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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
 
Location: Loma Linda, CA | So I have barrel raced or gymkhanad off and on for the last few years. I'd say I'm an intermediate rider, I can work my way around a gymkhana, but I get eaten alive at jackpots lol!
I just bought a finished horse to help show me the ropes and get back into barrel racing since all I have are babies and I'm itching to run again.
For those in Socal I was thinking of doing the wine country barrel racing association and NBHA 19 (riverside) and running in the novice groups so that I can work on myself without breaking the bank with $70 entry fees (novice entry fees are $25).
I know we also have our weekly jackpots in Norco and Riverside which I may utilize for the time onlys - work permitting.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
I do plan on working with trainers and stuff too (suggestions are always welcome in that field as well)! I'm not going at it with rainbows and stars in my eyes lol! I have lofty goals, but I am trying to make sure I am staying realistic. The horse I bought currently runs 4D, but she is also out of shape and hasn't been pushed, but hey if I ever won a 4 or 5D buckle or check I won't cry! We all start somewhere, yeah? Lol. | |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
 
Location: Jersey Girl | Just get out there and do it. Remember to have fun! | |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | Get on your horse and go.
In my mind, a check is a check. Your bank will take the money whether it's a 1D check or a 4D check. They don't care, and neither do I! I consider it lucky if I happen to pull a check in the lower divisions. Take the money and run, haha.
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Spend a LOT of time with your horses, and get them into amazing condition. As your riding and confidence improve, they'll be better able to reciprocate.
The more time you spend with them, the more you'll be able to pick on subtleties that indicate soreness, illness, and distress.
Take them to a great lameness vet to make sure they're feeling good!
When you're confident that you're doing the best by your animals, it's easier to focus on your riding and learning.
Go easy on yourself when you feel like you're failing. Use it as a way to reflect on what you'll do better the next time you ride. Don't be afraid to admit something isn't working and start looking for help and alternatives.
Go ride with a reining or working cow horse trainer. Take your horses, but see if you can wheedle yourself onto a lesson horse and feel what makes them tick and how they move. Think how to apply those principles to your barrel horses.
Enjoy the journey! Sometimes things fall apart, and make you question every decision you've ever made in your whole life, but I've found that it's just the way you learn how to think your way into better riding, better horse care, and meeting your goals. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | classicpotatochip - 2015-12-19 9:26 AM
Spend a LOT of time with your horses, and get them into amazing condition. As your riding and confidence improve, they'll be better able to reciprocate.
The more time you spend with them, the more you'll be able to pick on subtleties that indicate soreness, illness, and distress.
Take them to a great lameness vet to make sure they're feeling good!
When you're confident that you're doing the best by your animals, it's easier to focus on your riding and learning.
Go easy on yourself when you feel like you're failing. Use it as a way to reflect on what you'll do better the next time you ride. Don't be afraid to admit something isn't working and start looking for help and alternatives.
Go ride with a reining or working cow horse trainer. Take your horses, but see if you can wheedle yourself onto a lesson horse and feel what makes them tick and how they move. Think how to apply those principles to your barrel horses.
Enjoy the journey! Sometimes things fall apart, and make you question every decision you've ever made in your whole life, but I've found that it's just the way you learn how to think your way into better riding, better horse care, and meeting your goals.
I definitely lack confidence more in myself than anything.
Coincidentally, I do take lessons from a reining trainer! I have him start my horses and we do lessons and such. I want to do fun local reining stuff, but barrel racing is always my go to thing.
I just lack confidence in my ability as a rider. I am constantly seeking out lessons, trainers etc cause I feel like Im never good enough lol. | |
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Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Phxbarrel - 2015-12-19 8:21 PM
classicpotatochip - 2015-12-19 9:26 AM
Spend a LOT of time with your horses, and get them into amazing condition. As your riding and confidence improve, they'll be better able to reciprocate.
The more time you spend with them, the more you'll be able to pick on subtleties that indicate soreness, illness, and distress.
Take them to a great lameness vet to make sure they're feeling good!
When you're confident that you're doing the best by your animals, it's easier to focus on your riding and learning.
Go easy on yourself when you feel like you're failing. Use it as a way to reflect on what you'll do better the next time you ride. Don't be afraid to admit something isn't working and start looking for help and alternatives.
