I know this sounds dumb, but I suck at whipping and riding. My horse is push style and responds more to a whip. I don't mean like to whip the crap out of him, but to learn how to tap him with it when running. Just for a pick me up and to get him to go a little more past the barrels. The third barrel especially he really rates and sets up way too early. Sometimes it's my fault but other times I try to drive and we will still barely make it past it. I think if I can actually learn to multitask and tap him with the whip or even just lift it up where he sees it he will pick up speed and not rate so soon. I do not use spurs, he doesn't need them at home either and I don't really want to kick him with spurs to make him go faster. If anything I would think that would make irriate him or just kick air out of him? I guess I just picture it that I wouldn't want somoene kicking me with metal things while I'm trying to run. Any tips on how I could learn to multitask better while going at that speed or do I just need to keep trying until I get it? I use an over under. I was thinking about using a rubber band to attach it to my wrist where I wouldn't have to worry about grabbing it? And if something were to happen the rubber band would break. 

I find it easier with a stick whip or bat than an over under. I use a rubberband to tie it to my wrist (it had a little rubber thing on it but it broke after a few years). All i suggest is practice. Come off the second and pop him on the way to the 3rd. Timing on your particular horse is important too. If I pop my mare too late she will blast past it, if I pop her too early she will still shut down. My gelding is so push style I have to wait a LOT longer between the barrels to pop him. Trial and error and VIDEO! :) 

Okay!! I will look into a stick whip and see. Thank you!

Whipping the last minute is much easier with a bat than and over and under. They are much quicker, depending on which kind you get. If you go to a bat, put little mane rubber bands on it, and then put a finger in each of those rubber bands. That way, at no point, are you worried about dropping your whip or having to fumble for it. Fumbling wastes time. Trying to get a horse passed a barrel, it is easier for me to pick a spot on the fence behind it and work like heck to get to that "point." Obviously, when you get passed the barrel, you let your horse turn. But as everyone else says, practice makes perfect. Good luck!

i teach alot of kids horsemanship and barrel racing.  when they are ready to start practicing with a whip we just concentrate on that... the run may go to the dogs a couple times but you just have to get a feel for it in your run.  i usually give them a hand whip (not the stick type).  i will have them ride with it on their wrist and play with it doing different drills, just picking it up and the back to the hip motion during figure 8s or warm up drills.  Once they are pretty comfortable with it and the arm motion then we go run with the only object is to get the whips in the right place.  Then we can go back to concentrating on the correct pattern.  Good luck!  You can do it!