Here are some common reasons for a horse to get gate sour. Here are also some ideas on how to correct them.
The rider is giving the horse mixed signals at the gate. This means that the rider takes a tight hold on the reins and then asks the horse to go. As the horse jumps forward the rider pulls back on the reins. The horse doesn’t know if he is to go forward or stop or just what the rider wants. Most riders that have this problem will spend too much time in the gate area. As the horse becomes excited because he thinks it is time to run, the rider will fight with the horse to get him to stand still. This just makes the problem and his anxiety worse. This is the wrong place to try to get your horse to stand still. Do that over in a corner or somewhere else away from the gate. Both of you will be a lot calmer standing away from the gate.
The best way to get a horse that is excited in the gate area to relax is to take him in the arena each time the tractor is working the ground. You can only do this at some smaller jackpots, so please ask first. Ride in a few steps, stop, relax and get off and lead him out of the gate. The first few times you do this, he will be very excited. The more you do this the calmer he will become. Be sure to relax your hands while preparing to make your run. If you have a death grip on the reins, the horse will become excited and hard to handle. The KEY to this problem is to RELAX. Try taking deep breaths or wiggling your toes. Put your reins in one hand and reach back and pet your horse on the rear. This gets you to sit back and relax and not be up and forward in the go position. Your horse knows the go position and feel the muscles in your seat and legs. Remember, horses can feel a fly and a rider’s tenseness and nervousness.
You can try galloping lots of circles outside of the arena, if space is available, or if not, at least try to keep your horse turning in lots of circles. Keep his feet moving and don’t stop until you go in the arena. Then walk into the arena and don’t go fast. This will make the arena seem like a nice place to be.
I also believe, if a horse is consistently put in a bad position to turn the first barrel, it will build anxiety in your horse. If you think this may be the cause, you may need to go to a professional to get some help.
Another common cause of gate sour horses is pain. Now there are two types of pain: Rider inflicted and physical. Every time he runs through the gate and into the arena the rider whips , spurs and jerks on the bit. Just think about it. Would you like to go in the arena if every time you did it was painful? Try running your horse in competition without asking for his heart. Just give him a chance to run and turn with you just urging him on, not whipping, spurring and jerking.
If you are not causing your horses pain in the arena then maybe you should have your horse checked out. Have a veterinarian look at him for any lameness. Have his teeth looked at. Maybe it is time to see the equine dentist? His back, legs, stomach, breathing etc. may be bothering him. A good equine chiropractor would also be a good person to call. Check out V.O.M. Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation. It looks very promising. A good horse, that has been working well, does not just wake up one day and decide to be bad. There is a reason.