Hi everyone!

So I have a 15.3 hand barrel horse. He is hot when it comes to games, but I am able to control him. So anyway, we have been having a problem shouldering the second barrel (he just anticipates the turn too much). Right now he is in a combo bit and I feel like he doesn't have enough lift. The other day I tried an L&W long shank with a snaffle mouthpiece and I felt like I had a little more lift, but less control/no brakes. Any bit advice would be great :)

I feel like a bit would just be a bandaid compared to going back to slow work, adjusting your approach to the barrel and correcting the actual issue.

In what I’ve experienced and seen, “shouldering” can be a couple things - rushing the turn can be a sign that something hurts and a want to just get it over with or an inability to hold position due to pain. Make sure he’s not sore.  Being “hot” is also key pain indicator depending on what he’s doing.  

I also feel it can be a sign that you’re giving too much pocket - horse knows he’s suppose to turn the barrel, wants to turn the barrel, and with a bigger pocket ends up hitting going in.  Slow it down, tighten up the pocket and make sure you don’t let him turn until you sit and ask for the turn.  Slow it down and make him stay straight and correct.  Resist the urge to ride your outside rein, when the nose tips out you lose control of the inside shoulder.  Work on straightness drills off the pattern. You’ll hold him off the turn with a bit change for a little bit, but he’ll start doing it again if you don’t correct the approach.  

I set the right 1st barrel at a large race earlier this year, and by the end of the weekend I was getting pretty good at predicting who was going to tip the 2nd based on how straight they left the 1st and how far they moved right on the way across.  Straight lines are also faster.

If he's shouldering the barrel, you need to use your SEAT and LEGS to control him. The reins/bit are just support to your body cue.

Personally, take him back to slow work and teach him to respect your seat and legs and "wait" on you to start that turn, and keep that shoulder up.

If you only change bits, and do nothing else, you'll still have a shouldering problem.

Also Ditto on the above advice about having the correct pocket.

this is really good advice. I'd also like to add when going back to your slow work, as you come across your pen, keep your hips square, look and drive him past the barrel. You'll feel where they'll want to take over the program and that point right there is what your after to free up. Keep moving him foward, even if your 50 feet past the barrel, until you feel them give in to you and go straight and in correct body position.

It's also important as a rider that we not start thinking "turn" before the barrel. I know I do it and have to retrain my thought process. They shouldn't start that turn until their hip is past the barrel. Or you'll hear the phrase keep the barrel behind your leg, same difference.

 A good drill to help is to ride squares. It helps you to ride square and will help pick up the shoulder and bring the inside hip up underneath. As you get to each cone or point pick up inside rein and ask for turn and make sure you sit deep and square your shoulders to each wall. If you watch when a horse drops it’s shoulder how is the rider sitting are they up over there horse trying to pick the horse up with inside rein and their body contorted as if they are standing in their saddle lifting the shoulder. Are they way to the outside pulling the nose to the outside trying to get that shoulder up? You’ll notice as soon as these riders start their turn their horse dive to turn. Another still that can help is trot small circles sit down ask horse for a turn around and trot back out on same circle all in one fluid motion. 

In addition to the training aspect that others have posted above, try a lifter bit. I think bits just work differently with my hands and I will change bits depending on what I’m doing. I really like the pozzi lifter personally!