How do I UN-sour a SOUR horse???

ladyngetal · 05-17-2007, 10:26 PM

I just got a 20 year old retired pro-barrel horse. He is amazing in almost every way-except the only place you can ride him is on a trail(straight shots or fence lines). If you put him near an arena or an open field he refuses to move...he will just keep backing up at full speed or stubbornly standing perfectly still and there is NOTHING you can do to move him?? I have been able to get him to run barrels by chance and he is amazing at it!! But when he sees them in a pasture its like he shuts down?? i am yet to take him to an arena? but i would love to enter him in some amateur fun-shows.
i was wondering if he is just stubborn and i need to push him, or he just doesnt want to go forward without the arena isle way or if he is just sour on opne spaces/arenas?? how can i make him more willing and cooperative?? and can it even be resolved???

Thanks!!!

JoAnne · 05-17-2007, 11:17 PM

I am not an expert at all re barrells, but it sounds like he hates them and has had enough! If he were younger, I'd say retrain him etc, but at 20, I think he's earned the right to never run barrells again and it might also hurt his legs/make him lame at this point. (see what others say re this)

However, i can understand your wanting to ride in an arena. If you have use of an arena, perhaps start by feeding him his grain in there. he will for sure enter for that. hand lead him and feed him in there only for a few weeks. then ad lunging, to get him used to moving his feet and obeying you in the arena. still feed him in there several times a week. Then, after he is lunging obediently , may take another few weeks, tack him up and ride him for very short periods of time, slowly building. give much praise, then take him on trail or turn him out etc. (If he refuses to move, have an assistant lead you and use a whip, as if he were a colt.)

It will be long and slow, but if you intend to keep him a while, I don't know any other way. if you bully him and force him you might get him to move but he will hate arenas even more and could act out by rearing etc. that is my take on it, looking forward to what others have to say.

instigatorkate · 05-18-2007, 12:05 AM

Bribery goes a long way!!!!!!! as long as he responds to treats, and doesn't get too obnoxious about it, go for it. It can renew his eagerness and enthusiasm for riding in an arena. Sometimes the path of least resistance is the best!

Sonseeahray's_girl · 05-18-2007, 08:31 AM

I'm with JoAnne on this one...he may be all "barrel-ed out". Find what he does like and build from there.

Depending on how long you've had him, I'd work more at building your relationship, and like JoAnne said, take it slow and work your way up to where you want to be with him. End each session on a good note, and be patient. Even tho' he's 20, you still need to establish a few things together.

**gbarmranch** · 05-18-2007, 08:38 AM

We have had roping horses and hunters like this - I agree with the above advice - go back to ground work and basics under saddle, and take him for trail rides... His mind needs to learn to relax again before he goes back on barrels.

Once he is quiet. start with one barrel as part of arena exercises, with NO pressure.. and slowly increase again, keeping it quiet and calm. I would also haul him to some races after he has mellowed with some trail rides, and not enter him. If he has been expected to do nothign but perform, he needs to learn to relax in that environment before he will be ready to compete in it again...

ricoman · 05-18-2007, 10:17 AM

You might try just leading him the arena and just walking him around, then take him in and saddle up and just walk around. Do this alot and, yes, definately work on the ground work in the arena. SLOWLY ask him to allow you to sit on him in the arena, don't even think about walking around or moving at all. This could take awhile and I would not even think about asking him to run another barrel pattern. He's earned his retirement from barrels.

pvf · 05-18-2007, 10:29 AM

This is just my opinion: but I think right know he's burnt out on seeing barrels, and he might also not react very well with an arena either. Depending on how they ran him if thats the only time he seen one he might no know what to do in one or he may not want go into the arena at all.

I would take him on trailrides and let him know that slow work is good!!

then try working on what the others have suggested..

Slim Pikkens · 05-18-2007, 02:00 PM

You will also really have to take time to condition him. Old horses take longer. Otherwise tendon injuries may become an issue.

Nikknock · 05-18-2007, 02:19 PM

I have to agree with everyone else. At my old barn we called it Barrel Burnout. The only cure for it is to show him some fun. Take him trail riding, go for walks with him, take him to rodeos and let him sit. If you want to start him in the arena, make it fun. Groom him there, feed him there, walk him through there, turn him lose and let him wander around the arena by himself. If you want to run barrels with him, don't make it your sole purpose, like his past owners probably did. I'd get tired of doing the same thing day after day too. Get a couple of other people on horseback in the arena with you and play tag or broomstick polo. Show him that the arena is not all about racing around the barrels. You'd be surprised as he relaxes that his attitude about it will change and it will start to become fun for him again. Good luck!!!!

