Hi,
I have a 4 year old thoroughbred mare off the track and I have started
her on barrels. I’ve done all the slowwork with her backing up, etc. the
first time we walk or trot through the pattern she is fine, but the next
times she just gets hotter and hotter and wanting to run.

What should I do? She knows the pattern well and now we are loping it. Whenever I come into a barrel I sometimes pick up too soon. Your can’t pick up your rein on her until you are past the barrel becouse she turns so hard, not like a normal thoroughbred.

My other barrel horse is so big and you have to check him up when his head is @ the barrel sometimes sooner, how do I balance the differnces? Also, when is it safe to start pushing her? She has been on the barrels for about 90-100 days.

Lindsay Lien 12,
Durand, WI

From what you are telling me about your mare, it sounds as though you should probably NOT speed her up until she learns to be comfortable at the walk and trot around the barrels. When she will quietly walk or trot around the barrels, then you can begin to lope her to the barrels and walk around them.

It could take MANY months for your mare to learn to be quiet and relaxed so it will require a lot of patience on your part.
Martha Wright

The people who had her before us decided to skip the slow work and when we got her she didn’t even lope like a normal horse and was always playing with the bit. So, we slowed her down and she was really relaxed at the walk and trot and then we decided to lope and now she hates to walk or trot a few times without loping.

You see so she was once relaxed and she will stll walk or trot them but she lopes in place(really, like the sand is atreadmill) until you stop her and tell her what you are doing. After we started loping she just would rather lope the barrels rather than walk or trot, she is a speed demon.

Lindsay Lien