Ok, well I have a 6 yr old, 15 hand skipper w and leo bred QH mare. I’ve already started training her on barrels about a month ago, and she definitely knows the pattern already. But she’s still a little green and she bends her head real well, but not her body. She also knows how to pick up the right lead. She also rates real well. But when I ask her to pick up the lope, she blows past the first barrel. So I need some tips on bending. I try figure eights and spiraling in a circle, also flexing at the standstill. But nothing really seems to work. She has a long back and neck, so i don’t know if that affects it. Your answers will be appreciated! Oh, and I’m planning to go with my friend and trailer to a big barrel race with $14,000 dollars added. And this is in December so I’m hoping she will improve much!

Have you been practicing at the walk and trot??? she doesnt sound ready to be loping the pattern. Usually when a horse blows by a barrel the rider hasn’t cued the horse correctly for the turn.
This is why we practice at the walk and trot.
I put cones all around my barrel so a have a nice sized pocket.
When you practice slow you can get really close and not knock over barrel. But when you are running fast the horse leans in the turn like if you where on a bike. So if the horse is trained to go to close to the barrel when going slow then they will knock it down when going fast.
If you don’t have cones use gallon milk or water cartons. Put them at least a couple feet a way from the barrel. Then as you come up to the barrel you sit up slide hand down the rein on the side of your turn because you direct rein a barrel horse around a barrel ( not neck rein)
then you hold on to horn and brace yourself back. Which at the slow speeds ypu really don’t need to. But when you start running fast, You will relly need to be bracing back. so perfect practice slow make a perfect run fast. And you must not look down at barrel you must look at next barrel and turn your shoulders not just your head. You horse will feel you sit up brace and will slow herslf down for the up comming turn and then will follow your body to the next barrel.
A good barrel horse is controled more with your body than your reins.
and get more barrels and practice just going around different barrels in different patterns. lots of circles. but you must brace and direct rein. so the horse knows when to turn, also turnbacks on the rail helps alot. and leg yeilds and trot and canter. There is a barrel racing magizine and every month they have training tips by some of the top barrel racer in the country. check it out.

My family has a history of nasty joints and nowadays it gets harder and harder to practice a level horse stance with my knees giving out. Any training tips or meditation that could help or do i just repeat till i just don’t feel it anymore? haha

If the problem is mental, just ignore it. If the problem is physical you can try wrapping your knees.

I have a 6 year old QH mare that i am wanting to train on barrels. My plan is to teach her to stop quick and turn sharp before i introduce her to the barrels. That way she turns around them the proper way, fast and sharp! Is this the right method i should take, or should i go directly to working the barrels? Is there a website i could go to talk to other people training their horses to get more tips and things? I have a lot more questions that are related to training my horse. All of your input is welcome!

I would say before even touching a barrel, you need to get your horse supple and listening to you. Remember that speed isnt everything. I use to have a fast horse but my horse that could turn better always beat him. You lose seconds if your horse doesnt know how to turn.

Start with flexing. Start on the ground and make sure your horse can flex from side to side and make him supple to your hand pressure. Then make sure he can do it while your in the saddle. Then start with bending. Use your inside leg to get him to bend around it but use your outside leg to keep him moving and on the right lead. Put pressure on with your outside leg. Your horse needs to know leg pressure. When going around a barrel you should be able to apply pressure to either get them to move away if they are too close or to come closer. And if they swing their butt, then you can put pressure towards the flank with your outside leg and they will bring their butt around instead of swinging it.

Do many circles. This will help with your horses bending a lot. Circles are great. And so arent figure eights. Also you can put a barrel in the middle of your arena and do big circles, while decreasing them until you turn the barrel tightly. Then you can build up to speed.

Now for the actual course!

First Steps

Start by walking. Walk to the barrels, stop at your rate point, for a beginning horse this is about 10 feet from the barrel, by sitting down in the saddle and if you have to stopping your horse with your reins. Make sure you always stop at the same point. Repetition is what horses learns from. Then, back your horse up at least three steps or until he gets his hind end under him. Then sit slightly forward to ask your horse to go, and walk around the barrel. Keep your horse a little wide and then bring him in as you leave the barrel. Stay straight in your saddle and don’t look at the barrel. Look to your next pocket, he area in which you will start to turn the barrel. Do this at each barrel. When doing any type of practice, after you leave the third barrel, go left all the way to the fence and back down the start. This should only 3-4 times a week when you first start, you don’t want to sour your horse before you have even begun.

