When late summer rolls around every year, it signals a highly anticipated initiation of sorts within the reining horse industry. For it is at that time that many of the brightest and the best reining prospects make their show pen debut as futurity season gets under way. The world over, riders enter the show pen for the first time on three year olds that have the kind of expectations riding on them that only a high purchase price and two years of expensive training could bring. So it is no wonder that those first couple times in the show pen carry a lot of significance.

If you study the results of the futurity events, year after year you will notice that some riders definitely have the touch when it comes to showing three-year-olds. So just what is behind the art of showing a three year old those first few times?

We asked top NRHA riders Tom McCutcheon, Brent Loeske, and Keith Crawford, about their tried and true methods for making the most of those first time show pen debuts. The true mastery lies not only training a horse that can execute all the maneuvers, but in developing a young show horse that is confident, successful, and peaked for the big events.

Take Them to Town 
All three riders emphasized the importance of getting their colts out and about well before they ever plan on showing them. 

Brent Loeske, a multiple NRHA Open Futurity finalist who has an industry wide reputation for starting and training up and coming superstars, likes to begin the seasoning process by hauling his colts around the neighborhood and riding them in surroundings that are new yet close. Then, early in their three-year-old year, he will take them to a few quarter horse shows to experience a true horse show atmosphere. 

“They have been to town a lot before I ever show them. I think that is very important. That can be one of the big things to get though,” said Loeske.

Keith Crawford, who has won the NRHA Non Pro Futurity and is a consistent top finisher in major category 2 events, also makes a point to start hauling his futurity prospects in February or March of their three-year-old year. His main objective during those first trips is to make the whole experience low key and positive.

“I just ride them around during the show to get them used to things. I don’t really train on them a lot when I take them to a horse show like that, early in their three-year-old year. I might stop them if the ground is good, but I don’t put a lot of pressure on them. I want them to think a horse show is a happy place to be,” explained Crawford.

Set a Date, Pick a Place
Once a prospect has been to town and seen the sights, the next step is to start planning the optimal place and time for that first trip in the show pen. This critical first outing needs to be successful, if in only that it is a positive and establishes a solid foundation for future show pen endeavors.

So how do you know when your futurity horse is actually ready to enter the show pen that first time?

All three riders base that decision on a common sense evaluation on this: if they can get through the maneuvers well enough at home to put together a pattern, the horse is ready for a first outing in the show pen.

“I want to be confident in my colts when I take them to show.  If I think I can’t get a horse through the maneuvers, then I won’t show them yet. But they're colts, and a lot of times you think they are good and everything is working fine at home, so you take them to a show and actually show them, and a little glitch comes up. But you just go home and work on it and make it better for the next time,” said Crawford. 

NRHA $1 Million rider Tom McCutcheon had similiar sentiments.

“Before I ever show a horse I want to make sure that they're broke enough that I am not going to scare them. I want to make sure they can get through the lead changes and roll-backs, and everything else,” he noted.

Another decision is where to show.  All three riders cited the importance of choosing a venue that has good ground and adequate warm up facilities. Asking a young horse to stop where it is almost physically impossible, or trying to prepare them to show in poor conditions is just going to set up problems in the future. Brent Loeske also pointed out that it is beneficial to pick a pen that is fairly good sized.

“Those first times, I prefer is to show in a big pen, so you have more time across the middle. In a narrow pen, that lead change can come up pretty quick, and create some problems you don’t want to create,” he said. Loeske also likes to expose his futurity mounts to as many things as possible. The more banners, crowd noise and traffic, the better.

The First Trip
So when you decide a date and a place to show your horse for the first time, the next objective is making sure that all goes well. 

When asked what his objective is that first outing, Tom summed it up by saying, “The main thing is to make it a pleasant experience, and make it as comfortable for them as possible.” Keith and Brent concurred, with Brent noting that it is always nice to win a prize, but that first time through is as much a test drive as anything else. 

McCutcheon has a definite progression of show pen experience that he likes to put his prospects through. The first time in the pen it is all about laying the groundwork.

“Ideally I like to go to a Quarter Horse show that first time and just lope them through really soft. Sometimes I will even do a simple lead change if I think there is any chance that they will get scared. Mostly, I want them to get used to going in the pen all by themselves, but it also gives me a good idea how to prepare them for the next time,” said Tom.  

