Training

Serpentine for Proper Preparation

January 3, 2013

The Serpentine drill is a great exercise for gaining body control through the ribs.  It is also excellent for teaching the preparation needed for a turn at a barrel.   You can also use this serpentine exercise to practice riding on the correct diagonal as well (see our last article on that topic).   It will allow [...]

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Are You Trotting On The Wrong “Lead”?

October 31, 2012

Trotting on the wrong diagonal is like loping on the wrong lead. What is a diagonal?  When a horse trots, it has a 2 beat, diagonal gait.   As the right front moves forward, the left hind (diagonally across) moves forward at the same time.  As the left front moves, the right hind moves forward.   When [...]

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Are You Consistent?

August 6, 2012

Can you think of a barrel racer that rides the same way every trip? Do you recognize how confident and solid their horse is?  Our horse can only be as confident as we are, and part of our own confidence is having a plan.  Know exactly where you want your horses’ feet to land and [...]

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Circle Tires for Smooth Runs and Fast Times

May 9, 2012

Whether training, maintaining or problem solving with your barrel horse you will be using different tools to reach your goal. Keeping an open mind, we are able to add more tools and resources to our toolbox. My training toolbox is full of drills and exercises that target the moves we need to execute a barrel [...]

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Is Your Barrel Horse Talking To You?

March 7, 2012

Horses can talk, they just don’t use words. They have their own language of communication and it is our job as a rider to learn their “speak”. The more in tune we can be with our horses the greater our chance of understanding their concerns. However, sometimes the closer we are, the harder it is [...]

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Lead Change Between First and Second

February 15, 2012

When do I change? Where do I change and why do I change there?   I’ve been to quite a few barrel racing clinics and these are common questions.   How do you train your horse to change leads out of first barrel (or between first and second barrel)? I’ve heard a variety of answers all [...]

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Barrel Racing Exercises in Consistency with Danyelle Campbell

January 30, 2012

Here is a great video from Winning Runs with Futurity trainer and multiple time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Danyelle Campbell. Danyelle and Charlotte go through some of the bits Danyelle uses to run and train in, she talks briefly on martingales. The preview then moves into a barrel racing exercise that she uses on her [...]

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Tips from a Charmayne James Barrel Racing Clinic

January 7, 2012

11 Time World Champion Barrel Racers Charmayne James has a lot to offer the barrel racing world. I came across this video on Youtube that was taken at one of Charmayne’s Barrel Racing clinics. If you have watched her video and read her book like I have, you will appreciate this visual. Part of Charmayne’s [...]

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Alleyway problems with Ty Mitchell from the Josey Ranch

December 1, 2011

This is an excellent video from Ty Mitchell from the Josey Ranch Team of trainers. He talks about some of the things we can do as riders to prevent alleyway anxiety in our horses. He will demonstrate how to be prepared for different setups and still be successful. Prevention really is the key and he [...]

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Sue Smith Barrel Racing Exercise

November 5, 2011

Here is a great drill that Sue Smith (NFR Qualifier and Futurity Trainer) shared on her Spur UP – Sue Smith Facebook page. The purpose of the drill is to get control of the horses shoulders. Sometimes a horse will “float” or drift in a turn where their shoulders are not following the inside rein [...]

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