All barrelk racers i need help?

Question

I AM NOTICING IN MY RUN I AINT DOING IT LIKE I SHOULD I WOULD LIKE TO LEAN FORWARD AS I AM RUNNING TO MY FIRST BARREL BUT FOR SOME ODD REASON I AM SCARED MY HORSE WILL BLOW HIS 1ST BARREL WHAT DO YOU DO TO OVER COME THAT I KNOW PRACTICE BUT

Answer 1

A lack of confidence in your horse is not so difficult to overcome. Practice helps. But the practice I would recommend for a while to help you overcome your problem is practice outside the barrel arena. A horse trained on barrels gets it, he knows the drill. But the problem you have seems to be that you don't know he knows the drill. So to work on your confidence in your horse I recommend a break from barrel racing practice and work on some less adrenaline-pumped tasks which focuses on him responding to leg cues. Maybe switch to pole bending for awhile or just some relaxed walking, trotting and loping exercises with a focus on leg cues. And once you are confident that you are in control and that he will respond to your cues without hesitation, then go back to the barrel arena and practice. But don't work so hard when you first go back to the barrels. Don't work the pattern at a full gallop when you first go back to the barrels. Just trot on acceleration from the alley to the first barrel and then slow to a walk in the pocket around the barrel, and the same then from barrel to barrel and back to the alley. And work both left and right patterns to keep him guessing and responding only to your cues. After some slow speed practice sessions and you have confidence then in your horse and are assured then that you are in control and that he gets it, then cut loose and let him give it his best at full speed and you will see then that he knows the pocket and that he will not blow that 1st barrel as you say you fear. I hope this helps you with your problem.

Answer 2

Relax in the saddle! If you are not confident in your horse, and you are tense, he can feel it. Relax, and practice! A day of practicing can fix this problem. He wont blow the first barrel if you feel confident. Good luck!