Category

Training

Category

Rating is a key component in barrel racing. Your horse’s ability to turn a barrel and perform is directly related to his ability to rate, something that can make or break your winning run. Renowned barrel horse trainer and competitor Dena Kirkpatrick has a few tips for overcoming the everyday problems riders face when correcting the lack of rate in their barrel horse.

Shipping is always stressful for horses, whether by land or air, but there are ways to help minimize stress.  Dr. Kent Allen, DVM, Middleburg, Virginia, says one of the unique things about air travel is that after take off, once they get up to cruising altitude it’s a relatively smooth trip for horses.

Have you ever seen a horse that you know was started too fast on the barrels before all the fundamentals were in place? A horse asked to work at speed before he is broke right will be frustrated and won’t usually hold up under the pressure. The horse hits barrels, blows off the turns or develops many other bad habits that are hard to cure and it’s all because he was pushed too fast, too soon. Funny thing is, it’s exactly the same with people.