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 Member
Posts: 23
| I have been riding my horse at home who has experience on the barrels and we are competing next weekend in MY first competition. Just looking for some advice on how to have the best run possible and tips on how to feel comftorable going at a faster speed. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
  
| Don't worry about the time that is winning it, only focus on you and make sure you're having fun!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 597
| Just breathe! Remind yourself that this is for fun, and don't forget to kick! LOL this is what I tell myself I say a little prayer, and just go for it! 
Edited because of my god awful spelling!
Edited by wild_west 2015-01-09 3:45 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| HAVE FUN!!! A positive attitude will take you far!
Good Luck and ride hard!!  |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | What everyone else said above! Just go, have fun, don't worry about the time you get...sometimes you get lucky. My mare and I were terrible our first run, but we still won a 4D check...with a 22.4 time, ha-ha...not a typical case, but you never know what can happen. |
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 Go For It!
Location: Texas | Yay! Congrats on your first race! Just go and have fun!
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | I agree, don't focus on speed. Focus on good turns and form --when you do that it takes a lot of pressure off because you're not so focused on the clock. The thing about it is if you get good turns and clean runs the speed will come over time.
You can also run a practice run or time only at some races. That gives you the chance to be in a competition environment but still practice.
Set small do-able goals every time you go. Just one or two and something simple that's attainable. Then you build on that. For instance, a goal might be to not sit down and rate until you get past the barrel, or to get your lead for the second barrel.
As far as getting comfortable with speed, the stronger you feel the less intimidated you are because you feel in control. Good core strength is important. Also, spending a lot of time riding two point helps tremendously.
Have fun, stay safe, and in everything use it as an opportunity to learn and grow and get better. You've got this!! |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | Don't expect more from you or your horse than you do at practice and more important just remember why you started on this journey I the first place. Because you thought it would be fun...so keep it fun for you and your horse.
Also I tend to remind myself of the part of the poem that is in my signature..."Ride for her".... |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| Consistancy before speed! You will feel a whole lot better after your run if you make a nice clean run with few mistakes even if you have a slower time, then you would if you have a messy run with lots of mistakes even if your time is faster! Good Luck and Have FUN |
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16572
Location: Displaced Iowegian | Breathe calmly.....go in with the mindset that it is, what it is.....by thinking you are in the practice pen, let it flow naturally....you are there to have fun............GOOD LUCK ! ! ! |
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 Keep those crap slapping tails away!
Posts: 8871
Location: Around here somewhere... | When you feel the butterflies, make yourself view it as EXCITEMENT instead of nervousness or fear. |
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Keep those crap slapping tails away!
Posts: 8871
Location: Around here somewhere... | Also- don't see the other racers as your competition. See YOURSELF as your only competition- asipre to do something better than you did last time, whether a better time or a better pattern, etc. This will allow you to enjoy watching the other racers runs, allow you to make friends, and to have fun. |
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 Regular
Posts: 61
| As everyone else has stated, have fun!!! Do things just as you do when you practice. Be happy with whatever happens, even if it may be bad… because, you can only get better from there! Stay positive and keep your head up no matter what! Don't worry about what anyone else runs, either. And, lastly, keep an open mind and learn from your first show (what you may want to change, need to work on, etc.). GOOD LUCK!!! |
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | Look at it this way - You are about to make the best run you've ever made so far! A personal best!
Try to just breathe and think about two or three of the things you do really well and just go with it.
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