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Veteran
Posts: 120
| So...heres my story...I am an experienced rider......have been riding most of my life.....my daughter runs barrels and all my friends run barrels. I have tried it but find that going fast scares me half to death. I really, really want to be able to get past this and enjoy this wonderful time spent with the horses and good friends. Am I just doomed for life with this fear? The older I get, the harder the fear is to get past............
I think if I could find a horse that would go at my speed and let me build up to where I need to be I would be doing great. Finished horses seem to know thier job to well and training one doesn't work because once speed is required we fall apart because I don't know what to do.............sigh......
Please tell me there is someone out there who has been through this and conquered it.....  |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
  
Location: Oklahoma | I'm in the same boat you are... |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| Really? That is great....I mean..I'm sorry you are but its good to know we are not alone.....now...we just need to figure out how to fix it........ |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | Going thru this right now. My mare is ready to be pushed harder. Actually she has been all summer. But the truth is that when she comes flying in all I wanna do is close my eyes. LOL!! I just have to get out of my own head and quit being scared of the fear of going fast. I finally got the attitude of "screw it, just ride it and see what happens", so far it is working for us. Also it helps to find a great person to work with whether trainer, or good friend to help you get through it too. That's also another thing that I did as well. It helps. |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | I broke my femur in a car accident and was told if I ever fell just right I have a chance of becoming paralyzed. My buckskin is loping a gorgeous correct pattern, I'm too chicken to open him up. He's broke beyond belief too. I think I am going to find someone to jockey him and campaign him for me. I can train one through all the slow work, I just want someone else to run them! Any takers????? |
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 Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | Welcome to the club. I'm even very old - just turned 29 a few days ago - but I have just turned in to an anxiety ridden nervous rider. I used to be a speed demon and now I'm actually having a hard time riding in general without being nervous let along going fast. I rode this weekend for the first time in a while and had a really good time, so I'm hoping I'm getting back on track. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I was right there with you, it is scary! I didn't start running barrels til I as 49 and self preservation kicked in big time, lol. My husband came to watch me, I wanted to make a nice run so instead of holding them up I gritted my teeth and let them go. I didn't push hard but I didn't hold them back either. I was in the 2D on 2 and got a 3D check on the other one but the biggest thing I got was the feeling that I could do this. I doubt I will ever be 1D but I am consistently now 2D or 3D. That one run finally got me over the hump of being too scared. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| That was my story too! Three years its taken me to get over being afraid of the speed. But so glad I stuck with it. The turning point for me was getting a saddle I felt secure in. Tammy Fisher holds me in and keeps me with my horse. Now we're trying to keep the barrels up.
Hang in there.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1162
Location: White Mountains of AZ | What helps get used to speed is to get off the pattern, find a flat open space, and start there... let them run a bit faster each time in the open (whether it be like a race track where there is fencing, or just a pasture.) Soon you will get comfortable letting then run straight, then you can start adding turns. I found this to really help when I first started running barrels. Just get used to the speed off barrels, so once you run the pattern, you can concentrate of the pattern and not being scared!!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 345
| The lord blessed me. I purchased back my old mare had won tons of stuff with her in my younger years. The other horse I had I could never get past 4D or 5D. This year with her I made into the 2D. Sold the one that I did not have any confidence in and bought me a younger mare she is train but listens so well and has patience with me so far. |
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 Swiffer PIcker Upper
Posts: 4015
Location: Four Corners Colorado | Omg I am so glad I'm not alone in this. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | TwistedK - 2014-09-29 2:41 PM I broke my femur in a car accident and was told if I ever fell just right I have a chance of becoming paralyzed. My buckskin is loping a gorgeous correct pattern, I'm too chicken to open him up. He's broke beyond belief too. I think I am going to find someone to jockey him and campaign him for me. I can train one through all the slow work, I just want someone else to run them! Any takers?????
I'll do it! I'll do it! I'd love an opportunity like that, especially since I'm considering breeding my mare next year.
Going fast is fun...just say a little pray then go like heck to that 1st barrel. I know, not a lot of help. I actually find it a bit easier to cruise to 1st then pick up speed after. But do as others have suggested and just breeze, then add some turns later on. And have fun! That is why we barrel race, to have fun. No one cares how fast you go except for maybe yourself. Hugs to you. 
