Two Horses with same problem

[scatsnjet]

Hello,
   I have two horses that I am having the same sort of problem with.  My Open 1D mare is 8 and she is pretty much automatic except for rating.  I have had here for about 7 months now and two days ago she started pulling her head out of my hands when I ask her to rate for the first barrel.   I have started asking her to rate in a different position because she has been shouldering the first barrel at times...unless we over run it.  (Please help)  My older horse is 15 appendix (16.2 around 1200 lbs.) and he is usually pretty consistent in the 3 or 4 D, but recently I started to asking for more speed to the first barrel and sometimes he will turn but others he won't turn it.  He starts his pocket and gets half way around and then pulls his head away blows out of the barrel, then finally progresses to the next barrel.  I have started asking for more speed because he is out running most of the horses when clocked from the start of the 2nd turn to the eye, but is way behind after leaving the 1st barrel.  6 weeks ago he came within tenths of a second to my open horse at a barrel race.  Do you have any suggestions for either horse....or me...I'm afraid I am over-riding both horses but not sure how to correct it.  I film my self at most events but can't tell.Oh I forgot to tell you what bit I use, on my mare I use a twisted wire dog bone draw with a rope head stall. (I was told that this is what bit they were using on her when I bought her.) On my gelding I had been using a combinations bit with a twisted wire, broken in the middle...it also has a wire nose piece but I have wrapped that with plastic so that it is not so harsh.  Recently I started riding him in a hackamore (rope nose)as well as taking him to the left now.  I haven't asked for any speed going this direction but after turning the first one I will push to the second and he turns the second and third just fine.  Sorry if this doesn't make sense.  I would appreciate any suggetions you may have.