How to THINK through the entire run

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How to THINK through the entire run Moderators: luluwhit, gotothewhip, cindyt, crossspur, ForumAdmin Jump to page :	Last activity 2017-10-16 10:27 PM 24 replies, 5132 views View previous thread :: View next thread
General Discussion -> Barrel Talk


LIVE2RUN Reg. Oct 2005	Posted 2017-10-13 4:27 PM Subject: RE: How to THINK through the entire run
The best bad guy on the internet Posts: 3519 Location: Arizona	kj11 - 2017-10-10 1:16 PM You guys are great! Thank you! I have read and reread every response and appreciate you all taking the time to help! I absolutely love this horse and feel incredibly blessed we crossed paths and I got the opportunity to own him. He's 17 this year and has probably been to more races in his life than I have been. He is just neat and takes such great care of me. He does know his job and does his job very well when I stay out of his way. He is the first finished barrel horse I have owned let alone rode and it has been eye opening! My bad habits from riding ones I made due with is where I think I really throw him off and I think that is where I am looking for ways to think during my run or I guess more accurately break those bad habits. I do not like my tendency to snatch his face on the back side of the 2nd and 3rd, poor guy has never given me reason to think he won't turn and head to the next barrel. He does best when I keep my hand low and on his neck almost just leading him around the turn if that makes sense. I agree with the gate comment and with the over thinking comment too. We ran at a new arena last weekend (Saturday video) and I thought I knew best on where to put him... he made it clear that was not the case since Sunday he got to put himself where he needed for the first and was much more successful than my placement! I also am fighting the urge to come into the 2nd and 3rd too far off the barrel which he again tries his best to tell me "no" in the nicest way, so again I get in his way on placement. The third he hasn't ever really wanted to come around the back side as snappy as his second. The previous owner said she would always just over emphasis finishing it on slow work so I need to get back to that. After reading through your replies I think I have really gone away from slow work. My fear was boring this poor guy to death as I walked or trotted the pattern over and over for me to get it down, but that seems to be a general consensus for the muscle memory I so badly need so I will be sure and get on slow work I love all the suggestions and think they will come in very useful from taking a moment for deep breaths before my run, leaving him alone at the gate and letting him just go to work, writing it down, drawing the pattern, the books, focusing on one thing at a time, stop over thinking, and of course loud friends :) etc .. again you guys are great! StreakySox- I am pretty partial to my cheering section too :) Good or bad run nothing beats hearing that sweet little voice yelling for me, mid summer she came up with her own phrase which totally cracked me up while watching the video. She hears people yelling kick, kick, go go or drive drive drive..... this happened to be a particularly bad run and here is my sweet baby girl yelling "DRIVE SAFE, DRIVE SAFE!" Hopefully the link below works for it- she has her big 3rd birthday coming up next month, time flies! https://www.facebook.com/kaci.uto/videos/vb.503597695/10155243507747... I noticed on your videos about what you said that you tend to grab him on the backside of the 2nd and 3rd...I do the same thing..what has been helping me is just focusing on that one thing.. "hand down, hand down"...I say it to myself just as I am coming down the alley...no matter what happens during my run I am and will "put my hand down"..I've been really practicing and low and behold, wham...a few runs later I actually put my hand down and my mare has been coming off the barrel so much nicer!! Just keep at it, try and do ONE thing and that ONE thing during your run that you need to change. He looks like a super nice horse!
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kj11 Reg. Jul 2012	Posted 2017-10-13 6:15 PM Subject: RE: How to THINK through the entire run
Veteran Posts: 214	Thank you! The last few days I have actually set up the pattern at home for the first time in a very long time! We have been walking and trotting the pattern a ton and I am actually feeling a difference already in things like keeping my hands low, looking, keeping my feet forward and even realizing during a run I have really neglected using my feet on the backside of the barrel to help him come around and stay off of his face. I have been reading back through all your replies and new ones as well as reminders and it has helped so much!
