Barrel Race Training Gone Wrong

[TheJenners]

Does anyone know if police took a report on this incident? Has video been shared to local AC if there is one?

[cedarlake]

My friend was there and I just asked the real story since I am not on FB.

The lady put an electric dog collar under the saddle pad to make the horse move forward. Apparently the horse has been taking off with kids at the alley and at this show, I believe, took off on asphalt which is why she hopped on to get the horse in the pen.

This isnt a “the horse is hot and needs a handler”, this was a training issue at shows only. The horse is fine at home but then has issues at shows.

People didn’t help because she had tied multiple horses in the holding pen (even though she was asked to remove them) and when this incident happen, they ALL pulled back. It was very dangerous for anyone to help. And on top of that, the girl is not going to just let you walk up and tell her what to do. She is violent and this isn’t her first go around.

The announcer (who i also personally know) is stating that it is unacceptable behavior and in no way is it being condoned. They were all very upset at the incident and law enforcement was called.

They did end up apologizing the next day but I doubt that matters to anyone. I’m sure there is going to be legal action involved. I do hope the mare gets another go with someone much softer and more patient. It may be time to retire her to another job, but I do not know how long this has been going on.

There’s so many inaccurate stories going on around this (not here but elsewhere) that I figured I’d clear some things up.

[CHT]

@StormyDay

Maybe I just don’t know enough about barrel racing, but is it common for a horse to not want to go do the pattern?
If any of my horses new that they got to run as fast as possible in the arena I think it would be hard for them to NOT gallop out of that shoot.
I haven’t ridden a horse who didn’t want to go in the ring to do the ‘fun’ thing since I was riding ponies.

Yes, it is common enough (I see it happen to about a 1/3 of the horses when I am judging speed events, although not to this degree). Some deal with it by backing into the ring. The saddest part is when the horse walks willingly into the ring, sees the barrels, and tries to leave.

You are only thinking of the run part and forgetting about the way some ride the pattern with constant kicking and then harsh yank around the turns. If you look at “barrel racing bits” online, they can be quite brutal. Some very successful riders are quiet and just use snaffles, or use curbs but quietly: those horses don’t seem to develop the same anxiety.

[4horses]

I want to know what the police did. Was she banned after that incident?

[cedarlake]

@4horses

I want to know what the police did. Was she banned after that incident?

Yes she has been banned and a police investigation is ensuing. I have 2 close friends that where at the location. It was a dog collar that was being used. Unfortunately, PETA is now involved.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

This is just so wrong. Poor horse. My heart just breaks looking at the expression on that poor horses face.

But kudos to the ladies that were yelling for her to get off the horse.

[SLW]

Well her 12 year sentence handed down in 2016 must have been reduced for her to be out abusing horses. Horrible person.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/crime/amp/Texas-woman-sentenced-to-12-years-in-prison-for-6865578.php

[StormyDay]

@CHT

Yes, it is common enough (I see it happen to about a 1/3 of the horses when I am judging speed events, although not to this degree). Some deal with it by backing into the ring. The saddest part is when the horse walks willingly into the ring, sees the barrels, and tries to leave.

You are only thinking of the run part and forgetting about the way some ride the pattern with constant kicking and then harsh yank around the turns. If you look at “barrel racing bits” online, they can be quite brutal. Some very successful riders are quiet and just use snaffles, or use curbs but quietly: those horses don’t seem to develop the same anxiety.

Oh that’s terrible
I hope that eventually the softer riders get more recognition and the pony kicking and harsh bits fade away.

[OverandOnward]

This thing with barrel horses displaying traumatized behavior when faced with entering the arena …

… they weren’t born with a fear of arenas and barrels. That behavior is a result of the experience they are getting at the hands of humans.

The riders are creating this behavior. And the riders can make changes to fix it, without trauma. (or shock devices) I wish those changes were a part of barrel racing culture, because of their concern for the welfare of their horses. But it has been going on for a very long time and it doesn’t look well at all on the sport of barrel racing.

[RoughOut]

@cedarlake

Yes she has been banned and a police investigation is ensuing. I have 2 close friends that where at the location. It was a dog collar that was being used. Unfortunately, PETA is now involved.

Thanks for the update.

I really did want the horse to buck her off but then who knows what would’ve happened to her. People can just be awful

[Palm_Beach]

@TMares

It has been verified by people who were there, yes.

She is Stacie Soape. she is called by name in the video.

In several frames you can see the jigger device under the pad.

Awful. I don’t have the stomach to watch those types of videos and did not watch it.

