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 Member
Posts: 29
Location: MO | So I am a 19 year old girl in college, I've been barrel racing all my life and I know I am a very capable rider. I am really interested in getting a colt that is already broke, and starting the horse on the barrel pattern myself. I've never trained a horse to run the pattern, so I really want to study and learn how. I'm asking for any tips on how I should submerge myself into the world of learning how to train a colt on the pattern. Anything is appreciated, this is my first post! |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
  
Location: Arkansas | You'll get lots of good advice!! Me, I'm just gonna welcome you to BHW  |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| It’s probably easier than your thinking, but you do just have to start doing it! Start out slow and correct just walking (I only walk a few times then start trotting to the barrels and walking around, walking a whole pattern takes to long for me I mainly just use it as a cool down.) Just try to ride them correct and help them when you are just starting them. As they get more comfortable with the pattern let them make a few mistakes, it makes a better horse in my opinion if they have made mistakes and know it doesn’t work out! One of my favorite tricks on the pattern is dropping down a gait at a turn (stopping and just slowing down) I feel they really learn where to rate down doing this and tend to not be run-offs. In reality though your just teaching a horse to run and make three turns, so don’t over complicate things :) |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| https://www.trainingbarrelhorses.com |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I’m starting my 3rd one from scratch right now. The first one, made a lot of mistakes, if I could do it over I’d do it completely different! Went to a few clinics and he’s still running locally 2d/3d with an owner who dotes on him. My second we’re cleaning some things up, but I learned a lot from the 1st. More clinics. We ran in the 1d out of 300 in August so I know he’s got it in him!!! I’m so excited to get the new colt going and apply what I’ve learned to him...and the next one and the next one.
So that’s my advice. Look for a colt who’s got a solid start and general riding style you like - if you like push style horses for example something race bred may not be a good fit, look for some cow (total generalization but when they aren’t on the pattern you’ve only got so much to go on). Don’t be shy about finding clinics, even when they are that green. When I rode with Chris Martin one of the gals had only trotted the pattern a handful of times on her colt, the other horse she wanted to bring was hurt, ended up being a great experience. I plan to try and take my colt to ride with Paul Humphrey in the spring. Just asked questions and make sure the level of the clinic is appropriate.
Everyone has to start somewhere, trust yourself. |
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 Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20917
Location: LouLouVille, OK | Sign up for a clinic! there are a few DVD's out there as well, but a clinic with someone you admire their style is the best money spent!
I like to do alot of slow work, if you put that pattern in their brains correct at a slow pace (walk, trot) that is a big part of it to me...
And Welcome to BHW! :)
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | My best advice.... Don't pick at them. Trotting is your best gait. Trot the pattern till it is stuck in their brain, then start fine tuning. Let them make the mistakes and learn how to fix them. If they are not allowed to make a mistake at home, they will not know how to handle it at a race. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1343
Location: Oklahoma | Don't work your horse on barrels every day, especially if you are past the trotting stage. Pasture ride, work cows, whatever. Always end on a good note. When they work the pattern nicely, quit on that time. If you can't get them to work correctly, drop down to a slower speed - even a walk and stop when they work correctly. |
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| I started by riding with a woman whose barrel racing style was similar to mine, and she and her family were very well known for starting, training and producing outstanding barrel racing, roping and bull dogging horses. I had started young horses before, and had trained rope horses and goat tying horses, but the knowledge I gained from that family on barrel racing horses and life was supreme. If you have someone you can tag along with and learn from, try and start there.
I also attended a few clinics, one of which was Molly Powell, and the other was Ed Wright. Both were absolutely indispensable learning experiences, and I am so grateful I was able to attend. I was gifted Ed and Martha's book "Barrel Racing: Training the Wright Way", and it has been great to go back and read, and brush up on what I may have forgotten about.
http://www.edandmartha.com/book.htm
The big thing to remember (with anything involving horses, really) is to take every day as a new day, and work with the horse you've been given that day. Just like us, they have good and bad days, and some days will progress faster or slower than others. Take the time it takes, don't rush anything and build a solid foundation. Speed will come, but smooth is faster than fast.
Good luck! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 966
Location: Loco,Ok | Find someone to work for a couple of years. You will make a lot of mistakes. Running a seasoned horse always is not the same. If can work for a cutter. That will help more than you can imagine. Learn to think like a horse. Listen to them. Don't become the predator. You teach them not train them. The mind of the horse. A kid in school can't learn to write until they can hold the pencil correctly. Each bloodline has a piece of a puzzle you have to learn to work with. Don't trap them. They will come apart trying to get out of the trap. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| clampitt - 2017-11-09 10:14 AM
Find someone to work for a couple of years. You will make a lot of mistakes. Running a seasoned horse always is not the same. If can work for a cutter. That will help more than you can imagine. Learn to think like a horse. Listen to them. Don't become the predator. You teach them not train them. The mind of the horse. A kid in school can't learn to write until they can hold the pencil correctly. Each bloodline has a piece of a puzzle you have to learn to work with. Don't trap them. They will come apart trying to get out of the trap.
Excellent piece of advice! |
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 Loves to compete
Posts: 5760
Location: Oakdale, CA | I would go intern with someone and start at the bottom with them and learn from the best...........Heck even a loper you would learn a ton. I always see help wanted ads from great trainers on facebook.......... Ya gotta work your way up |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| Work on getting them super broke and soft as you are slowly starting the pattern. Move off legs, counter arc, collection, bend at the ribcage, leads, using their hind end. I've found if you get a horse broke broke, the pattern is no big deal. Start directly on the pattern and you will find that it's very hard to correct problems, if you can't move a horse's body parts. Racers Edge on RFD and Trainingbarrelhorses.com are amazing tools to learn. Clinics, and of course asking questions on bhw are super helpful too! Good Luck! |
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| Find someone that is the "real deal" to give you advice or work with you as you learn the ropes. There are SO many people out there making their name running finished horses trained by someone else, but say they trained the horse. It is really more complex than a lot of people give credit for to get a horse to position their body and feet correctly for fast turns.
PATIENCE is also crucial. It takes longer than a lot of people seem to realize to get a horse solid on the pattern and seasoned. These horses that run 1D at their "first" race are either one race/season wonders or the person slipped off somewhere and bought the horse, again, trained by someone else.
The best trainer is not necessarily winning the most races as it takes different mindsets and skill sets between training and jockeying.
Good luck. |
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Member
Posts: 29
Location: MO | Thank you all so very much for the kind words and wisdom!! This already helps a lot!
Edited by featuremeJP 2017-11-09 3:11 PM
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 BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | listen to your mom she probably knows more than you think 
Welcome to the board mini me  |
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