Equestrian Event Training: Adding Barrel Racing Speed

Video Transcript

"We're ready to take our well trained, patterned horse to pick up the speed just a little bit. Our riders' decided she likes that right hand barrel first, which brings her to two left hand turns, which would be the better way for this particular horse. She introduces him at the lope, she starts to pick up her speed a little bit, making sure that she keeps her body in a good position, down in the saddle, using her seat effectively to help drive him, as well as her eyes are up so she's looking ahead to where she's going. And, we try to keep this horse very organized and focused. He's kind of a high energy horse, the kind that we like to use when we go to barrel racing. But we want to be sure to remember we rarely have to ask them for that next gear, they're going to want to go, so we've got to be sure that we're spending the time to allow him to get organized, and careful about the pattern. So, we'll go ahead and take him on through. Each time thinking about he's going to bend around that barrel just enough distance away so that he doesn't knock it over, but not too far that it turns into that big, loopy circle that costs us time. Those were some pretty nice turns as he comes through and he finishes well, ah and the rider, there we go, that's a common thing that we often see even at the highest levels of barrel racing. So, we'll go ahead and fix that barrel and then we'd come back , but put a little bit more speed. But, each time recognizing if this horse gets a little bit too excited, we want to take him back a notch, jog him, break it up with something different. May even jog, maybe even jog a few small circles. Always recognizing is my horse maintaining his focus and his quiet behavior."