How not to use barrel racing drills and exercises

Barrel racing drills and exercises have been used for years to train and school barrel horses. An important point I want to make is that while the word used is “drill” this doesn’t mean you need to drill these exercises into their head or drill them into the ground doing them. Exercise is maybe a more appropriate word to describe …

Jane Melby Barrel Racing Tips

Jane Melby offers many great tips in this video as she talks about her riding style.  She talks about body positioning, encouraging us to take the shape of the horses body.    Jane also talks about using your horn as a method of communicating speed control to your horse and tells us why she likes to use a spiral drill …

Body Language with Pete Oen

Pete Oen shares his observations and tips on controlling the anxious messages you may be sending to your horse. Many riders are not aware of the energetic messages they are sending their horses.   Here’s some examples of what you might be doing that’s contributing to your horse being nervous.    

Solid Approach = Solid Exit

With second barrel, you want to make sure you are riding right up into the turn and getting your horse up into the "hole" (past barrel) before starting the turn (green).

A solid approach makes for a solid exit. With second barrel, you want to make sure you are riding right up into the turn and getting your horse up into the “hole” (past barrel) before starting the turn (green). So often the horse and rider enter second barrel too wide, or in an arc (and hip to outside) which will …

Stay On Track

Make sure your horse is leaving the second barrel straight and strong (green line). The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so be sure to keep your horse between your hands and legs to help him stay on the line.

Check your tracks whenever possible. The red line indicates where many people accidentally end up. Make sure your horse is leaving the second barrel straight and strong (green line). The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so be sure to keep your horse between your hands and legs to help him stay on the line. Look up …

Less Steps = Faster Time

Check your tracks to make sure you are taking the most efficient path to your first barrel.  Less steps=Faster time

This seems pretty obvious when you look at the picture, but this can happen really easily, even to experienced racers. Check your own tracks to make sure you aren’t taking extra steps on the way to your first barrel. The tracks didn’t show up as great in the picture (and the curve looks more exaggerated than in person) but the …

Do As I say, Not As I Did

I’m using myself as an example of what NOT to do.   It turns out (as usual) that the video doesn’t lie.   I had a pretty good run, our first outdoor run of the year and we placed second in the 1D against a group of horses who were also just getting rolling this spring.   Not a big jackpot, but big …

Reverse 8 For Improved Maneuverability

In barrel racing, it’s those smooth and effortless looking runs that can really stop the clock. Any time we can soften our horse and gain free, easy movement we have an opportunity to improve our efficiency on the pattern. The more efficient we are, the quicker our time. There are different drills and exercises that can help with this and …

Quick Barrel Racing Tips On Facebook

Here are some of the latest barrel racing tips we share on our Facebook page. Like our tips page page and interact for all the latest tips: Post by Barrel Racing Tips. Post by Barrel Racing Tips. Post by Barrel Racing Tips. Post by Barrel Racing Tips. Post by Barrel Racing Tips.

“Wanna be More Fit to Ride? Ways to Get it Going!”

Riding is one of those sports where you don’t “have to” be fit to participate. Hmmmmm.  It does make a huge difference however. Every part of your riding improves the more fit you become. Fitness is not only a benefit for the obvious physical reasons, but also for the strength of your mind and the resilience of your emotions. One …