Go ride with a reining or working cow horse trainer. Take your horses, but see if you can wheedle yourself onto a lesson horse and feel what makes them tick and how they move. Think how to apply those principles to your barrel horses.
Enjoy the journey! Sometimes things fall apart, and make you question every decision you've ever made in your whole life, but I've found that it's just the way you learn how to think your way into better riding, better horse care, and meeting your goals.
I definitely lack confidence more in myself than anything.
Coincidentally, I do take lessons from a reining trainer! I have him start my horses and we do lessons and such. I want to do fun local reining stuff, but barrel racing is always my go to thing.
I just lack confidence in my ability as a rider. I am constantly seeking out lessons, trainers etc cause I feel like Im never good enough lol.
Then you need a really fun horse, and a Xanax.
It helps if you confront yourself and ask yourself what are you scared of? The people watching? Fear of embarrassment? Fear of failure? What are you really worried about?
Think about how to face that down. Do you need to be more physically fit? Spend more time at the barn?
Find a way to convince yourself that you deserve to make your goals.
Every time I run down the alley, I remind myself that I work my guts out to afford, ride, and haul. I deserve to ride focused and well. If I haven't done my homework and been riding as much as I should, I don't go.
Just find a way around the roadblocks! | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 331
Location: Loma Linda, CA | classicpotatochip - 2015-12-19 9:17 PM
Phxbarrel - 2015-12-19 8:21 PM
classicpotatochip - 2015-12-19 9:26 AM
Spend a LOT of time with your horses, and get them into amazing condition. As your riding and confidence improve, they'll be better able to reciprocate.
The more time you spend with them, the more you'll be able to pick on subtleties that indicate soreness, illness, and distress.
Take them to a great lameness vet to make sure they're feeling good!
When you're confident that you're doing the best by your animals, it's easier to focus on your riding and learning.
Go easy on yourself when you feel like you're failing. Use it as a way to reflect on what you'll do better the next time you ride. Don't be afraid to admit something isn't working and start looking for help and alternatives.
Go ride with a reining or working cow horse trainer. Take your horses, but see if you can wheedle yourself onto a lesson horse and feel what makes them tick and how they move. Think how to apply those principles to your barrel horses.
Enjoy the journey! Sometimes things fall apart, and make you question every decision you've ever made in your whole life, but I've found that it's just the way you learn how to think your way into better riding, better horse care, and meeting your goals.
I definitely lack confidence more in myself than anything.
Coincidentally, I do take lessons from a reining trainer! I have him start my horses and we do lessons and such. I want to do fun local reining stuff, but barrel racing is always my go to thing.
I just lack confidence in my ability as a rider. I am constantly seeking out lessons, trainers etc cause I feel like Im never good enough lol.
Then you need a really fun horse, and a Xanax.
It helps if you confront yourself and ask yourself what are you scared of? The people watching? Fear of embarrassment? Fear of failure? What are you really worried about?
Think about how to face that down. Do you need to be more physically fit? Spend more time at the barn?
Find a way to convince yourself that you deserve to make your goals.
Every time I run down the alley, I remind myself that I work my guts out to afford, ride, and haul. I deserve to ride focused and well. If I haven't done my homework and been riding as much as I should, I don't go.
Just find a way around the roadblocks!
Hahah! Yeah the horse I just bought is a fun horse.
One that I can get on and go play with! Build some confidence! Haha xanax! Truer words never said lol.
I think it's just when I see all the bad ass girls run I aspire to be like them and I go out and I try and run, but I come back home just thinking I'm not good enough or that I'm lacking in my horsemanship. So I suppose; fear of failure?
I do work out a lot! And spend 4 days a week (my days off) at the barn on my horses.
I'm hoping that with this horse once we click I'll get my confidence. I'm definitely mental hahah! | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303
| As someone who has always been very competitive, and extremely self-critical, the thing that helped me the most was to stop thinking about the other riders entirely. The way the 4D system works anyway is by luck unless you are running in the 1D. So, your focus needs to be on yourself and your horse. It needs to be about going out and making the smoothest run you can. Every time you ride into that arena, you are competing against yourself and the last time you entered. If you work on improving one thing about your run every time you go, you'll find your times and your skills improving, but if you go in there focusing on how fast you have to go to beat xyz rider? You're setting yourself up to be upset. Take some of the pressure off, learn to enjoy yourself, and the rest will come. | |
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