[shepherd406]

Then you better invest in shin guards & a back brace. When they get fast, it's a rough ride coming out of those barrels.

[Lou3]

Originally Posted by shepherd406

Then you better invest in shin guards & a back brace. When they get fast, it's a rough ride coming out of those barrels.

No more than it is when they take a turn in english gaming, and you dont have a western saddle to give extra stability then - just a half tree racing training saddle most of the time - and its not the turns that got to me it was the stunting, vaulting on and off the horse at flat out gallop, picking stuff up off the floor at flat out gallop etc etc.

[BlingRacer]

Just because YOU couldn't make your horse both a world champion AND a good safe horse to ride outside the arena, doesn't mean other people can't. That's a reflection on either your horse's pesonality or (more likely) your training skills or lack there of. No, I don't ride world champions...but I know there are plenty of world champion NBHA horses that are excellent in an arena or out. It all depends on how much time you dedicate to riding them outside the arena and MAKING them behave.


I bet you did not make it a priority to go out a couple of times a week and MAKE that horse behave outside the arena, either on a trail, in a pasture, doing some other event, etc, because you were probably too focused on winning to "waste" time with the horse going on trail rides or entering it in an equitation class.

I don't know much about English gaming, but I know a lot about western garming, and the 1D NBHA horses are usually some of the most well behaved and spectacularly trained animals out there.

Barrel racers have worked long and hard to lose the stereotype of being crummy riders on half crazy horses who were rejects from other events. We've worked hard to be taken as serious equestrians, worked hard to train our horses to the level of any champion reiner, worked hard to develop our own blood lines specialized for the event,etc. You're doing a lot to undo that concept.

I don't care if you were a world champion. Doesn't mean you did the RIGHT way.

[shepherd406]

There are exceptions to every rule. You do see crazy horses @ each level, but it's usually not the horse, it's the rider/trainer. Sometimes horses freak out because of the arena. I know the Hippodrome is a scary place to run & some horses aren't used to it. But most of the horses I know who are NBHA horses & have run @ the Nationals & World are all around great horses who just happen to be fast as all get out.

[BlingRacer]

It's more the rider than the horse IMO.

My mom bought a 1D horse 2yrs ago because he was blown....Got him for , I kid you not, $1000. Yes, 1D horse. He was "ruined".

They did nothing but work this horse in an arena and run barrels. He was 100% a basketcase when we got him.

2 years later, and we're finally getting him ready to run again....If THAT horse can be fixed, I believe any horse can. And that was just with us little amateur riders and no professional training to help out. Granted, it took a solid year of just walking and trotting, but it can be done.

[Huntseat]

Originally Posted by giddyupgal73

One thing you could do, I like my horses to just about anything. The first thing they learn is to be a good trail riding horse/ or working cattle. We'll do some halter and western pleasure and if I could ride english they would do that too. I would teach them to be a gaming horse last. I also found that if you use a different bit for each event they would associate that bit with whatever is going to be expected. Snaffle bit was always for training/teaching something new. Hackamore-trail riding. Western curb bit-western pleasure. Again If I could ride english I would use proper bit for that event. Games I used a snaffle, but It was a different snaffle from the training snaffle. Of course since they are LEARNING to game when I start them. I want to be able to have 2 hands on the reins to work them through the patterns. I never practiced games at home, only transitions.............Always keep your horse guessing. If I did paractice at home it was at a trot or a LOPE. And at the gaming event, after my ride, I would always dismount and loosen my girth before leaving the arena. This keeps them from running to the gate. Loosening the girth allows their rib cage to expand without being confined so they can catch their breath and thus keeping them from resenting entering the arena. And always make sure thay are warmed up before making a run, and cool them off before parking and hanging out with your buds. Gaming is really fun especially with a great equine partner. Proper training and handling will keep your horse an all arounder.

Ditto to all of this! I always dismount at the end of the run and loosen the girth as well. As soon as my feet hit the ground, Melody switches from "on" to "off".

These pictures should answer the OPs question... These are all of my gaming/pleasure/dressage/trail riding/everything else/all around great horse. We clean up at the fairs and hold our own in the NBHA/IBRA jackpots/speed shows, and then we can turn around and compete with the best of 'em in hunter pleasure at Class A Arab shows.

Here's Mel relaxing at the trailer...


Right before a run.. (and yeah, that's a hackamore I'm riding her in - a snaffle was too much bit for her)








And here she is the REST of the time-






Teaching my friend how to ride...


Teaching a 6 year old how to ride...

[Lou3]

Originally Posted by BlingRacer

Just because YOU couldn't make your horse both a world champion AND a good safe horse to ride outside the arena, doesn't mean other people can't. That's a reflection on either your horse's pesonality or (more likely) your training skills or lack there of. No, I don't ride world champions...but I know there are plenty of world champion NBHA horses that are excellent in an arena or out. It all depends on how much time you dedicate to riding them outside the arena and MAKING them behave.


I bet you did not make it a priority to go out a couple of times a week and MAKE that horse behave outside the arena, either on a trail, in a pasture, doing some other event, etc, because you were probably too focused on winning to "waste" time with the horse going on trail rides or entering it in an equitation class.

