My friends and I barrel race, and the 2 biggest tips I can give for you are, 1, ride your barrel horse for pleasure too so that they dont get too high strung. Thats the quickest way to ruin a perfectly good horse, and 2, if during competition or practice, your horse breaks the pattern, make him go through the pattern even if the time is screwed. If he breaks the pattern and gets away with it enough he wont run the barrels properly.
2006-07-24 10:03:45
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answer #1
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answered by cwgrl4ever05 1
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What kind of horse do you have? I went to several Barrel racing clinics and one thing I learned about was the 'pockets' around the barrels. There are 2 around each barrel and are on the outside when you're turning. Do not cut the barrels too close and take your time around them. Get your speed in between each stretch to the next barrel. Basically your run would look like this : run in, on approaching the first barrel, slow down, and turn smoothly, take off to the next, slow down, turn, take off, slow down a little bit around the last and run home! If you need more tips, feel free to mail me. It's kinda hard for me to explain riding tips when I usually teach by showing ^^ The pockets I'm talking about are the area around the barrel that you want to turn wide around, but not too wide. Pretend there are 2 tires sitting on the ground ( that's what we used at the clinics)
2006-07-24 10:04:45
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answer #2
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answered by sailorsolarstar1 1
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the easiest way to get your horse to turn quickly (it worked for me) was to sit down a few strides before the barrel, get your legs around him, start to turn his head. think of how you want him to bend, imagine the barrel before you run it. visualization works every time. run the pattern to suit your horses strong lead. he can dig in much better that way and have an improved time. doing pole bending will help you to develop both leads equally. if he breaks the pattern, make him do it right. You can always take the time to train. you wont get a time or will be DQ'd but it is worth the extra minute of training. if he gets out of control, bring him down to a trot or even a walk. there is no shame in it. dont just run your horse on patterns all the time. run him on the pattern maybe once a week. one day a week do leg, seat and hand aids in the arena with a lighter bit than what you use to barrel race in. take him on the trail and in open areas, make him give to the bit, bending, everything you practice in the arena. This way he will learn to give to your commands whatever the situation. If you are a good enough rider and you can do this with your horse, every once and a while, ride him around his pasture in nothing but a haltter and a lead rope. I used to do this with my horse and we eventually went bridleless. which he loved. it is also a good idea to take a few lessons from an English instructor on some more advanced methods of using your seat and legs. Crosstrain as much as you can. Lynn Palm uses dressage in everything she does which is why her horses can do anything, western english, dressage, etc. this is what I prefer to do too because it works.
2006-07-24 12:56:35
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Do not knock over the barrels.
2006-07-24 09:50:51
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answer #4
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answered by darlaman2000 3
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sorry i don't race barrels im english rider i just started workink on western about a mounth ago
2006-07-24 11:32:50
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answer #5
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answered by Kayli 2
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