tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post8147008125000650455..comments2024-02-24T01:52:05.892-07:00Comments on BrownEyedCowgirl: Outside Leg DummyBrownEyed Cowgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-70628209080207076552012-07-19T13:10:31.525-06:002012-07-19T13:10:31.525-06:00Barrel racing is a lot of work!Barrel racing is a lot of work!Shirleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15454110560303310751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-57335316331519900422012-07-19T11:03:54.840-06:002012-07-19T11:03:54.840-06:00They're all different. I had a horse similar ...They're all different. I had a horse similar to Moon, and the approach that worked best was the 'puzzle piece' approach. Horse was really smart, sensitive, slightly insecure, bullheaded, tended to worry, plus would blow up in a temper tantrum when confused. At the speed of sound not so good...!<br /><br />We had issues with rating gaits that had to be solved separately from turns, then add run and turn together. He hated arena work, so we had to use obstacles to make it more interesting, vary disciplines and use poles and caveletties to keep his busy brain engaged. <br /><br />By working on each separate part of the job and stringing them together like beads, it broke his single minded concentration and added up to a horse who understood his job instead of winging along on luck and a prayer. I always did have to RIDE him, and he did not suffer fools. (And he frequently thought I was one!) <br /><br /> Sheesh, what a tough horse, but he taught me so much!kestrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03253025366100154732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-90384016000469302712012-07-19T11:03:07.438-06:002012-07-19T11:03:07.438-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.kestrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03253025366100154732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-85134715975627647492012-07-18T15:58:20.377-06:002012-07-18T15:58:20.377-06:00And all of this is happening at light speed of cou...And all of this is happening at light speed of course! LOL. <br /><br />Sometimes with ours we have to let go and let them do things on their own and figure it out. Of course each horse is different and Moons is apparently not one you can do that with. Some horses do well with the less is more approach- a little guidance here and there, but leave them alone for the most part and they are fine. Point and shoot if you will. Others need more guidance, while others still may need to be micromanaged every. single. step. of. the. way... <br /><br />With training horses in general and I am sure you know this full well too, sometimes you have to back off and let them do their thing, other times you kick it up a notch or two to get the point across to the horse <i>T-H-I-S</i> is what you need to be doing right here... It comes with time and hard work- plenty of which you have done!Cut-N-Jumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10355349642284506192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-27740842142351900022012-07-18T10:50:22.373-06:002012-07-18T10:50:22.373-06:00CnJ-That kind of riding...or should I say, lack of...CnJ-That kind of riding...or should I say, lack of riding, is what got Moon and I into so much trouble with our runs in the past. I kept thinking Moon should 'get it' and he wasn't getting it. He was shouldering, ducking into the barrels and running frantically in between...and I was sitting up there, not ever knowing what he was going to do.<br /><br />When I went to that Ed Wright clinic last fall, Ed reamed me for leaving my horse hanging out there on his own. There are very few horses that are completely automatic and the ones that got there did not get to be that way on their own. <br /><br />So when I say 'I let Moon do what he does'...that means that I am actually up over my horse, actively riding him and have myself in a position to keep him running straight, prevent him from anticipating his turns and help balance him around the turn. There is a multitude of cues and movements that go into making that happen; having my body and hands straight over him, using my outside leg to keep him from kicking his hip out, keeping my hand forward and up to keep him from anticipating the turn and diving on the barrel and then sitting properly at the right time, continuing to keep my inside hand up so Moon has something to balance on, relaxing my legs for a stride or two as he rolls around the turn and then applying the correct leg at the correct spot-which leg depends on exactly where he is coming out of the barrel-if he's cutting the turn a little bit, I need to apply a little inside leg to keep him from cutting over the top of the barrel or, if he is coming out in the correct spot, it needs to be outside leg to help bring him on around so he leaves in a straight line for the next place he needs to go. <br /><br />The whole point is to make those cues quietly, smoothly and with the correct timing so they are beneficial and make the run look effortless. I want my riding to 'look' like Moon is just going in there and making that run all on his own...but I will NEVER revert back to leaving my horse hanging out there on his own and hoping he gets it right.BrownEyed Cowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-23011317150689474612012-07-17T10:05:19.166-06:002012-07-17T10:05:19.166-06:00I had a thought this morning on the way into work....I had a thought this morning on the way into work. In your post you said-<br /><br />>>I picked up my spot on the 2nd barrel, rode him straight for it <b>and let Moon do what Moon does...he wrapped that barrel and the 3rd barrel.</b> <<<br /><br />Have you ever taken him into the arena (or maybe try this at home)and let him run the barrels on his own? Maybe not full tilt, but let him go and let him do his own thing. Just sit there, stay on, stay out of his way and just be a passenger for the most part. See where he goes and how he handles it. It may be worth a shot and he may surprise you with what he can do.Cut-N-Jumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10355349642284506192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-11757815680584705712012-07-16T11:30:17.268-06:002012-07-16T11:30:17.268-06:00Letting them run and get it all out is fun and can...Letting them run and get it all out is fun and can be addicting... LOL! It seems to have worked for you guys though. To lay down a blazing hot time like that after sliding around the barrel, sheesh. Seems like you would blow that away in a 'perfect' run. Can't wait to hear about that!<br /><br />Having video is better than pic's of a run, pattern or test. Knowing what was going on, seeing the screen by screen in slow-mo makes it easier for you to pick out what needs to be changed. Getting the chance to do an exhibition and change it in action- priceless!<br /><br />We may be our own worst critics, but sometimes we are our own best teachers too!Cut-N-Jumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10355349642284506192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-83135349937568615192012-07-14T21:02:55.710-06:002012-07-14T21:02:55.710-06:00Wow girl, you just keep hitting new highs with tha...Wow girl, you just keep hitting new highs with that horse! The difficult ones will make ya crazy, but they're the ones that turn you into a rider.kestrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03253025366100154732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-62781235541459606232012-07-14T11:15:28.253-06:002012-07-14T11:15:28.253-06:00Cdn-This was a CWBRA (Colorado West Barrel Race As...Cdn-This was a CWBRA (Colorado West Barrel Race Association) run and it's a 4D with 1/2, 1/2, 1 second splits.<br /><br />Exhibitions are set up same as NBHA. We request that people keep each exhibition to 1 minute or less, but you can go in and pretty much do whatever you need to -stop, reverse direction, go around the barrel more than once, etc.<br /><br />Laura-Yea, at first Moon wasn't too sure about just running straight out, but he figured it out and settled into it. I have always wondered what Moon's speed index would have been if he had been a race horse. I'm thinking he would have been AAA+ on the track. He's scary fast. LOLBrownEyed Cowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-20537562544727365772012-07-14T08:25:56.562-06:002012-07-14T08:25:56.562-06:00Cool!! He was that fast even with a slip! Sounds ...Cool!! He was that fast even with a slip! Sounds like you guys are back on track for sorting things out. I bet he had a riot going for a spin on the track. I've done it at a canter and it is fun - let alone a nice gallop!Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01736592362765508427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-43584086582575955562012-07-14T02:15:02.406-06:002012-07-14T02:15:02.406-06:00I love hearing it too! GO Spooks & Moon!!
An...I love hearing it too! GO Spooks & Moon!!<br /><br />And holy hell, his personal best time in that arena after slipping that badly? Way to go!!!<br /><br />Curious, I'm guessing this was at a D race... how do you guys handle your exhibition runs? And what organization is it, NBHA or something else?cdncowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055181472294995601noreply@blogger.com