How to Be a Better Barrel Racer

Becoming a successful barrel racer involves more than running fast and turning. A successful barrel racer has control over his horse at all times, and can speed up and slow down in the blink of an eye. Many people make the mistake of drilling the barrel pattern repeatedly in an effort to improve, but with horses, who are creatures of habit, this intense drilling can lead to more problems than it solves. Read on to learn how to be a better barrel racer.

Things You'll Need

  • A horse
  • Three barrels
  • An area to ride outside the arena
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Instructions

    • 1

      Practice the pattern at a walk and a jog. The pattern that is used in barrel racing is always the same. It is important to become comfortable riding through the pattern before adding speed. By practicing the pattern at a walk and a jog, you learn when to start asking your horse to turn and if he has a tendency to speed up, duck out or act naughty at any point of the pattern.

    • 2

      Improve your horse's suppleness. For your horse to run most efficiently, flexibility is important. The horse needs to turn through his entire body, forming a C-curve, around each barrel. Too many times, suppleness is overlooked, and the contest horse turns the barrel with his head, scrambles through the turn with his front legs, and has his hindquarters trailing behind. To increase speed around turns, regularly ride your horse in large and small circles, figure eights, and serpentines, both in the arena and in open areas. Make sure that you work each side equally.

    • 3

      Teach your horse to listen. How often have you watched a contest horse run straight to the first barrel, only to miss the turn and head to the end of the arena. All the natural speed in the world will not help you if your horse does not listen. Exercises such as changes of gaits, stopping and turning, backing up and jogging off can help teach your horse the importance of listening to you.

    • 4

      Increase your horse's speed. It is possible to increase your horse's natural speed by increasing his fitness level and strength. Just as track athletes exercise to increase their foot speed, you can do the same for your barrel horse. Good horsemanship dictates that you don't run a horse into the ground, but there are a variety of exercises you can do to speed up your horse. Trotting and loping up hills strengthen the hindquarters and long, relaxed gallops increase aerobic capacity.

    • 5

      Get comfortable riding at speed. Once you have your barrel horse tuned up, it is important to be comfortable riding at speed. It is a shame to spend time refining your contest horse's speed only to take back on his mouth and not let him run during a competition because of nerves. Galloping with friends in an open field and alone in the arena are excellent ways to get comfortable at speed without drilling the barrel pattern.