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  Extreme Veteran
Posts: 403
Location: Armuchee, GA, NW section of Ga | I notice a lot of racers seem to be younger. What about the older riders? Do they start older or continue what they started as younger ladies. I'm in my 60th year and find that I'm more careful and think about what could happen with my horses. So older riders, do you still run or are you more careful? And is too old to race?
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Veteran
Posts: 150
Location: Okla |  yes, I intend to continue riding until they put me in the ground. I am 68 yrs old, healthy and cannot imagine "not" riding each day. I don't enter to compete much any more, but every once in awhile, I will enter up mainly to see if I can still do it lol! But the thing I have noticed is gosh, I flat don't care if I win or even place, I just do it for the fun of it (and I am talking about just the local jackpot barrels). I really enjoy training horses to do everything from barrels, poles, reining and cutting a mechanical cow. Gives me peace of mind and sure beats working out !! Also think since I always at least go watch a barrel race, I try to pick up ideas to try at home that other gals are doing with their horses---never to old to learn new ways |
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What About Me?
Posts: 5199
| I'm 45 and have ridden my whole life.. The problem I have now is no matter how bad I want to return to the arena (competition) I have panic attack when trying to go faster. When your younger you have NO Fear of getting hurt you bounce back faster when you do. Me I am still nursing the injury I received in December. and the fear got a lot bigger.
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 I Love My Mares!
Posts: 1613
 
Location: Moved to Montana | June Holman is my hero! I am half her age and hope to ride half as well as her and accomplish half as much if I can do that I will consider myself wildly successful with my horses. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 336
|  I started barrel racing when I turned 13 that also was when I got my first horse,,,,,,I am now 50,,,love it still and still compete,,I have a couple 1d horses, and several others,,,yes I worry every time I go in the barn about getting hurt,,as I have had some injuries in the last couple years,,,,I will not have a bucker in my barn,,or one that scares me to much,,,accidents can always happen but I am doing what I love!! glad to hear at your age you are still haveing fun!! I hope to do as well as long as I am able,,, |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| I am in my 60's and still try to compete. I don't really worry about getting hurt but I'm not very fast either. When I get nervous before a run, I try to remember what Sherry Cervi said: "You mentally get a hold of yourself and don't let that moment control you. You go and do what you've done a million times - you go get around three barrels." It's supposed to be fun. When that stops, I'll just trail ride and still enjoy myself. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | I'm also in my 60's but didn't quit because of lack of desire to ride. It's the barrel races. Standing around all day waiting to run got to be more than I could endure. When I'm running one and somebody shows up with a trailerload of horses and gets to run them all ahead of me, that's it, I'm done. They can have it. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| there's a lady who works with me in my office and runs at our local NBHA races who will be 65 this year. Every time she runs she kicks mine and my friend's butts as we struggle in the 3 and 4D and she wins the 2 or places 2nd in the 1D. I am 34 and my friend is 26. So no...you are not too old. I HOPE that I can cowgirl up like this lady does when I am her age. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I can't speak from experience, but my mother started barrel racing in her 20's. She will be 57 this year. And she's riding a coming 3-year-old gelding.  Love my mom, and she's not slowing down anytime soon! She says she'll ride until she can't physically get on anymore, and then she'll get a cart to ride in. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | Age is just a number. It depends on what kind of shape and health you are in. There are so many over 50 riders in my area I wouldn't be able to name them all and many are still running in the 1-D. Some started when they were very young and never stopped, some stopped while raising families and a few started running barrels and never did before, when their kids that ran barrels got married and left home. |
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Regular
Posts: 81
| I barrel raced in my teens, early 20's, got married, raised my family, now 52, training a horse for barrels, & got back into breaking away roping, only problems I have are my knees, but ben gay helps with that |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | I'll be 62 next month and still ride. I buy started horses and season them, then resell them, and you never know what you're going to see me on at a barrel race. I made the IFR in the late 90's and won rookie of the year in the IPRA at 45. I got bucked off when I was 59 and quit....sold all my horses but one that was injured at the time, sold my LQ trailers, all my tack nearly, and only lasted 3 months. I was MISERABLE. All I did was sit in front of a computer and get fat. It took me almost a year to work off what I gained in those 3 months. Barrel racing is my social life. Although I am competitive and try to do the best that I can do, I'm often on colts that make mistakes, so I know I'm not going to be able to run up there with seasoned superstars. Every once in awhile, I get a one that surprises me and does run in the 1D, but I usually don't get to keep it long because someone else buys it. That's ok. I love what I'm doing and it's the only exercise I get. I don't worry any more and I try to remember that fear is of the devil and that the Lord wants us to have the desires of our hearts, so I keep on going. lol Right now I have 7 head and they range in age from 3 to 8....I'm really more comfortable cruising through the pattern on a young one than going balls to the wall any more, and I'm ok with that. Luckily the divisional races have made it possible for all of us to compete and have a chance to win a little money. June Holeman is my idol and I told her so when she brought Tall Boy to the PAFRA finals for her granddaughter to run (and her granddaughter won it on him, btw...he's an awesome horse), and she was so humble. I just hope to still be healthy and able to compete when I'm 70, and I sure hope she wins the American or at least gets second...that would be SOOO awesome and such an inspiration to those of us who are getting up in years. Gives us hope that if she can do it, so can we. :) |
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 Expert
Posts: 1343
Location: Oklahoma | Diane - I guess I am trying to steal the thread here - but I have a question about Special Joe Bars, "Joe" how big was he? I know I stood next to him once but I was just thinking about him today and wondering.
