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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
  
Location: Idaho | Hello all! So I am starting to exhibition my gelding. He is about 5 years old, and has been taken slow and correct. I've had him since he was 11 months old, I started him myself (with a lot of guidance) and he is patterned on barrels and poles, and I am starting to take him new places to feel the ground and get his confidence up and start adding a little speed.
He is my first baby I have started from the ground up, and I just have a question for those who work young horses consistently. When I ask for speed he just feels SO collected! I'm not sure if it is because he is not confident yet, or is that something that is normal? Like I did three exhibitions last night in a row at a local barrel racer (I wanted to spread them out but there weren't any more available) and I was out of breath (granted, I need to get in better shape lol) because he was making me work. I wasn't expecting him to go all out, but he was very collected. Is this normal?
Here is a video or two. He knocked 6 seconds off his time from our last exhibition.
https://youtu.be/DiF7NA-PhGI
https://youtu.be/CtsNs7sdiJg
Is there a way I can help him stretch out a little bit more? Get a little more confidence? Or do these things just take time and practice with him hauling to new places and trying new ground?
Edited by DashNDustem 2016-11-12 1:34 PM
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
 
Location: Montana | I'd take him out and breeze him, and when doing so give him a que that means to run, whether its smooching, or kicking, or just in the way you ride, however you do it. Then use that que when you make your barrel run. Your horse is loping a really nice pattern.  He'll get more confidence and speed as you go...how long has he been on the pattern and how long have you been exhibitioning him? | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | mtcanchazer - 2016-11-13 12:28 PM
I'd take him out and breeze him, and when doing so give him a que that means to run, whether its smooching, or kicking, or just in the way you ride, however you do it. Then use that que when you make your barrel run. Your horse is loping a really nice pattern. He'll get more confidence and speed as you go...how long has he been on the pattern and how long have you been exhibitioning him?
Thank you! :) Honestly I started him on barrels in February, and I'd say he has about 60 days on the pattern. Oh and he IS 5, I don't know why I said almost. But it is a very inconsistent 60 days stretched over the last I'd say 8 months, because I didn't want to blow him up and he does not need to be drilled.. I take him out on trails, work him on cows or he just get rode, sometimes I do ground work with him as there are times when I think he needs a reminder and in between all that, I will throw barrels and poles up and work him. I made sure to put a nice solid foundation on him. He has not been pushed or pressured at all when it comes to working a pattern, but he retains it extremely well. Also that was the second time I took him out to exhibition him, so he was 8 official exhibitions under his belt. My last job I worked nights and weekends so it was hard to get him out, but now I work 9-5 with weekends off, so now it will be easier to get him to different arenas.
When it comes to breezing, in general I'm a bit of a timid rider (my last gelding was a 3/4D push style), and I just usually tap with my heels or in this case, spurs and squeeze to get them to run. He knows that cue as well. But like I said, he is super collected and he does have a lot of power, it feels like four wheel drive lol. Maybe I need to find a good stretch.. because where I work barrels, it doesn't really give us a lot of room to really let him run.
Edited by DashNDustem 2016-11-12 6:40 PM
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | DashNDustem - 2016-11-12 5:38 PM mtcanchazer - 2016-11-13 12:28 PM I'd take him out and breeze him, and when doing so give him a que that means to run, whether its smooching, or kicking, or just in the way you ride, however you do it. Then use that que when you make your barrel run. Your horse is loping a really nice pattern. He'll get more confidence and speed as you go...how long has he been on the pattern and how long have you been exhibitioning him? Thank you! : ) Honestly I started him on barrels in February, and I'd say he has about 60 days on the pattern. Oh and he IS 5, I don't know why I said almost. But it is a very inconsistent 60 days stretched over the last I'd say 8 months, because I didn't want to blow him up and he does not need to be drilled.. I take him out on trails, work him on cows or he just get rode, sometimes I do ground work with him as there are times when I think he needs a reminder and in between all that, I will throw barrels and poles up and work him. I made sure to put a nice solid foundation on him. He has not been pushed or pressured at all when it comes to working a pattern, but he retains it extremely well. Also that was the second time I took him out to exhibition him, so he was 8 official exhibitions under his belt. My last job I worked nights and weekends so it was hard to get him out, but now I work 9-5 with weekends off, so now it will be easier to get him to different arenas. When it comes to breezing, in general I'm a bit of a timid rider (my last gelding was a 3/4D push style ), and I just usually tap with my heels or in this case, spurs and squeeze to get them to run. He knows that cue as well. But like I said, he is super collected and he does have a lot of power, it feels like four wheel drive lol. Maybe I need to find a good stretch.. because where I work barrels, it doesn't really give us a lot of room to really let him run.
You'll get there...I am like the slowest advancer in barrel racing ever...I'm still adding speed to my main mount and she's 15! LOL. But I pretty much only race in the summer, so it slows down the progress some. Good look. He has a nice, nice pattern.
ETA: My main mount wasn't started on barrels until she was 11 and didn't have any professional training on barrels until she was 13...and I don't run a lot, LOL.
Edited by mtcanchazer 2016-11-13 12:07 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | Thank you!! Yeah I know there is a track down the way from where I am at, although I don't think it has been used in a while. I will have to poke around, we have a huge pasture to ride in which leads out to trails.. but as you said, gopher holes.. and there is a lot of them!
I feel you there! I usually don't wear spurs, but I made a rookie mistake when he was a baby.. I used to touch him on his sides, and belly, and basically everywhere and he is not at all sensitive on his sides. If I ride him without spurs.. we don't get very far lol He's just like.. You want to lope? Nawh.. we can walk.. I don't feel like loping anymore lol Doesn't matter how hard I kick him, he won't work lol But if I just tap or cue him with spurs, no problem. So spurs it is! :D | |
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