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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
  
| Im feeling defeated here. I have a gelding that has been running for the last couple years and when I first started exhibitioning and loping he did great, but it has fallen apart in the last year. He is free running but can really turn. He works at home or practice arena great, does everything I ask, never gets pushy and is always ready to turn. When I get to a barrel run he gets excited which is fine but then he either doesn't rate or blows out of his turns and pulls. I thought it was just me riding different when I run so I let a friend of mine run him a few times and same thing. She practiced fantastic, blew out of turns when she ran at the run. Im willing to do whatever it takes to fix it. I have had him looked at by a vet several months ago and nothing. I am willing to burn a couple runs to fix it if I need to. I just don't know if I need to change bits (currently running in an ed wright medium 3 piece), or do something specific when I run. Any advise?
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Take him to a lameness specialist vet. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | Do you have any videos?
I agree with having him vetted thoroughly and chiro also. |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4642
Location: Texas | Before you start changing your equipment I would recommend getting your horse evaluated by a vet and a chiropractor. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| I don't have any videos available at the moment. They are on my camera at home.
I have took him to a chiro a couple times and each time he did adjust him but nothing major. Im used to running ratey horses that need extra encouragement so this is new to me. I really think it is more I need a different bit for shows and I need to make him do it correctly a few times?? But I will get him vetted again by someone different. |
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Veteran
Posts: 276
| IMO this is why finished horses are so expensive. It is not easy, it takes A LOT of time, and it's not all going to be better and better every time you go somewhere. It's more like a roller coaster. Just keep riding. Keep working. Slow him back down and get more confidence before you ask for speed. Maybe haul him a few places and just ride him around, don't even make a run. Go to friend's arenas to get practice somewhere away from home. We try to haul our two year olds to the races and rodeos, just to watch, so by the time they are competing age, they don't get so nervous being somewhere away from home. |
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Ms. Marine
Posts: 4642
Location: Texas | horsiace1025 - 2017-01-23 8:17 AM
I don't have any videos available at the moment. They are on my camera at home.
I have took him to a chiro a couple times and each time he did adjust him but nothing major. Im used to running ratey horses that need extra encouragement so this is new to me. I really think it is more I need a different bit for shows and I need to make him do it correctly a few times?? But I will get him vetted again by someone different.
Definitely no harm in getting a second or third opinion. What you're describing sounds like a pain issue, not an equipment issue. Also nothing wrong with going back to the basics and just taking it slow on the pattern. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| Does he do the same when you run him at home or practice? Like an actual barrel run at home? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| veintiocho - 2017-01-23 9:22 AM
Does he do the same when you run him at home or practice? Like an actual barrel run at home?
If I all out run at home or the arena down the street from my house he does great. It is just when we travel somewhere with lots of ppl, and loud music and such that he doesn't do well. |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Quit practicing at home.
Put him on a calming supplement. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| Fun2Run - 2017-01-23 9:48 AM
Quit practicing at home.
Put him on a calming supplement.
I don't generally practice at home. Just ride to keep him in shape and slow work once a week if needed. What kind of calming supplement would you suggest? never used one. feel free to PM me.
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A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | horsiace1025 - 2017-01-23 10:09 AM Fun2Run - 2017-01-23 9:48 AM Quit practicing at home.
Put him on a calming supplement. I don't generally practice at home. Just ride to keep him in shape and slow work once a week if needed. What kind of calming supplement would you suggest? never used one. feel free to PM me.
I use 707 Calming. Seems to work well. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| I had this same exact situation last year! I turned a roping horse into a barrel horse. Amazing runs at home, but in comp he blew barrels. My advice as far as riding goes is not to push him, you're used to your push style just like I was. Let him lope to first, and sit and turn, don't push him until he is reliably turning every time at a slower speed. Maybe do some exhibitions, just try not to push until he's 100% ready. It worked with my guy, I even had a run where we slow loped to first, and it felt good so i pushed him to second and third! Good luck! I know your efforts will eventually pay off! |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| Do you exhibition at a show? Do you stand him in the gate and make him sit quite and let him know thats a nice safe quite place for him to rest? Or does he always think he must go mock 9 when near an arena? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| astreakinchic - 2017-01-23 11:18 AM
Do you exhibition at a show? Do you stand him in the gate and make him sit quite and let him know thats a nice safe quite place for him to rest? Or does he always think he must go mock 9 when near an arena?
I have done exhibitions some and it tends to end up worse if I do. The exhibitions usually go well but I only go 3/4 speed. Then the run falls apart. I don't go near the gate unless I'm going in the pen right after but I do let him relax in the holding area before and after I run and he does fine there.
When I practice I do walk back in the arena and relax and get off after I run to let him know it's not a bad place. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 425
Location: California | My mare was like this. I was young (12/13) and didn't really have a barrel trainer. We were great while practing, but as soon as we hauled out, it was like she KNEW it was competition. She was actually much faster than at home, but same thing-blew passed all the barrels.
Also wanted to add-when there was a barrel race or play day where I boarded-she was also different. It's like she just automatically knew, and kicked it up a notch! I had to use a different bit when it was competition time. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| I use the same bit all the time which could be part of the problem considering most ppl use a different bit to compete with since they can get "dull" to it. So should I be using a lighter bit to work at home? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| horsiace1025 - 2017-01-23 9:45 AM
veintiocho - 2017-01-23 9:22 AM
Does he do the same when you run him at home or practice? Like an actual barrel run at home?
If I all out run at home or the arena down the street from my house he does great. It is just when we travel somewhere with lots of ppl, and loud music and such that he doesn't do well.
If we could see a video I think that could help see what us going on. Another idea, I have a mare that just can't handle noises. Whether it is a crowd, rope swinging, prairie dogs, or birds chirping loud in the trees. She's like that out in the pasture or being rode. Ear plugs are a life saver and she's happy in her own muffled world. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| I will see if I can upload a video tonight
Thanks for all the replies |
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Regular
Posts: 84
| I have a mare that has been doing the exact same thing. It took us a little over a year to get her figured out. We are still questioning specific things here and there as far as if it is truly contributing or not, but for us it was a combination of things.. and lots of trial and error. MY mare can be rode bareback in a halter and lead rope, at home.. and turns into a fire breathing dragon at shows. She psychs herself out before going into the pen and would blow past the first barrel. We tried lots of calming supplements on her, and to be honest the only thing that came remoting close to working was the oxy-zen. You have to give this two hours out, and I can honestly say at the two hour mark, you can feel her take a deep breath and she just gets it together (as weird as that sounds).. we also do ear plugs, and needed a specific track thing in her mouth to hold her tongue down, because she would flip her tongue over the bit. Before she decided she knew what she was doing and didnt need my help anymore, she won a few futurities, and was running 1d every weekend. Took lots of steps back, and back to consistently winning barrel races. I wish you the best of luck because it is hard to figure out since all of them are so different, but trial and error go a longggg way! If you have any questions, please feel free to message me! |
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