“You don’t want to do anything that will make them dread that next time you show them. But you can also go too slowly, especially on those first rides," said Loseke.  "They need to learn just enough. When you tell them to lope a fast circle, they need to know that you aren’t playing around and that they have to lope on out there. So let's say 75% of redline speed. You have to challenge them somewhat."

All three riders said they would likely sacrifice a run in order to school or make their horses right for the next time if they hit any major glitches.

“I guess it depends on how big of a problem it is. If I know they can really rock back good in that small slow and they don’t all the way, then I will probably ride through it. But if they are really being vulgar, and not slowing down at all, I might sacrifice the run. I don’t think I have ever had that happen on a young horse. It seems like that sort of thing usually happens on an older, seasoned horse,” said Brent. “That is why I love riding the young horses, those first times in the show pen. They are so innocent about everything. ”

If you're a non-pro, you might be faced with the decision of showing your horse the first time, or letting a pro handle the responsibility. Keith, who is a non-pro but in a different situation because he trains his own horses, suggested handing the reins over to a pro that first time.

“If we are talking about a non pro that has a professional do all the training on their horse, and they just go and ride on the weekend while the trainer is preparing the horse, sometimes I think it is good for the trainer to show the first time. They are not going to have those “first show” jitters like a non-pro might if they are not used to the horse. I think it would be better for the colt if the trainer did show the horse the first time, even if it is just a quiet ride through because they are going to be more confident,” said Keith.

Assessment
McCutcheon, Loseke and Crawford gear their program to peak their three year olds for the big NRHA Futurity in Oklahoma. So to them, that first trip in the pen as much a test run as anything else. It allows them to assess what went well, what needs more work, and what needs major modification before the next outing when there is more money on the line. Tom McCutcheon has found himself in that situation when he showed one of his stud horses for the first time.

“He was a little bit study there, so we gelded him. Then I took him to the Tradition, and he was good,” said Tom, who actually won the open futurity on his newly gelded mount.  “That is one of the reasons I like to get my studs into the show pen, because like this horse in particular, he was really good outside, and then when I took him in there and showed him, he wasn’t bad but he just looked around a little bit more than I would like him to do. With all the money that is available today in the gelding incentive at the futurity, there is no sense in going through that,” said the trainer.

Running for Real
Once that inaugural run has been put on a futurity horse, it is then that many exhibitors attempt to make the transition from simply getting through a pattern to getting through well enough to draw a check. Between late August, and the big NRHA Futurity in December, there are many intermediate futurities with major money up for grabs.  

This is also when experience and foresight come into play, because if you want to peak at the big futurity, you can’t afford to use up your three year old before you get to Oklahoma. But at some of the larger intermediate futurities, such as at the Tradition, Congress or the SWRHA Futurities, there may be as much as a $25,000 paycheck for the winner of the open Futurity. It can become a balancing act of not overdoing it, but running hard enough to cash in on a futurity horse’s one and only three-year-old year. 

“In my program, it is all about laying a foundation to go to the NRHA Futurity. I am going to those in between futurities with the intentions of winning, but I am not going to show the heck out of my colts. If they can turn around, stop and change leads, you don’t have to run them super hard in those early futurities anyways because nobody is really running that hard that early,” said Keith.  He also pointed out that those people who run their horses too hard too early usually end up out of the money anyways. “It always seems to fall apart if you try to show too hard, because colts that age aren’t ready to go that hard.”  

Tom tries to show his horses two or three times before the big futurity, unless things don’t go according to plan. “I will take them to one show just to lope around, and then one serious futurity, unless they are not good. If they are not good at one serious futurity, then I will take them to another serious futurity just to see what I have to do to get them ready and see if I even really like them. If they weren’t great that first time or two, I need to see if it was a one time deal, or if that is what I have to live with,” he said.

With many years of successful futurity seasons under his belt, Tom feels confident that he can show hard at the intermediate futurities, and still make it back to the big Futurity in good shape. He likes to ask his colts once at a higher level before he heads to Oklahoma. “ I will go school somewhere in between the last time I show them and the big futurity. But I sure like to test them one time. If they are broke and you don’t scare them too much, you'll be fine,” he said. 

