Teaching a horse the barrel pattern*step by step please*?

Question

ok i need to know how to teach a horse the barrel pattern.i want somebody with horse experience to answer please.stupid answers not welcome. :)

Answer 1

i agree with kari m's method but also have a few suggestions (although i dont mind if you agree or not).

wen coming up to a barrel i teach my horses to slow down and acknowlede the barrel (so they just dont run past it). i do this by either making a pocket and making him sidepass around the pocket so that he has room to make a better turn with out knocking and also by stopping just before turning and backing up a few steps (can be done at a walk trot or lope). this teaches them to start working off their back end and getting ready for the turn rather then going in full ball and doing a really wide turn.

hope i could help. good luck =)

Answer 2

Well, the way that I teach them is this:

1.)  Establish the basics.  The horse needs to be able to walk, trot, and lope safely.  It needs to be able to pick up both of its leads.  

2.)  After that, introduce the barrels.  Horses can initially be frightened of them - so lead the horse up there and let them smell them.  Clunk them and show them the noise it makes when you tap it.

3.)  With a broke horse, you can usually start out trotting.  You should atleast be able to trot to each barrel and walk around it.  Try to push the horse out of each barrel - so if you walk around it, when you get to the back side of it, start pushing it forward into a trot.  Set yourself up appropriately for each barrel - your horse needs to be able to trot a nice pattern if it's ever going to run a nice tight pattern.

4.)  After they sort of know the problem, you can start pushing them back from barrel #3.  Once they learn that they get to run they will eventually work their way up to running the entire pattern.

A few words of caution:

Remember to keep it pretty.  If you ask you horse to lope the pattern and he ends up 30 feet from each barrel - you need to slow down.  Don't teach him that sloppy is okay.

Have fun and keep it fun for your horse.  Do a few rides every day and then take them for a trail ride.  Don't just run barrel patterns or they will get sour.  They have to enjoy their job.

HAVE FUN and enjoy your horse!  Remember - it can take a long time and lots of practice to get the perfect run...you might as well have fun while doing it!

Answer 3

My mom is really good at barrel racing!!!! Any ways, just walk around them, stay about 6 feet all the way around the barrels. the jog around, then lope around!!! easy as 1 2 3!!!!