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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| I'm patterning my first colt, he's a 16h 3 year old. He is pretty athletic and we've made lots of good progress on the pattern. Although when loping a tight circle he's uncoordinated and feels like he physically can't make a tight circle (2-3ft from barrel), we've done the spiral drill, and I can't get as tight as I would like. He feels a lot better going to the left then going to the right also. He's just never had to use his body to make a tight enough circle to go around a barrel. He trots circles like a dream, I have hip and shoulder control. Advice and tips as well as drill ideas would be appreciated! How do you introduce loping a small circle? TIA :) |
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 BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
 
Location: Missouri | I also am working on a 16h 3 yr old. I have no tips, lol. But to say just keep loping him to the barrel and asking him to turn. Mine outta nowhere on Saturday actually turned all 3 like a REAL barrel horse in 4 exhibitions. I swear someone is riding him while I'm at work because suddenly he's a different horse every time I get on him, and for the better.
It's like a light bulb went off in his tiny brain and he gets it now. My plan was to trot 2 come out for a couple and go in and lope 2. He had other plans. Like I'm tired of putzing around these barrels.....let's do this! So if he's got the confidence to try it.....who am I to stop him. I was super excited with him. He matured overnight.
Good luck! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | http://www.freebarrelracingtips.com/circle-tires-for-smoother-runs-...
We use cones for this and can vary the size of the circle and number of cones.
Edited by CrossDRanch 2016-12-05 2:24 PM
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I start teaching mine on the ground. I tack them up, using a poll martingale or headsetter or even flat leather tie down, and work them on a lunge line in circles around me. Most of them doubt themselves completely and can't hardly do it collected under saddle, much less bearing my weight.
I only will work one on the ground for about 15 minutes at a time until I have complete control of their feet, space, and attention.
Once they are working nicely on a line, then I'll get on them. Repetition and knowing when to quit are important. They won't do it perfectly. That's not the point. The point is to make them FEEL like they're okay. It's a very unnatural move. You've got to show them they won't fall, and that they can do it. Even if you only get a couple of steps, stop them and pet them. Then start again. When they start to breathe hard, it's time to quit and come back the next day.
Teach them to spin (think reining horse/working cow horse). Those steps of moving forward but around are the exact same moves they need around a barrel. I feel like if they can't spin, you can't control their hip, their rib cage, or their forward motion, and end up fighting them every step trying to turn them with their nose. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| I know this is a whole separate question, but how do you add speed to a pivot? He can collect and pivot on his hind end although I wouldn't call it spin, it's like slow motion. So what can I do to add more speed? |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I don't have any drills, it just takes time. They have to use and build those muscles. I'll start by loping nice large circles, then head towards a barrel, bring him down to a smaller circle, small enough I can feel him struggling to maintain a lope, but not so small he has to break down to a trot, I'm having to really ride with my legs and encourage forward motion, maybe even smooching at him. I'll only ask for ONE at that size to begin with and I'll head back out to my large circle. I don't want them to panic, I don't want them to think the barrel is a hard place to be. After a couple of days I'll notice that he's a lot more comfortable with that small circle and I can ask for smaller, or I can go ahead and ask for 2 circles at that size. Just have to keep building on it one day at a time. |
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Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| IowaCanChaser - 2016-12-05 3:27 PM
I know this is a whole separate question, but how do you add speed to a pivot? He can collect and pivot on his hind end although I wouldn't call it spin, it's like slow motion. So what can I do to add more speed?
A) Box him up and send him to a reining trainer for 30 days.
B) Box him and yourself up and go to a reining trainer for lessons.
The best thing you can do for yourself is get lessons if you don't know how to do something.
I do it all the time, and I'm so grateful for the professional training community! |
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