Horse that wont leave the starting gate

[Ugottobekidding]

To properly school your horse at the starting gate

Day 1. Walk through an open stall and then back through with a rider on at least 5 times. The last time lead horse about 20 feet and let go and have rider walk a few steps, jog a few steps and then gallop. Speed in not important - going straight is.

Day 2. Repeat what was done on day 1

Day 3. Lead in a open stall. Stop horse and have someone close back doors. Back horse up so horse can feel back doors. If all is going well slowly close front doors. Let horse stand in gate for a minute or so and then open front doors slowly-doors should make no noise when opened .
Rider should ask horse to walk,jog,gallop.

Day 4. Lead in to a stall with front doors closed.
Lead in enough for back doors to be closed then climb up on to ledge slowly. Horse may spook when climbing up for first time. take time , pet horse, don’t panic if horse spooks just give horse some time to relax. Open doors slowly-rider should walk, jog, gallop.

Day 5. Lead in closed stall. Have someone climb up on other side. Horse may spook when someone climbs up on other side. Pet horse. Let stand for a minute or so and open doors slowly. Rider should ask horse to jog out then gallop. At this point it is more important for rider to teach horse to go straight then it is to go fast.

Day 6. Lead in closed stall. Climb up on both sides. Open front doors a little faster. Rider should ask horse to go a little faster while maintaining a straight course.

Day 7. Open front doors a little faster. Rider should ask horse to gallop out.

Day 8. Open doors fast. Try to open doors as fast as you can without letting doors bang in horses face. Rider should ask for speed.

Day 9. Repeat step 8

Day 10. Open doors fast-let them fly open. Rider should send like breaking. If horse leaves fast ring bell after horse travels a few strides.

Day 11. Horse should now be ready to break.

Recommend breaking twice. Horse will need to break with company for gate card.

During any of these steps it is better to go with another horse is other horse is at the same stage of development.

During any of these steps if any problem develops such as not wanting to walk in or nervous in gate you may need to to take a step back and school horse. If loading is a problem have a couple lock arms and push in. Do this until horse is walking in on own. If nervous stand horse in gate, pet horse, try to keep horse calm then back out of gate and send home.

Horse does not have to go out front of gate every time. Sometime it is best to let horse stand and back out and have a calm schooling day !

Good Luck !

[beaujolais]

^^ Nice post, great info!

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=Ugottobekidding;9003572]
To properly school your horse at the starting gate

Day 1. Walk through an open stall and then back through with a rider on at least 5 times. The last time lead horse about 20 feet and let go and have rider walk a few steps, jog a few steps and then gallop. Speed in not important - going straight is.

Day 2. Repeat what was done on day 1

Day 3. Lead in a open stall. Stop horse and have someone close back doors. Back horse up so horse can feel back doors. If all is going well slowly close front doors. Let horse stand in gate for a minute or so and then open front doors slowly-doors should make no noise when opened .
Rider should ask horse to walk,jog,gallop.

Day 4. Lead in to a stall with front doors closed.
Lead in enough for back doors to be closed then climb up on to ledge slowly. Horse may spook when climbing up for first time. take time , pet horse, don’t panic if horse spooks just give horse some time to relax. Open doors slowly-rider should walk, jog, gallop.

Day 5. Lead in closed stall. Have someone climb up on other side. Horse may spook when someone climbs up on other side. Pet horse. Let stand for a minute or so and open doors slowly. Rider should ask horse to jog out then gallop. At this point it is more important for rider to teach horse to go straight then it is to go fast.

Day 6. Lead in closed stall. Climb up on both sides. Open front doors a little faster. Rider should ask horse to go a little faster while maintaining a straight course.

Day 7. Open front doors a little faster. Rider should ask horse to gallop out.

Day 8. Open doors fast. Try to open doors as fast as you can without letting doors bang in horses face. Rider should ask for speed.

Day 9. Repeat step 8

Day 10. Open doors fast-let them fly open. Rider should send like breaking. If horse leaves fast ring bell after horse travels a few strides.

Day 11. Horse should now be ready to break.

Recommend breaking twice. Horse will need to break with company for gate card.

During any of these steps it is better to go with another horse is other horse is at the same stage of development.

During any of these steps if any problem develops such as not wanting to walk in or nervous in gate you may need to to take a step back and school horse. If loading is a problem have a couple lock arms and push in. Do this until horse is walking in on own. If nervous stand horse in gate, pet horse, try to keep horse calm then back out of gate and send home.

Horse does not have to go out front of gate every time. Sometime it is best to let horse stand and back out and have a calm schooling day !

Good Luck ![/QUOTE]

EXCELLENT!! You should write a book!!

[RooMB4]

While I don’t have anything to add to why she isn’t breaking or how to fix this issue, we buy many OTTBs. We had one who was SUPER barn sour and got to the point where we basically couldn’t ride her because she wouldn’t leave the barn and would get borderline dangerous when asked. While reviewing her racing history, we found that on 2-3 occasions she refused to break from the gate during a race. Our filly clearly had a problem going forward period. Even when we got her away from the barn and into the arena, she always felt like at any moment she would stop and spin to go the opposite direction. Never felt like she moved forward freely. Hope you can get her past this as it may not be a problem that only affects her at the track. Good luck!

[smoofox]

Friends had a gelding who was a good and steady runner who had always trained well and loved his job. He had a quirky personality tat made him a favorite on the backstretch. He dwelled in the gate for one race and could not make up the distance… for the race after that he carefully folded up and laid down in the gate when the bell rang and the doors opened. I have seen the pictures of that episode! The jock standing outside the gate and the assistant starters trying to get him up. He was completely unconcerned. He checked out 100% sound after - he had just decided that he was Done. He ended up being the trainer’s lead pony.

[LaurieB]

There was a G1 winning mare in the U.K. who dwelt in the gate once after many successful races. Next race she ran fine and won. The race after that she stood still again when the gate opened. After the rest of the field had left, the jockey loosened his reins. She dropped her head and began to eat grass. The camera kept switching back and forth between the fillies that were racing and the mare who was grazing happily in front of the gate.

Her owners announced her retirement before the race was even finished.

[Palm_Beach]

RooMB4 raised a good point. The horse needs to completely understand Go Forward before beginning gate work. We always stood behind the gate as well; they need to learn to stay calm behind the gate in case they are the last one to load on race day.

[Where_sMyWhite]

And doesn’t necessarily have to be the last one load, it could be the second one to load and still have to stand there if the first horse in the gate has a temper tantrum esp if the vet then needs to check the horse out and decide gate scratch or not.

Good point on learning to stand behind the gate PB. There are certainly some fussy horses that can be seen waiting to load