My daughter is having trouble making her horse turn the first barrel good if she goes to it to fast. He does beautiful if she goes to it not as fast as she should. Last Saturday I told her to go to the first barrel fast because she has lost so much time and he took it wide and headed back to the alley because she couldn’t get a hold of his head. I made her go and do it again and he tired to take his head again around the first barrel but I yelled at her to pull him around and she did and then she had a pretty good run. She would have gotten a check if she wouldn’t have messed up the first time. I am frustrated and so is she. I rode him yesterday and he got upset because one of the other horses had gone back home and all he wanted to do it chomp and the bit and try to run. I kept him under control but it is frustrating. Please tell me what to do.
Deb
Deb,
You didn’t say how old your daughter is but after reading your message, I am sensing a lot of urgency to make things right. Frustration is not an emotion that a horse understands and it usually worries and confuses the horse. My guess is that maybe your horse needs more education as far as “handling†is concerned. Does this horse willingly walk, trot, lope, fast lope, stop, back up, sidepass, disengage the rear end, move the front end, move easily off your legs??? If he doesn’t do all of these things easily and willingly without trying to run away from your hands or feet, then you are rushing an uneducated horse into a pressure situation and unless your daughter is an experienced rider, she is probably not helping him enough to get the results you are looking for. When he reacts with uncertainty because another horse leaves him, that’s a clear sign that he is not comfortable with what you are asking him to do and is responding with a “fear or flight†nervous response. My suggestion to you is to be sure you have enough bridle on the horse that your daughter can easily control him without getting into a wrestling match – then you need to slow things down and go only as fast as your horse and your daughter are comfortable with and in control. Stop worrying about “getting a check†– get the horse and rider together as a team and working in unison. When that happens, then the checks will fall in place.
Martha Wright