# Alright.. Have at it.. The good, the bad, and the ugly..



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I didnt' watch all of it. I can see right away that you are a confident , relaxed and balanced rider all around. Nice job!

now me, bareback? that's a joke!


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks Tiny..That's what I love about riding bareback, it helps so much when it comes to balance and really getting the movement of your horse..

Anyone else?? :wink:

Forgot to add, if you don't want to watch me walk the barrel pattern you can skip to 2:00.


----------



## star16 (Aug 10, 2012)

You've got a great position, and near-perfect balance- especially on those turns! You and your horse look so relaxed and in-touch with each other that it's hard to believe you were only together for 3 months in those videos.


----------



## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

alright you want the worst>>> i couldn't find anything wrong lol i wish i had your balance though, going around those turns at the lope. i still sometimes come off the side a bit lol.

good job


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks, I really wasn't expecting to hear good things! When I watch it I pick it apart "Oh, I need to do this.. I need to stop leaning..I need to try to watch my heels" So I was going to see if anyone else was as anal about it as I am and had anything to add.. Not that I'm complaining about hearing good things about my riding! No one gets tired of hearing that.. I honestly think my seat and balance come from riding bareback so much.


----------



## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

well now that your are nit picking lol.. i did notice the heels down .
at some points you would hunch your shoulders in slightly but nothing drastic, and accouple of times i think i saw a slight shoulder drop in the first video. 

but i am not sure if that is true or me trying to find something wrong lol.

but he did seem kinda stuck on his inside shoulder. i can pinpoint why i think that he just seems hesitant more or less.


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

Yeah.. I think the slouching thing is just comes with being a barrel racer..On the rare occasion I show in pleasure events my aunt always yells at me when practicing or warming up.. lol I just can keep my heels down when bareback, I've tried and I'll be able to for a little bit but then I focus on something else and away it goes.. She will try to drop her shoulder, especially then when I wasn't used to her and she will favor the inside shoulder just because of the barrel work.. We've since worked on it.. I should get a more recent video uploaded, I just haven't been home to ride much, much less video... Thank you though!! I'm very bad at nit picking, especially when it comes to myself.. I can always find something wrong or something I could have done better.


----------



## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

If it were a bareback horsemanship class I'd pick on you about your heels and tell you to try and keep your lower leg a bit more quiet. You've got great balance, my only real critique - where's my fat pal Hick?

I think we are all our worst critics. That's what makes us get better though. As a kids our rides (at least at shows) were always taped and replayed like studying "game tape". I hated it then but am glad for it now.


----------



## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

hahaha thats why i stopped video taping myself and just deal with my trainer yelling at me lol


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

Ohh you do not want to ride that little snot bareback.. I will definitely have to get a video of he and I bareback. He's tries to turn into a crazy bronc.. Which he fails at so it's really this half stupid buck, at first he got me off a time or two but he can't now so he just tries to buck harder.. and it's not from any kind of pain or being uncomfortable, he's just being a little snot about it and thinks he can get you off bareback..We've had many a come to Jesus meeting about it lol

My least favorite video EVER was in 2006..I even hate to admit it.. I was on Hickory at a big show in Perry. Our first time together in a big arena and we were both soo nervous. We go in the arena.. Okayish first barrel.. Second was a disaster.. He bobbed at the barrel and over his head I went, into the barrel.. Took out a metal barrel with my head in front of a HUGE crowd of people and I was mortified..Hickory just stood there looking at me and I just laid there for a minute dreading having to get up. I got back on him and loped the pattern..They played that video over and over and over again..I've hidden it and it will never see the light of day again.


----------



## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

You so have to tape that to share! Love that rotten old man :lol:


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

It's ridiculous, you will definitely get a laugh out of it.. I die laughing and make him work.


----------



## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

Oh mygod... I ride english and I held my breath the entire time you did that! I was waiting for you or your horse to fall haha! Those turns are much tighter than the ones I gallop  Looks great to me- I slouch when I gallop bareback, but that's because my horse is boney.


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

Thank you! It definitely takes time but riding bareback is so good for you as a rider as far as your balance and seat. Do you have a bareback pad? That would make a big difference in your horses withers..Then you can practice until you're able to do like I do! It just takes practice..It's also something new and fun for your horse..I've seen English riders run barrels in their English saddles at fun shows.


----------



## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

Just watched both, and thought they were terrific! Did skip to the barrel section, and thought it was perfect - you should be proud! I remember the last time I even broke into a trot on Star bareback - well....let's just say her bouncy trot got the best of me haha!


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

Thank you!! It just takes practice.


----------



## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

MHFoundation Quarters said:


> keep your lower leg a bit more quiet.


After watching it for the millionth time I was thinking about this and really looking for it, definitely noticed it more now that it's pointed out.. I think I do it because they're barrel horses, they respond quickly to leg pressures, especially Nikki, you put a little leg into her and she's moving off of it or speeding up.. I was so used to riding Nikki and Hickory bareback that it's an automatic reflex to keep my lower legs off of their side and not so much as relaxed and just hanging there.. I've never thought about it but I guess it makes sense..


----------

