Can someone answer my questions for barrel racing?

Question

I have never owned a horse but am now going to be getting one soon. I want to barrel race but even though this will be my first time owning a horse, I am very determined to train one on my own. I have barrel raced a little for fun but only a show lope at the most and I have been riding quite a bit for a few years enough to know what I'm doing. I have lots of knowledge of working up to barrel racing and going slow as well as making sure the horse is flexible etc. I would get the Clinton Anderson videos for barrel racing and know I would be able to follow them. What I want to know though is could a horse that competes in western pleasure be trained to barrel race? I found a beautiful paint horse that I want that I would also compete in western pleasure as it is trained to do but could I be able to train it in barrel racing if I wanted to?

Answer 1

if you set your mind to it anything is possible.

link below with info.on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrel_raci...

good luck with what ever you choose to do.

=)

Answer 2

First, don't let your determination to train a horse yourself be a main factor in deciding which horse to get.  I know it sounds like a great idea, but having your own horse for the first time is a huge responsibility, and training him would just make it even huger.  I'm not going to dispute you when you say you know what you're doing, but trust me, you don't want to be a first-time owner and a first-time trainer all at once.

Anyway, as to whether the horse could do barrels, it depends on his athletic ability.  Barrel racing is an extremely demanding sport and it puts an awful lot of stress on a horse's joints.  Check out the horse, but in general, I'd say there isn't any reason why he shouldn't be able to.

Answer 3

Hi,

Yes aslong as you have lots of patience and don't try to push your horse too far too soon the two of you WILL get there and your do just fine.  Let me suggest to you first though, as this horse will be new to you and you to the horse, make sure you just ride him as normal to start with.  He needs to get to know and trust you and learn your riding commands aswel as you need to get to know him and his ways.  Once the two of you have this connection you can pretty much train ANY horse to do what you like.  You definatly need that connection between you both first though.  

Good luck to the both of you

Answer 4

As a barrel racer myself for over 15 years, I'm going to tell you something you are not going to like.  Do NOT buy a horse with the intention of training him yourself.  If you are not an experienced barrel racer, you need to get a horse that will teach you how to run barrels.  You will not be able to help your horse along in the barrel racing world unless you pay a professional barrel racer to train your horse.  All you will succeed in doing is (at best) creating a mediocre play day horse.  

This is not a spur on your horsemanship abilities.  This is not degrading your skills.  This is being honest.  I have trained and given lessons for barrel horses and riders for years.  I have experienced show horse people come to me needing to learn to barrel race for the all around awards and they are shocked at their lack of ability to run barrels.  

Spend the money to buy a finished barrel horse.  If this horse is 18 years old that is fine.  You just need a couple of years on an experienced horse so that you can then go buy the younger one you want.  Or find one to lease.  Lots out there.

Answer 5

no

Answer 6

k well if you want to win at barrel racing and not be the laughing stock you need to have a horse that can't do western pleasure and barrel race. he will be too slow and you won't be able to win anything. i know its not about winning but you don't want to waste money to enter a rodeo and always come out last. also you need a quarter horse not paint horse paint horses are trained for western pleasure and not for speed events like barrel racing. Also he will be very hard to train to come out of the trance of doing western pleasure and doing that slow lope he won't know what to do because your contridicting every thing he has been taught.

Answer 7

of course because as long as u set ur mind 2 it and u have a good horse i know u can do it!!!!!!

Answer 8

There is a pets>horse section. I think you might get better answers there since most people reading this section are thinking of regular racing around a track and don't know anything about barrel racing.