[Mango20]

One of the YouTube comments said they bought this horse for a large amount of money for her niece, who is a “little girl” and that she was trying to “fix” its issue with the chute so the niece could be successful with her. I’m guessing her “fix” did not work. I wonder what she did when she got that horse back home

[WildLittleWren]

This video made me want to yank her off that horse and zap her repeatedly. This is NOT training. That is quite a kind, honest horse, to not have stomped her into the ground! Which makes me even more mad.

This horse needs a new job. And a new rider/owner. I hope that she gets some sort of charges of animal abuse from this incident. If this goes on in public, what the heck goes on in private!?!?!?

[TMares]

@Mango20

One of the YouTube comments said they bought this horse for a large amount of money for her niece, who is a “little girl” and that she was trying to “fix” its issue with the chute so the niece could be successful with her. I’m guessing her “fix” did not work. I wonder what she did when she got that horse back home

And the little girl’s mom is all in on this approach to training. The horse’s owner does not consider this ‘training’ to be abusive, just getting the job done. You can’t fix stupid.

[spotnnotfarm]

Someone on FB commented that is was a really nice horse at one time that has won quite a bit of money.Sad she is being treated this way now ;(

[Samantha37]

@spotnnotfarm

Someone on FB commented that is was a really nice horse at one time that has won quite a bit of money.Sad she is being treated this way now ;(

I saw that too along with a video of the horse doing barrels with the previous owner.

This was SO AWFUL to watch. I really hope charges end up getting pressed

[Bluey]

@Mango20

One of the YouTube comments said they bought this horse for a large amount of money for her niece, who is a “little girl” and that she was trying to “fix” its issue with the chute so the niece could be successful with her. I’m guessing her “fix” did not work. I wonder what she did when she got that horse back home

If that is true, we can see why this very nice and steady horse’s training devolved and now has problems, if that is the kind of handling and crazy “training” it is getting.
No telling what else crazy stuff they are doing with and to the horse.

Most riders around here at one time were or still are barrel racers.
They seem sensible people that care for their horses and take very good care of them.

[Kinda_Kooky]

Awful and yet unsurprising. Ignorance seems to be a common trait shared in barrel racing. After being given more than a few brain fried barrel horses I have no tolerance for the supposed sport.

It seems like such a silly thing to make into a competition. Running fast and turning thrice does not a horsemen make.

Those type of competitions had a shuvanistic feel to it I picked up on as a young child. No thanks.

Never met a horse I thought truly enjoyed the so called sport, but I have met quite a few who would try hard no matter the job. Per usual, poor horses.

[cedarlake]

So the full story is this:

This is the lady’s niece’s horse. Apparently it has been spinning and bolting out of the alley. Before she got on, the horse spun and took off down the asphalt with the kid. This is also apparently at a show problem only. The horse is supposedly just fine at home.

The reason no one went after her was because of 2 reasons. 1. There were multiple horses (of hers) tied in the holdin pen. She was told multiple times to remove them. She did, but when the producers were not looking she put them back. When this specific horse reacted to the dog collar shocking her ALL the horses pulled back. These are simple panels… the woman is also known for extreme violence and there was also a fist fight happening in the background.

The announcer (whom I know), is trying to remind everyone that they are on church grounds and that they don’t handle problems with violence, rather it be with the horse or others. The announcer also demanded the girl to dismount. She would not until police arrived.

[Bluey]

@Kinda Kooky

Awful and yet unsurprising. Ignorance seems to be a common trait shared in barrel racing. After being given more than a few brain fried barrel horses I have no tolerance for the supposed sport.

It seems like such a silly thing to make into a competition. Running fast and turning thrice does not a horsemen make.

Those type of competitions had a shuvanistic feel to it I picked up on as a young child. No thanks.

Never met a horse I thought truly enjoyed the so called sport, but I have met quite a few who would try hard no matter the job. Per usual, poor horses.

If we look around, there are nice people and crazy ones in all we do in life, in all we do with horses.

Don’t like barrel racing, motoring around a ring gaiting, jumping higher and higher, running as fast as you can run your horse, chasing a ball with a mallet or running a cow down?

Well, don’t do what you don’t care for, but understand others may and it is ok.
It is not for the rest of us to judge, lest we too get considered less than.

A friend lifelong barrel racer bought a two year old, competed and won with it for decades, finally put him to sleep a few years ago … at 42 years old and she is not the only barrel racer with that story.

We need to quit demanding others drop their choices.

What no one wants is any abuse, no matter what we do.

Abuse as that in question here is what is objectionable, not that they are barrel racers.