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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
    
| doglady - 2016-05-05 8:07 PM
I am not terribly overweight but I am old. I go to the barrel races and I have some super nice horses. I have at least one person tell me at every barrel race-when you decide to quit I will run your horse for you. Now that is starting to give me quite a complex. But you know what -they are my horses and I will continue to go as long as I can still drive myself there and get on. My situation isn't quite the same as some of yours but it is still a form of bullying. We need to stick together and support each other. I make it a point to say something nice to at least one person at every barrel race that I see stuggling. Who knows what they have going on in their life. Struggling with weight, family, horse problems-getting older and losing your timing. Come everyone-lets try to be nice
Doglady, keep your chin up. I am NOT small AND I am old. People will walk up and say "You are still running? When are you going to quit?" Ummm, when I am dead? Wasn't able to go much in the last 10 years because there was always "something" wrong with my horse. Last year I went quite a bit on an old mare that was entrusted to my care.....and made our regional rodeo association finals for the first time in 9 years. Mounted on the right horse age or a few extra pounds doesn't slow all of us down.  | |
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Mrs. Troy
Location: western Nebraska | rodeoveteran - 2016-05-05 8:23 PM doglady - 2016-05-05 8:07 PM I am not terribly overweight but I am old. I go to the barrel races and I have some super nice horses. I have at least one person tell me at every barrel race-when you decide to quit I will run your horse for you. Now that is starting to give me quite a complex. But you know what -they are my horses and I will continue to go as long as I can still drive myself there and get on. My situation isn't quite the same as some of yours but it is still a form of bullying. We need to stick together and support each other. I make it a point to say something nice to at least one person at every barrel race that I see stuggling. Who knows what they have going on in their life. Struggling with weight, family, horse problems-getting older and losing your timing. Come everyone-lets try to be nice Doglady, keep your chin up. I am NOT small AND I am old. People will walk up and say "You are still running? When are you going to quit?" Ummm, when I am dead? Wasn't able to go much in the last 10 years because there was always "something" wrong with my horse. Last year I went quite a bit on an old mare that was entrusted to my care.....and made our regional rodeo association finals for the first time in 9 years. Mounted on the right horse age or a few extra pounds doesn't slow all of us down.
That is what I say too. THe older you get the better horse you have to have!! | |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | stayceem - 2016-05-03 2:42 PM Lookup the forum cowgirls with curves. It has so many stories of barrel racers finding success with a less than ideal figure. Remember, people judge. Its the unfortunate reality but they will judge you on your size or they will judge you on your hairstyle. You cant let judgmental people control your happiness. Go have fun, enjoy the ride!
Life is too short to not ride now! Don't wait until the time or weight is perfect. You may never get it.
I write the Cowgirls With Curves Blog/ website. It's also on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. It's to encourage riders with these same thoughts & struggles.
I'm getting ready to update the latest blog post & talk about the struggles I've gone through the last two years, and what I've learned through that. The blog has not only been for encouraging others, but I've been on a journey as well. Hoping to have it updated in the next few days.
Here's the website https://cowgirlswithcurves.com/ | |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I truly feel that it's less about dealing with "weight" issues, as it is "mental" issues, and "physical strength" issues.
I've been a little fat kid my whole life.
Let me tell you something, on average I weigh 155 lbs and measure 5'3". My weight doesn't fluctuate a whole lot, maybe a few pounds on and off. I did get busy lately and am 145. It's taken me five months to lose a measly 10 lbs.
When I weigh 155 lbs, and have been running everyday, and doing squats, and eating right, in my own mind, I deserve to be there and ride well. I deserve to clock. I deserve to win.
When I weigh 155 lbs, and I've been sitting on my ass, and eating burgers and fries, and hammering the coffee and soda, and then there's my Zebra Cake affliction (ooooh Zebra Cakes!!), guess what? You guessed it, I'm out of the money. Not by much, a few tenths from our usual times, but I still get clocked.
Once in my early 20s, I made it all the way (weigh?) up to 185 lbs. Holy ****!!! For little short me, it was horrible. What woke me up? A video. A video that my mom took of me getting completely outdone by the plug that I was on. What a wonderful feeling. I got busy, and lost 30 lbs, and have pretty much maintained that almost ten years now.
