Category

Training

Category

Many years ago I had the opportunity to train some futurity youngsters for Celie Ray because she needed time off due to illness. I was young and fairly new to the futurity industry, but I knew enough to be very nervous about training for such an accomplished person. I asked her what I specifically needed to do and she said, “Don’t start the turns too early!” That was all the advice she gave me. At the time we had ridden together for a few years, but I was sure that she should have given me more information. I thought her advice was too simple to do any good. Now, after years of training, I realize even more that this one single statement is probably the most important thing to understand when training or tuning a barrel horse.

Low back pain is one of the most common ailments in the United States. In fact, 80 percent of us will have at least one episode of low back pain in our lifetime. One third of these are sprains or strains and will usually heal on their own without medical treatment. There are ways to strengthen our back through exercise and healthy habits that can help prevent injury and recurring back pain.

Stage fright

Question: I have an 11-year-old barrel horse that does very well around the barrels during practice and at small group shows, but when I take her to rodeos it is like she has stage fright. When it comes time to run, she acts like she is a green barrel horse and stops at the barrels—mostly the first one. Any suggestions?

— Hannah Rasmussen, via email

Stallion syndications have been a popular vehicle for people engaged in breeding activities for over 40 years. Stallion syndications are a form of co-ownership in which each investor acquires a fractional interest in the promoter’s stallion, with breeding rights. The arrangement provides for lower costs to the participants, spreading risks of loss, and sharing of maintenance costs. Each participant is entitled to annual breedings to the stallion. Syndicates were initially popularized in the Thoroughbred racing industry.