Second Steps

After your horse has mastered walking the pattern, and will basically stop on his own at the rate point, you can move on to trotting the barrels. Do the same thing, stopping and backing up at your rate point, the same rate point you established in your walking exercise. Your horse should remember this. So now you are trotting to the barrels and walking around them. Make sure when you get to the point you start to move away from the barrel, push your horse right into a trot so he knows that’s when he is supposed to move out. Do this at each barrel, making sure to go back to the fence after the third barrel.

Third Steps

When your horse does well at trotting the pattern, you can move on. Don’t rush your horse into doing this perfectly. It may take quite a bit of time, and you don’t want him to get bored. Make sure you do other things like trail riding, other events like poles, cones etc. Go out on a trail ride or at least out of the arena several times a week, even after you work on the barrels. So now, you can start loping the barrels. At this stage, it is going to be the time you will need to concentrate on lead changes between the first and second barrel. Most people can feel if their horse is changing leads ok, but if you have problems, have someone watch or better yet, video tape you If your horse naturally slows down at his rate point you have made great success! You should now be loping between the barrels and trotting around them. Make sure you push your horse right into a lope after you leave the barrel though. Repetition is your main training resource.

By now your horse should know the pattern pretty well. Run him in different shows just to get your horse exposed to running in different arenas and you used to his reaction. When you are practicing at home, don’t put a lot of speed on your horse, and don’t do it often. Once your horse is well seasoned, it usually isn’t necessary for your horse to see the barrels between shows. One thing I always stress to everyone is make sure you keep your horses mind sane. Go on trail rides, go to a team penning! Do anything besides barrels. It will keep your horse and you happy.

If you find and deficiencies with your horses pattern, go back to slow work and fix it before it gets out of control. Most times if your horse is have problems it is pilot error, but these things can be fixed.

And with practicing at home. Barely ever RUN the pattern. This burns your horse out quick. Within a two week time I will run the pattern maybe once. Slow work is the key to consistency!

alright, so my instructor helped me train my first horse, and ive decided to get another one now, and train it myself. ive been riding for about 15 years now multiple time weekly, and ive had my horse for years now, but when i got him, he was just a colt who had to be broken and trained.

now im getting an off the track thoroughbred and im looking for some good training tips. obviously, it will be different than training a colt. my instructor has trained many off the track horses and of course she will always be there for help, but what good advice do you guys have?

the race horses owner is a very close friend of mine, and ive spent a lot of time with this horse already. he is the super sweet type of loveable horse who wants do just do an awesome job at what ever you ask him to do. super smart boy. can figure out what hes being asked to do quite quickly.

thats why i choose him for my first horse to train on my own, i will be getting him for fairly cheap because my friend knows he will be going to a good home and what now, and i think he will be easier than a super hyper high strung ex race horse.

hes a wonderful boy, also he is 5 now, no injuries at all in his racing career, just ready to find his next job. was a wonderful race horse though, still is. one of those horses that you see on the track and say "wow, that horse can run"

thats why i was so surprised when my friend said she was selling him. could easily7 keep going in his racing career, but i dont want to miss the opportunity for this amazing horse!! i just think he is perfect for a first horse to train on your own.

but anyways, good tips please??

anything helps, but the answer with the most info/ tips gets 10 pts!!!

thanks you guys!!
prob should have added this. he wasnt kept at a racing stable unless he was at the races. he was kept in a huge pasture with 5 other geldings (not race horse geldings though. an arab, another thoroughbred, a clydes cross, a mule and a quarter horse)

he is not high strung at all. got to be in a pasture all the time and was only race excersized during race season. the rest of the time it was simple easy lunge training in a round pen to keep him in shape. sometimes even with a rider on hise back(but on a lunge line and after being lunged for a while already) and always did fine with that. not a race saddle than either, simple english saddle, and never just took off at a gallop or anything with rider in the round pen. just doesnt know any cues at all or has ever been ridden outside of the track for races/practice, or with a rider just to keep him used to the weight in a round pen lunging, at trot? canter. or walk at the end.

thanks again guys!!!
to barefoot:

he is being sold because she is being affected by the economy like the rest of us. she has to down size now to only 2-3 horsed (from the 27 she now has) and simply wants to find a suitable home for all.

and no worries, i would not even take a horse from a relative without a proper vet check over, and of course, i will have a time period to make sure the horse will work. giving the circimstances, it will obviously be a few month trial period, in a contract signed by both parties.

