In the first part of a three-part series, champion trainer and jockey Molly Powell shares the riding techniques she learned in cutting that she says made her a better barrel racer.

With barrel racing being a sport that all ages can enjoy, building a solid horsemanship skill set at a young age is important for any barrel racer’s confidence later. The learning process is just one of those things that never ends. You get motivated to learn at a young age and that enthusiasm and hard work gets you the tools, confidence and power it takes to ride well for a lifetime. It’s a lifelong pursuit, and sometimes people don’t realize just how much goes into barrel racing.

  Everyone wants to have a perfect horse—one who’s fun to train, rarely becomes ill or injured, is easy to keep conditioned and who wants to work for you at peak intensity every single time you ride.
In reality, most horse owners never achieve this ideal scenario, but according to Thoroughbred trainer Chuck Karlin, it’s possible to get close.

 As a novice or veteran barrel racer, what do you worry about or fear most when it comes to competing? Knocking over a barrel? Horse stumbling? Falling off? The competition?