One thing I would recommend is make sure you have really good core strength...it will give you more balance and make you feel more secure, and therefore gain more confidence. I'm quite a bit younger, but have ridden for a while and this is the first year I have actually done exercises to help my core strength, and it has really improved my confidence, especially after having a kind of scary horse fall last year. Planking has really helped, but I do some situps as well. I've been doing the 30 Day Abs Challenge, and I'm hoping it will help.
I wish you the best of luck!  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | Getting used to the speed takes time. Some people love the run like mad and others need more time to adjust. I'd suggest finding an arena (a field is great but if they running and you're uncomfortable there are a lot of things that can go wrong) and ask your horse on the long sides of the arena to extend out for you and on the short sides to collect and slow down. This can help you gain confidence in both your own abilities and gain trust in your horse. Once you've gotten where you're comfortable with that ask for more speed down the long sides until you've got a good run going and are comfortable both rating and slowing for the corner (like a barrel) without having to make the fast, tight turn.
Once you're good there. Set a barrel in the middle of the arena and lope at it from both ends and make a turn and lope home. By having it in the middle with walls or rails on both ends you can only pick up so much speed before you reach the end. Do that until your comfortable and then move the barrel so it's closer to one end of the arena and go at it from the other end.
Once you're good running at it at the end of the arena put two barrels up. One at each end of the arena and lope back and forth making turns on them. Once you're comfortable with that... ask for more speed in between. To challenge yourself once you're comfortable running at it from both ends of the arena make it smaller and continue to maintain the speed. As the barrels come at you faster you have to adjust faster.
Hopefully these exercises help you out a bit. |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | mtcanchazer - 2014-09-29 9:19 PM TwistedK - 2014-09-29 2:41 PM I broke my femur in a car accident and was told if I ever fell just right I have a chance of becoming paralyzed. My buckskin is loping a gorgeous correct pattern, I'm too chicken to open him up. He's broke beyond belief too. I think I am going to find someone to jockey him and campaign him for me. I can train one through all the slow work, I just want someone else to run them! Any takers????? I'll do it! I'll do it! I'd love an opportunity like that, especially since I'm considering breeding my mare next year.
Going fast is fun...just say a little pray then go like heck to that 1st barrel. I know, not a lot of help. I actually find it a bit easier to cruise to 1st then pick up speed after. But do as others have suggested and just breeze, then add some turns later on. And have fun! That is why we barrel race, to have fun. No one cares how fast you go except for maybe yourself. Hugs to you.
One thing I would recommend is make sure you have really good core strength...it will give you more balance and make you feel more secure, and therefore gain more confidence. I'm quite a bit younger, but have ridden for a while and this is the first year I have actually done exercises to help my core strength, and it has really improved my confidence, especially after having a kind of scary horse fall last year. Planking has really helped, but I do some situps as well. I've been doing the 30 Day Abs Challenge, and I'm hoping it will help.
I wish you the best of luck!
If you were closer I'd have you come ride him! He's the buckskin in my picture and a stallion! |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| This is so me.....I am 47 though. I have found that even riding I am a nervous wreck. I'm not really sure where it comes from. I have a good seat..rode English for a few years......I workout regulary.....so I am in decent shape.....have a strong core.....sigh...I need to find a horse that I trust and will take good care of me..then I think I can begin to tackle this hurdle....... |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | I'm not scared to open him up in a field, just on a pattern. I've also never kept a horse longer than loping a slow pattern. So it's new territory. I grew up as an equitation/hunter jumper/dressage rider. I'm not afraid to go over fences. I ride down busy roads, I break and train my own. I'm just scared of opening up on the pattern. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 415
| I believe you just need to find the right horse. Either one you train yourself, or a been there done that 4D horse. You need to find a horse you trust and have confidence in. A smooth horse that is not too powerful through it's turns would probably be best for speed confidence. If you trust and enjoy your horse, the rest will come... slowly, probably, but I do believe it all just lies in finding the right horse for yourself. |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| This sounds like an excellent idea and will give me something to focus on and a starting point. The hardest part for me is finding something that will work with me and not get frustrated with me. I have some really nice horses at home but they are far to finished and far to fast for this girl....lol...I need a horse I can build trust on before I move to something like that. Thanks so much for your advice.  |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | TwistedK - 2014-09-30 6:40 AM
mtcanchazer - 2014-09-29 9:19 PM TwistedK - 2014-09-29 2:41 PM I broke my femur in a car accident and was told if I ever fell just right I have a chance of becoming paralyzed. My buckskin is loping a gorgeous correct pattern, I'm too chicken to open him up. He's broke beyond belief too. I think I am going to find someone to jockey him and campaign him for me. I can train one through all the slow work, I just want someone else to run them! Any takers????? I'll do it! I'll do it! I'd love an opportunity like that, especially since I'm considering breeding my mare next year.