I have finally got a really nice horse going, so have gotten busy and lost more weight. I've lost inches. I'm smug. When I'm getting down the alley way, and when I'm watching my run videos, and when I'm riding in the warm up pen, I'm NOT thinking about my body. I'm thinking about my horse. I'm thinking about my run.
The only way to weight loss is through nutrition. The only way to strength is through exercise. The only way for mental strength is to set yourself up for success by feeling that you deserve to be there. It's absolutely not about the number on the scale. People that outweigh my 145, people that outweigh your 180, are still people that get on their horse, and can, and do, outrun you and I by more than increments.
Those people are strong, mentally and physically, and are there to do what they want to do.
If you're not in a good mental place to go to a barrel race, you're setting yourself up for defeat. No matter how old, or young, or how nice or not nice your horse is. If you're not in a good mental place, even if you win, you're still going to beat yourself with the, "It would have been even faster if I wasn't so fat."
Get your body in the best shape you can, be proud of your efforts, give yourself some true mental edge. Our animals are athletes, they and we deserve to treat ourselves as such too. Either that or learn how to do something else, like knit and watch golf on TV.
Edited by classicpotatochip 2016-05-05 10:18 PM
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 Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | Barrel racing is such a mental game that those with any self doubts about anything (themselves, their horse, the ground, what others think...& on and on) are setting themselves up for defeat.
Now that the 4D format is so popular, I see different levels of commitment to the sport....at the very top, you see the pros and serious amateurs who work hard physically and mentally to be the best they can be to stay at the top....these are the ones who watch their diet, work out, keep their horses fit and tuned up...and they win at the highest levels of rodeo and jackpots.
There are those who love the sport, but more as a hobby, and their level of commitment is lower either because of other responsibilities, family, job, etc....or they only want to devote a certain amount of time to their horses and themselves because it just isn't life and death with them...so it doesn't matter that them or their horses aren't in shape, or they own the best & fastest horse out there...it's more of a social event for the fun aspect...nothing wrong with that, it's just a different mental outlook on what you want out of life and this sport in particular.
But...if you are always mad at yourself for not being as good as you want to be, then it's only you who can change that and make the sacrifices it takes to be the person you think you can be, but to really want it and make it happen, you have to get there mentally first.
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | One thing that really bugs me about this thread....it's titled Barrel Racing when a bit "heavy" and people being mean. No one has even been mean or judged as of yet, you're assuming that they will. Why are you convinced that they will? Would you have judged someone previously for it? Worst case - someone does judge. How does that affect you? It seems like you're letting something really silly get in the way of what you want to do. I guess I just don't understand putting so much stock into what other's think of you.
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| I agree its not so much pounds but strength and fitness. I am male, lost 100 pounds since last June and Have maintained that weight loss for about 4 months now. I STILL weigh 185!!!! ANd I am THIN now. Rumors started at barrel races I had some dreaded disease.. lol But even at 185 I am still heavier than a lot of overweight women. So its not just weight alone. I have a 32" waist and I am not going to lose any more. My doctor even said I just needed to hold it right here. LOl I am sure my horse has to try harder than a 110 pound woman BUT being fit really goes a long way. | |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I understand where you are coming from; I too used to be stick thin back in the day and now I weigh my heaviest I ever have. It does weigh (no pun intended) on my mind because I know its not healthy and at this point I know my horse is in better shape than me. I struggle to keep up with him. I'm not going to lie, I've gone to barrel races and had people make fun of me because of my weight. I've been told I'm the reason my one horse is retired--has ringbone, but somehow it was due to me being too fat. If I make a mistake on the pattern I've been told if I wasn't so fat I may be able to sit my horse better. There are some VERY cruel people in our sport and in the world for that matter, but for the most part most of the gals I race with up here don't give a crap about my weight. They still cheer for me when I enter the arena and congratulate me when I have a nice run.
I think you need to give yourself some grace here; you've had some health issues and that may make weight loss a little slow (or not). So, while your changing your body go have fun & keep things in perspective.
Your journey may not be about winning right now, it may be about doing what you need to do, at your pace, and finding peace in it. Life is so short and you may not be guaranteed tomorrow, so why let the fear of what someone MAY say to you get in your way of enjoying your horses and what you like to do? GO HAVE FUN!! Get up, tell yourself your a fierce b*tch, walk out that door and load those horses up and GO!!! Your not going to overcome this fear by sitting on the couch.
