Horse Talk

[Kusanar]

Definitely going to look into this. I’m new to all the movements like sidepass, etc.

If you have a safe fence that you can use to help it makes it a lot easier. It needs to be safe to bump into without falling or hurting the horse and tall enough they don't try to jump it if they think you are asking them to walk to the other side (A regular height fence is fine, 3 feet is not)

Turn on the forehand (TOF): Stop next to the fence with the horses side against it. Tip the nose toward the fence a little bit and press with your leg on the fence side but a bit further back than normal, you want the horse to turn his rear end AWAY from the fence without taking a step forwards. As soon as you get 1 step, stop all cues and give him a scratch, after about 10 seconds, try again. At first all you want is 1 step when you ask for it, then build up until you can turn until the other side is against the fence. Obviously you need to train this in both directions.

Turn on the haunches (TOH): This one is a bit harder than turn on the forehand. You want to use your leg to press the front end over, using your leg a bit forward of normal while opening your rein and "inviting" the horse to step that way with the front end. Same as with the turn on the forehand, you want 1 step and then give a short break and reward.

Sidepass: Get good at Both turn on forehand and turn on haunches before attempting. Basically, you want to walk straight up to a fence so that the chest is pointing at it, then ask for 1 step of TOF, then 1 step of TOH, then keep switching back and forth until you can fairly smoothly walk the horse sideways down the fence. Then work on getting both ends to move together.

 

[ShrekDawg]

The HORSE doesn't open and close gates, the RIDER opens and closes gates while on the horse, it's a specific maneuver that is fairly hard to do on a horse not trained specifically to do it as it involves side passing, backing and turning on the forehand.



The different price ranges are due to brand and level of wear, the same as a used Dodge Viper is going to sell for more than a NEW Ford Pinto... It's just a better car/saddle.

Bars on a western saddle are the same as a tree or gullet on an english saddle.. It defines how wide the saddle is. I believe the Full QH bars are the widest ones but I don't ride western so I'm a LITTLE fuzzy on western stuff.

A barrel racing saddle doesn't HAVE to be used for barrel racing, but, it is a lightweight saddle that is only really meant for you to be in it for 5-10 minutes tops, so it likely isn't the most comfortable.

2 cinches is not unusual for a stock saddle, if you are roping, and the cow hits the end of the rope, it will pull the back of your saddle up off of the horses back, the rear cinch keeps that from happening. The front cinch goes where it normally would, the rear one is about a foot back from the front one, a lot of the time there is a strap between the front and rear cinches to keep the rear one from slipping back. The rear cinch should TOUCH but not apply pressure to the horses sides, it is ONLY to keep the saddle from standing up on end.

How to fit a western saddle is something I'm not 100% on, but I'm sure there are lots of good youtube videos from saddle fitters that you could find.

I swore it said the horse opened the gates but I probably read it wrong lol

And thanks for all the info on the saddles! That's really helpful

Although I'm not sure if I want to go English or Western haha

The cantle (part of the saddle that is behind the rider's behind) on a barrel saddle is higher than that of a "regular" western saddle. Also, the seat is made with suede leather, so the seat of the rider's pants will stick to it rather than slide - both details meant to keep the rider in the saddle during the high acceleration of barrel racing. It's a lot harder to become unseated from a barrel saddle, so someone who hasn't developed a good seat might prefer one. (Also, the horn is reduced in size, so it wouldn't be very useful for someone who meant to use a saddle for roping, etc)

Thanks for the clarification. Only time I ever barrel raced it was in a wintec all purpose saddle...

Yes, thanks for the clarification

Hey guys! Jumping in on the conversation, I’ve been teaching my horse to stand still and also teaching her to move with me while I open and close gates from on her back. Hard work!!

Yes, it is. It is easier if you can teach each movement separately and then just combine them when teaching the gate opening maneuver.

I am going to add a portion of this page which describes the steps to opening and closing a gate on horseback: http://www.horsekeeping.com/horse_riding_and_mounted_training/gate.htm

The simplest way to work a gate is to ride alongside it and stop with your leg at the latch. Give your reins to one hand and with the other, unlatch the gate. Then, while sliding your hand along the top of the gate, back the horse a few steps so that his head is now at the latch. Swing the gate away from the horse so that he sees an inviting opening. Later, as the horse progresses, instead of swinging the gate away from the horse, you can have the horse "work the gate" with a few steps of side pass (similar to a full pass) or turn on the hindquarters. Which one you will use will depend on the length of the gate and how close the horse's haunches must work to the hinges - a very long gate will allow the horse to do more of a side pass while a short gate will require more of a turn on the hindquarters. In any case, once the gate is opened, the horse is walked forward until his shoulder is at the end of the gate. Then perform a turn on the forehand (about 340 degrees) to position the horse parallel to the opposite side of the gate. Then as many steps of side pass or turn on the hindquarters as is required to close the gate.

If you have a safe fence that you can use to help it makes it a lot easier. It needs to be safe to bump into without falling or hurting the horse and tall enough they don't try to jump it if they think you are asking them to walk to the other side (A regular height fence is fine, 3 feet is not)

Turn on the forehand (TOF): Stop next to the fence with the horses side against it. Tip the nose toward the fence a little bit and press with your leg on the fence side but a bit further back than normal, you want the horse to turn his rear end AWAY from the fence without taking a step forwards. As soon as you get 1 step, stop all cues and give him a scratch, after about 10 seconds, try again. At first all you want is 1 step when you ask for it, then build up until you can turn until the other side is against the fence. Obviously you need to train this in both directions.

