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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1062
 
Location: Probably On the Road to the Next Barrel Race! | My horse has a tendency to drop in on left hand turns... it’s my fault though. I simply sit too early n there she goes. It’s a mental thing with me, I got hurt pretty bad awhile back, and just go to my horn and sit too early. I had a crazy idea today... what if I just ran to the second barrel with reins still in my right hand, to have the safety of the saddle horn? Maybe then I could stay forward all the way up to the turn. Pretty sure my mare would turn the barrel no problem, because she’s pretty automatic/neck rein anywY. Anyone think this might help me/give me my mental edge/trust back? This is a 1d horse I’m really screwing up, haha ??thanks for opinions. Any ideas y’all have about how to beat the mental game, please share! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1062
Location: Probably On the Road to the Next Barrel Race! | Bump |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
 
| I’ve seen some pro girls do this, I say do what works for you and your horse. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1273
Location: South Dakota | This has crossed my mind but I've never done it. We have a horse that I know could really snap the 2nd barrel if you can ride him straight long enough. But I go to the horn to soon cause I'm afraid, if I don't I'll get launched lol! |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| There’s a couple ladies around here who do it pretty successfully and make nice smooth runs.
I would practice at home and in exhibitions before trying to make a run though, and keep your expectations reasonable for a while, muscle memory is hard to beat. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
Location: Georgia | There is a girl around here that did that successfully on one horse. It worked out pretty good for her but it always got under my skin a little bit. I feel like it is a bandaid fix but who am I to judge  |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| Whatever works for YOU!! They don't put on the check how you rode to your second barrel. WHo cares if its a short or long term fix. If it works for you, DO IT. I bend my 1D mares nose to the outside on my second barrel. THat really makes her inhale it on the back side !!! Is it perfect " Correct" form? Nope, does my ATM/Bank love that I do it? YEP! |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| It isn't a judged class, do what works and what gets you and your horse through that pattern the safest/fastest! If not switching hands makes you feel safer, ride better/harder, and lets your horse work more efficiently then do it! |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Whatever works for you. I'm trying to remember her name, but there was a lady that went to the NFR a few times that always rode like this - really doubt she gave a rip about what anyone else thought of her style. |
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 Member
Posts: 8
| MS2011, I think you're talking about Terri Kaye Kirkland. She went in '05 I believe.
CrossCreek, definitely give it a try if you think it'll help. I neckrein my mare to finish her second and third and she whips around them. There's nothing wrong with trying something out. I say make a practice run and if it works, do it. If it doesn't, then you don't have to do it anymore. It's better to know. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10794
Location: Kansas | I watched a lady do it for years because she was afraid to change hands. Her turns were pretty flat but she got along.............
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | outofthebox - 2018-09-17 11:44 AM MS2011, I think you're talking about Terri Kaye Kirkland. She went in '05 I believe. CrossCreek, definitely give it a try if you think it'll help. I neckrein my mare to finish her second and third and she whips around them. There's nothing wrong with trying something out. I say make a practice run and if it works, do it. If it doesn't, then you don't have to do it anymore. It's better to know.
Yes! That's her. She went in '03, '04 and '05. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | Couldn't remember who it was at the NFR but I remember seeing her run the first time and I thought "Wow, tells you how much pressure they are under, even they forgot which hand to turn with, LOL" then the next run the same thing and I thought "How do you get to the NFR riding like that???" and then I remembered shes at the NFR and I'm sitting on the couch in my living room. At home. Not riding at the NFR.
Note to self, use what ever hand gets the job done.
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Just remembered another gal around here who does it. Mare just needs hustler and does not like her face messed with. She stays with her left hand (left barrel first) and grabs the back of her saddle with her right hand instead of the horn. |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | I use my left hand for reining the horse and hold with my right hand! I never switch hands!! Works just fine! I broke my right wrist really bad and also have arthritis in my wrist really bad so I just hold on to the cantle next to the horn and sort of brace because I can’t really get a good grip of anything with my right hand. I am used to it now and it doesn’t bother my horse! |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4627
Location: Texas | I'm a huge fan of 'do what works for you and your horse'. |
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Member
Posts: 8
| As far as your mental game goes, none of us can say, because we aren't in your shoes. But I would think that if you think it will work and give you more confidence, then there's no reason it wouldn't give you your edge back. |
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 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | MS2011 - 2018-09-17 12:33 PM outofthebox - 2018-09-17 11:44 AM MS2011, I think you're talking about Terri Kaye Kirkland. She went in '05 I believe. CrossCreek, definitely give it a try if you think it'll help. I neckrein my mare to finish her second and third and she whips around them. There's nothing wrong with trying something out. I say make a practice run and if it works, do it. If it doesn't, then you don't have to do it anymore. It's better to know. Yes! That's her. She went in '03, '04 and '05.
If I remember correctly, she would change hands behind the barrels. It looked awkward as hell but worked for her. I could not imagine the riding skill it took to make that swap while turning the barrel without getting dumped. |
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 Half-Eaten Cookies
Posts: 2075
Location: Fort Worth / Springtown | Or you could ride one-handed to the barrels, using your insde rein to guide. You must practice with your horse though - teaching them that going to the horn doesnt' mean turn. This can help a horse keep from dropping and turning too soon, just because you went to the horn.
I believe Joy Wargo did a video segment on it.....it keeps her from dropping her shoulder and hip down into the turn too much. Helps you to stay square.
I imagine cross reining like Ms Kirkland did probably had a similar effect with her own body. |
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Member
Posts: 8
| RocketPilot, yes she did! It looked insanely hard. Her timing with it was impeccable. I don't see how she did it. |
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