So I am recently training my 7 yr old Arab to run barrels and poles. I would like to compete with him at local gymkahnas next year but I dont really know where to start. I have trained young horses before but english, not western or for barrels. I have competed for about 3 years with my trained barrel horse but i sold her over the summer due to a lack of time. Now i want to start with a new horse thats a bit younger. He is still a little green, he knows all the basics but he is high strung. Right now I have done minimal running with him I am just trail riding him to get his focus on me. Ive been practicing turning, stopping, and control for a while because I feel they are essential for a good barrel horse. How should I intoduce actually running the patterns with him? I do not have a ring to ride in, just dirt roads, trails, and big open fields. I have run him on all of these areas and boy let me tell you! Unbelievable! However, like I said… hes a tid bit wild but hes a great listener and he loves to please. If any one with training experience in this area could give me some pointers that would be awsome. Thanks!
Other Links
- Barrel Racing, What it is | countyfairgrounds.net Video Blog
- Horse racing accident mini-doc | TUNNY.ch
- Speed Thinking: Thriving in a Time-Poor World | BookOffers.com.au
First build up the trust, then the ability.
Start getting him use to turning the barrel by making a medium size circle around the barrel and bring it in tighter each time. Trot him over to the next barrel and swing him the other direction in the circle, same thing medium getting smaller. Hit your third barrel and keep the pattern going. After he gets in tight on the third barrel, kick him up and take him to the gate. Let him know it’s time to get there quick.
Praise him and give him a treat. Go again. Make sure to see which way he turns the best. That is the way you want to start and end your run. Whichever direction is the best that’s the start and finish, your first and last barrel will be the ones that will get your time in.
Keep him at a trot and slowly work your speed up over time. Run your patterns a few times a day to get him knowing what you expect him to do. Get him use to running the same pattern each time to keep it in his memory.
You have a big open field to ride in? Ask the landowner to see if you can set up an area to practice in. Get some barrels and set them up. If you can’t get barrels, go to your local tire shop and ask them for some throw away tires. Stack them up in your pattern and have at it.