Barrel Training.

[HorseDayz11]

Rose is getting older and I want to concentrate on her horsemanship classes more than her speed classes, so I met someone who is my trainer somewhat. Anyway, he is letting me use his horse for speed classes for next year. So far I am training a horse named Drake who is 3 years old. My trainer trained him to ride and ground work, but he still needs help on stopping and what not. Plus I need tips on teaching him how to do barrels and pockets. I have some videos me riding him if you want to see. There is also another horse I might be able to use named Boomer. He is an ex-cutting horse. Tips on getting him to do barrels and poles and speed and flags? I have never ridden him though. Keep in mind I don't get out there much, because he doesn't live that close to me.

(:

[alliekk]

If you're wanting to pattern the horses I would suggest just working the pattern (while making it fun of course) into their heads. Start at a trot. Just trot the patterns 4 or 5 times per day. Once they are able to stay collected and not lean into the barrels (or turns for whatever other games you're running) you can practice cantering them. Just take it slowly and keep their inside shoulder up. If they drop their shoulder they will feel like they're leaning and may lose their footing from underneath them.

(I would only suggest teaching a horse to pattern if you are able to be out there consistently)

Only run them full out 2X/week MAX. You don't want to sour them. Also, when you're running them in the arena you want to keep them thinking. Don't just do the same thing over and over in the same arena, that's what makes them hot and start anticipating. Change your schedules and do some arena work as well. If you vary their jobs they wont get too sour.

When you see the NBHA (national barrel horse association) competitors you see them freight training through the gait, that is because they have one track minds. They concentrate on their speed alone, not on their collection. If you want your horse to be able to walk through a gait without falling apart with excitement I would suggest doing a little English flat-work before and after the gaming routine. It's not slow like western and is challenging enough to keep their minds working so they don't become fried.

If you feel like they are starting to anticipate then it means you are pushing too hard and you need to refocus their mind. Practice some trotting poles, trail obsticles, trail riding in general, english flatwork, maybe a little jumping, or just ground work. Don't over do it with the young one especially, you don't want him to think that every time you get on you're going to GO GO GO... That makes for an unsafe and sometimes unruly horse.