Wednesday Update

   Today was a good day at the horse ranch.  I got there around 8 and before I tacked Phoenix up, I let her out into the paddock to run around and took some pics of my girl.

One of my fav pics

   After Phoenix was done running around, I walked into the paddock and luckily she came right over to me and easily let me halter her and take her over to the tack room.  I brushed down my girl and put on her Western saddle and snaffle bit and headed over to the arena.  

   Phoenix and I spent a good portion of our work out today working on her giving to the bit and turning towards the inside while working around the arena.  She is getting better at the walk and a little at the trot, but we need a lot more work at the lope.  And we had some trouble picking up our left lead today.  It took a few times and circling to pick it up today.  

   The tips Robin previously gave me have been working out great and she gave us some more great tips today about the 5 points in a barrel turn.  Though I have been previously taught come into the barrel fairly wide and then turn into the pocket to come out of the barrel super close, Robin suggested hitting all 5 points around the turn to help maintain balance and quickly get around the barrel without hitting it.  She had some other great points about it's effectiveness, but I honestly can't recall them right now.  I found out that that is also Charmayne James's advice as well and here is a quick diagram to demonstrate if you are having trouble visializing what I am probably failing to draw out.  

   Robin also pointed out that I need to be looking at the 5 points and then the next barrel not Phoenix or the current barrel while turning around it.  And also to start my turn after Phoenix's butt comes even with or passes the barrel, not her shoulder.  It's funny the things you don't notice about yourself while you are running barrels.  

   I spent the remainder of the time trying to implement the new informtion in our run and it took a little bit of adjusting, but I honestly think it's going to help our runs a lot once we can do it all correctly.  I took a video of me walking, trotting, and loping the pattern (you can only really see the 2nd barrel) and hilariously enough, I accidentally took it as a time lapse video so it doesn't really help spot my mistakes or possible well made turns.  Here it is.  

 

   Our main trouble spot since we have switched out pattern to taking the left barrel first is actually the last barrel.  On the first two, Phoenix does pretty well maintaining a good turn, but on the last barrel, she tries to dive into it and cut off our 5 points.  I had to spend a good chunk of time working on her to correct that.  Luckily, at the end she started to get it and wait till I told her to turn.

   Besides an improvement of Phoenix giving to the bit (though she still loves to go fast), I have also noticed an improvement on her stops.  Even though barrel racing is a fast paced, crazy event, I believe any horse in any bit should be able to stop easily if asked by the rider, even a green, gymkhana training, QH in an English snaffle bit.  

   After I cooled Phoenix off, I put her tack away, hosed her off, and put her back into her stall.  Of course my girl rolled and after refilling her water bucket and cleaning out her stall, I put on her fly mask and continued cleaning out the rest of the stalls with Robin's 2 kids.  

   Due to vet advice, instead of scooping poop out of the stalls, Robin had us scoop the poop up and put it right in front of the horse's mats to help with the dust problem that is prone to causing sand colic.