DoBeSassy · 05-18-2007, 02:20 PM

Try to understand his hate for the arena. He gets kicked/beat for going in, yanked on to turn the barrels, kicked/beat in between barrels, and kicked/beat to leave the arena, then yanked to stop 1 stride after he was kicked/beat to go faster. wouldn't you get tired of this.

His reaction is if I don't move at least all I ahve to feel is the kicking.
It will be hard to reverse this mentality, and you may never get him over it all the way. If he does improve, take him to the fun shows and have fun on him. I mean like sit and talk to other people on him, bring some poles and mess with those in some grass. Just keep it low key and not always the same thing.

I had a barrel horse that would start knocking over barrels if we did too many barrels races. So I started going to cow events with him, or trailrides, etc.

ladyngetal · 05-19-2007, 05:05 AM

Thanks...all this advice is kinda what ive figured as well! I did not realize the extent of sour-ness a horse can convey!!
But it is perfectly understandable and i will be patient with him. i love this horse and i want him to be happy and enjoy our riding time togther. thanks!!

**gbarmranch** · 05-19-2007, 05:12 AM

You have a great start then, since most folks don't even seem to understand...

We used to take sour rope horses to the box when we were done trail riding, and loosed the girth, do some grooming, any pleasent and calm things, to ge them to realize that this was a good place... I don't know if you can do that around a barrel or in the arena, but it may also help with your boy!

Good luck and keep us posted. He sounds like such a wonderful horse, that once you work through his issues, he should be awesome!

ToveroMom · 05-22-2007, 05:26 AM

Good idea Gbar.
I do have to say that you do not have to kick or flog a barrel horse.
Some of them just get burned out for awhile and come back quite successfully after a time out. just let him do other stuff for awhile and try Gbar's idea.

05-17-2007, 10:26 PM
ladyngetal Newborn Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	How do I UN-sour a SOUR horse??? I just got a 20 year old retired pro-barrel horse. He is amazing in almost every way-except the only place you can ride him is on a trail(straight shots or fence lines). If you put him near an arena or an open field he refuses to move...he will just keep backing up at full speed or stubbornly standing perfectly still and there is NOTHING you can do to move him?? I have been able to get him to run barrels by chance and he is amazing at it!! But when he sees them in a pasture its like he shuts down?? i am yet to take him to an arena? but i would love to enter him in some amateur fun-shows. i was wondering if he is just stubborn and i need to push him, or he just doesnt want to go forward without the arena isle way or if he is just sour on opne spaces/arenas?? how can i make him more willing and cooperative?? and can it even be resolved??? Thanks!!!

05-17-2007, 11:17 PM
JoAnne Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 2,442	I am not an expert at all re barrells, but it sounds like he hates them and has had enough! If he were younger, I'd say retrain him etc, but at 20, I think he's earned the right to never run barrells again and it might also hurt his legs/make him lame at this point. (see what others say re this) However, i can understand your wanting to ride in an arena. If you have use of an arena, perhaps start by feeding him his grain in there. he will for sure enter for that. hand lead him and feed him in there only for a few weeks. then ad lunging, to get him used to moving his feet and obeying you in the arena. still feed him in there several times a week. Then, after he is lunging obediently , may take another few weeks, tack him up and ride him for very short periods of time, slowly building. give much praise, then take him on trail or turn him out etc. (If he refuses to move, have an assistant lead you and use a whip, as if he were a colt.) It will be long and slow, but if you intend to keep him a while, I don't know any other way. if you bully him and force him you might get him to move but he will hate arenas even more and could act out by rearing etc. that is my take on it, looking forward to what others have to say.

05-18-2007, 12:05 AM
instigatorkate Long Yearling Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,197	Bribery goes a long way!!!!!!! as long as he responds to treats, and doesn't get too obnoxious about it, go for it. It can renew his eagerness and enthusiasm for riding in an arena. Sometimes the path of least resistance is the best!

05-18-2007, 08:31 AM
Sonseeahray's_girl Long Yearling Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,278	I'm with JoAnne on this one...he may be all "barrel-ed out". Find what he does like and build from there. Depending on how long you've had him, I'd work more at building your relationship, and like JoAnne said, take it slow and work your way up to where you want to be with him. End each session on a good note, and be patient. Even tho' he's 20, you still need to establish a few things together. __________________ When I ride my horse, my heart is no longer in my chest ... it is between my knees.

