Attention Barrel Racers. HELP!?

Question

I have an 8 year old Paint/QH. He's about 15.1 hands. I'm interested in barrel racing with him. He's not really fast right now, but we're in cramped riding areas. We ride in really small fields with trees in the way. My first question is if I take him to a huge field and let him run, do yall think he'll realize he can go fast and try to go faster when we're in our smaller fields again? Also, I would appreciate any tips on conditioning him and training him for barrel racing. Any resources such as websites, books, and DVD's you can suggest would also be helpful. I think he has a lot of potential, but I think it's going to take a lot of work to get it out of him. I'm very excited to start training him for it, but I have no clue where to start. Thanks so much for any help yall can give. :-D

Answer 1

The best way to train a barrel horse has nothing to do with the pattern itself, but something called "breezing". What you should do is find a property (maybe a friends property, just ask permission) that has wide open fields. YOU MUST WALK THE FIELDS 100% FIRST AND LOOK EVERYWHERE FOR GROUNDHOG HOLES. Those can, and WILL kill your horse if he is running full tilt and steps in one. Anyway, start from the side and just canter, and canter and canter. Keep your reins loose, let him speed up on his own, don't ask him to. Maybe push with your hips a bit, but no kicking. Get excited for him and get excited with him. The feeling of you LETTING HIM GO and not holding him back or ASKING him to move and the excitement in your voice will make him WANT to run fast. Talk to him. Sounds funny doesn't it? But its really not. Im sure you've seen how your horses ears prick when you say things in different voices and different pitches. A few "thatta boy!"'s and "get up buddy!"'s will throw his happiness into high gear and before you know it you and your horse will be breezing through the fields, faster than you ever thought he could. We train all our barrel horses like this. JUST... LET.... THEM ... RUN. Don't ask them to. Don't tell them to. Just suggest it. ...Trust me, they'll take you up on it. Not to mention its a HUGE relationship builder.

Don't do it with friends either. Just you and your horse. It will really grow a bond you never thought you could have with your horse, while teaching him to use his legs.

Answer 2

I would get with a trainer especially if you are just starting. And they will be able to answer your questions a lot better. With getting him to go faster, he probably knows he can go fast in a small arena and is simply choosing not too.

Answer 3

I would breeze him out, meaning let him run hard on like a trail or something, and just push and get all you can get out of him, and then you'll see if hes fast.

for conditioning, Do rollbacks, its where you have a high wall and spin them up their hocks to the inside of the wall, its really fun and will help with turning barrels and keeping his mind sharp. Also remember to trot him out ALOT to gain muscle, practice tipping the nose to the inside at a trot/lope or even walking. Work on your lead changes to.

Answer 4

I would take him to a larger arena and let him run, if for no other reason then to see how fast he can go.  Your pen should be great for training, you can go around the trees and pretend they are barrels.  As for conditioning, just run him as much as possible in whatever space you have.  Also, make sure he is light, both on his feet and your hands, you'll need it around the barrels.  Also, look at http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/19620...  Good luck!