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 Elite Veteran
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Location: USA | If so, how do you train them to switch leads on the poles?? |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
 
| You really need a horse that is a natural with leads. A lot of horses can get through the poles OK but those 19, 20 second pole horses are really natural at lead changes.
The paint in my a avatar is 2013 APHA Reserve World Champion in poles. I have another horse that is 2017 ABRA Reserve World Champion in poles. Both horses are extremely athletic and natural lead changers. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I don’t think I did...he just kind of picked it up and ran with it. He’s a really nice barrel horse, I think with the right jockey he’d be an even better pole horse - I can do it but not nearly as well as some. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | streakysox - 2018-06-16 6:03 PM You really need a horse that is a natural with leads. A lot of horses can get through the poles OK but those 19, 20 second pole horses are really natural at lead changes. The paint in my a avatar is 2013 APHA Reserve World Champion in poles. I have another horse that is 2017 ABRA Reserve World Champion in poles. Both horses are extremely athletic and natural lead changers.
I’m not looking for one to compete on with poles, just teach her something different |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Dreamingofcans - 2018-06-16 9:08 PM streakysox - 2018-06-16 6:03 PM You really need a horse that is a natural with leads. A lot of horses can get through the poles OK but those 19, 20 second pole horses are really natural at lead changes. The paint in my a avatar is 2013 APHA Reserve World Champion in poles. I have another horse that is 2017 ABRA Reserve World Champion in poles. Both horses are extremely athletic and natural lead changers. I’m not looking for one to compete on with poles, just teach her something different
Back in the day of just having fun with our horses we would teach them to run barrels, poles, and straight away barrels the straight away barrels were like running a giant figure 8 runing inbeteen 3 barrels that were in a straight line, we had so much fun and we did this every saturday night and ran all three events.. Our horses did super in all 3 events..
So my point issss go have fun and teach your horse poles, its not going to hurt anything and just have a fun  |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Once they learn the pattern, they naturally swap leads between poles. If you pattern them correctly the lead swaps are pretty natural, I think. |
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Curve Ball
Posts: 2256
Location: Pelham, TN | We train all our horses on the poles even if we get them and they are older. Our colts walk through them as a cool down when we are working in the arena. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | I train on the poles more at a trot and for getting them to move off leg pressure than worry about lead changes. When they go faster they will pick up on the leads if they are athletic enough.
I prefer to do drills over the pole pattern to working on lead changes.
To me a larger drill patterns is more spaced out and you can accomplish it without feeling rushed and it doesn't jam them up and freak them out so quick when asking for lead changes. Keep it simple and smooth so it doesn't frustrate you or them.
Paul humphery has a drill for lead changes that I love!
Edited by imturnin3 2018-06-17 8:27 AM
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 Peecans
| An old trainer I used to ride with called them "demand lead changes"
If you set that inside hind leg in position with good shape through the body the horse will swap leads because of the speed and the demand the motion needs for the horse to stay balanced and work effectively. Its how all my horses change leads working cattle, barrel racing and pole bending. Basically just keep that inside hock where it needs to be and shape the ribs and the horse will handle the rest (usually lol ;))
I could not do a fancy reining flying lead change if my life depended on it lol |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | The changing leads in between poles is pretty much natural once the horse learns poles and speed is added just dont rush your horse and take your time with him. |
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Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Dreamingofcans - 2018-06-16 9:08 PM
streakysox - 2018-06-16 6:03 PM You really need a horse that is a natural with leads. A lot of horses can get through the poles OK but those 19, 20 second pole horses are really natural at lead changes. The paint in my a avatar is 2013 APHA Reserve World Champion in poles. I have another horse that is 2017 ABRA Reserve World Champion in poles. Both horses are extremely athletic and natural lead changers.
I’m not looking for one to compete on with poles, just teach her something different
Sorry, I guess I expect a lot from my horses. Around here if you don't run at least a 22 on poles you can't place in the 4D. Used to competing against people like Edwin Cameron. Always fun when you have terrific competition and amazing to watch |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | streakysox - 2018-06-17 12:05 PM
Dreamingofcans - 2018-06-16 9:08 PM
streakysox - 2018-06-16 6:03 PM You really need a horse that is a natural with leads. A lot of horses can get through the poles OK but those 19, 20 second pole horses are really natural at lead changes. The paint in my a avatar is 2013 APHA Reserve World Champion in poles. I have another horse that is 2017 ABRA Reserve World Champion in poles. Both horses are extremely athletic and natural lead changers.
