the two. Is one style more difficult to jockey over the other. Thank you. |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
  
Location: southeast Texas | IMHO, it depends on the type of rider you are.
Do you know what kind of rider you are? ,
push is hustle hustle, free runner, much less hustle.
Edited by roxieannie 2016-07-25 2:07 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I think a good example for you to watch to see the difference is Sarah McDonald on Bling vs Mary Burger on Mo. Of course Bling is an extreme case of push style, but you'll see Sarah hustling her every step of the run, whereas Mary is not wearing spurs, not carrying a whip, sometimes she sits completely still with her body just in the forward position going to the first barrel and sometimes she'll give him a couple kicks depending on the distance to the first barrel. Overall her body language is much more quiet than Sarah's, but Mo still responds, he runs just as hard, where Bling needs that hustle to get past the barrels. |
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 Saint Stacey
 
| Most people have better luck with push styles. I think a majority have troubles sitting still and riding quiet like a free runner needs. Especially when everyone at a barrel race is screaming KICK, PUSH, HUSTLE HUSTLE, WHIP, GO GO GO!!! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 110
| Difficulty depends on how you ride. Push styles are pretty hard for me because I am in no way an aggressive rider, so I obviously prefer free runners. But other people think push styles are easier because they don't have to worry about running past. It all just depends on you and your style. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| ^^^ explained very well. I currently run both types. I personally prefer the push style horse just because I am a more agressive rider and they seem to take to the patter quicker than the free runner. However, once you get them finished, free runners are actually easy to handle and are usually those horses that rarely hit barrels. I have to constantly remind myself on my free runner to not move in between barrels, not hustle him and to manually ask him to make a pocket and rate more, where the ratey horse all I have to think is push all the way! |
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | A free runner hustles himself, a push style needs you to hustle.
A free runner is not a runaway, and a push style is not a barrel slammer. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
Location: Northern Ontario | My mare is push style and I am no where near aggresive enough... I ride to quietly and still so I have to learn to ride her....
Edited by SuperTrooper 2016-07-25 6:16 PM
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| In the world of me,
My push style horse I beg for just one more stride into the turn so she doesn't turn into the barrel.
My free runner horse I beg to gather up one stride before for the turn so he doesn't miss the turn.
Same jockey. Me. Sometimes I get my wires crossed and the audience has a good time. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | classicpotatochip - 2016-07-25 5:36 PM In the world of me, My push style horse I beg for just one more stride into the turn so she doesn't turn into the barrel. My free runner horse I beg to gather up one stride before for the turn so he doesn't miss the turn. Same jockey. Me. Sometimes I get my wires crossed and the audience has a good time.
 I got to say, sometimes the audience has a good time just viewing my riding...or lack there of, not necessarily a different horse, LOL.
But, I agree with everyone else, a push style you have to hustle, not always barrel hitters, but generally you really have to push them past the barrel to make a clean turn. I've not yet experience a free runner, so I'm not sure how I'd ride one of those or describe one. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | My sister and I ride complete opposite style horses.
Her mare is a push style horse. Honestly, they usually don't hit, but they have had a little streak recently. Her mare is the type you whip and ride all the way to the barrel, and you can't make her go by.
My horse is a free runner, to the point that when I leave the alley, I can't let her run or she would definitely miss the first barrel. You can see it in all her videos, she shakes her head running to the first but she has to be "contained" going to that barrel. The second and third barrels she is 100% automatic, I just have to hang on and change my hand going from 1 to 2. |
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 Regular
Posts: 67
| When I was younger and 40 lbs lighter I liked free runners. Now I prefer a push style because they throttle down to a speed I am comfortable with. I've tried to go between the two separate styles at a race and its hard for me now. Freed up horses like you to sit where a push likes encouragement. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | From my own experience I prefer a free runner. I think they are easier to ride. BUT, a push style can help you become a better rider because there is so much more to do (or not do!) while riding one. JMHO
The horse is my avatar is a free runner. Like the others have stated, he would fly by the first barrel if I let him go down the alley too fast or started him too far back in the alley. I had to do drills with him to get him to rate down, which helped trememdously.
My current horse is a push style...it is nice (now that I am older) that he only goes as fast as you push him. He def will NOT run by a barrel. You do have to ride him past the barrel a little tho or he will come back around on top of it.
