Page 158 - May 2016

doWnShift
Experts share their tried-and-true systems for selecting and starting Paint prospects off the track.
by Alannah Castro • Reprinted with permission from Flash, myflashyride.com Photographs by American Paint Horse Association/Flash
A fast horse is fast no matter where he might run, and for many barrel racers, training a prospect off the track is a time-tested and often- economical way to find a cloverleaf champion. The distance from the track to the pay window is longer than you think, however, so having a plan when selecting and training a horse off the track will pay off big in the long run.
Place Your Bets
When looking at prospects, every per-
son has a different set of priorities. Melanie Bearden of Tyler, Texas, emphasizes conforma- tion and disposition in her prospects. As the owner of RB Halter and Performance Horses and an avid barrel racer, Melanie often looks for futurity prospects that can go on to have a career with an Amateur, too.
“We want to make sure we’ve got the cor- rect conformation—low-set hocks and knees are a big one for the barrels. That allows the horse to reach up under himself a lot easier,” Melanie said. “Second, we need one that’s got the mindset that will be able to handle the pressure of barrel racing. They have to be able to learn and respond to their riders in high- stress situations. If we’re looking at one that’s a
futurity prospect, we want him to be able to go on and have a career with your average barrel racer when he’s done with the futurities, so he’s got to have a good mindset and be able to be managed and enjoyed by an average person.”
Michelle Fleming of Coweta, Oklahoma, took Lajollas Mr Big Stuff from the track
to the 2015 APHA World Show in about a year, taking home a win in the PBRIP 4- & 5-Year-Old Futurity and a check for more than $1,000. When Michelle looks at prospects, she makes sure to check their race records to see how consistently they’ve run.
“I look up their race records to determine
if they weren’t racing for any period of time,” Michelle said. “That is usually an indicator if they’ve had an injury or some soreness while in race training.”
Teresa Watson of Nowata, Oklahoma, is a seasoned veteran of transitioning horses from racehorse to barrel racer. She and her husband, Wayne, frequently find their best prospects
on the track; however, when looking at race records, Teresa keeps an open mind.
“I don’t look at their speed index; we’ve had horses that didn’t even get an index. Sometimes they’re eight-legged—they’re young and they don’t know where to put their feet. Sometimes horses just don’t do well at the track because they haven’t been taught the basics, so to me the speed index is irrelevant,” Teresa said. “We’ve taken horses that really didn’t do well on the track, and my husband trains them. He rode one horse for 30–60 days and just worked on the basics, and that horse went back to the track and earned a AAA index.”
Once she’s selected a horse to consider, Teresa spends time with him to get a feel for his personality.
“I like to get horses in a more private setting at the track and spend at least an hour with them to see what they’re going to be like,” Teresa said. “Make sure you like his personal- ity. Don’t base all of your judgment about
When looking at prospects, it’s important to remember their behavior might change after leaving the track.
him on how he’s acting or what he’s doing in his racetrack atmosphere. They’re going to be totally different 30 days off the track, so you have to keep that in mind.”
Michelle cautions against getting too caught up in a horse’s racetrack looks.
“Remember, these horses are conditioned and in tip-top shape, well-fed and groomed. Chances are when they go home with you, they won’t stay in that same condition,” Michelle said. “Get a vet check if you can, and see if the trainer will longe or even ride the horse for you. However, remember these are racehorses, and some are more broke than others.”
A Winning Start
Once you’ve brought your prospect home, giving him time to settle in is a good way to start transitioning the horse to life off the track.
“I like to give my horses three to five weeks to decompress, depending on the individual. They tend to be a lot more relaxed after that,” Melanie said. “During race training, their training time is typically their only time out
of their stalls, and I think just letting them be horses goes a long way toward relaxing them. If they are relaxed, they’re going to be much more open to learning new things.”
4-time Champion Lajollas Mr Big Stuff, who won the 2012 Speedhorse Paint & Appaloosa Futurity-G1, turned his talent on the track into a successful barrel racing career.
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