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
| doglady - 2016-05-05 8:30 PM rodeoveteran - 2016-05-05 8:23 PM doglady - 2016-05-05 8:07 PM I am not terribly overweight but I am old. I go to the barrel races and I have some super nice horses. I have at least one person tell me at every barrel race-when you decide to quit I will run your horse for you. Now that is starting to give me quite a complex. But you know what -they are my horses and I will continue to go as long as I can still drive myself there and get on. My situation isn't quite the same as some of yours but it is still a form of bullying. We need to stick together and support each other. I make it a point to say something nice to at least one person at every barrel race that I see stuggling. Who knows what they have going on in their life. Struggling with weight, family, horse problems-getting older and losing your timing. Come everyone-lets try to be nice Doglady, keep your chin up. I am NOT small AND I am old. People will walk up and say "You are still running? When are you going to quit?" Ummm, when I am dead? Wasn't able to go much in the last 10 years because there was always "something" wrong with my horse. Last year I went quite a bit on an old mare that was entrusted to my care.....and made our regional rodeo association finals for the first time in 9 years. Mounted on the right horse age or a few extra pounds doesn't slow all of us down.
We have a 70+ lady rider here in VA. She's had some health issues the past couple years and has had to miss a few shows. The last time I saw her I went and told her she was my hero - and that I could only hope to still be competing when that many more years pass for me. I might not be able to ride a rocket mare at that age, but dang if I won't be trying to ride a cadillac ride like Zan! I've decided that core and flexibility is key to continuing riding ability. Age and weight both take a toll, but as long as balance remains I think a person is going to be able to do just fine riding barrels. | |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | My horse, my truck, my trailer, my tack, my feed bill all paid for by ME, -- when somebody starts picking up the tab, and mucking the barn, I will worry about their opinion. | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | SC Wrangler - 2016-05-08 9:05 AM My horse, my truck, my trailer, my tack, my feed bill all paid for by ME, -- when somebody starts picking up the tab, and mucking the barn, I will worry about their opinion.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | Ok, not to sound rude or insensitive. But...who freaking cares what everyone else thinks!!! You have weight issues, who doesn't. Even the skinny girls think they are fat, I wanna smack those people btw. Lol! I've been donating for almost 2 years even though I did my homework at home with my horse. And I've finally just proved to be consistent in the 4D. Yes, 4D and you know what, I don't care what others think. I have weight issues myself, heck I'm 5'7" and am anywhere between 175 lbs and 225lbs. Is it crazy, depressing, frustrating absolutely!!! No one knows why I'm that way but me, it's because I have hashimoto thyroiditis, or in short a defective thyroid that throws tantrums and so my weight is the red headed step child that catches the back side of the tantrums. Focus on you, focus on the positive. At the end of the day you've paid your entry fees and for that little bit of time your in the arena it's yours because you've paid to be there. Even if it's a bad run, find something positive in every run. And honestly if you think everyone should there is judging you, trust me they aren't. And the ones that are, they are just jealous or they have internal demons that they are fighting themselves and have no other way to cope than by being ugly to others. Keep your chin up, and focus on the positive. | |
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Regular
Posts: 66
| I'm 5'9 and I've been fluctuating between 180-190 pounds quite often. When I was an assistant horse trainer last year, I was finally back to my early college weight from being active ( I didn't even work out on the side), although now that I'm working full time again in an office some of the weight has come back and I'm having to do more to maintain/lose it plus put in time to spend hours in the saddle training my own horses. It's hard going to barrel races and seeing girls built like Lindsay Sears run against me because I know I will never be that size, my bone structure alone won't allow it! I've come to the realization that it is okay. I've ridden small catty horses and I've let them help me gain muscles and athleticism to balance on them. I've also found that workouts like power yoga and pilates really help your balance and its fun to see the muscles you build during those workouts help you ride better. In my opinion as long as I'm trying to help stay active and in shape that alone will help me do my part in riding my horse. Yes I would love to lose more weight especially when you see those bad photographs at races, haha but I'm not going to let it stop me from competing!
