I barrel race and i can get my horse to stop shouldering into the barrel? any input let me know?

Question

i have been working with a 4yr 14.1H cow bred Quarter Horse mare when i got her she had only had 45 days of cutting training on her and she had been on many trail rides she has came a long was but i have been woring with her for 3 months now only on slow work she has been doing pretty good on rating her speed and everything besides she likes to shoulder in to early and ends up hitting the barrel i have tryed pulling her off before we get to the barrel she still shoulders right into it i ahve tryed many exerscises she just cant get it i dont if you have any ideas on what to try please let me know!

Answer 1

SLOW DOWN!! if you push to fast your horse will only focus on the speed and not the proper mechanic of your turn. Get rid of the barrels and work on getting your horse to move off leg pressure. practice your turns with nothing then work up to cones do it at a walk then a slow trot open your circle and close your circle but you mostly have to work on opening. but like any equine sport don't burn your horse out!

When you pull her off the barrel you are causeing her to knock the barrel over possibly. make less of a pocket and turn her in the the barrel and keep your inside leg on her.

good barrel horses are mage in months great barrel horses take time.

I took it slow with my mare she is running  consistantly in the 2nd division (even falling throught the crack of 1d and 2d) and we are still adding speed. she is 9yrs old we have been doing barrels together for 4 yrs.(she had a 1 1/2 off for putting her leg in the fence) started back as good as gold, and she has never even in practice knocked over a barrel.

*****add more leg pressure at the walk and turn or tip her nose a little more keep your leg close to your cinch and that it (your leg) isn't to far back and causing her hips to spin out.

you can also try to make her two track away from the barrel/ cone the whole way around it to encourage her not to be to close at first.

sometimes on a stubborn horse ( i did this with bucky because he thought it was FUN to knock a barrel over) I let him drop his shoulder and hit it. he hit it hard enough that it wasn't so much fun anymore it was a heavy steel barrel but you REALLY have to watch out for your legs.   I don't recomend this but...