Can you share some stories on your good ones that took a bit longer to mature (esp at races)?  If Beda Chang, even better!  I have a super talented 6 year old gelding but we just aren't getting our crap together at races.   

Some of them never do get it together at races.   Some of them just want to be the most fantastic trail horse.   Thats why there is just a small percentage of horses that become great barrel horses. But don't give up because being just 6 years you still have time start clicking together.

My now 27 yo gelding had to be rode down for an hour before barrel races when he was between 5 and probably 10. This was lots of long trotting and loping for that hour. SWEAT.   Otherwise his brain cells did not compute anything but RUN.   Turn? Barrel? What are those?

But, eventually he would warm up in the 15 min to 1/2 hour time frame and be able to function.  

Also, how long have you had said horse?  It takes awhile to get with one as well. 

There are some cow horse lines that are notorious for being late maturing. I've owned quite a few of a certain line because despite being late maturing I love how they turn out. Going in knowing that makes getting them ready to go show a lot less frustrating. 

I don't rush trying to get them showing. I'm in the position that I can give them a different job in the mean time and not be constantantly drilling and schooling trying to rush them but still get the training in for our goals. Then by time they are mature enough to handle the pressure they're not burnt out. I'll still haul them to shows for the exposure, get them in the warm up pen. Then when they're ready, they're broke, they've been trained and been exposed as if they've been hauling the whole time. It's a lot easier, even though time consuming, than trying to push one through that isn't ready.

Thanks ladies!   He doesn't want to be a trail horse (and no one would want to trail ride with him,  they'd be trotting the whole way), he loves to run.   Just checks out and goes from soft to runaway train.   I've had him since he was 2 and aside from his first 30 days,  have done all his work.   I do a variety of fast and slow work with him.  Just need some reassurance lol. 

Different event (breakaway) but my best horse is all cow bred and I got her when she was 6. I roped on her for about a year, hauled her some, she would work here and there but not super consistant and not as good as at home. I got pregnant so she had about 6 months off. Pulled her shoes, turnedher out. Brought her back and she was starting to feel a little bit better and then about 5 months after that she got a very bad summer sore right in the corner of her mouth to where I couldn't use a bit. She had about 3-4 more months off and then came back and entirely different horse. From the first run I made on her. (Now 8 years old) Has been that horse ever since and I couldn't be more excited. She was the type I had to lope down A LOT or she would get cow fresh, squeal, just do stupid little things. She would try to out think me and out stop me. But from that first day back she has been the best minded, most consistant, and trust worthy horse. I remember the first run back thinking WOW where did this horse come from. I had her for sale because I was having hell with her and now she is my #1 and I owe a lot of my success to her in the last 6 months or so. 

Yes, different event, but a success story =) Like I said, I was ready to give up because I felt like we just didn't work but some time off to mature was exactly what she needed. 

Don't be discouraged! It happens from time to time. I have a 7 year old mare that I turned out and bred for 2 years to give her more time to mature. Since coming back, she has came back as an entirely different animal! I knew I had a bad cat of a horse but I had to be patient with her mentally since she was so fractious. However, I would say to give it a timeline. It is too easy to spend years on a horse that I never going to pan out and there are just too many nice ones out there. When I set one for myself and that horse, I felt much better about having a plan of action if it were not to work out.

Different event but same concept.   I know he's going to be a great one,  just need to get him to that point.   And hope I'm rider enough to do it for him! 

Anyone have experience with a slow to mature (so far no to mature- 0 work ethic) FG/Driftwood cross?

Slow to mature, adhd, bi-polar, scared of her own farts and mine17 years old still acts like a orangutan on crack in the warm up pen. Hates trail riding (apparently bunnies, birds and deer blowing out from the under brush is not soothing! Who knew???) Spent a ridiculous amount of time hauling and doing time onlies on her to see the sights and as soon as you went faster than about half speed she would loose her rate, her mind, her brain, EVERYTHING!!!  Silver Lining Keep Cool helped some, like she at least didnt' squirt out from under you if she saw her shadow, she would wait for you to go with her instead. We had started making some big progress about this time of year in 2010 after I read a post from Diane Guinn on the Fast Stop, and trust me I hate bandaids as much as anyone but felt like everything waS there but she just was losing the important parts when her feet got to go fast.  

Anyway, the next year she got hurt badly and we spent 10 months handwalking for re-hab and that much time on the ground with her really opened my eyes to how she processes information, I had a whole new respect for what she was doing , she seriously was a kid with ADHD, she has a incredible work ethic and is only happy if her feet are moving.

Fast forward many years, she got injured again in 2016 and hadn't seen a barrel pattern AT ALL until this February, rode across the creek to a little gymkhana for barrels and my once half run awAy, wild child (tho still an orangutan in the warm up pen!!!) rates like a real barrel horse still!!!! Maybe even better than when we finally put it all together in 2012 finally.

I agree, the trail riding doesn't always work ,depends on the horse.. With the ones I have they need something to focus on without too much pressure. Cowboying on mine, easier days to start, gathering and trailing cows usually. If it gets slow and their mind starts to wander then I can create a job for them to refocus them then leave them alone. Helps build a bit of responsibility for themselves too. 

Just trail riding often resulted in me getting bucked off because they chose their own job or focus..lol

EXACTLY!!!