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Most Definitely Fantastic - Sorrel's Training Journal

2K views 30 replies 2 participants last post by  SorrelHorse 
#1 ·
Well, I'm here again, finally going to try and really commit to this journal for my own benefit as well as maybe someone else's, who might end up in the same position as me some day. ^^​

A little background about me.

I grew up with a heavy reining and cowhorse background. I was born at the barn, did the leadline and peewee things and rode my ponies and all of that. My Mom trained under the same person before I was born, and I trained under her during my lifetime as well. She is incredible, someone who really gets the job done. Doesn't put up with any BS, straight to the point, and very honest. She does whatever she can to help her students. I owe her so much. She's helped me get to the point where I could start my own colts and start training a lot more independently.

Even though I grew up reining and chasing cows, my passion is with the barrel horses. I like to incorporate a lot of the reining foundation and reining work into the barrel horses, and get them broke to the point where they are willing, calm, but responsive and with a lot of power behind them.

My two main kids right now are Ruger and Selena. Ruger is named Exclusive Gunshow, by Exclusively a Pistol out of Bucks Sandance Mccue. Selena is named Leana Little by Lean With Me (Smart Little Lena) out of Chexintheexpresslane.

Selena is a miracle story. Her mom Chexintheexpresslane had an accident before she was born. They could either put her down and kill her unborn foal, or keep her alive in the sling just long enough to save Selena. They chose the latter. When she was born she was a bottle baby, and then moved to a three day eventing barn who was willing to take her to a surrogate mother. She was short enough to walk underneath her Mom's belly, and was allowed to have free run of the farm. She was like a dog. She ran up to every car that came in the driveway and greeted them. She would follow anyone around who was there. It's a miracle she is alive, and after she was started in reining and won some money she came to me and I started her on barrels. She is only 13.3hh but she is extremely powerful. She currently lives with a couple of the other barrel horses at the barn, and she laps them when they run together. I raced against one of the biggest barrel racers in the area and she held her own neck and neck until the end. She is extremely athletic and I don't know what I would do without her.

Ruger is a little less exciting. He is my four year old prospect. We traded one of our reining fillies for him in hopes of just having a trail horse for my Mom, but it became pretty obvious this horse had more to him.He is 15.2hh, a TON of horsepower. I've never ridden a horse with that much in the hind end. He's a dork, very ding-dong ish, but he's an absolute love and wants to please and loves to do work.

I am also competing for my final year in Oregon High School Equestrian. It is a wonderful program allowing Equestrian to be just like any other high school sport. We have jumping, dressage, equitation, working rancher, reining, roping, daubing, saddle seat, trail, showmanship, in hand trail and all of the gaming events. I like my horses in this environment because it rounds them. Even though this is my last year, I will be allowing my horses to be used by my younger friends in this association. This year, Selena and I will be competing in Working Rancher, Reining, Western Horsemanship (Western equitation), Barrels, Team Biwrangle, Team Penning, and Keyhole

I have various horses as well that I ride and train, so i will update about them throughout this journal. I enjoy my job and my lifestyle and wouldn't change it for the world.
 
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#28 ·
So Selena hurt herself the other day but she seems to be better, so I'm going to ride her tomorrow.

On a side note I borrowed a nice cowhorse saddle from my friend Desiree and well...The side rings for the cinch hang down so low, even on pony cinch, off billet wrapped around twice, the latigo when I wrapped it around STILL had an estimate four inch roll o.o /cries/ My pony is so little. I have to go buy her another cinch now otherwise I can't ride in it.

I rode Destiny when Selena got hurt and she did super well. Much better turns, loping her straight lines so much more confidently, getting her all-rights and all-lefts down well. I'm going to talk to Brittney about taking her to the left barrel first, because she turns so much better to the right. She feels super good when I ride her but of course, we need to get Brittney trained up.

Every now and then too I've started riding a horse named Lila who is really frustrating me. She's a sweet mare but she is so hard headed, it's hard to teach her. She's green, kinda sorta knows what legs are, but my biggest pet peeve with her is that I CANNOT get her to soften her face. She is not in pain. She is being difficult. I have tried halter, snaffle, bosal, sidepull, holding steady, bumping more...Nothing she responds to. I'm going to have my trainer watch me with her because it's really getting on my nerves. Everytime I ask her to do anything, she braces up and has a hissy fit. I've checked her for soreness, checking saddle fit, checked teeth, she's been chiro'd...and once you get past this phase she's just fine, but getting through it is a NIGHTMARE, and if I can't get her softening to the bridle then she's going to keep bracing on me. Going to try a martingale for a little while and see what happens.

Oh and Ruger is on layoff right now. He's too sore. However, we're going to try getting Jester into some light riding since he got chiro'd and he isn't sore anymore. Hasn't been ridden in awhile so we'll see how this goes.
 
#30 ·
I don't think so...She's just so stubborn. I've not had a problem with colts flat out REFUSING to soften their face like that. Some have been difficult but this is just ridiculous. I was trying very hard to avoid using anything like a martingale, side reins, draw reins etc but I'm thinking that's going to be the way to go. She's like this constantly and no one who has seen her can find a reason for it. I think it doesn't help that her owner deliberately gives up too when she doesn't soften.
 
#31 ·
Finally just broke down and put Lila in a german martingale. She's getting it pretty fast now. I think she just learned she could avoid the pressure if she stuck her head COMPLETELY upside down.

Selena is really starting to find a new gear now. We ran at the JCHA gymkhana on Sunday and she was SMOKIN'. Still a couple little bobbles (Bowed off a barrel and a pole, but it was my fault, I didn't trust her and held her off) but we had the best biwrangle run we've ever had, running neck and neck with the big girls, and she went in the gate by herself like a big kid every time :lol: No refusals or anything.

They are still working on uploading pictures from the gymkhana but I'm trying to decide which ones I want, and also how little this thing looks next to the barrels...:rofl:





I really like this one, she really is starting to power out of these.



I still consider her semi-green to the whole "gaming" thing. She hasn't had time to really adjust to going fast, and while she holds her own, she's inconsistent, and needs to get hauled more and just settle into herself and relax. She's already made vast improvements.
 
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