I am training my horse to barrel race any tips?

Question

I want to get into barrel racing and me and my horse are green at barral racing. She is 4 and a tennesse walking horse. I want to train her to barral race and any tips for me would help alot to! I am a "advanced beginner" i guess i am not afraid of my horse and i canter alot but only galloped once and over a very short distance. (like 10 yards) I am training her to neck rein and it is coming along good. I am looking for more than the stuff you will find in books. Like for example i am looking for past experinces with training a horse to barral race. (i cant sell my horse to get another one and i am only allowed her)

Answer 1

You need someone in real life to give you tips and lessons. You don't necessarily need someone to train your horse, but you need someone who can train you and help you to train your horse. But no matter what, go slow. Don't even attempt to canter the pattern for a while.

I suggest that you practice your basic horsemanship for a while before starting the barrels. In my opinion, you shouldn't start training for barrels until you can label yourself as "Intermediate." You need excellant balance and basic skills to be able to do barrels well. Contesting is all reflex, and you need to have the basics very well embedded in your brain, with most of your cues and adjustments being instinctual. My advice would be to just play around with your horse to improve both of your more basic skills and your bond. If you can, get someone to instruct you in horsemanship, and then barrels. I suggest also training for poles when you start training. Poles are very good for balance and use of your weight and neck reining. Yet again, start very slow.

My number one single piece of advice for you once you start training: Look up. When you turn a barrel or pole, do not look down at the obstacle, no matter what. Look to the next barrel/pole. Also, as you look, sit back in the saddle around the turn to get your horse on his haunches. You do not want him on his front end around the turn.

Also, the speediest horse will not win at barrels if they don't have good turns. The biggest mistake for beginner barrel racers is thinking that they will win if their horse runs fast between the barrels. The turns are what really matter.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Getting a trainer is always the best way to go. Someone who has experience with beginners, and green horses is important. Anyone can run barrels, quarter horses tend to be used the most, and are usually the most successful at it, but use what you've got. Start out trotting the pattern and when turning the barrel, don't focus on the barrel itself, but a small pocket around the barrel. When you start cantering the pattern, the pocket will ensure that you can make a better turn, and remember to change leads between the 1st and 2nd drum, as if you were doing a figure 8. When you get really fast, you'll start to turn using 1 hand...the inside hand, by tipping the horses nose in and bringing it around the barrel. To do this bring your inside hand towards your belly button or even your outside hip. Also, don't use more bit than you need to or tie downs or anything, especially without a trainer. Less is more most of the time.

Answer 3

Slow and steady wins the race. Take your time. You can't train a good barrel horse in just a week. It will take lots of time, but in the end it will be worth it. For the first few weeks when riding your horse do a lot of bending and work on getting her head around. Don't worry about the speed. The speed comes last and is the easiest part of training a barrel horse. Bending wil supple her muscles and will make turning her much easier. The next few rides walk her through the pattern. Let her get used to it. Then walk the pattern, but trot the turns. After a few rides, trot the entire pattern. Then try cantering it. Work on her turns and getting her close to the barrel. Now this is just advice. I do reccomend getting a trainer to help you out with the training.I wish you the best of luck!

Answer 4

What level are you wanting to run barrels at? Walkers *can* do barrels. She's young and you have a "fresh slate" to start with. She hasn't learned bad things. Work on control...watch the space you turn the barrels at, and try to keep it even. Good habits at a walk or medium gait (trot or running walk) set good habits at speed. You want her to learn the pattern but also listen to you - how I do that is vary the pattern so you are guiding her. Go barrels 1 - 3 - 2 so she doesn't learn to ASSUME where you want to go. (This also heads off problems of ducking in, anticipating, running out etc). Work on serpentines and increasing flexibility. Keep it light and fun - I'm guessing you aren't looking to run probarrels. It's not a life and death matter. Control - in several sports - will get you further than sheer speed and uncontrollable. When you're cantering in the arena ask her for short all out gallops then back to a slower lope/canter. You want to teach her, along with control to turn the speed on and off. I'm also hearing that she won't be JUST a barrel horse so speed crazy definitely not good for that. She needs to learn to trust you and that you won't ask what she can't do or that will get her hurt. Do some flexibility exercises...pull her head around and gradually work on her being able to touch your toe. Do this both ways. Flexibility and control are important no matter *what* you're doing with her.

Answer 5

Well first off walking horses atn't the best horses to barrel race but you can do it... teaching it to neck rein can cause problems, it could cause it to drop it's shoulder going into a barrel, it could cause you to have a time delay in your turns. It is young so you can do it but it will be hard and take a lot of patients. If you want to ask a more spacific question you can e-mail me at [e-mail]...

Answer 6

I do barrel racing and where we always start out at is teaching the horse the pattrens.Walking them through then it almost becomes like second nature to them.Start them off slow and pick up the pace a little every day.Also keep in mind that a barrel horse can become a speed junkie and become hard to handle at times

Answer 7

first it sounds like you need to take lessons on a horse that already knows how to barrel race so you can get comfortable with barrel racing and if you can't afford to get a trainer to train ur horse(which can be expensive) you start out slowly, walk your horse around the pattern for a couple days then trot for a couple days then canter for a couple days until you feel comfortable and it seems like your horse is listening to you, then you can try running the barrels but before you start running the barrels you should work on turning and flexibility with ur horse like doing small circles at the walk trot and canter. also let ur horse get accustomed to the barrels and let her check them out so she doesn't spook. but definitely make sure before you start any barrel training that she knows how to neck rein and listens to your leg and hand cues on the flat and on the trail

Answer 8

Agree agree agree with slow. Walk her thru the pattern, many many times. progress to a trott. Don't allow her to run thru it. You may not be well pleased with barrels on a gaited horse. Typically walkers are for the ease of the ride, parades, etc. and aren't often used for gaming. You might be happier with a QH or Arabian for barrels. Still..........SLOW is the key

Answer 9

I suggest obtaining a trainer to help you train your horse. You are both green and it is very easy to get hurt (make sure to wear a helmet) or to screw up the horse and then have to pay a trainer to fix it later. I suggest getting a trainer and training the horse the right way first.

Answer 10

Start her out racing with little barrels and each day make them a little bigger. Soon she will be able to race with the very large barrels.