AboutMars Expertise I can answer questions about horse rodeo, like barrel racing, training behavior, starting young colts and fillies, "problem horses". Also I can help with your riding skills.
Experience I have trained a few horses with different problems, ex: not taking bit, rearing, bucking, and more.
Education/Credentials Over 4 years of being around horses, and learning about them. I'm also in the MBRA( Manitoba Barrel Racing Association)
Expert: Mars Date: 12/9/2007 Subject: barrel racing pony
Question Hello, my daughter rides a pony that we started on barrels in may of this year. He is 4 years old and has been doing real well. the last two show that she has ran him in he has tried to turn the barrel before he gets to the barrel. He is setting up to early. How do i correct this problem? This is what happens: she starts down the alley way and he is looking for the first barrel but when she checks him he will almost come to a complete stop and she isn't even checking him all that hard, but then on to the second barrel he almost misses it and tries to turn to early and then will come out of it wide, then the third barrel he stops at it to and then will go on around it. He has always up until the last 2 rodeos done very well we have just began to really have her push him to get him to run faster and now we have encountered this problem. I hope that i have made sense with this question, and i would really appreciate your help.We do some slow work on him at home and almost no fast work on the pattern at home, i don't know if that makes a difference but i will be anxious for your suggestions. Thank you brandie , if you need anymore info jsut email me.
Answer hey. thank you for messaging me. I think what you must do is just to do more slow work with him. Jog him over the course and walk if you have too. Just try to drill in the pattern to his head. And, if he blows out of the second barrel, just spin him, circle around that barrel at a walk, and try again. If he continues to stop when you check him, just get him loping again and do big circles with him, and alot. make him work hard for stopping. and then, start again. If he doesn't stop, or even just slightly hesitates, keep loping towards the first barrel, circle it, and then jog or walk the rest of the way, to show him that not stopping is easier work than just stopping. If he continues to turn early, stop, spin him the oppposite direction that he turned, and try again. If you have too, stop bringing him to rodeos/shows to train him again, and if u do bring him, act as if he is in training there, and correct him during the course, even if the clock is still timing. Since he is young, he will do mistakes. But, if you encounter any other problems, or if continues with his mistakes, please message me again. :) thanks