First things first! Look at the psychology of the racehorse and they have led very unnatural lives. Brought in from the fields at 18 months, prepared for the sales, broken and then in training, they have had little time to learn how to be a horse.
I turn them out for a month or more and let them totally relax down. If the weather is harsh then I will bring them in at nights and will handle them but, generally I just forget them.
I then start them from scratch in that I will longe them with tack. I change the bit from an ordinary snaffle to a Myler or Happy Mouth, work them with side reins and get them accepting that they can go into the bridle from the ground. During this time they will have as much out time as possible.

When it comes to riding them I will work them in an arena on a loose rein. If they want to go faster than I do then I let them but guide them onto a circle without pulling back. They will have learned the voice commands from longeing. Working to get them use to the new idea that contact does not mean running at whatever pace.

Some horses, and this one sounds as if he will, accept the new regime with no problems. The ones who have had their brains blown take a little more time. If they are sane then I will ride them out on trails and tracks with another sensible horse. (No problems in the UK as majority of racehorses get ridden on the roads and tracks daily)

Generally they will adapt when it clicks what is wanted. There will be set backs as with any form of training but the main thing is to think and ride calmly.

I love retraining racers, it can be quite a challenge but so satisfying when it comes true.

ADD ON FOR JULIE

I don’t know where you get the idea that when racehorses are ridden they are galloped for an hour a day. That is total rubbish. They might do several canters but actual gallops are usually only done twice a week and not over long distances.

I’m 14 and I’ve had my horse for 2 years. He’s a big thoroughbred/Q-horse and is about 13 years old has basic training but was not used for 5 years and was abused at one point. he’s stubborn as an ox and acts like an overgrown teenager. we had someone come out and work with him but he broke the equipment. I’ve tried selling him but my dad wont let me for some odd reason. So I’m taking it upon myself to train him because he’s not safe to have around my younger siblings. I need some basic training tips. the #1 problem I have with him is he knows he’s bigger then me also he’s terrified of anything resembling a saddle or blanket.
he wants to learn but I’m not very experienced

I am going to skip the part about lecturing about getting a horse when your too inexperienced. This is going to be a long process to get him back to riding shape.

What to do about the saddle and blanket is tie him to cross ties and put them in front of him. (One at a time) and let him sniff them. When he is comfortable with them, put carrots or other treats on them then have him eat them. Do this for a while (probably a month or so depending on how he takes it.) Once you have that sorted out try to saddle him.

Once he lets you and you are able to do this then just leave his halter on and go lunge him for a while so he gets used to moving with a saddle. ( Do not use a whip while lunging if he has been abused) Once he is good with that go on to the next step.

Brideling. You never said if your horse could do this so I am going with he cannot. What you do is repeat what you did with the blanket and saddle. Once he is comfortable around it then try to put it on him. If he accepts the bit without any treats ( I will get to that later) then you can move on. However if he cannot then try putting molasses (or other horse friendly solution ) on the bit and he should take it more willingly.

Once you’ve got that you can lunge him again (just put the halter on over the bridle) -Oh yeah on this stage of lunging remove your reins so he can’t trip.

Now for riding him. This will most likely be a long and painful process and you will probably get frustrated but think of his life so far. Try getting on your horse (use a mounting block so you don’t strain his back) and be ready for him to take off or such non-sense.

After you have accomplished getting on him just walk, then once he is okay with that you can try trotting. After the trot is mastered perfectly then and only then you can move on into the canter. When cantering either do it in a round pen or try a small circle.

*Just some tips*
Starting off ride indoors ( if available ) and don’t move out until he has everything mastered.
Before you start riding him you might want to lunge him to get out all exercise.
You might want to have him vet checked encase their is something actually wrong with his back and that’s why he doesn’t like being ridden.
Lastly spoil your big boy! Make him know that he is loved now!

Good luck hope this helps!!

