Horse background: 9 years old. Got a later start, been running regularly since she was 6. Just recently had a full lameness exam and got stifles injected...noticed improvement as a whole (attitude and movement) but not in these problems.

I feel like this mare and I have always had some degree of third barrel problems. She used to blow way out of it, but now she is sitting HARD way too early. It takes about everything I have to get her past it. She lets me pick up her shoulder and put her wherever I want, so we can typically keep it up, but I really struggle to keep her moving forward to a point behind it before turning it. I’ve done so much repetitive slow work to get that full control of her shoulder while maintaining forward motion but it’s not translating to completion. She’ll cruise through at home or a friend’s arena and go past it until I ask her to turn it, but in competition she drops her butt about 2-3 strides before she should without me touching her. Also, when she drops down, she tends to switch to the incorrect lead for 1 or 2 strides before switching back to turn. Even with this issue, she’s still often clocking in the 1D and winning money, but I know if we could find a solution to keep forward motion we would be doing a lot better. I linked a few good quality videos below so you can really see what’s happening. In the finals (3rd video) I’m using a bat to try to keep her moving but it feels like a bandaid solution. Thanks in advance for any input at all!

https://youtu.be/Ng6qJXRJnOQ

https://youtu.be/1Ho1nYP9xy8

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uOq2Bu33oTs

Are you happy with your first barrel ?

just from what you describe it sounds like she’s sore in her Hocks, especially in the right hock (first barrel problem).

sore Hocks don’t often show up in a flexion. Im guessing he sore stifle was secondary to the Hocks.

as far as the third barrel, along with being sore in the Hocks, you have a tendency to bump her pretty good at the second barrel. I wouldn’t want to run up in the hole at the third if I’d just gotten my face bumped at the second. 

If she was mine I’d inject her Hocks, sit square and look past the barrel and don’t let her start the third until her head is past the barrel. You may need to do some slow work to free her up.

I agree with Liana. When I watched that first video, my first reaction was, “dang...she’s really snatching that horses face hard and needs to lighten her hands”. The second video wasn’t as bad though. I also agree with hocks needing done.  

Thank you both for your input!

Also, no, I was definitely not pleased with our first barrel at this particular race. I meant to mention this in my original post, but it slipped my mind. She was running way by it, hence why I just got ahold of her and didn’t let her run into it in the finals run. I think it must have had to do with the blind alley since we rarely encounter those.

I didn't watch the videos, so I hopefully I'm not too far in left field but. . . my old mare was a rately bugger. for a long time 2 clean runs in a row were a dream. I said to my sister one day. I'm kicking all the way in there but it doesn't help. She watched really close and i was rolling my hip, very slightly, but the mare felt it. Are you maybe sitting down a little and not realizing it? just a thought 

Good Luck!

She could be getting sore or shes waiting for the bump. Shes a nice mare, man if you could get that first barrel down she sure would be hard to beat at times. I didnt watch the last video since its not live but the first video you did bump her hard going into the second and third, the second video you rode her well just need to get that first barrel right and dont bump her so hard.