Edited to add: We ended up 1/2 a second off, but won the 2D. I'll take that. Money is money. LOL
This time around...I'm not going to whine about it.
Moon definitely struggled a bit since he couldn't get his nose stuck out there, but I felt more in control again. I also did not get sucked down over his front-end. Once he figures out how to rebalance himself, he should go back to making smooth runs or if he softens back up, I may be able to take the tie-down off again. He's still leaning a lot going into his barrels, so it will probably be a few runs before he figures out he needs to get stood back up and run up to the barrel and turn it vs. careening toward it with his shoulder down and wanting to dive around it.
Man...I know better than to try to push my hat back down too...I've told Meg several times...let the darned thing go if it starts to come off. But it's just kind of instinct when you feel it coming loose. That's why we blew out 3rd barrel. I reached up and shoved my hat back down. I had my hatpins in my hand at the gate and darned if I didn't set them on the ground to adjust Moon's bell boot. Got back on and when they called my name, I realized I hadn't pinned my hat down. Too late by then, so I just went with it. I really need to get in the habit of wearing my hat every run, so I don't forget things like that.
One of my friends ran smack dab into 2nd barrel and laid her knee wide open. I am so fortunate that for all of the messed up turns Moon and I have made, that neither of us have ever hurt ourselves whacking a barrel.
11 comments:
Getting back to it , I sure like the look of that horse of yours
Not shabby at all girl! You always look good out there :)
Sorry for your friend though, yikes... that's GOT to hurt.
First looked good... 2nd and 3rd are where you lost your time. I can understand 2nd being a bit wide though ;)
Usually 3rd is much better. This time you kinda "rainbowed" it, and comments on why it wasn't finished?
(sorry you're kinda my mentor lol)
Cdn-Just before 3rd I reached up and pushed my hat back down, so I really didn't set Moon like I should have for 3rd...but he probably would have bowed that turn a little bit anyway, like he did 2nd. Not being able to stick that nose out there and drop onto his front end threw him off.
It doesn't look that bad in the video because he was still moving forward, but he was bowed sideways coming out of 1st all the way across to 2nd and just barely managed to move over to get around 2nd. He bowed pretty hard coming out of 2nd too and felt like he wanted to coming out of 3rd. Anytime a horse gets that bowed movement or 'feeling' to their body...that's where you really lose time because your losing forward momentum.
I'd say we lost a 1/10 going to 1st because Moon is not running very hard. At least a 1/10th between 1st and 2nd (because of the sideways motion), probably 2-1/10ths on the backside and coming out of 2nd (because it really felt like Moon stalled out and then went sideways) and a 1/10th coming out of 3rd (because he kind of stalled and bowed again). A long-strided horse like Moon doesn't have to wrap the barrels tight to make time. I just really need to work on getting him to figure out that last stride and push straight forward to the next barrel because that is where he is losing it.
Ever thought of running the pattern the other way? Go to the left barrel first? Maybe change it up for Moon a bit and see how it goes? Just a thought.
Those bright green polo's- WOW!
Your friends knee- OUCH! That's gotta hurt. Hope she heals quickly.
CNJ-I slow practice pattern Moon the opposite direction about every 3rd day. He gets slow patterned every time I ride him.
I first thought about switching him last year and started working on it early this year, but he was struggling and was obviously confused, so I gave up. He is what he is now.
There are horses that are successful at being able to run either direction and boy oh boy does that give some of those girls advantages at difficult gates. But I've only ever had one horse that was good at running either direction.
Cdn and I talked about this before, because when I start a horse, I pattern them both directions and will exhibition them both directions a few times. They are almost always stronger one way than the other and that's pretty much where you need to let them go. Cdn said Ed Wright does pretty much the same thing.
Looks like a nice run to me! Congratulations on being in the money! :)
Makes sense and like I said, just a thought. Things are much the same for us. We have our stronger side and then there's the other side...
Hahahaha word verif- Shiform.
Does anyone know the missing letter? lol. Just found it funny.
Nice to be in the money, even though you weren't 100% happy with your run. You guys will continue to do well and improve, I'm sure!
Moon sure looks nice!
He is one big running horse! I had one years ago that ran similar, and finally found that putting a verbal cue for the rate for the barrel helped him. I did some slowish sprint work, pull back into collected with a big voice cue ( I used hoop at the stride before I wanted the rate, hoop for every rated stride, then shut up and let him run again.) I just practiced it around the arena easy, rating in the corners, till he got the idea, then started using it on the pattern. I think it may have trained me to pick that stride better myself, haha! I sure like what I'm seeing, and the tie down is a good idea. You're one heck of a rider and trainer!
Yep, Ed said something along the lines that pretty much any horse should be able to run the pattern both ways BUT that's doesn't mean you compete on them both ways.
Ah he's a hoot... you'll enjoy his clinic!
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