Edited by fulltiltfilly 2016-07-26 7:05 AM
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 Regular
Posts: 84
| I personally like push style. I've had both and ended up selling the free runner. Since im just starting out i like being able to choose how fast i go. With my free runner it was more hold on tight she was kinda a cofidence killer.  |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | classicpotatochip - 2016-07-25 4:36 PM In the world of me, My push style horse I beg for just one more stride into the turn so she doesn't turn into the barrel. My free runner horse I beg to gather up one stride before for the turn so he doesn't miss the turn. Same jockey. Me. Sometimes I get my wires crossed and the audience has a good time.
This is how I see it. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1017
Location: New Mexico | SKM - 2016-07-25 1:38 PM Most people have better luck with push styles. I think a majority have troubles sitting still and riding quiet like a free runner needs. Especially when everyone at a barrel race is screaming KICK, PUSH, HUSTLE HUSTLE, WHIP, GO GO GO!!!
That is one of my biggest pet peeves! My youngest was a really quiet rider needed and had a free runner...it seemed like no one got that and random people that didn't even know us would yell for her to kick and go...she learned to ignore them and I loved the look of shock on their faces when the clock stopped, still made me mad though. I am amazed even now that most don't know what they are seeing and think if the rider isn't kicking and whipping they aren't doing anything! |
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Impressive!!
Posts: 1954
Location: Idaho | SKM - 2016-07-25 12:38 PM Most people have better luck with push styles. I think a majority have troubles sitting still and riding quiet like a free runner needs. Especially when everyone at a barrel race is screaming KICK, PUSH, HUSTLE HUSTLE, WHIP, GO GO GO!!!
So agree with this... I prefer to sit still and let them work... I am not one to ride every stride, the quiter I am, the better I do. Therefore, I prefer a free runner  |
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Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | rodeomom4 - 2016-07-27 12:05 PM
SKM - 2016-07-25 1:38 PM Most people have better luck with push styles. I think a majority have troubles sitting still and riding quiet like a free runner needs. Especially when everyone at a barrel race is screaming KICK, PUSH, HUSTLE HUSTLE, WHIP, GO GO GO!!!
That is one of my biggest pet peeves! My youngest was a really quiet rider needed and had a free runner...it seemed like no one got that and random people that didn't even know us would yell for her to kick and go...she learned to ignore them and I loved the look of shock on their faces when the clock stopped, still made me mad though. I am amazed even now that most don't know what they are seeing and think if the rider isn't kicking and whipping they aren't doing anything!
Oh yea, I've been told I just "sit there", even on my push style. You can hustle without kicking and whipping. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not my style. I can think I'm riding like a mad woman, but videos and pictures show the reality, I'm just a quiet rider lol. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| i love my free runners, my retired 1-d mare was a free runnner in pens when the cans where not close to fence and more a push style in smaller pens, and overall good in all indoor. i miss riding my mare. |
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | dashnlotti - 2016-07-27 7:28 PM
rodeomom4 - 2016-07-27 12:05 PM
SKM - 2016-07-25 1:38 PM Most people have better luck with push styles. I think a majority have troubles sitting still and riding quiet like a free runner needs. Especially when everyone at a barrel race is screaming KICK, PUSH, HUSTLE HUSTLE, WHIP, GO GO GO!!!
That is one of my biggest pet peeves! My youngest was a really quiet rider needed and had a free runner...it seemed like no one got that and random people that didn't even know us would yell for her to kick and go...she learned to ignore them and I loved the look of shock on their faces when the clock stopped, still made me mad though. I am amazed even now that most don't know what they are seeing and think if the rider isn't kicking and whipping they aren't doing anything!
Oh yea, I've been told I just "sit there", even on my push style. You can hustle without kicking and whipping. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not my style. I can think I'm riding like a mad woman, but videos and pictures show the reality, I'm just a quiet rider lol.
That is so true. It's all about shifting your body weight and leaving the barrels in time with your horse and not behind. I've slowed down videos several times with my sister showing her how she reached for her whip too soon and ended up slowing the horse down because she unintentionally pulled back with her left and whipped with the right. I told her, use the horn, LEAVE the barrel, get your body up and forward, and then use your whip if you want. |
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