Also, I am an older rider. I am 59 and will be 60 this year. I am trying to get back into barrel racing. I started when I was 14 and have run off and on, although not much in the past few years but I have kept my horses and currently have 4, one trained, one started, one injured and one not started. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1062
Location: Probably On the Road to the Next Barrel Race! | Im almost 55, been doing this since I was 14. Never been off long...had a baby, went back to college, had another baby...never really stopped for long. I was lucky enough to have a pro horse in the early 90's. I prefer balls to the wall 1D runs, but it's precious hard to come by with the price of 1D horses...I'm trying to train my own, now, but I HATE riding the young ones. I've had injuries, and times I know my own mental state was "scared to death". But if you want it bad enough, and I still do, you pray hard and work through it. My current goal is to have an amateur rodeo horse going by next spring. Been a long time since I actually rodeoed...just big barrel races, but it's a new goal, so I will acheive it. How? Not sure, but you bet you I WILL.  |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I did not start runing barrels till I was 49. My girls went off to college and quit riding, I didn't want to sell the horses so I climbed in the saddle. To say I was overmounted was an understatement. They were quite happy to slow down for me but I ws scared to death. I knew I needed to be in shape to try to ride so I lost weight and hit the gym. I am now 53 and after 3 years of entering I am creeping up into the 2D. It is definitely on my mind what could happen if they trip or fall. I am very picky where I will run them and have no problem drawing out if I see too many horses tripping. Here is my run from yesterday, bouncing around and hanging on :). I hope it is a loooong time before I am too old to race.
Littleman
Edited by rodeomom3 2014-03-02 3:01 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | Frodo - 2014-03-01 1:26 PM I'm also in my 60's but didn't quit because of lack of desire to ride. It's the barrel races. Standing around all day waiting to run got to be more than I could endure. When I'm running one and somebody shows up with a trailerload of horses and gets to run them all ahead of me, that's it, I'm done. They can have it.
That is something I have never figured out.........very frustrating. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 764
Location: Stephenville, TX | Like someone else said "age is just a number". I'm over 50 and having a blast running barrels now. I have a horse that I trained who's 15 now so he takes pretty good care of me and I trust him totally. Even so, I have to draw on every ounce of courage to ride him aggresively and ask for that exrta bit. Lately I have been 2D and got a check in the 1D locally last weekend. Talk about a confidence booster! My daughter and I reversed roles, she is my coach now and likes to rub it in. Lol! I feel blessed to be able to do this and for my horse/dance partner!
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Fire Ant Peddler
Posts: 2881
| I will be 64 in a few months. I started riding when I was 3 and have not quit since. I hold my own in the 3D and an right in there in the 4D if the race is a 5D. |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Silly Filly - 2014-03-02 3:38 PM Frodo - 2014-03-01 1:26 PM I'm also in my 60's but didn't quit because of lack of desire to ride. It's the barrel races. Standing around all day waiting to run got to be more than I could endure. When I'm running one and somebody shows up with a trailerload of horses and gets to run them all ahead of me, that's it, I'm done. They can have it. That is something I have never figured out.........very frustrating.
