When I started running barrels you had to be the fastest.. My dad never bought me that really nice horse that would take care of me. I had to work with what he gave me. I would ride everyday and on weekends would go everywhere I could. Alot of money and time was spent. I wish that the 4d's was around then. I would get discouraged and not want to go. But I had freinds that helped me and pushed me to get better and go.
Mandi- you say about the 1d horse is worth more. But I rode everyday and put blood sweet and tears into a horse. I still do. I pay the same amount to enter as that 1-d horse. I see pros and cons on the sliding pay scale it really does not matter to me. That gives me more incentive to do better if it is a sliding. It should alot of people.
You have your thoughts but watch how you say cause I see little girls like I was that they work with what they got. They listen to others and some give good advice and some give bad. Everyone now days seem to be a trainer and you have to watch. There are some real dumb people out there that give bad advice to a novice person.
Have a great day!!
Other than misinterpretted tone, I don't see where I am the one that implied that anyone was a loser or less worthy.
Not only do I NOT think I am better than anyone (and apologize for those that feel I come across that way) I feel EXTREMELY blessed for what I have. I've had to work VERY hard, but if I would have had anything handed to me along the way, I don't think I would be able to ride like I do now.
Seriously...I probably started with less than A LOT of people posting here or anywhere else, but I made it work.
I came from a single mom who put every extra cent towards me running barrels. She left my dad (for good reasons) when I was 3 and she worked 12-16 hr days so we could make it. My dad died when I was 9.
We always pulled a road safe, nothing more, BP stock trailer. I was entering playdays when I was 3 on a POS pony that we sold. Moved to another POS pony when I was 4 that tried to kill me. We sold him that night and I moved to a big horse. I was 4, she was 5. This horse was bought at 6 months old for $50 because the vet said she would be crippled forever. By today's standards, her foals, though nice to look at with great ability, aren't worth much because she doesn't have any famous bloodlines.
She was trained by my mom, who most people have never heard of because she's not a trainer. She taught herself and did a lot of things 'old school'. That horse ran playdays with me, my mom and my cousin EVERY Saturday March through October. Thats 18 speed event runs (UNHEARD of now days) total every Saturday PLUS my mom and I both showed her in Western Pleasure at the same shows as the speed events every weekend. When I was 5, I won the year end champion buckle in WP and Speed events in the 9 & Under and my mom won the Speed Events Champion buckle on 35& Over. We continued to run her in these shows most weekends, some AQHA shows, most years through 1990 when my uncles EVIL horse (LOL) kicked her in the hamstring causing enough damage that she had to be retired. She's still alive too.
At that time, I took up running my aunt's barrel horse who my mom also trained. I entered smaller local jackpots (straight races, before the days of the Ds) and jr. rodeos. Placed in jackpots consistently, but wouldn't do well at rodeos (personal mental challenges). I ran her when I could, until Scooter was ready to haul then she sold her.
In 1991 my old horse, Scooter was born. In 1994, he became mine to train (when I was 12) after a year of my mom's alcoholic boyfriend riding him (worthless time spent). In 1995, I started running him and won 2 belt buckles on him that year (still before D races had come to this area). We had a HUGE problem with running up the fence at the first barrel. It took nearly two years to figure out it was just the saddle. Switched to my mom's saddle and it all 'clicked'. I became discouraged and cried a lot during the time, but I knew he had potential since we would just lope to and around the first to make sure we turned it, then run and still place or just barely be out of the money. I ran him through 2000, winning lots of straight races, placing in jr rodeos, winning novice classes, all arounds, and started D races in 1998 (where he was 1D mostly - locally...couldn't afford to go to big races). He also placed at 4H state Top 20 in 1999 after winning the district champion in stake race and barrels. Would have been 2nd in district poles, but I pulled one over (literally). He was a consistent open placing/1D barrel horse and ran 19-20's in poles.
This horse was FREE. A friend of our's had a new stallion and too many mares to take care of. We fed the mare through pregnancy, raised the colt and returned the mare when it was time to wean him. He was born as the UGLIEST, tiniest thing on earth. Bloodlines were a cross of old timey cowhorse and some unknown race breeding. He was injured in 2000 (caught front left leg in barb wire and nearly severed off at the coffin joint). This was 2 months after I graduated HS. I was told that IF he lived, he would never run again. It took 18 months of time off - during which I chose not to compete because I had no desire to go without Scooter, but he came back. He's no longer a 1D horse, but still runs 21's in poles. He's won 3 saddles since. He's still sound enough to haul, but I choose not to use him for personal reasons which I think I've stated.
When he got hurt, I bought his full brother for $750 (A real bargain for being the brother to a horse that was VERY proven - winnings easily in excess of $20K at the time). All I wanted was another horse with the same heart. I was blessed with that and more. Because of all that I learned with Scooter (and some other horses I trained while I had him going) I was able to train a horse that is better than Scooter was, more consistent and I know more about how to take care of him.
I also adopted my hubby's horse. Hubby was (IMO) the reason for Scooter's accident so I got his horse. This is now my 1D horse. What a deal!!! LOL!!! He's bred (and was half way trained - matter of opinion on who you ask about that...LOL) to cut cows and I NEVER expected this little short guy would be able to fly like he can. I only started him on the pattern because he was broke and I wanted to go. I figured he would 'hold me over' until I had something good. Oops...don't ever tell him that. I guess the breeding and ability wore off on me since I just bought his full brother too. LOL!
In 2003 I FINALLY stepped up and was able to buy a VERY USED slant load 4H steel trailer. Until then, since 2000, I had pulled a canvas top stock trailer. I'm still pulling the very used trailer. LOL!! Maybe next year I'll get a new (used) one.
There were a few horses that I started in between some of the above that just weren't good enough. During the days of straight races, there was no reason to hang on to these type horses so we sent them on their way. I still judge my horses by the same criteria, but I don't ask anyone else to do the same. Its a personal choice and I choose not to hang on to horses that aren't going to help get me where I want to be.
I've worked hard, studied my horses, learned their quirks and learned from individuals. I've learned how to sort through good and bad advice and I always tell people there's a way to do something if you want to. I don't think the cost of a horse should be an excuse for why a horse isn't a good enough horse. I do think that sometimes we have to move on to find something better, but everyone has their own opinion of what good enough is. I also think that sometimes people are new to the sport, green, etc and don't get advice from the right sources. I think this has become a HUGE impact on this sport, but there's nothing I can say or do about it so I keep my mouth shut.
I've been to 3 clinics in my life, 2 with Wanda bush and one Ed Wright. I own SEVERAL tapes and DVDs and I still watch them and still continue to buy more books and videos to learn from. If you ever stop learning, you will definitely stop winning.
I choose not to rodeo full time for now and I'm DOOMED to injuries. My horses work hard and it seems to sometimes cause problems (though this year's injury was in the pasture playing). Over the last 4 years, I've dealt with a torn suspensory, strained suspensory, two bowed tendons, splint bone bruises, popped splint, stifle problems, hip problems and some others I'm probably forgetting.
Again, I'm sorry if I came across with a crappy attitude. I didn't mean to. This equal payout subject is just something that seriously rubs me the wrong way. It doesn't keep me from going to certain races and I don't whine at the races (or ever really) I just have strong feelings that I obviously do a poor job of interpretting into words.
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