[Horseczy]

I was wondering if someone could help me with what my daughter needs to do with her hands while doing poles?? Should she lift the inside rein to lift the shoulder and neck rein with outside rein?? Or should she leave the inside rein alone and just neck rein?? Also does she sit back and rate the poles like in barrels?? This is the only event they really have a hard time with. Also he likes to take the top pole really wide. What should she do for that??
Thanks for all your help!!

[Horseczy]

I am bumping this I could really use some help!! My daughter has a big show in a couple weeks and we could use the advice!!

[Chester]

This is not my area of expertise but I will have a go for you as no one else has yet.

I would just neck rein the horse through it if it is taught to neck rein.

As to it turning to wide around the top pole, set them up at home and let her just walk around them to get the horse to know what is being asked.

Once it is looking to turn on the top pole, trot, then canter.

Good luck to her with the show.

[ToTurnAndBurn]

Well, it really depends, but I can at least tell you what I do =).

When cantering down the side of the pattern your daughter should set up a pocket to the first pole and before she makes the turn that is when she rates then continues around.

Once she is weaving through the pattern she should LIGHTLY pick up the inside rein at each pole to guide the horse. It is kind of like a slight back and forth movement of one slack rein, one taunt rein and so on. Most of the direction comes from the riders leg so her hands are always going to be the secondary tool. She should keep her hands and elbows tucked in because if they go too far out she could end up knocking the pole over herself.

At the opposite end of the pattern she should set up a pocket and rate at the last pole before going around it. The reason the horse might be over sooting and going wide around the last pole my be because she isn't setting up a pocket and rating the horse down in time.

After that she should work her way back down the pattern set up a pocket to make her lat turn and I am pretty sure she has the running home pasrt down .

Good luck @ your big show!!! I hope you all do well! Let me know if anything I said was unclear, sorry, sometimes I have a hard time understanding myself too, haha.

[Blistering Winds]

Last time I pole bended blister, I left the reins for the "END" poles, and leg cued him. Started working really good on him.... But before that, we direct rein'd through it. Just enough for me to "tip" his nose into the direction (I asked, he tipped) and made sure he didn't miss a pole. What bit is your daughter riding in?

He neck reins, but tends to not bend properly for poles.


As for the top pole, go out wide and come in sharp. then work on that coming in wide getting smaller and smaller through spiral work.

Work on roll backs. LOTS and LOTS of roll backs. they help those end poles very well and help cut time off if the horse roll back some for the most part on the ends.

[PaintedPNH]

When I run poles I lean forward and use two hands.
When I get to a pole I tell her "here" and direct rein her around them using my inside leg to push her off of the poles.
At the last pole, I sit down, drop my outside rein, grab onto my saddle horn and pull with my inside rein to my hip like I do going around my barrels.
I can post pictures of me doing poles if you'd like : )

[Super Step]

This is a good topic for discussion.
I have see the poles ridden so many ways. I do not know the 'correct' way. I suppose, like barrels, there is one.
I personally like the forward lean. I feel more comfortable guiding with my legs from a lope in that position. It also helps keep my knees from getting a pole.
Direct or neck rein has made me sit back and think.
I really believe it is a combination of both. It is hard to neck rein with a forward body lean and my hands in front of the saddle horn. I suppose what I do is neck reign with both hands if that makes sense. My hands are close together and move together as we weave the poles. I use the neck rein on the side closer to the pole and support that with a touch of direct with the rein away from the pole.
I do sit up some, center my balance, on the end poles.

This has been informative for me to read and follow the thoughts of others on this.

Good luck. Let us know how she does at the show.

[PaintedPNH]

I've always looked down upon people who neck rein the pattern...I mean you aren't asking for any bend, just pushing the horse over and soon you'll get a horse that just goes sideways into poles.
That's how I've always looked at it.
Legs are very important also to pick your horse up, its not just strictly in the hands.
I was taught how to run poles by Chad Crider (all time pole bending point earner, AQHA World Champ), he works closely with Martha Josey and I run 'em the way he does.

[Super Step]

Originally Posted by PaintedPNH

When I run poles I lean forward and use two hands.

With the two hands, is your horse moving away from pressure on the neck applied by the rein, or are you direct rein the way an English rider would?
That is why I had to stop and consider whether it was a two handed neck rein, both hands in unison, but the horse responding to the rein and leg pressure more than direct contact with the bit.

[PaintedPNH]

I direct rein like an English rider but more forward.
My outside rein probably comes into her neck but it isn't solely directing her... but with her it doesn't take much...that horse can do the pattern on her own.