05-18-2007, 08:38 AM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mayberry Posts: 29,570	We have had roping horses and hunters like this - I agree with the above advice - go back to ground work and basics under saddle, and take him for trail rides... His mind needs to learn to relax again before he goes back on barrels. Once he is quiet. start with one barrel as part of arena exercises, with NO pressure.. and slowly increase again, keeping it quiet and calm. I would also haul him to some races after he has mellowed with some trail rides, and not enter him. If he has been expected to do nothign but perform, he needs to learn to relax in that environment before he will be ready to compete in it again... __________________ Quality Foundation Quarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

05-18-2007, 10:17 AM
ricoman Weanling Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 440	You might try just leading him the arena and just walking him around, then take him in and saddle up and just walk around. Do this alot and, yes, definately work on the ground work in the arena. SLOWLY ask him to allow you to sit on him in the arena, don't even think about walking around or moving at all. This could take awhile and I would not even think about asking him to run another barrel pattern. He's earned his retirement from barrels. __________________ Resistance is Futile

05-18-2007, 10:29 AM
pvf Regional Forums Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 6,779	This is just my opinion: but I think right know he's burnt out on seeing barrels, and he might also not react very well with an arena either. Depending on how they ran him if thats the only time he seen one he might no know what to do in one or he may not want go into the arena at all. I would take him on trailrides and let him know that slow work is good!! then try working on what the others have suggested.. __________________ www.prairieviewfarms.net Raising Reg. Paints and Quarter horses

05-18-2007, 02:00 PM
Slim Pikkens Started Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,998	You will also really have to take time to condition him. Old horses take longer. Otherwise tendon injuries may become an issue.

05-18-2007, 02:19 PM
Nikknock Long Yearling Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Fruitland Park, FL Posts: 1,127	I have to agree with everyone else. At my old barn we called it Barrel Burnout. The only cure for it is to show him some fun. Take him trail riding, go for walks with him, take him to rodeos and let him sit. If you want to start him in the arena, make it fun. Groom him there, feed him there, walk him through there, turn him lose and let him wander around the arena by himself. If you want to run barrels with him, don't make it your sole purpose, like his past owners probably did. I'd get tired of doing the same thing day after day too. Get a couple of other people on horseback in the arena with you and play tag or broomstick polo. Show him that the arena is not all about racing around the barrels. You'd be surprised as he relaxes that his attitude about it will change and it will start to become fun for him again. Good luck!!!! __________________ When life gets complicated and full of st...go clean a stall and rid the world of some of it!!!**

05-18-2007, 02:20 PM
DoBeSassy Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 5,195	Try to understand his hate for the arena. He gets kicked/beat for going in, yanked on to turn the barrels, kicked/beat in between barrels, and kicked/beat to leave the arena, then yanked to stop 1 stride after he was kicked/beat to go faster. wouldn't you get tired of this. His reaction is if I don't move at least all I ahve to feel is the kicking. It will be hard to reverse this mentality, and you may never get him over it all the way. If he does improve, take him to the fun shows and have fun on him. I mean like sit and talk to other people on him, bring some poles and mess with those in some grass. Just keep it low key and not always the same thing. I had a barrel horse that would start knocking over barrels if we did too many barrels races. So I started going to cow events with him, or trailrides, etc.

05-19-2007, 05:05 AM
ladyngetal Newborn Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	Thanks...all this advice is kinda what ive figured as well! I did not realize the extent of sour-ness a horse can convey!! But it is perfectly understandable and i will be patient with him. i love this horse and i want him to be happy and enjoy our riding time togther. thanks!!

05-19-2007, 05:12 AM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mayberry Posts: 29,570	You have a great start then, since most folks don't even seem to understand... We used to take sour rope horses to the box when we were done trail riding, and loosed the girth, do some grooming, any pleasent and calm things, to ge them to realize that this was a good place... I don't know if you can do that around a barrel or in the arena, but it may also help with your boy! Good luck and keep us posted. He sounds like such a wonderful horse, that once you work through his issues, he should be awesome! __________________ Quality Foundation Quarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

05-22-2007, 05:26 AM
ToveroMom Pasture Pet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cleveland TX Posts: 15,767	Good idea Gbar. I do have to say that you do not have to kick or flog a barrel horse. Some of them just get burned out for awhile and come back quite successfully after a time out. just let him do other stuff for awhile and try Gbar's idea.