How to Barrel Train a Horse

Barrel racing a fast-paced, crowd-pleasing event. Watching the horses charge forward at break-neck speeds, only to slow down enough to squeeze around a barrel and take off again can bring an audience to the edge of its seat. A good horse for barrel racing is bred to go fast and shows little fear on the course. Quarter horses are the most popular horses for barrel racing because of their fast sprinting abilities.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Large open area
• 3 barrels
• Firm ground with two inches of loose dirt on top

1. Choose the pattern you will ride the barrels in before you start to train the horse. You will start with either the barrel on the left or right, circle it and then go to the remaining left or right barrel. You will then repeat the procedure and head back to the start line.
2. Ride the walking horse slowly through the clover pattern for the barrels.
3. Ride the walking horse through the pattern again and repeat until the horse is familiar enough with the pattern to complete the course on its own.
4. Pick up the pace and ride the horse at a trot through the clover pattern.
5. Go faster and faster, reinforcing the pattern and speed you want the horse to follow. Increase the number of times you run the pattern at faster speeds as you go through the barrels.
6. Reward the horse as it runs the barrels successfully at faster speeds.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient and take your time as you train your horse. The more comfortable the horse is with the pattern and barrels, the better it will be at barrel racing.
• It is legal to touch the barrels during the run, but don't knock them over.
• If you are a novice barrel racer, take it easy and get used to the turns and balance needed to stay on the horse without thinking about it. Don't be in a hurry to go at top speed around the barrels.
• If the horse turns better in one direction, use that to your advantage by circling the barrels in that direction. Otherwise, go in your dominant direction, which will depend on whether you are right- or left-handed.
• Don't confuse the horse by mixing up the order of the barrels or the directions in which you turn when you train. You must use the same pattern for every session.