How to Keep Your Barrel Horses Sane at the Gate | recreation and ...

People who know barrel horses know that they are of a volatile nature. Take them within smelling distance of an arena gate and they get switched on like somebody juiced a detonator. Most people are tolerant of this behavior, which they find normal for barrel horses. I disagree. Not only is this behaviour unsatisfactory, it can be outright dangerous.

There are plenty of instructors out there who are really good at training horses to become barrel racers. The issue is most of them are so obsessive about the technical aspects that they don't pay much heed to coaching the pony on behavior. Most of this training gives the pony the belief that once it is within the arena gate, it should really go hog wild. I don't know if you have had experience with this sort of pony, but if you have you'll know that It becomes well nigh impossible to control it once it is near an arena. This is potentially really threatening for the rider, the horse and for anyone that is unlucky enough to be nearby. I have seen people getting badly trampled as they were opening the gate to an uncontrollable pony.

Obviously, these horses can't claim to have been fully trained. They are still lacking a lot in social graces.

You can prevent this kind of issue with your own barrel horse. If he already has an issue , you can set about rectifying the situation. To begin with, never put your pony thru the pattern unless you happen to be at a rodeo. If your horse is well trained and knows the pattern intimately, you won't find it necessary to make him run every single time. As a matter of fact, unless you are resolving some issues with the pattern you or your pony or both of you have, you should not even be practicing the pattern much. If you happen to feel it necessary to run the barrels you should keep your horse to a walk or a trot to impress upon him it's not necessary for him to streak through every time. You may also try getting over to the start line and stopping there. Let your horse face the pattern quietly, then turn around and walk away. Don't fret if your horse fails to stand still the first time; he is going to learn soon enough. The basic idea is to get your pony to learn that he isn't to let his mind and body go into overdrive each time he sees a barrel pattern. Work gently on him with one or two basic commands like back up a little or give to the left or right. Make him focus on you. When you have his total attention, you can walk the pattern or you can walk away. Keep at this exercise until your horse learns to remain rock still at the barest of commands. Once your horse has become perfectly at home, repeat the exercises with him at some arena. Horses usually don't behave the same at home and at events, so exercise some patience and get him back into line the slow but sure way.

The ideal barrel horse is a thrumming dynamo that nonetheless never disobeys a command, no matter what the circumstances. He's the same whether he is at home or at an arena. You will find yourself with a much improved pony and a much improved barrel run performance if you're able to exert total control over your pony.

Source: http://recreationsportsupdates.blogspot.com/2012/11/how-to-keep-your-barrel-horses-sane-at.html

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