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kj11 Reg. Jul 2012	Posted 2017-10-16 10:17 AM Subject: RE: How to THINK through the entire run
Veteran Posts: 214	Just an update over the weekend, I took the suggestions and did slow work all last week at home walking and trotting the pattern and it made a big difference! I will continue to work on the things you all suggested :) Yes we tipped (I tipped) the second barrel but I was very happy with how he worked for me! https://www.facebook.com/jeff.marshall.3998/posts/1208810125929864?p... Edited by kj11 2017-10-16 10:21 AM
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DashNDustem Reg. Dec 2010	Posted 2017-10-16 4:06 PM Subject: RE: How to THINK through the entire run
Elite Veteran Posts: 899 Location: Idaho	kj11 - 2017-10-10 10:36 AM There has to be some secret I am missing on the mental side. I can visualize how I need to ride, what I need to do and when... but its a 50/50 shot once I start through the gate on if I can execute on ONE barrel let alone THREE..... Any suggestions?? I think I can include some links to some runs. My horse is nice despite my poor driving. He is talented and forgiving (thank goodness)! I could hug the people who had a hand in making him into the solid horse he is.... if he wasn't so solid I think I would have ruined him after run #5... We do take lessons and feel that has helped a lot! As forgiving as my horse is I do not want to run him into the ground trying to get my brain on board when we go to make a run. Here are some of our runs over the last two years Sept 2015 First run after I bought him a couple weeks prior to this run 17.7 on a standard https://www.facebook.com/kaci.uto/videos/vb.503597695/10153487085357... Sept 2015 2nd run on him same arena (the day after the link right above this) 17.6 https://www.facebook.com/kaci.uto/videos/vb.503597695/10153490021127... 2016 I was pregnant with our second daughter so we didn't make any runs March 2017- first race back after I had our second daughter- won 3rd in 1D https://www.facebook.com/kaci.uto/videos/vb.503597695/10155018026412... Run from two weeks ago-timer didn't work but I felt like I was a better partner for him after our first barrel. He worked too well to make him run again to get a time https://www.facebook.com/jeff.marshall.3998/posts/1199133440230866?p... Run from Sat.... I really didn't want to share this one but a great example of a run I didn't think at all... missed my spot at the first, didn't help him at the 2nd at all and tried to 'make' him turn and the third completely rounded out the run.... I believe this ended up in the 5D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQDbhA7OHpk Run from Sunday... I managed to think a LITTLE so it was better than the day before but about the back side of the second I apparently went off to my own little world as I left him out to dry on the 3rd... landed in the 3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUxQEuhVcU0 So.... How does one THINK through a run to be in the moment and ride accordingly. Here I have this great horse who is forgiving and can run very well, yet I am not doing my job during the run. You look like you are a quiet rider, which isn't a bad thing. I myself am a very quiet rider, I'm not aggressive, it just doesn't work for me. I'm not a 1D barrel racer, but there is a book out there called Mind Game. I used to get really anxious before I ran but that book really helped the way that I think. We get nervous and go in, want to make a good ride, visualize what we want to do, and then it doesn't go as planned. We are on 1000 lb animals that have their own thoughts and mind, who is to say that your horse will be on the same page as you? Mind Game really helped because it runs you through the motions. What could really go wrong? You hit a barrel, your horse doesn't turn, you don't sit at the right time etc. All of these things go wrong, but what is worrying about going to do for you? Not a whole lot. It does not benefit you in any way, you just need to go in there and ride your horse. Forget about the crowd, you are the only person in and around that arena. Just ride your horse. As you said, this horse is forgiving. He seems like he may need a little help going into his barrels, it almost like he is waiting for you to check him. Maybe you need a sit a little sooner and give him a little check at the bit to prepare him to get into and out of those turns. Also what helps me is I usually have a routine. I know not everyone is with me on this, but I like my horses quiet. I always warm them up then just walk them around. I rarely stand and watch like so many people do, I keep my horse moving and focused. Make sure their muscles stay warm. Then right before I run, I always get off and check all of my equipment, maybe give them a good pet, my old horse I would always massage his ears before we went in because it kept him relaxed. Perhaps it helped me too stay in the zone, it kept me calm so I can get in there and ride my horse. But to stay thinking, you can't be worried about the don'ts. Just think about what you need to do. Forget about everyone else, and just ride.
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CAMequine Reg. Oct 2017	Posted 2017-10-16 10:27 PM Subject: RE: How to THINK through the entire run
Member Posts: 9	I have seen barrel racers that set up the pattern with cones and walk through it on foot practicing exactly how they want to find their pocket, use their hands, etc. It really helps on memorizing what to do with your hands and how to ‘see’ a pocket without boring your poor horse to death.
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