Keith Crawford, who has won more than his share of futurities, said simply staying out of trouble goes a long way. “Normally in those early 3-year old classes, the person that wins is the person that gets through the pattern with the least mistakes. If you go in there and show your horse, not ask for more than he’s got, and concentrate on not making mistakes, you're going to be fine.”

Every once in a while, a horse will surprise you, and be unlike its usual self when it walks into the showpen the first time or two. And while that is always disappointing, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the horse is a lost cause. It just may mean that horse isn’t going to be a great futurity horse, but might be a more suited towards the derbies after some seasoning and maturing.

Keith in particular remembered one horse he like that. “ I had a filly a couple years ago that I thought was a really nice horse. So I took her to the Tradition. When I walked to the center of the pen, I suddenly realized that nobody was home. I went to turn around, and it was like I was riding a stick horse. I think I left the center of the pen probably –2. Then once I started circling, she started to realize that she was working, and she finished the pattern not too badly. But it was kind of a surprise,” laughed Keith. “She was doing all the maneuvers great at home, but there were no distractions, and she felt like a million dollars. She never did really mature until she was four years old, and then she got to be a nice mare. There is nothing more you can do than just ride it out, and try to make it better for the next time,” said Keith.

Snaffle Bit, Two handed any bridle, One handed………
Every futurity is different, and depending on the time of year and the venue, there are several formats to choose from when showing your futurity horse. Most early futurities are two handed in the snaffle, and as the year progresses there are futurities that give the option of either two handed in the snaffle or one handed in the bridle (shanked bit.) Some futurities that take place during early fall may offer a one or two handed in the bridle format. This can be a nice option if a colt is too pushy in the snaffle, but not yet ready to go one handed. 

“Personally, I don’t like the snaffle bit thing. I have tried it, and whenever I have a chance between one handed in the bridle or two handed in the snaffle, and I have gone with the snaffle, I have cussed myself because I end up feeling like they would have worked better in the bridle. But sometime the option of riding two handed in the bridle is kind of nice,” explained Brent Loeske.

Keith Crawford usually tries to pick a format that works for each individual colt, and prefers showing in the snaffle if the horse is suited for that option. "Some colts are not good snaffle-bitters, because they are a little pushy in the bridle, and every colt is different in the face. Some are great, and they are soft, and you can show them in a snaffle no problem. But others are a little stiffer, and they need a shank. It just depends on the colt. If they are soft and supple in the snaffle, I would rather show them in a snaffle two handed the first time or two,” said Keith.

Tom noted that it is important to show a three year old at least once one handed, since that is the format for showing at the NRHA Futurity. “If they are broke enough to show one handed, I will sure show them one handed. But if there are any rough spots here or there, I would just as soon show them two handed so I can help them if I need to. And if I have the option, I would rather actually show two handed in the bit rather than go back to the snaffle,” noted Tom.

 
Warm up Routine
Another integral element to showing three year olds is getting the accustomed to being ridden and shown at odd times, such as late at night or early morning when schedules and warm up pen availability dictate. When asked, each of the riders had their own warm up routine that they found worked for them.

Brent Loeske likes to get to a show a couple days early, and then he will ride his colts 2 times a day up until he shows. Then he makes a point to put his last ride on his horses 12 hours prior to showing .

“Duane Latimer told me about the 12 hour theory a couple years ago. He got that based on some college study that said horses bodies physically take that long to replenish themselves for optimum performance. Ever since Duane told me about that, I have used that at my guide, and it seems to work well,” said Brent. “ There's a fine line between too tired, and not tired enough. And I think a person can darn sure over train them. But if they have a big motor and I am worried about them being too fresh, I might ride them the night before and early in the morning. But most of the time, I stick to the 12 hour rule.”

Tom McCutcheon usually only rides his horses once a day at a show. "It depends on how far we go, and if I have to give them a day off just from the travel. If we're going all the way up from Lexington, I like to give them one day where we don’t really do anything with them except get them out of their stall," he said. "Depending on how they feel, I generally lean toward just riding them once a day,” said McCutcheon.  “On a show day, my program works best if I ride four or five hours before I show. Then I just wash them off, and go show when it is time. Every horse is different, but that tends to work good for me,” noted Tom.