I’m not looking for one to compete on with poles, just teach her something different
Sorry, I guess I expect a lot from my horses. Around here if you don't run at least a 22 on poles you can't place in the 4D. Used to competing against people like Edwin Cameron. Always fun when you have terrific competition and amazing to watch
It’s not that I don’t expect a lot from my horses - I do, hence why I want to teach poles. I would love to compete but there aren’t any places around here to compete at... so the point is moot. I just want her to be patterned on something else besides barrels. It’s no different than someone roping on their horse; they’re not necessarily competing on them though. I agree on the competition aspect - I compete with some of the best in the country on barrels, and they’re always fun to watch and learn from. |
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 IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
| I am not the greatest at poles. The fastest pole run I ever had was a 22.7. I have maybe ran them 10 times competitively?? Which around here everyone runs 19s or 20s.
But, we do teach our horses to go thru the poles, and my husband loves running them.
When one of my horses lazy lopes through the poles he doesn't change them, but when I would add speed he would take the bit spurt forward and assume my leg que ment faster not over. So a drill that I did to help get him fluid was this:
At each pole I would stop and que the horse into a lope and do a circle in the direction I would go in the weave (hope this makes sense). The circle would be to the side of the poles so that when the circle ends I am right by the pole again. Then step forward and repeat in the other direction once I have moved up the weave.
This helped keep him fluid and keep his mind attentive. Plus, a lot of transitions are good for the horses mind. The smoother the transitions become the broker they get!
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | I teach all my horses to run poles. I think it's good for them. And I like to compete in other things besides barrels. I don't consider myself a very good pole rider - but we have fun anyway.
I don't "train" them to switch their leads. They need to figure it out on their own. However, the way I specifically cue them to weave seems to help them understand to switch those legs. Right before my knee is even with the pole, I am using my inside leg to push the hip OUT and away from the pole. That will also push the hip into the new lead for the next pole. I do lots of slow work at the walk and trot, and then they will usually figure it out after a couple times of loping.
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4627
Location: Texas | All of mine can run poles. The lead changes came naturally once speed was added during the training process. Don't overthink it and don't ask for too much too soon. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Don't overcomplicate it and for the love - do NOT pick at them about changing leads between poles. Get them moving off your leg trotting and walking thru the poles. When you add speed (I don't mean a slow lope), the lead changes will come naturally. I love running poles and wish there were more places to do it. Some of the best advice I ever got about running poles was to keep my eyes focused on the mid point of the next 2....always make sure to cross exactly in the middle.
Edited by MS2011 2018-06-25 3:41 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | della - 2018-06-17 8:46 AM
An old trainer I used to ride with called them "demand lead changes"
If you set that inside hind leg in position with good shape through the body the horse will swap leads because of the speed and the demand the motion needs for the horse to stay balanced and work effectively. Its how all my horses change leads working cattle, barrel racing and pole bending. Basically just keep that inside hock where it needs to be and shape the ribs and the horse will handle the rest (usually lol ;))
I could not do a fancy reining flying lead change if my life depended on it lol
In my opinion, the fancy reining flying lead change is a way different body position. My mare can do those. She gets mad at me when I try to work on poles. Because, apparently, that's not how lead changes are supposed to be done, lol. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| streakysox - 2018-06-17 12:05 PM Dreamingofcans - 2018-06-16 9:08 PM streakysox - 2018-06-16 6:03 PM You really need a horse that is a natural with leads. A lot of horses can get through the poles OK but those 19, 20 second pole horses are really natural at lead changes. The paint in my a avatar is 2013 APHA Reserve World Champion in poles. I have another horse that is 2017 ABRA Reserve World Champion in poles. Both horses are extremely athletic and natural lead changers. I’m not looking for one to compete on with poles, just teach her something different Sorry, I guess I expect a lot from my horses. Around here if you don't run at least a 22 on poles you can't place in the 4D. Used to competing against people like Edwin Cameron. Always fun when you have terrific competition and amazing to watch
At ANHA I ran a 20.9, it was the winning 4D time, lol- a 19.4 won it-a 20.4 was 3D which is just crazy. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| A really good book on pole bending is Wayne Sandburg's 19 second pole bending. You can still find it used on Amazon. if you google it, there is a place that specializes in pole horses that has put parts of the book on their webpage. thetackshop.com also carries it.
All my horses know the pattern as something to use helping getting them broker and comfortable with being handled. Lead changes come naturally with speed if the horse is an athlete. I hardly ever run them. In my area, pole bendings get salty. Sometimes high 19s don't even pull checks. I've seen a pony run a 19.1 and have witnessed 18.9s that weren't clean. One thing I was always told about footfall in the pattern was - if the inside front foot hits the ground beside the pole or just past it , then the momentum of the next stride will carry you by the pole without dropping in on it. If it hits before the pole, the next stride carries the horses hip into the pole as it makes the move to cross over. You ride past the pole not to it. |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | If you la la through the poles your horse wont change andhere is a pole there. the horse listens to me and not try to judge he dont have to. but if you haul butt they have to change or crash. I just set big soup cans on the ground and pretend there is a pole there. that way the horse has to do it my way and not his way. |
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