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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 349
 
| Did a search and couldn't find anything. Are there any tips for staying mentally sharp to react and ride on a small pattern to not get in the way. My horse is about 14.2 and definitely more push style and needs a little help keeping everything in line around the 2nd (not too much or I just get in his way) |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Practice on barrel set about 30 feet from each other, set four in a square. Work on doing a complete turn around each one and going to the next. Learn how to look at the ground, to set up your spots. Ride to those same spots every time. In your slow work, focus on your hand position. Make sure to get your hands up, so you can guide. Haul a lot to small pens until you figure it out. Good luck! |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
 
Location: Kansas | I struggle in small pens, but I think my timing has been better lately since I started doing my slow work on a tight pattern. It has made me think quicker and get ready for second as soon as we leave first rather than waiting like I would on a big pattern. I also noticed that I was able to think a lot more than normal and even switch my stick whip from one hand to the other between 1st & 2nd in a big pen Saturday. I may have sped my reactions up too much LOL. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | I'm pretty sure Tana Renick mentions this in one of her videos on trainingbarrelhorses.com
http://www.trainingbarrelhorses.com/trainer/tanarenick/ |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| My ex used to always say, "ride like you're killin snakes!" - Sorry, I just couldn't resist! |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | For me, I find that if I concentrate more on smooth than fast in a smaller pen, I have better luck. If I try to ride too aggressive in a small pen, II over ride my horse and lose my ability to place my horse effectively wasting time because it's just too jerky and there are costly mistakes. If I just go in attempting to ride smooth, things turn out much better as i'm more worried about placement than speed. IMO alot of errors on really small patterns come from too much emphasis on speed rather than timing, placement, and efficiency.
Edited by Herbie 2016-05-18 11:52 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 2013
Location: Piedmont, OK | I pray for quick reflexes and leave it up to the good Lord above! |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | We have a 12/13 second pen up here and quite frankly I couldn't tell you what I do during it. Kick and hang on? LOL I tend to do better in small patterns since I have zero time to think about anything, it's the big ones that get me, I over think!
Edited by SmokinGirlie 2016-05-18 12:55 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 349
| Thank you all! Can't wait to slow work tomorrow! |
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 A very grounded girl
Posts: 5052
Location: Moving soon..... | Personally, I just do not go to a small run. There are so many races down here you can pick and choose. |
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Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | Herbie - 2016-05-18 11:50 AM For me, I find that if I concentrate more on smooth than fast in a smaller pen, I have better luck. If I try to ride too aggressive in a small pen, II over ride my horse and lose my ability to place my horse effectively wasting time because it's just too jerky and there are costly mistakes. If I just go in attempting to ride smooth, things turn out much better as i'm more worried about placement than speed. IMO alot of errors on really small patterns come from too much emphasis on speed rather than timing, placement, and efficiency.
Very very true!
I think a lot of times the small pen races are won by the person who made the smoothest run, not the person whose horse would have had the highest speed index between barrels. |
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Member
Posts: 31
| After going to the college rodeos here in Oklahoma and Kansas I noticed the horses that had the fastest times were smooth, there wasn't much going on with the reins (trusting the horse and looking where the rider wanted to go and not guiding the horse) , and there was always forward motion. Horse size did not matter. I did have a horse that was 14.2 that would not try worth a darn in most little pens and I had two 15.0-15.1 hand horses that would actually run just as good in the small as the big pens because they would keep moving. |
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Veteran
Posts: 180
| I'm not sure why, but I always feel I ride better in small pens. My horses isn't exactly a small horse either. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 683
Location: Ohio | My horse loves small pens but I was getting in his way or off on my timing when we started running ( I was just too used to the big pens). The only thing that helped me was practicing at home on a small pattern before the event. It was all about figuring out the sweet spots and muscle memory for me....
Edited by GrittyCowgirl 2016-05-22 10:20 AM
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