I own a 7 year old gelding that i do hunter jumper with. Im currently retraining him into this discipline. I want to train him flying lead changes so that we can place better at shows. If anyone has any hints or tricks on how you can do this that would be great!

http://www.horsetrainingvideos.com/leadchange.htm

Learning the flying change determines whether or not a horse advances into the collected work beyond Second Level. It is an intense movement that dressage trainer Roanne Denny says takes a year to train thoroughly.
She learned the flying change from Herbert Rehbein, five-time Champion Professional German Dressage Trainer. "Herbert Rehbein has a reputation for being able to teach a cow the flying change," Denny said.
The flying change first appears in Third Level, Test 3. Two simple flying changes are required from a counter canter on a 20-meter circle.
Tempi changes begin at Fourth Level. Test 1 requires changes from a counter canter but on a straight line. Test 2 asks for changes of lead every fourth stride across the diagonal. The tempi changes continue through the FEI levels with Prix St. Georges every four strides, Intermediare I every three strides, Intermediare II every two strides, and Grand Prix every stride.

Preparing for the Flying Change

"A horse’s age doesn’t determine when he is ready for the flying change," Denny said. "If you have a 12-year-old in training, you may have to return to basic ground work in order to develop the muscles needed for the flying change," she said.
Denny’s 3-year-olds do 20-meter circles. As their muscles develop, she gradually decreases the circles to 15-meters. Her 4-year-olds begin 10-meter circles if their muscle strength, balance and coordination allow them to comfortably stride underneath themselves while maintaining rhythm. Doing circles too small at an early age may damage the hocks: Denny suggests training under professional guidance.
When the horses can do 10- and 5-meter circles at a canter without losing balance and breaking into a trot, Denny begins to teach them the counter canter.
"After accomplishing counter canter and maintaining serpentines, 20-and10-meter circles at a counter canter without losing balance, the horse is ready to begin the flying change," she said.
Denny depends on circles and serpentines to supple, balance and strengthen the horses. She also teaches them shoulder-in, haunches-in and half-pass at a trot and canter for balance.
Aids for the Change
When Denny teaches a horse the flying change, she places her outside leg well back on the horse, uses firm pressure of the leg and maintains a strong rein contact on the same side to keep the horse straight in the head and neck. The outside rein prevents the horse from swinging to the inside and keeps the horse from changing in front first.
"Riders shift their weight in a sense but will use their bodies less the more changes they do," Denny said. "The rider has to feel for the right timing and then apply a positive hand and leg aid," she said. "I either use a half circle back to the track and ask for the change just before the rail, or I ask when on a counter canter on a straight line."
If the canter is collected and the haunches are engaged, the chances are better that the horse will change behind instead of in front. "You run a risk that the horse will be late behind, which means he changes in front first and then comes through one or two strides later from behind," she said. "The horse coming from behind causes each change to come through a bit like an explosion."
enny usually has a ground person who tells her if the changes come from behind.
"I tend to reassure the horse after I have done the flying change by bringing him back to the walk, patting him and going on to something else," Denny said. " It takes a lot of time and patience."
"With a young horse, I would do a couple changes, then perhaps leave it for a few weeks. I try to avoid being repetitious and getting the horse worked up and excited about it."

Problems to Avoid

Anticipation is a common problem with the flying change. "When a horse anticipates a flying change, that is not the time to ask for one," Denny said. "Instead stay in the counter canter until he settles again."
Denny does each flying change in a different place. Some training sessions she does not do one at all. She said it takes about a year before the horse learns the flying change properly and does not anticipate it.
Trainers should never attempt a flying change in a corner. "This will throw the horse off balance, and the change will be crooked," Denny said. "Chances are the haunches will also swing outward."
Avoid teaching he flying change from a counter canter on a circle. Sometimes this works; sometimes it does not.
"People train with the inside rein and outside leg, shifting their weight to change the bend in the horse, thus asking him onto the other hand," Denny said. "The problem with this method is the horse starts to swerve to the inside, then begins to change late from behind. This is murder to correct."
After executing a few changes, the horse will automatically get a little stronger, perhaps coming onto the forehand and increasing his pace, Denny said. Once he learns t

I am teaching my mini to drive Achenbach style. Anyone have any suggestions on what I could do to train her?

I’d never heard of this and looked it up….great question!!!!!!

http://www.horsedrivingtrialsclub.com/theachenbachdrivingsy.htm

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:xLDxtcFnbY4J:www.thecoachmansshop.com/The%2520Achenbach%2520Driving%2520System.doc+achenback+driving+style&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

http://www.drivingpairs.com/index.php?inc=7

http://cde4vse.com/links.htm