When I go to barrel races, I don't like spending time socializing with other riders. I tend to keep to myself and my horse and that helps me focus a lot. It messes with my head if I get a bunch of different advice from friends or hear people gossiping and bad mouthing other riders which causes me to doubt myself and my ability to perform. I find it best to stick to yourself and focus on your horse and pick a goal you want to accomplish during that run. I found this out recently when I moved to a different state without having any friends at the barrel races. If you are at a race with friends, try to find a place away from the commotion and just stop breathe and be thankful that you have an opportunity to compete. Honestly in the end, no one is going to remember your run, your weight and your outfit. They are also focusing on themselves/horses and their runs too. If they are gossiping and bad mouthing, maybe it's time to find some new friends or people to hang out with.
Edited by christylynn89 2016-05-09 4:17 PM
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 Veteran
Posts: 246
Location: Idaho | So what? What will happen to you if people "think" things abut you? They are going to do it whether you are 180 or 95, whether you hit all 3 barrels or win the race by 3 tenths, whether your tack is old or you have new, in style everything, whether you show up in an old two horse or a living quarters bloomer. Do you see? If it's not your weight it's something else....ALWAYS! These people aren't your friends. And their opinion shouldn't be valued as such. Find a small supportive group who wants to help you and gets just as excited when you do well as themselves. Focus on you and your horses. You know your journey, how you got there and where you want to go. No one else knows that, and don't need to know that. And another big point, I have found. No body really cares! Seriously, I've had friends who get so worried about what other people MIGHT think. But truth is, no body truly cares. Sure they might see something and say something, but it's here and gone. | |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | doglady - 2016-05-05 8:30 PM
rodeoveteran - 2016-05-05 8:23 PM doglady - 2016-05-05 8:07 PM I am not terribly overweight but I am old. I go to the barrel races and I have some super nice horses. I have at least one person tell me at every barrel race-when you decide to quit I will run your horse for you. Now that is starting to give me quite a complex. But you know what -they are my horses and I will continue to go as long as I can still drive myself there and get on. My situation isn't quite the same as some of yours but it is still a form of bullying. We need to stick together and support each other. I make it a point to say something nice to at least one person at every barrel race that I see stuggling. Who knows what they have going on in their life. Struggling with weight, family, horse problems-getting older and losing your timing. Come everyone-lets try to be nice Doglady, keep your chin up. I am NOT small AND I am old. People will walk up and say "You are still running? When are you going to quit?" Ummm, when I am dead? Wasn't able to go much in the last 10 years because there was always "something" wrong with my horse. Last year I went quite a bit on an old mare that was entrusted to my care.....and made our regional rodeo association finals for the first time in 9 years. Mounted on the right horse age or a few extra pounds doesn't slow all of us down.
Amen to this. I ride with a magic seat now....I don't really think I need it now (started it using it when I started back after a break and was really weak) but it's a confidence thing with me. I know if my horse stumbles or darts, it will give me a momentary "stick" to get my seat back, and man, do I get the remarks about THAT! I've gotten where I don't pay any attention, though....I know I'm not as competitive as I used to be and I'm a whole lot heavier, but I still love to do it, and I'm stubborn enough to not let anyone tell me I can't. Barrel racers can be the most vicious animals on the planet, but some of them can be the nicest, life long friends you'll ever meet....you just have to weed through them to find those!!! It just takes a thick skin. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | I'm not sure what illness you had, but I can relate to you on that level. I have a fairly severe autoimmune disease and until last fall I hadn't been to a race in over a year. From being basically bedridden for several months on top of many steroid medications I gain A TON of weight. Last year I beat myself up over how painfully slow the weight was coming off and how I didn't deserve to be at the race and I was hindering my horse and everyone was judging me and my poor mare for trying to carry my fat *ss for a run etc. etc. etc...
This spring I decided that while I continue to attempt to make progress on the weight and health front, I'm not going to punish myself for something that was totally out of my hands. I go to barrel races, do some time only runs or enter the novice. We aren't fast but it is fun and at the end of the day I'm more motivated to continue my healthy choices and medications to get my life and body back on track because I'm treating myself kindly and letting my mare and I have some fun. I'm not hindering her, she's not seasoned so I'm not slowing her down, I ride well, and I love to go so I do. I take a motivational friend as well if I need an extra boost. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 183
Location: Wyoming | Dog lady they only say that because they are tired of how awesome you and your horses are. Your a tough competitor don't let them cause you to doubt your ability! They don't want to have to run against you. | |
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