Zoey's Training Begins!

2010 Season!

~March 30, 2010

Throughout the barrel racing season Zoey has been competing while in training. At first her times were very inconsistent and I would get frustrated with her when she wouldn't turn the barrel correctly! Everyone who barrel races knows the feeling of when there horse messes up or refuses a barrel! I had to keep reminding myself that she is new to this and doesn't know fully what she is doing yet. As the season when on Zoey and I kept practicing as much as possible to improve not only our times but our pattern. When I competed on her I tried mainly to just complete the pattern rather than to get the fastest time. Toward the end of the season she really improved, our turns still didn't look very "pretty" yet but she was going through the pattern without me having to put her in the right spot, I just had to guide her. Pole Bending was a whole other story! Her first and last end turn, the one leading into the run home and the one after the run up, were pretty decent to start. The weaving she picked up quickly. But that end turn that is in between weaving always gave us trouble! Zoey must of thought that after the first weave down it was time to run home through the timer, because she would start to turn when I sat back and pulled her around but she would refuse the turn and hop sideways! Kicking her with an outside leg barely did anything at the time so we would end up stopping the timer to soon! When that kind of stuff happen it was then that I would think "This horse is hopeless!" but once again it was only the beginning of training and I will admit we were probably throwing Zoey out to compete too soon.

All of the battles that we faced over the season of 2009 really paid off in the end! Zoey has improved a whole lot and will now run both poles and barrel with no problems. We still have a lot to work on but its mainly getting Zoey more used to each pattern and staying consistent with her turns. I'm very proud of not only Zoey but of myself for not giving up on Zoey and creating a barrel horse. But I didn't do this alone, I owe a huge thanks to my instructor Brianna! If it wasn't for her I might not of even gotten a new horse and if I did I would most likely be having a lot of problems training it on my own! Thanks Brianna! The new season will be starting soon so lets see what 2010 has in store for us!

~June 1, 2010

Zoey has improved greatly as her training continues! She is coming up on the 1 year mark from when i first started working with her on barrels. I joined the NBHA with zoey and she is currently running in the 3D-4D but i am also not pushing her throw all the barrel just yet. Zoey has the potential to at least run the 2D but with enough practice and training our goal is to get into the 1D. Right now that seems like a long stretch but I enjoy the challenge! LOL Even if it takes us another year or two of training it would be well worth the wait! The video bellow is an NBHA on May 22, 2010. We got disqualified in the open division due me not moving zoey over fast enough. In the youth division the first time we ran the timer didn't go off so we have to start again later, but i finished the pattern at a canter which help Zoey a lot in her other run cause it was like another exhibition. In the final youth run where the timer actually works we ran a 19.9, this is Piney Lane Farms ring and normally when I would run her there she would get 21 or above so that was a HUGE accomplishment!

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2009 Season

~May 5, 2009

We took Zoey and Jack to a local ring that holds shows in the summer. Zoey doesn't seem to mind trailer rides either. They get a long great! Zoey is on the Left and Jack is on the Right.

Zoey's miss shaped hoof is turning out to show no signs of being a big problem. I've recently started training Zoey in various gaming events. We started out with pole bending. Zoey seemed to pick it up very well, but she still has room to improve over time. As you can see in the picture above I'm using a tie down, which i did not need for Jack. Zoey often throws her head up in the air making it hard for me to control her, with the tie down her head stays at a lower level allowing me to control Zoey and stay safe.

Zoey pole bending for the first time!

After pole bending it was time to start teaching her a little bit if barrel racing. Zoey runs barrels starting from the left and then proceeding to the right barrel. I normally start barrels from he right, like I did with Jack and Jazzmine but Zoey runs the barrel pattern better from the left first.

Zoey barrel racing for the first time!

Zoey

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