How does that happen? We get to pre enter in our local association. It is so nice to be able to show up for your runs and go home. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| dianeguinn - 2014-03-02 9:01 AM
I'll be 62 next month and still ride. I buy started horses and season them, then resell them, and you never know what you're going to see me on at a barrel race. I made the IFR in the late 90's and won rookie of the year in the IPRA at 45. I got bucked off when I was 59 and quit....sold all my horses but one that was injured at the time, sold my LQ trailers, all my tack nearly, and only lasted 3 months. I was MISERABLE. All I did was sit in front of a computer and get fat. It took me almost a year to work off what I gained in those 3 months. Barrel racing is my social life. Although I am competitive and try to do the best that I can do, I'm often on colts that make mistakes, so I know I'm not going to be able to run up there with seasoned superstars. Every once in awhile, I get a one that surprises me and does run in the 1D, but I usually don't get to keep it long because someone else buys it. That's ok. I love what I'm doing and it's the only exercise I get. I don't worry any more and I try to remember that fear is of the devil and that the Lord wants us to have the desires of our hearts, so I keep on going. lol Right now I have 7 head and they range in age from 3 to 8....I'm really more comfortable cruising through the pattern on a young one than going balls to the wall any more, and I'm ok with that. Luckily the divisional races have made it possible for all of us to compete and have a chance to win a little money. June Holeman is my idol and I told her so when she brought Tall Boy to the PAFRA finals for her granddaughter to run (and her granddaughter won it on him, btw...he's an awesome horse), and she was so humble. I just hope to still be healthy and able to compete when I'm 70, and I sure hope she wins the American or at least gets second...that would be SOOO awesome and such an inspiration to those of us who are getting up in years. Gives us hope that if she can do it, so can we. :)
You are MY hero!!!  I hope to be like this in the future! Ladies like you prove that I CAN! |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| shaunar - 2014-03-02 12:14 PM
Diane - I guess I am trying to steal the thread here - but I have a question about Special Joe Bars, "Joe" how big was he? I know I stood next to him once but I was just thinking about him today and wondering.
Also, I am an older rider. I am 59 and will be 60 this year. I am trying to get back into barrel racing. I started when I was 14 and have run off and on, although not much in the past few years but I have kept my horses and currently have 4, one trained, one started, one injured and one not started.
In her interview about the American, I thought she said he was 16.2 |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | I'm up there. I went to a clinic with Ardith Bruce presenting. She is in her 80's and still running in tough competition. I hope t0 be doing that when I get that old. I will die with my boots on. Work out and eat right you'll find your only as old as your mind. I love you pony in your avatar |
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Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | I'm up there. I went to a clinic with Ardith Bruce presenting. She is in her 80's and still running in tough competition. I hope t0 be doing that when I get that old. I will die with my boots on. Work out and eat right you'll find your only as old as your mind. I love you pony in your avatar |
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Mrs. Troy
Location: western Nebraska | I am old as dirt and I have no intentions of quitting. I have a trailer load of nice, young horses and I can't wait for it to warm up so I can start hauling them. One that knows what is going on that should win something if I get out of the way-and the rest are so talented I can;t wait.
Love the quote-Age is just a number! I just hope I can keep from breaking something this spring so I can finally get healed up and get to play my favorite game. Barrel racing should keep us all young if we don't go crazy from the ups and downs of it. |
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 Ones with the Hotties
Posts: 1451
Location: Centerburg, OH | I just love you ladies!!!! |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Frodo - 2014-03-01 2:26 PM I'm also in my 60's but didn't quit because of lack of desire to ride. It's the barrel races. Standing around all day waiting to run got to be more than I could endure. When I'm running one and somebody shows up with a trailerload of horses and gets to run them all ahead of me, that's it, I'm done. They can have it.
This is why I just enter the local JPs these days - I too, have better things to do than sit at a race for 6 hours waiting to make one run. |
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 Dancing in my Mind
Posts: 3062
Location: Eastern OH but my heart is in WV | two2run - 2014-03-01 9:26 AM
I'm 45 and have ridden my whole life.. The problem I have now is no matter how bad I want to return to the arena (competition) I have panic attack when trying to go faster. When your younger you have NO Fear of getting hurt you bounce back faster when you do. Me I am still nursing the injury I received in December. and the fear got a lot bigger.
I am 43 and the same. My heart still wants to in the worst way but my mind is controlling the rest of my body. I still enjoy riding though and plan to do that as long as I can. I thought last summer I could move past it all but now my daughter has my horse and I am a sideline cheerleader. |
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Older riders