Going fast is fun...just say a little pray then go like heck to that 1st barrel. I know, not a lot of help. I actually find it a bit easier to cruise to 1st then pick up speed after. But do as others have suggested and just breeze, then add some turns later on. And have fun! That is why we barrel race, to have fun. No one cares how fast you go except for maybe yourself. Hugs to you.
One thing I would recommend is make sure you have really good core strength...it will give you more balance and make you feel more secure, and therefore gain more confidence. I'm quite a bit younger, but have ridden for a while and this is the first year I have actually done exercises to help my core strength, and it has really improved my confidence, especially after having a kind of scary horse fall last year. Planking has really helped, but I do some situps as well. I've been doing the 30 Day Abs Challenge, and I'm hoping it will help.
I wish you the best of luck!
He's beautiful! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 415
| banjomia - 2014-09-30 10:28 AM
This sounds like an excellent idea and will give me something to focus on and a starting point. The hardest part for me is finding something that will work with me and not get frustrated with me. I have some really nice horses at home but they are far to finished and far to fast for this girl....lol...I need a horse I can build trust on before I move to something like that. Thanks so much for your advice.
You need a horse that is "YOURS" and only yours. Build a bond and just go on with him/her, it is suppose to be fun! There are 5D's for a reason. Get yourself a nice honest horse and enjoy yourself. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| You just need to find a consistent horse that will go the speed you ask. My gelding will run as hard as you push him. For me, I can get into the 2D, but when my mom gets on him, he'll run 4D. A:because he takes care of her and B:She doesn't push as hard because she's trying to hold on!
I think Push style horses are better at slowing down for different riders than Free Runners. Free Runners are going to go whether or not you want to!
As far as the fear thing...I'm not much help. I still am very much into the child "not afraid of anything" mentality. I did get scared one year after this same gelding fell in a very deep pen with me. We went from 2D to 4D or slower!! I bought a helmet and that helped tremedously for my confidence. Now we are back to 2D. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | I agree with the rest you need to find the right horse. We purchased a 19 year old gelding last fall. He has run his entire life but my niece started out only willing to trot him on the pattern. He was not thrilled but he trotted. By the end of this summer she is now up to a nice high lope through. Leased him out to a young girl this fall and she had never sat on a barrel horse before we started out trotting and just worked her up one barrel at a time. This same horse is now winning with her on him. And I have faith we could take him in and lope a pattern if needed. You need a horse like that.
As for gaining the confidence I would do with you just what I did with them. We trotted the pattern until they were comfortable with that then we would trot into 1 and slowly build speed as the pattern progressed as they got more comfortable the first place I had them push was out of 3 and towards home. Then worked backwards with more speed at each previous step. and if you never get comfortable doing more then a high lope that is ok too. Just go have fun and hang with your friends and enjoy what you can do.
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  Desert Diva
Posts: 4946
Location: The birthplace of Honest Abe | Buy a beginner youth horse. Start there that is what I suggest. |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| Thank you all for your wonderful advice. It's nice to know I am not alone. I will search for a "kid and old lady" proof horse. That will be my next step. I thought I had found one but realized after I purchased him he was way to much horse for where I am right now. I actually had given in to the thought that maybe this just isn't for me and that is how I lived my summer. Maybe I will find out in the long run that it isn't...but I don't want to give up just yet. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | banjomia - 2014-09-30 3:52 PM
Thank you all for your wonderful advice. It's nice to know I am not alone. I will search for a "kid and old lady" proof horse. That will be my next step. I thought I had found one but realized after I purchased him he was way to much horse for where I am right now. I actually had given in to the thought that maybe this just isn't for me and that is how I lived my summer. Maybe I will find out in the long run that it isn't...but I don't want to give up just yet.
