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Expert
Posts: 1477
  
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | I took 3 horses to a 3 day show and spent a lot more on entries than I normally would. Came in very optimistic. But between a colicing horse hit barrels and a personal issue I really wanted to just scratch this morning and go home. I have another one next weekend and the way I feel I don't even want to ride this week. Like I just want to run off to the beach and forget everything but I can't do that. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I have done exactly what you contemplated. I would have loaded up and come home. Sometimes that's just mentally better than another day of not so good runs. |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
 
Location: Texas | Just put it behind you. This is why the rear view mirror is so much smaller than the windshield. |
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Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24955
Location: WYOMING | I guess you missed the 3 million dollar dressage champion shy like a colt during his go at the olympics. Happens to EVERYONE.
Edited by geronabean 2016-09-11 6:16 PM
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 Saint Stacey
| You give yourself 10 or 20 minutes to pout, cuss, throw a temper tantrum...then your forget about it, block it out of your mind and move on to the next one. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Just move on, its done and over with and not a darn thing you can do about it, just learn from your mistakes and try not to repete. Tomorrow is another day  |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| With anything horses, there's more people that don't do, than do. They can't handle the let downs and the hard work.
I've given up in my mind more times than I can count.
To overcome it, you have to do it your own way. Mine is: Every morning, you get up. You go feed. You pet them. You love them. You sell the ones that haven't earned to stay. You vet the ones that have.
You watch what you eat. You excercise. You drink lots of water. You ride everyday. You haul as many as 6 hours one way for the right farrier, or the right vet. You keep them happy and healthy, as is only right. You keep your body healthy and groomed, because hopefully you do that anyway.
When you set some barrels back up and do a few excercise on your best horse, then you'll remember why you pay.
Sometimes I have a faster turn around than others. Last night, I ran my gelding (who is a very solid 2D horse, starting to look for the 1D) after a tack change. Was a wreck. Like a long placing in the 5D wreck (we won money, so the run was technically free). He barely broke a sweat out of our catastrophe, so I hit another jackpot on the way home. Did a complete tack change after a huge heart and brain search. He ran a very nice 2D time out of 65 runs and some very good riders, running 11th out of all. Normally, I would have just went home and pouted, but I just knew the only reason it was bad the first time is because he hated what I put on his head. My fault, and I really really didn't want to have him go home on a bad note because I screwed up.
The long story short, sometimes it's something you can fix in a few hours, and sometimes it takes months. The bold print: it's all in your head, and you usually just need a new perspective. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | Having to tack and run 3 horses would have done me in...
Why do you have to take 3?
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
Location: Northern Ontario | I think it's horse show burnout lol. I had it happen to me this summer. It was a 3 day show(5 hours away) and I just have a little 2 horse with dressing room, so I literally ran around all weekend to get things done (food, shower, washroom ect). It was also two different events (one that was my first time competing in- extreme cowboy racing) anyway, by the 3rd day, both me and my horse were burned out. She didn't wanna run and I was not at all in game mode. No more intense, big, competive shows like that until I am completely ready and have a living quarters. Take a little break (like a week or 2) of just fun, stressfree riding (don't wanna ride, don't go.... just take a break) me and my mare both came back stronger after a little break from.it all. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| I used to won every where I went. Marred a man that was very controlling. I did not ride for 15 or 16 years. Now I am lucky to place in the 5 D. It is very humbling to say the least. I go because I love to compete. I am lucky to have nice horses that take care of me. Recently my trainer told me to get the book THE GOLDEN RULES by Micheal Phelps's trainer. It is a very motivational book. It was recommended to my trainer by Tammy Key Fisher. You can order off Amazon. |
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 Loves to compete
Posts: 5760
Location: Oakdale, CA | that would make me more determined to prove myself even if its to just myself................. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 878
Location: "...way down south in the Everglades..." | Drink! 
In all seriousness, it does happen to all of us. Take a couple days, regroup, refocus, and if you need...take this next weekend off and do something else non-horse related. I really believe that sometimes the best thing is to step away and hang up the spurs for a weekend and go do something fun...meet with friends, movies, lake, mini-road trip, etc. Mentally I think we all need a breather from time to time. You'll come back fresher and ready to tackle the next round of barrel races. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1286
Location: Mississippi | I am in the same boat as you after a big race this weekend. Only had one clean run out of the 3 and left frustrated. I have decided to take the next 2 weekends off and just focus on our slow work. And I try to look at the positive aspects of the weekend - my boy is feeling good and had we kept the barrels up, we would have been clocking in the 2D against alot of really tough horses.
Sometimes it is hard to get out of your own head. I am my own worst enemy! Try to focus on how blessed you are to be able to attend these races and find some positive points that happened over the weekend 
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | Look at is as if it's just one more step toward getting consistent and having great runs. Sometimes we just have to know that there are going to be some bad runs made. I've hit a barrel everywhere i've been this year on my horse to place....usually dragging it down coming out or because I have checked him when I know I shouldn't. I'm not exaggerating at all. My horse is working his butt off, but his jockey is making dumb mistakes. Granted, we haven't gotten to make as many runs as i'd have liked due to other family obligations, and our runs have sometimes been months apart, so it's hard to get consistent and get timing down when not making weekly runs. That being said, I just shake my head at myself and say we'll do better next time. I know one day when my life slows down a little bit I will be able to haul him a bit more consistently and we can become a team and I will do a better job jockeying him. Each run is a step toward getting things figured out. Hang in there! I assure you we all have bad days....badder days....and worse days, but we can't let those define us and our attitude. Every time we go in the arena and come back out of the arena with both ourselves and our horses injury free is a victory. :)
Thank you for mentioning that book, Streakysox....I love these types of reads and will be ordering today!
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | I bounce back by saddling up again the next morning and do it again.
Life ain't perfect. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Thats the 1 thing about barrel racing..there is always another one to go to...i run 3 horses at most jackpots as well..if i could haul more than 3 id run more.......find the positive instead of focusing on the negative. ..m |
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Veteran
Posts: 276
| As earlier mentioned, it does happen to EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE. Don't let it get to you. Its okay to get mad/disappointed/sad, whatever, because it shows your passion and competitive drive, but you can't let it affect your future. Do what you need to do. If you don't want to ride this week, don't. That's okay. Go do something fun. Sometimes you need a break.
Don't let how you do define you. Its not who you are. You can love it more than anything in the world and spend every waking moment breathing it, but it still doesn't define you. When you are ready to go to the next one, go in with confidence, but most importantly just go have fun. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| I had such a horrible rodeo run a couple of weeks ago I left wanting to sell my horse!!! I had a pity party for a day or so but then I snapped back and looked toward the next race. Totally ok to feel that way, just dont let it overcome you very long. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | TessBelle - 2016-09-11 11:42 AM I took 3 horses to a 3 day show and spent a lot more on entries than I normally would. Came in very optimistic. But between a colicing horse hit barrels and a personal issue I really wanted to just scratch this morning and go home. I have another one next weekend and the way I feel I don't even want to ride this week. Like I just want to run off to the beach and forget everything but I can't do that.
WHY do you barrel race?
If you are like me, you barrel race to HAVE FUN.
So go have fun! Who cares if you have a bad day. It happens to all of us. It's completely unrealistic to expect to have perfect runs each and every time. It's normal and expected to have a bad day. Focus on having fun, and the rest doesn't matter.
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