Bored with showing...show me the barrels!!!

[SuckerForHorses]

So, ![]( bought my gelding as a 3 year old, planned to barrel race him. His foundation training took a back seat to trail riding, so obviously he was in no condition to start any sort of speed stuff. The past few summers, I was able to keep him where there was a nice outdoor ring, got his foward moving self to get softer in the bridle, engage and push from behind, traveling a correct circle, and did tons of transition exercises from walk to trot, trot/halt/back/trot, trot/canter, canter/halt/back/canter. He still needs a more consistent canter but I’m happy with the progress we’ve made.

I showed him on the local circuit last year in the green horse division, walk/trot, western pleasure. He is not a western pleasure horse…isn’t bred for it, isn’t built for it, just doesn’t wanna!!! But, showing him gave me the motivation to school him and get his brick foundation stronger.

[IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/agonyaw/VHSA%20Bradford%2008122012/SAM_0811.jpg)

[IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/agonyaw/VHSA%20Bradford%2008122012/Jet2.jpg)

[IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/agonyaw/VHSA%20Bradford%2008122012/Jet1.jpg)

[IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/agonyaw/Public%20Album/Jet6-13-123.jpg)

I’m sick of it, he’s sick of it. We’re working against each other because slow he does not do, even when traveling correctly. He moves with purpose, to get a job done.

So, on Friday, I’m bringing him to a barrel racing trainer for an assessment ride He isn’t started on a pattern yet, the ride is for the trainer to evaluate his training thus far, and to make a plan going forward.

Slow is boring…bring on the cans!

[Bluey]

When it comes to any kind of performance that asks more of a horse, barrel racing sure fits that description, all bets are off, the proof is in trying and see what you have.

Plenty of fast horses didn’t run at the track, plenty of excellent cutting horses didn’t like to show, I have a very nice team roping horse that just doesn’t get up for it.

All you can do is what you are doing, have a good foundation so when speed/performance is asked of one, they get fit and “on the muscle”, that good foundation helps you control and guide them.
If they don’t fire for you, go find something else they will like.

My friends here are barrel racers, by default, is all there really is around here.
They are very intense, spend hours/months/years slow training and eventually “exhibitioning”, before they ever go on the road seriously with a horse that has shown them it loves the job.
They take excellent care of that horse.

Warning, barrel racing seems to be addictive.:eek:
Those that do it are obsessed with it.
Second warning, everyone else not a barrel racer thinks they are crazy, in a good way, of course.:lol:

[tinah]

maybe its just my area, but what is with the flapping? I would think you would get more speed out of a horse by sitting low and quiet in the tack and asking for it, as opposed to looking like an albatross trying to take off.

[englishcowgirl]

If you are board with showing, how is running around the same pattern over and over again going to be less boring? Yeah you get to go fast, but that gets old really quick. Why not try team penning or sorting, that’s something that seems to be different every time and could provide many different possibilities to keep both pony and you entertained. Really though you could do all of the above (work cows, run barrels, show and trail ride) and have a really well rounded and happy horse to show for it!

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=englishcowgirl;7062787]
If you are board with showing, how is running around the same pattern over and over again going to be less boring? Yeah you get to go fast, but that gets old really quick. Why not try team penning or sorting, that’s something that seems to be different every time and could provide many different possibilities to keep both pony and you entertained. Really though you could do all of the above (work cows, run barrels, show and trail ride) and have a really well rounded and happy horse to show for it![/QUOTE]

I used to barrel race, I know I like it and I don’t get bored! LOL! And I’m not going to just barrel race the horse; in between we will be trail riding, and taking lessons with a dressage trainer who is local to me. Horses can be well rounded even if they are barrel racers on the weekend.

maybe its just my area, but what is with the flapping? I would think you would get more speed out of a horse by sitting low and quiet in the tack and asking for it, as opposed to looking like an albatross trying to take off.

It’s not just your area, you have those riders everywhere! One of the reasons I’m going to the trainer that I mentioned is because his “motto” if you want to call it that is “smooth is fast” and he encourages and teaches for a smooth, light ride, not a “jerky, make up for crappy turns on the way home by kicking him faster” method.

[SuckerForHorses]

Warning, barrel racing seems to be addictive.
Those that do it are obsessed with it.

:yes: I used to do it, took a break when my mare was arthritic and it wasn’t for her anymore, then got my gelding. Because he didn’t have the foundation to immediately start barrels, I focused on his foundation so that eventually we could do barrels.

[VaqueroToro]

[QUOTE=tinah;7062625]
maybe its just my area, but what is with the flapping? I would think you would get more speed out of a horse by sitting low and quiet in the tack and asking for it, as opposed to looking like an albatross trying to take off.[/QUOTE]

It makes me sad to watch the flappers because it looks like a no win for the horse – they get beaten to go faster on the ride home then their mouths get yanked to come to a screeching halt at the end. The loveliest ride I’ve ever watched was a woman who simply grabbed the horn while she extended the reins up the horse’s neck after she rounded the top barrel and said “okay - do it!” – the horse found forty more gears without getting his ribcage pummeled.

Are you not allowed to circle back? As in, you gun it “home” but once you’ve crossed the timer, you pick a direction left or right, and turn that way, using physics to slow the horse up while you ride a large circle instead of slamming on the brakes?

[SuckerForHorses]

Are you not allowed to circle back? As in, you gun it “home” but once you’ve crossed the timer, you pick a direction left or right, and turn that way, using physics to slow the horse up while you ride a large circle instead of slamming on the brakes?

You can do whatever your preference: circle or straight stop

[gaitedincali]

Wasn’t there a study done recently that proved the “flapping” not only doesn’t increase speed, but actually decreases it?

[Skyedragon]

I was going to run speed with my mare this year, and I could just never wrap my head around those that just kick and hit their horses the entire way back towards the start line. Made me cringe and feel sorry for the horse.

Anyway, your boy is stunning! Good luck with the barrel training.

[SuckerForHorses]

I was going to run speed with my mare this year, and I could just never wrap my head around those that just kick and hit their horses the entire way back towards the start line. Made me cringe and feel sorry for the horse.

You can still do speed stuff, just don’t do the kicking and yanking!

[rhinestone_cowgirl]

[QUOTE=gaitedincali;7063453]
Wasn’t there a study done recently that proved the “flapping” not only doesn’t increase speed, but actually decreases it?[/QUOTE]

I remember seeing something along those lines too. I will see if I can find it. There was one also done at the track showing that horses that were whipped ultimately ran slower as well.