This was me this past weekend!! I was ready to give it all up and just be a drunk and happy trail rider, because I'm tired of donating my money for a high lope through the pattern. Hubby reminded me that I have come too far to quit just yet. Horse goes faster, I get scared and slow horse down, horse slows back down, then I get mad because we aren't going faster. It'll make ya dizzy following it. LOL!!! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| TwistedK - 2014-09-30 7:55 AM
I'm not scared to open him up in a field, just on a pattern. I've also never kept a horse longer than loping a slow pattern. So it's new territory. I grew up as an equitation/hunter jumper/dressage rider. I'm not afraid to go over fences. I ride down busy roads, I break and train my own. I'm just scared of opening up on the pattern.
it's because as H/J riders we are taught NOT to "open up" and "let loose" of your horse. Even at the higher jumping levels like Grand Prix your horse is always in that "spot" in front of your legs and up in the bridle. It's different in barrels when you shove your reins forward and get all that "go" then gather them up and suddenly turn. (Although I do have to say my background in jumpers and Big Eq REALLY helps when balancing for that turn.) I still have trouble with it...and I am DETERMINED to get my futurity colt to "be someone" in the future, so I have to get over it, too! You're not alone!!! |
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 Regular
Posts: 92
| My issue is..I was with a friend riding and she suffered a horrible wreck, got bucked off ,unconscious and air lifted to the hosp. Many serious injuries, lucky to be alive today. That day, being there and seeing the whole thing, scared the life right out of me. I couldn't even ride my horse for weeks, all I did was lunge and groom. Bought a helmet and finally stepped on,but the fear was white knuckle intense. Sent my horse to a trainer to be finished & I took lessons on her at the same time. It's taken 6 months for me to regain my confidence, and my horse is good as gold, she always has been. The lessons really helped me, and if I got nervous , we would work on something else. I'm a long ways from where I wanna be in running barrels, but I can feel the fear has lifted :)
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 Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | RodeoCowgirl4u - 2014-09-30 4:58 PM TwistedK - 2014-09-30 7:55 AM I'm not scared to open him up in a field, just on a pattern. I've also never kept a horse longer than loping a slow pattern. So it's new territory. I grew up as an equitation/hunter jumper/dressage rider. I'm not afraid to go over fences. I ride down busy roads, I break and train my own. I'm just scared of opening up on the pattern. it's because as H/J riders we are taught NOT to "open up" and "let loose" of your horse. Even at the higher jumping levels like Grand Prix your horse is always in that "spot" in front of your legs and up in the bridle. It's different in barrels when you shove your reins forward and get all that "go" then gather them up and suddenly turn. (Although I do have to say my background in jumpers and Big Eq REALLY helps when balancing for that turn. ) I still have trouble with it...and I am DETERMINED to get my futurity colt to "be someone" in the future, so I have to get over it, too! You're not alone!!!
I think you have a point here, I have found that I have trouble letting go....
In English it is all about control of your horse, and here you just have to say: "go ahead, run balls to the walls, and I will trust you to turn.....".
Well, had a gelding that didn't turn, and so I took control back.... (might be that I just resort back to that since I rode English for 3 decades before converting...)
Both my mares will turn no matter what, so them I hussle in there, but the gelding I have now is not totally finished yet, so that is a work in progress...
The funny thing with him is, once we are turning 1st I am good, I will push him through the rest of the pattern, but letting him run to 1st is still an issue for me.... But I am working on it.....
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | RodeoCowgirl4u - 2014-09-30 4:58 PM TwistedK - 2014-09-30 7:55 AM I'm not scared to open him up in a field, just on a pattern. I've also never kept a horse longer than loping a slow pattern. So it's new territory. I grew up as an equitation/hunter jumper/dressage rider. I'm not afraid to go over fences. I ride down busy roads, I break and train my own. I'm just scared of opening up on the pattern. it's because as H/J riders we are taught NOT to "open up" and "let loose" of your horse. Even at the higher jumping levels like Grand Prix your horse is always in that "spot" in front of your legs and up in the bridle. It's different in barrels when you shove your reins forward and get all that "go" then gather them up and suddenly turn. (Although I do have to say my background in jumpers and Big Eq REALLY helps when balancing for that turn. ) I still have trouble with it...and I am DETERMINED to get my futurity colt to "be someone" in the future, so I have to get over it, too! You're not alone!!!
