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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
   
Location: Texas | It's nice to know that they have the capability to go that fast, but it isn't necessary. Some horses just don't like the track, and their SI or lack of wins shows it.. Put them in something different, and their talents shine.
My #1 horse is AA on the track, and she has PLENTY of speed. I had another mare who was AA and the same went for her..
I like them to be at least AA because it looks good on paper, it gives me confidence that I know speed is there, but more importantly, I want to see earnings and what types of races they were entered in and what distance they were running. |
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  Champ
Posts: 19623
 
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | How fast they are proven to be on the track has less to do with being a good barrel horse than the ability to turn and be "handled" (let the rider control them). Some horses who are fast only want to go straight. There are a multitude of reasons why a horse might not succeed on the track that have nothing to do with them being a nice horse. But it's nice to see them be at least fast enough to run an 80 (Register Of Merit) if they raced.
I had a mare that had a SI 94. But she also allowed me to direct her and she craved the turn. She made an AWESOME barrel horse and loved it. |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| casualdust07 - 2015-11-05 12:06 PM
It's nice to know that they have the capability to go that fast, but it isn't necessary. Some horses just don't like the track, and their SI or lack of wins shows it.. Put them in something different, and their talents shine.
My #1 horse is AA on the track, and she has PLENTY of speed. I had another mare who was AA and the same went for her..
I like them to be at least AA because it looks good on paper, it gives me confidence that I know speed is there, but more importantly, I want to see earnings and what types of races they were entered in and what distance they were running.
His race record is far from impressive. He only had 6 outs and $590 won. His SI ranged dramatically but again he had some less than ideal circumstances in all 3 of the races I saw. I am sure he wasnt a "race horse" at heart anyway but I feel his stats arent probably a true representation of him just because of the bad luck he had. |
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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
Location: Ft Worth TX | SI does not matter for barrel racing- especially when you consider it varies from track to track! I look for a fast start from the gate with an early lead- that shows a horse can "get up and go" in a hurry vs just a horse that can run fast over a distance. Not to mention "stuff happens" in a race like stumbles, bumps, mudd, ect that can effect a trip around the track...
Edited by Whoop Z Day Z 2015-11-05 6:41 PM
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| One thing that I might add is that if a horse has a speed index of say 85 and runs the mor races and the horse's speed index drops to 78 in its last races, then there is a strong possibility that the horse has gotten hur5. This is a good warning sign. Do your homework. |
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