Turn on the haunches (TOH): This one is a bit harder than turn on the forehand. You want to use your leg to press the front end over, using your leg a bit forward of normal while opening your rein and "inviting" the horse to step that way with the front end. Same as with the turn on the forehand, you want 1 step and then give a short break and reward.

Sidepass: Get good at Both turn on forehand and turn on haunches before attempting. Basically, you want to walk straight up to a fence so that the chest is pointing at it, then ask for 1 step of TOF, then 1 step of TOH, then keep switching back and forth until you can fairly smoothly walk the horse sideways down the fence. Then work on getting both ends to move together.

All this details interesting

So can you teach this stuff without a gate or fence? Like just to learn it??

Also, stupid question but I just thought of it.....

I've always been scared (and just not experienced enough) to try galloping on a horse but I was just thinking of like being on a ranch/range and/or wide open land and just galloping across a field or something and it seems really fun to me. But I think I'm still scared to try it. But anyway, my question is how do you still maintain control of the horse and how do you get the horse to stop or steer at that speed? Cause that's really my biggest fear - losing control of the horse or falling off

 

[ChickenLover200]

I swore it said the horse opened the gates but I probably read it wrong lol

And thanks for all the info on the saddles! That's really helpful

Although I'm not sure if I want to go English or Western haha





Yes, thanks for the clarification







All this details interesting

So can you teach this stuff without a gate or fence? Like just to learn it??

Also, stupid question but I just thought of it.....

I've always been scared (and just not experienced enough) to try galloping on a horse but I was just thinking of like being on a ranch/range and/or wide open land and just galloping across a field or something and it seems really fun to me. But I think I'm still scared to try it. But anyway, my question is how do you still maintain control of the horse and how do you get the horse to stop or steer at that speed? Cause that's really my biggest fear - losing control of the horse or falling off

Have to admit I also have this fear of riding at fast speeds because my balance isn’t the greatest and I think I’d fall off. But I want to barrel race, so kinda a weird fear. Lol. I did enter a fun show barrel race in June and I almost fell off because my horse completely freaked out in the show setting and bolted in the arena. I lost the reins for a brief moment and almost lost a stirrup. We never did do the barrel pattern that day.

 

[ChickenLover200]

Also that was my first ever show so fun. Hahaha

 

[ShrekDawg]

Have to admit I also have this fear of riding at fast speeds because my balance isn’t the greatest and I think I’d fall off. But I want to barrel race, so kinda a weird fear. Lol. I did enter a fun show barrel race in June and I almost fell off because my horse completely freaked out in the show setting and bolted in the arena. I lost the reins for a brief moment and almost lost a stirrup. We never did do the barrel pattern that day.

Also that was my first ever show so fun. Hahaha

Oh wow that sounds scary! Haha

 

[LilJoe]

I don't think so. Those aren't very common at all - though they should be. They're supposed to be really smart.... But I think I've already got too much to deal with with Smoke. XD

XD


The Great Gypsy Vanner Invasion shall start tomorrow!

 

[abigalerose]

So, life is hitting me pretty hard right now, I bought my own place and I totaled my car last week, so basically I'm broke right now. Unfortunately that means I need to sell Jasmine. Jasmine is my baby and she's also worth a little more than any horses I've sold in the past, so I'm trying to be super selective about where she ends up. I don't just wanna post her on Craigslist and hope for the best. Do you guys have any ideas on how I could advertise her?

 

[Kusanar]

All this details interesting

So can you teach this stuff without a gate or fence? Like just to learn it??

Also, stupid question but I just thought of it.....

I've always been scared (and just not experienced enough) to try galloping on a horse but I was just thinking of like being on a ranch/range and/or wide open land and just galloping across a field or something and it seems really fun to me. But I think I'm still scared to try it. But anyway, my question is how do you still maintain control of the horse and how do you get the horse to stop or steer at that speed? Cause that's really my biggest fear - losing control of the horse or falling off

You can teach it without the fence, but it's harder, you use the fence to help direct the horse in the direction you want them to go in, but you can do it with a pole or board laying on the ground.

Generally when I gallop them I just gallop up a hill and pretty much just let them have their head until I get to the top and then I just slow them down before I turn them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

So, life is hitting me pretty hard right now, I bought my own place and I totaled my car last week, so basically I'm broke right now. Unfortunately that means I need to sell Jasmine. Jasmine is my baby and she's also worth a little more than any horses I've sold in the past, so I'm trying to be super selective about where she ends up. I don't just wanna post her on Craigslist and hope for the best. Do you guys have any ideas on how I could advertise her?
View attachment 1167833

Aww sorry you're having all the problems and for having to sell her!

Although isn't there any way somebody could help so you wouldn't have to sell her? Isn't it just her an June now? So June would be alone?

But if you don't have the money, you don't have it. I just wish there was some way to raise the funds to keep her or maybe just keep her on grass for a while? Idk if that's possible?

And if you Google horses for sale or something like that, there's tons of horse sale sites you might be able to use but idk how much traffic they get but people seem to use them

This one I think is the biggest

https://www.equinenow.com

But there's also these

https://www.horseclicks.com

https://www.equine.com/

https://www.dreamhorse.com

https://www.equine.com/horses-for-sale.html

But you could also try placing an ad at the feed store if they have a billboard or something or maybe on some QH Facebook pages?

But again I hope you can find a way to not sell her

 

[ShrekDawg]

You can teach it without the fence, but it's harder, you use the fence to help direct the horse in the direction you want them to go in, but you can do it with a pole or board laying on the ground.

Generally when I gallop them I just gallop up a hill and pretty much just let them have their head until I get to the top and then I just slow them down before I turn them.

Thanks, I guess I'd need to find a fence then ha

That makes sense although idk if I only want to uphill and also I think I'd fall off haha