Very true. My horses all ride like english horses and are trained in a similar manner to an equitation horse. They're always in front of my legs and I'm able to put them into spots and get them very balanced into the turns. I'm so glad I'm not alone in this!!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1286
Location: Mississippi | Wearing a helmet has helped me. I am still a little afraid to really let my horse go but luckily, he has been very patient with me. Each run I try to get a little braver and push a little harder :) |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| cranky B4 10am - 2014-10-01 7:26 AM
RodeoCowgirl4u - 2014-09-30 4:58 PM TwistedK - 2014-09-30 7:55 AM I'm not scared to open him up in a field, just on a pattern. I've also never kept a horse longer than loping a slow pattern. So it's new territory. I grew up as an equitation/hunter jumper/dressage rider. I'm not afraid to go over fences. I ride down busy roads, I break and train my own. I'm just scared of opening up on the pattern. it's because as H/J riders we are taught NOT to "open up" and "let loose" of your horse. Even at the higher jumping levels like Grand Prix your horse is always in that "spot" in front of your legs and up in the bridle. It's different in barrels when you shove your reins forward and get all that "go" then gather them up and suddenly turn. (Although I do have to say my background in jumpers and Big Eq REALLY helps when balancing for that turn. ) I still have trouble with it...and I am DETERMINED to get my futurity colt to "be someone" in the future, so I have to get over it, too! You're not alone!!!
In English it is all about control of your horse, and here you just have to say: "go ahead, run balls to the walls, and I will trust you to turn.....".
Well, had a gelding that didn't turn, and so I took control back.... (might be that I just resort back to that since I rode English for 3 decades before converting...)
Both my mares will turn no matter what, so them I hussle in there, but the gelding I have now is not totally finished yet, so that is a work in progress...The funny thing with him is, once we are turning 1st I am good, I will push him through the rest of the pattern, but letting him run to 1st is still an issue for me.... But I am working on it.....
This is so me too! Grew up riding h/j equitation and hit the grand prix curcuit a bit beforeI "retired" its ddefinitely a change of pace lol! My hubby cant understand how I could take a horse over those huge jumps and be scared to go for it in the barrel pen. Ive roped off his horse and caught some barn burners! But thats a straight shot! Ive got my first race coming up in a few weeks and im nervous as all get out! His rope horse is a finished barrel horse who can place in the 1D. hes strong and sucks those barrels up. Ive been working on my confidence with just loping him thru at home.. I know the horse is ready but im not sure I am! I haven't ran barrels competitive in 20 years! He tells me his horse will take care of me out there just like he does in the roping pen but dang! Im nervous!!! I feel like after I get that first run out of my way and head we will be ok!! |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| The old saying "If you aren't terrified going to first barrel, you aren't going fast enough" comes to mind.
This whole game takes a TON of TRUST in you and your horse. You just simply have to believe in all of the things you can do slow, and speed them up. Maybe your speed up isn't Mach 10, but put the pieces together bit by bit.
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| I am amazed at how many people have this issue. I thought I was the only one. I keep thinking if I just get a couple runs under my belt I will be o.k. but the one time I did let my (way to finished) horse run through I think I shut my eyes and held my breath. I was scared to death. Haven't done it since. I have also ridden English and am use to the control. Letting that go is a tough thing to conquer. Maybe if I could conquer that under saddle, I could carry that over into my life lol  |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Another phrase that I heard and liked "if it doesn't make your heart pound it is not worth doing" made me realize I was not alone with my nerves! It has finally become more fun than scary (my stomach would just burn and I would think why I am I doing this to myself?). I go in now expecting to make a decent run instead of going down the alley thinking it is going to be a disaster.
Edited by rodeomom3 2014-10-01 3:47 PM
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scared of speed...I need LOTS of help