Ask Martha

Dear Martha:
I have a 6 year old gelding that does not want to complete the turn around the barrel (2^nd & 3^rd mainly) at a lope but will at a walk or a trot. Is there something I can do to correct this problem?
Lisa Hedlesky
P.S. We are really loving the new Winning Ways!

Dear Lisa:
Thanks, we are glad you like Winning Ways. As for your gelding, most problems can be fixed, but it takes patience and determination. I would give your horse some bending exercises to the left. I would teach him to rein better and when I pulled on the inside rein, he would turn. I would also ride him two handed and use my leg to make him complete the turn. Use your outside rein to make him finish the turn, too. Make sure you keep hold of his nose all the way around the barrel. Over-exaggerate this at a slow pace for a while, tightening up as you sped up your exercise. Keep at it, Lisa, and you should see some progress soon. Also, make sure you are setting your horse properly coming into the barrel. You should check him enough so that he gets into position to make a complete turn.

Dear Martha:
How do you prepare for a barrel race that is real narrow between the first and second barrel? Also, what do you do if it’s going to be 2:30 in the morning or later before you run? How do you stay fresh? I find it hard because I go to bed early and I can’t stay awake and alert, late.
Jackie Harrison

Dear Jackie:
Those are two good questions! As far as the narrow pattern you want to make sure your horse is running free, while still working snappy and quick. It would be a good idea to set your barrels up in a relatively short pattern in an open arena. This will help you get the horse running free with nothing to judge his distance from but you. Also, be sure you leave your first barrel close and in a straight line. A lot of barrel racers figure 8 when it’s a short distance between the first and second and this costs them a lot of time. As far as running in slack, this is easier on me than most because I am a real night person. Slack is awfully hard for young kids and I wish it could b held at better times than three in the morning. You might want to take an afternoon nap so you won’t be worn out by slack time. Exercise your horse early and leave him in the stall or tied comfortably to the trailer until time to run. This will help keep your horse fresh. Don’t get him ready until you are ready. Then you will both be fresh for your ‘late or early’ run. Even if it is a tough time for you, physically, if you concentrate and pay attention to detail, you can WIN!

Dear Martha:
I have a mare that when running around barrels or stopping she does it on her front end instead of her rear end. Is there some way to correct this or help it some?
Margaret Ware

Dear Margaret:
Sometimes you can help by using other headgear and putting something on her head that will help in collecting your horse’s body in a turn. Also, I would do exercises like stopping her, backing a couple pf steps, then rolling her over on her hocks.  It sounds like your mare is not using her inside leg in turning. You may be getting too wide. Practice all this at home, slowly over-exaggerate work at home. Speeding up, you should tighten up. Again, repetition gets results. When you ask the mare to stop or check, be sure YOU sit down, too. Sometimes that helps the mare get her body into position.

Dear Martha:
How often do you work your finished horse on the barrels?
Tina Horton

Dear Tina:
This depends on the horse that I am riding. If he is a still horse, I might do bending exercises two or three times a week and trot through the barrels a couple of times three days a week. If I am riding a free running horse, I might emphasize ‘set’ by loping him to the barrels and breaking him down to a trot, going around the turn and loping him to the next one. Green horses take more practice at home, and they also need more practice at different pens. A solid, seasoned horse, I just do a lot of bending and flexing exercises. Always remember, though, when you go to barrel race, you are asking your horse for the maximum, so ride him and exercise him regularly so that he is in condition to run when you get to the barrel race. The only time I will run a finished barrel horse on barrels at home is to get with him, to give him a run to freshen him, or to see what problem he is having so I will know how to spot work him. A lot of this varies with the individual horse, Tina, and learning your horse comes with time as you study him. When you do, I know you will get just the right combination of work and exercise that will help you win.

Barrel Racing Tips

We got a tip this month from Linda Kenyon of Anaheim, CA. She writes, “A friend of mine showed me an exercise that has really got my horse on her hindquarters and has made her very quick! After I did this exercise a few times and asked for a rollback, I found that you’d better be ready!” “You approach this exercise much like teaching a rollback, but instead of doing a 180 degree turn and heading back the other way, you ask your horse for a complete 360 degree and keep going in the same direction. You want to start out easy at a walk, making sure the horse is doing it correctly and go into the jog. It also helps to ask your horse for a few 360’s and some 180’s. This way I find they pay attention because you are changing your cues. This also really teaches your horse to listen for your commands.”