Do You Have Questions for Cheryl & Savannah?
Fast horses and timed events are a two-generation topic for the mother-daughter team of Cheryl and Savannah Magoteaux. Cheryl is a former college horsemanship instructor and Professional Women's Rodeo Association barrel racing national champion. She was an instructor for R.E. and Martha Josey barrel racing and roping schools, and conducted clinics on her own as well. Cheryl co-authored Charmayne James on Barrel Racing. Savannah, 21, is a journalism and broadcasting senior at Oklahoma State University. Her earliest riding time was spent on timed-event horses, and in 2006, Savannah filed her Women's Pro Rodeo permit and is now competing as a rookie. Together, Cheryl and Savannah will share their insights and techniques when it comes to developing timed-events skills that are fun and rewarding for horse and rider.
Cheryl and Savannah would love to hear from Perfect Horse readers. E-mail your questions to info@magoteauxcom or perfecthorse@horsemediagroupcom
4. Your horse needs to learn how to handle different types of ground. Make sure you go to plenty of different pens. Find ones that are worked really deep, some that are shallow. Your horse will have to handle himself a little differently on each type of ground, and it is better to let him learn when there is less pressure on both of you. Do not try to make him go faster than he is comfortable with when he first starts learning.
5. Don't get upset about how fast the horse's times are, or the silly mistakes he seems to be making. As tempting as it may be to just keep pushing him to go faster, remember that this is a tough time for him. If he messes up at the jackpot on part of his pattern, go home and emphasize the basics and fix the problem. If he is scared of things, continue to take him along so he has more opportunities to see the world.
Also, there are things you can do at home to help. If you have banners or streamers, hang them around your arena. If your horse does not like other horses going by him, tie him in the arena while you work other horses.
We've always known that if you are afraid to be embarrassed in public, then you should not have a career with horses. This goes double if you are trying to train and season a horse for competition. Remember that everyone goes through this process, and there are plenty of people who have had worse things happen to them when seasoning a horse. If your horse spooks at something, laugh about it. It's no big deal. And eventually, if he turns into a great and famous horse, you will have a memorable story.
We had a colt who was afraid of the tracks left in the ground by the horses that ran before us. He would not step near them going around a turn. We looked ridiculous turning a barrel outside everyone else's tracks, but slowly he learned that he could step into the uneven ground.
We've had horses who really wanted to go fast from the very beginning. Then there was the colt who, even after three months, could still barely lope through the pattern because he was so laid back. But he actually turned out to be a very good games horse. Experience has shown us that both types of horses make great timed-event competitors. Some of the great ones were those laid-back guys that nothing bothered. Others, like barrel racing legend Scamper, who belongs to Charmayne James, have definite quirks in their personality and they love to spook and play. But allowing the horse time to develop, and riding for him-instead of the calendar-will let the horse become the best he can be.
Don't rush the seasoning process. Let the horse's mind and ability guide how much you ask him for at each event. Sure, you can push a horse quickly to the point that he can make competitive runs. But if you want a horse to have a competitive career, it takes time and patience.
Once the horse can consistently go at a good lope without being distracted away from home, begin the process of increasing your speed, just like you did at home. Add speed, see how he does. If he's good, stay at that speed a while, then add more. If he makes mistakes, go back to a slightly slower speed that allows him to think as fast as his legs can move. Review the basics at home.
On the road, as at home, the correct speed is the speed at which your horse can keep his head and be mistake-free. If you stick with this program, and keep a record of your times each week, you'll see a gradual improvement. And gradual is the ideal.
The great horseman Don Dodge once asked a younger, but eventually legendary rider, Dick Pieper, "Did you improve your horse 1% today?"
Dick nodded, "I think so."
"Then you pushed him too darn hard," retorted Dodge. "If you did that you would be perfect in a hundred days-and that is way too fast!"
So think of little improvements each day. And before you know it, you'll have accomplished tremendous results.