I don't know much about English gaming, but I know a lot about western garming, and the 1D NBHA horses are usually some of the most well behaved and spectacularly trained animals out there.

Barrel racers have worked long and hard to lose the stereotype of being crummy riders on half crazy horses who were rejects from other events. We've worked hard to be taken as serious equestrians, worked hard to train our horses to the level of any champion reiner, worked hard to develop our own blood lines specialized for the event,etc. You're doing a lot to undo that concept.

I don't care if you were a world champion. Doesn't mean you did the RIGHT way.

And english gamers are PROUD of the fact that we have the skills to ride horses riders in other events cant handle and turn them into champions.

Why should I MAKE the horse do something its not suited for when in the ring she listened to my every command, performed flawlessly and was easily the best behaved horse in there? Not to mention she was a total sweetheart to handle and never gave us a moment's bother. At the time I owned her we lived on a buys main road with no off-road riding at all so trail riding her wasnt an option as she had an accident before I got her which left her terrified of traffic.

And yes for me entering equitation classes is the biggest waste of time ever - because its the most BORING experience I've ever had in my life. If I was focussed on winning I would have bought a nice packer horse and entered equitation classes all the time because I won hundreds of the darn things before I put my foot down and refused to ride in them any more. I certainly wouldnt have used my last two competitive seasons before I went to uni riding with the worst team in the league purely because they were my friends and we had fun riding together.

And did you miss where I said she was also a spectacular showjumper. When you can almost literally control where the horse places every single foot the whole way round a course there isnt a whole lot wrong with its training

This was at the same time I was one day eventing at area level on a pony I had broken and trained myself and coming out with the highest dressage score in every single event (and yes we went three whole seasons without ONCE being beaten in the dressage phase) and therefore winning almost all of them, barring the odd pole coming down in the showjumping phase (which I think happened twice).

[Huntseat]

Originally Posted by shepherd406

World Champion in what? I've seen a lot of horses that have qualified & placed for the world in NBHA. A horse can be prefectly calm & collected & a good horse inside the ring & out, & still run a good time. Martha Josey offered almost $20,000 for one of the horses at the ranch. A few people have offered over $23,000 for one of Bobby's mares. She has qualified for the world & she's Bobby's best roping/cow horse. Neither of those mares, like the rest of our horses, freak out at anytime outside of the ring. They may not be the best trail mount, but that's just because they don't go on the trail, but the can ride in the ring with the other horses just riding or working cows & they're fine.

I understand that most of the high dollar barrel/pole horses are used JUST for barrels & poles bc people get overly serious about it & overwork their horses. Any good trainer will tell you. You HAVE to switch it up or you WILL burn out your horse.

Originally Posted by BlingRacer

Just because YOU couldn't make your horse both a world champion AND a good safe horse to ride outside the arena, doesn't mean other people can't. That's a reflection on either your horse's pesonality or (more likely) your training skills or lack there of. No, I don't ride world champions...but I know there are plenty of world champion NBHA horses that are excellent in an arena or out. It all depends on how much time you dedicate to riding them outside the arena and MAKING them behave.


I bet you did not make it a priority to go out a couple of times a week and MAKE that horse behave outside the arena, either on a trail, in a pasture, doing some other event, etc, because you were probably too focused on winning to "waste" time with the horse going on trail rides or entering it in an equitation class.

I don't know much about English gaming, but I know a lot about western garming, and the 1D NBHA horses are usually some of the most well behaved and spectacularly trained animals out there.

Barrel racers have worked long and hard to lose the stereotype of being crummy riders on half crazy horses who were rejects from other events. We've worked hard to be taken as serious equestrians, worked hard to train our horses to the level of any champion reiner, worked hard to develop our own blood lines specialized for the event,etc. You're doing a lot to undo that concept.

I don't care if you were a world champion. Doesn't mean you did the RIGHT way.

Couldn't agree MORE with these two posts!

Originally Posted by Lou3

I've never brought home money either - english gaming doesnt work that way. I've also never competed in gaming on any horse with papers, my top mare was bought from gypsys at the side of the road for £200.
I wouldnt have done it if it wasnt fun. I miss the competing more than I can say, sadly my back and knees are no longer stable enough for me to ride in English gaming. Perhaps for my next horse I'll get a western trained horse and start barrel racing instead.

And I couldn't DISAGREE more with this one! If your knees and back are two weak for english gaming, I certainly wouldn't try western gaming.

[BlingRacer]

yes for me entering equitation classes is the biggest waste of time ever - because its the most BORING experience I've ever had in my life.

Which is exactly why it would have been excellent FOR YOUR HORSE. Because it's quiet and "boring".

[Lou3]

Originally Posted by BlingRacer

Which is exactly why it would have been excellent FOR YOUR HORSE. Because it's quiet and "boring".

Yes because a horse that is trained that she must be in FRONT of the other horses at all times is really going to be bored in a ring with twenty or so other horses? Cant have it both ways, she was trained to be a racing pony why would I be so cruel as to suddenly say to her "okay you have to be behind all these other horses today?"