# Good barrel prospect?



## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

This is Go Geter Dunn, i just got him. I want to make a barrel horse out of him. He has racing blood lines, he is the great grandson of go man go, and he has some Lina in him. I haven't seen his papers. If anyone has access to the AQHA database and would be willing to search it for me his number is AQHA # X0664994. I had trained my previous horse to barrel race but he wasnt cut out for it (he was lazy). Go geter is not broke yet, the most he can do is take a saddle.


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## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

I would also like to add that he is 15.0hh and he is seven years old. that is a scar on his back leg, do you think that it will effect his career? The vet declared it sound.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

He is long in the back and long through the coupling. His necki is set low and his shoulder is on teh steep side. He is camped under behind (sickle hocked). His front toes look very long. 

I wish he was shorter coupled. 

If the scar is old and cold, and the vet is OK with it, then it is probably just a blemish.


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## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

> He is long in the back and long through the coupling. His necki is set low and his shoulder is on teh steep side. He is camped under behind (sickle hocked). His front toes look very long.
> 
> I wish he was shorter coupled.
> 
> ...


So basically what your saying is that his back is long which makes him have a shorter stride so he wont cover much ground? is the neck and shoulder good or bad? and sickle hocked is that a negative thing?


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

All those things are negative things. If you want a high level barrel horse you want short coupled, quick and lots of athletic early speed. The horse must be able to collect and be balanced around the barrels and then extend into a gallop between barrels. WATCH good barrels horses that win and then see if you can fine conformation photos of those horses. 

Sickle hocks can develop curbs and spavins. A curb is swelling of the tendon sheath over the back of the hock and spavins are osteo arthritis of the hock. Steep shoulder = shorter strides and the low set neck and down hill build = more difficulty collecting because of the difficulty the horse has getting off the forehand. This horse is likely going to develop an "upside down neck" if he is run before he is really balanced and working well off his hind quarters before he ever sees a barrel or a competition. 

I will not comment as to whether this horse will go or not. I do not know and a LOT will also depend on training. I have seen so many barrel horses that could do it but who are ruined by over running so they are almost nuts out on the field. 

A good potential (higher level) barrel horse is usually not a cheap find.. usually has both the blood and the conformation to do what needs doing.


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## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

Thanks Elana for the comment all criticism is encouraged. So are there any recommendations for how to build the hind end, so an upside down neck is not built? I am open to learning and growing from all trainers?


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

http://www.equinestudies.org/ring_revisited_2008/ring_of_muscles_2008_pdf.pdf

Look at this. It will show you where you need to go.. and what muscles you need to build.


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

Just for a quick reference as I came across this thread, this is my old 1D barrel horse. He was quite lacking in the conformation department but he loved his job. Doesn't look like a 1D barrel horse does he?? He was a Go Man Go grandson as well. These certainly aren't the best, seeming he passed away 4 or so years ago and all my photos are locked away on a broken computer!


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## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank you MangoRoX87 that makes me feel better about Go Geter Dunn. Was there any specific training you had to do because of his conformation issues, or any techniques that worked best for you? Also What bits did you use for him? Were there any specific issues that you had?

Sorry for all the question, i am just trying to get all the information i can to optimize results and reduce injury or bad habits.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

MangoRoX87.. your horse looks like he was trained to use his ring of muscles. His neck has filled in and turned over... so helped him to do his job (and loving the job has a huge impact... HUGE).


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

Specific training- no not really.. he raced a few times, then went to a barrel trainer who practically ruined him almost. He would rear up in the gate and jump the barrels. My friends mom bought him and brought him down from his crazy self, but he had always been extremely hard mouthed. No amount of softening helped, he just wanted to GO. But as far as conformation went, not really. I kept him in good shape through drill teaming. It was also VERY hard to get a saddle to fit him, he was narrow and long, plus had wretched high withers

Bit- I rode him in a shanked chain bit. Now, I certainly would not recommend this bit, but being how hard mouthed he was it was what worked best for him. He'd toss his head everynow and then, but he was an exciteable guy! I tried riding him in a snaffle, to which he grabbed a hold of it like a racer and took off with me. I did in fact ride him with a tie down, and I will be the first to admit it wasn't for "balance" (although he always ran better without it and did lean on it) or anything, plain and simple his ears could easily poke my eyes out. No amount of softening worked on him, and there isn't much 14 year old me knew about that. That's kinda where his ugly neck came from, but it was also just conformational.

This big old guy never had a lame day. He certainly wasn't the best looking horse, but he had a soft and trying heart. I was ready to get competitive with him at the 21 when he suddenly passed away due to complications from choking. He was still running wicked fast times, and I never even pushed him as hard as I could at that point..And, this horse had a lope like no other. It was SMOOTH. Trotting was the worst on him, but his lope was smooth as butter!! He was fast as all get out, lots of GO and not enough WHOA


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## OneFastHorse (Jan 13, 2011)

He's not long in the back. His back length is fine. What he does have is a pretty straight shoulder. This usually means a chopping ride and a shorter stride. He has a weak rear end, but this may improve some with work when he starts building some muscle. His legs look good. Since the scar isn't on a joint, I wouldn't worry about it affecting his performance if he's sound on it. I don't like the way his neck is set. Appears to be conformationally high headed. I prefer a naturally low headed horse. 

Not a bad looking horse. IMO the two most bothersome things to me as a barrel propspect is the shoulder and the weak rear end. He is not something I myself would have picked out as a barrel prospect, but conformation doesn't define a 1D horse. it also depends on what level of competition you're looking to get into.


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## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

One Fast Horse, Thanks for the comment! I thought the same thing about his rear end until i went and saw him, he is acually very stocky. I dont know if this is an old pic of him (this was the pic on his ad), but he is much stocker. In fact when i saw him i almost got depressed becasue i was hoping he would have been narrower like this pic suggests, but he is cow horse stocky. I am thinking that maybe with regular exercise he is going to lean out. I am going to post a new pic when i get home, i had to go to Minnestoa (i am from Texas) to be with my fiance during kidney surgrery.


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

I'm excited to see him!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

*Go Geter Dunn aka Dunn*

So i posted awhile back about my new AQHA baby Dunn. I said i would post new pictures and now i have finally gotten around to it, so with these new pics could you grade his conformation for an appendix quarter horse, an possibly a future barrel racer. I have just stared him under saddle and he is doing great, he can walk/trot, stop, back and is starting to neck rein, with only a month of work, and being a seven year old never ridden.


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## hydnschultz (Jan 7, 2013)

The bottom pic is the most resent, from about two weeks ago.


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## OneFastHorse (Jan 13, 2011)

I think he looks MUCH better!!!!


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## Critter sitter (Jun 2, 2012)

he looks Great now I like mine Stocky though he looks like my GF mare who is running in the 14's right now.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

OP, looks like we have a team!


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

He is looking SO good!


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