Hi guys! My five year old has about 6 competition runs under her belt and I am extremely pleased with the way she is progressing. However, I think there have been only two of these runs where she hasnt stepped off the second barrel instead of staying round and heading straight for the third. When I work her at home I make her overwork the barrel and really focus on keeping her shoulders straight coming out. I found an exercise where I basically do a figure eight back into the turn and it seems to have helped some. Are there any other good exercises for this? I have a few videos if anyone needs to see but its pretty textbook stepping off.

First makes sure you arent leaning and your hands are correct.

Overworking a barrel, while popular, can cause this. They learn to stay round and bent on the exit which is the opposite of what they need to be. That figure 8 drill can help as long as you arent keeping her round on the exit. She needs to be standing up and moving her shoulder over for it to work properly. 

At the 3/4 part of your turn, the exit part, you need to ask her to move her shoulder over back into the barrel so she well be straight as she exits and not rounded.

Thanks geronabean! I’ll be sure to make sure I’m doing this! 

Geronabean put this much more elequently than I would have, but I essentially do the same thing. (Ithink?) At the actual point of turning, 3/4 of the way around, I will ask my mare to straighten up and counter arc just a stride or two, really picking up that outside shoulder. 

Also make sure you are giving her enough pocket coming in. My guy will "step out" at the end of the 2nd barrel turn if I did not give him enough room coming in.

I am fresh out of my third Paul Humphrey clinic (which I highly recommend), so I want to say, if you have a chance to go to one, he has a number of drills that will help with this. The figure 8 drill was my first thought also, but the HOW you do it is just as important as the what you do.  It really helps to ride with someone that can call you out if you are not doing an excercise precisely right (horsemanship wise).

GOOD POINT! Love how there are 97984598 to skin a cat!  Sure depends on how a horse is trained as to what the fix involves.

I don't give much pocket at number two. My "pocket" is on the back 3/4 (I guess a teardrop shape) so they have room to make the move I want them to make and leave with their body straight.

DEFINATELY the HOW you do a drill is the best insight ever! there are 97984598 ways to do a drill also and you can get 97984598 different results.

I know, right? I went half the season last year wondering why we were finishing our second barrel so poorly. Even though I was already giving him a decent pocket, it still wasn't enough! Changed my pocket and the problem went away like magic.

I will definitely take a better look at our approach. She is pretty turny and ratey so I may be letting her step in a little early and then she is having to compensate and come off wide. Thank you for the suggestion!

I'll fb message you!! 

Check out the Paul Humphries drills on youtube. They are very helpful

I approach the 2nd similarly to you, Geronabean. Little room going in, but I'll push her in deeper into the turn til about 3/4 way into the turn.