Can a 18 year old calf roping horse turn into a decent barrel racing horse?

[buffy_vampire]

I have an 18 year old paint horse. He used to be a calf roping horse. My dream is to be able to run barrels. i was wondering if i could get tips on how to train him to be a decent barrel racer. Thanx:)

[buffy_vampire]

Oh yea sorry just so ya know what he looks like here is me and him. :D

[Grace O'Malley]

Buffy-vampire,

I can't help with your question, but I wonder if you might not get more replies if you posted it to the "western" forum on this board. The dedicated western riders here might be more likely to see it there.

Good luck!

Grace :cool:

[aphagirlie05]

Hi Buffy! I'm a barrel racer!! :D The best way to get practice at barrels is of course, to get some, or some cones/poles to set up at the proper distances apart so you can practice your runs. I would tell you the appropriate distances, but I don't have them on me at the moment, so you'll probably want to find a barrel racing website where they show you the distances to set the barrels apart.

You should teach your horse how to do the pattern at the walk first, doing wide turns around the barrels. After you feel that your horse is working in a satisfactory manner and turning and bending like you need him to, you can progress to the jog around the barrels, first doing controlled wide turns, then practicing on tighter turns at the jog. Then if you think he's ready for it, you can ask your horse to lope the pattern, but ask him to do it slowly at first, you really don't want to practice speed at home, because it can sour a horse.

Once again, start out with wide turns around the barrels, then progress to making tighter turns. Avoid leaning to the inside of your turn at all costs, this makes your horse drop his shoulder and lose speed, so sit up straight and tall in the saddle to help your mount keep his balance while you run. Make sure you use leg pressure along with your reins so you can make your turns more accurate and keep your position where it needs to be.

Once your horse learns the pattern, and can do it with a moderate amount of speed, I would look around your area for a fun barrel racing show, not a rodeo, but a small barrel racing club is always a great place to start out and get your feet wet with racing. I race every month at a fun show in my area and do quite well on a real nice 16hh Arabian gelding. He loves to run and we've won quite a few first places in Stakes Race and other events. However, I would not push your horse into running too fast as he is 18 years old. He'll probably be an excellent horse to start barrels on, but you'll definitely want to put splint boots and leg wraps on all four of his legs seeing as he's getting on in age. If you decide barrel racing is definitely a dream you want to pursue long time after you've tried it out with your gelding, I would look into buying a younger horse with barrel experience so you'll have a mount to really "turn and burn" on.

[buffy_vampire]

Hey aphagirlie05 thanx so much for the tips. My dad and me have been talking and he said sometime next spring we will start looking for a younger horse. Probably around the age of 3 to 5. We have local county shows and im planning on going to those. Right now i cant start helping him learn the pattern because we think he has a tape worm. And we have to finish floating his teeth. Im hoping he gets over his tape worm before july 10. More than likely he wont but hey its worth a try right? Thanx again for all your tips!!! My real name is jessica just so you know lol im a buffy the vampire slayer freak lol. :D

[aphagirlie05]

Your welcome! I wish you luck in looking for your new mount! I hope your horse gets better from his tape worm soon, he's a beautiful boy. I have a paint baby myself! My little Bear is a black-bay and white tobiano yearling gelding, and boy is he the sweetest thing I've ever met!! Oh man, you like Buffy? Have you seen the episode with the heart snatching people who float off the ground? That was the freakiest thing I've ever seen on TV besides Salem's Lot! Have you seen that movie? It was so freaky I bout had a heart attack sitting next to my dad, worst part was it was in the middle of a horrible thunder storm! I felt bad for my horse though, out grazing when that thunder started...:( Well, he was fine the next day, fat 'n' happy is what my mom always says! I'll cross my fingers that your horse gets better by July 10th!! - Kristen

[buffy_vampire]

Hey aphagirlie05 hope you dont mind i added you to my buddy list. I havent seen that buffy episode yet but i have seen salems lot and i agree that is one freaky movie. lol. Here so we can talk more. Email me jayo_so_fly@hotmail.com


lol dont ask about the email i had a friend make it for me lol. Now that you have told me about that buffy episode im gonna have to see it!!! i saw spiderman 2 today that is one good show. lol.

[aphagirlie05]

Hey that's cool! I didn't have any buddies and I was looking for some! I saw spiderman 2 on Friday, it rocked! I didn't like the first one because of the ending, but the second one was totally awesome! It was definitely a freaky Buffy episode! I was sitting next to my mom going "THIS IS SO GROSS!" She was laughing at me and telling me they were going to come get me next! The meanie...:D I'll email you sometime today! - Kristen

[lydia.d.cowgirl]

well you never know until you try.. i would suggest inquiring in an instructor if you haven't already done so.. they would tell you exactly what he is and is not capable of.. if he is completely sound and healthy I would say yes.. there is a good chance.. but as far as calgary stampede etc. goes.. i wouldn't know about that.:p

hope that helps

happy trails :)

[alliecatalex]

Hey! I barrel race..and have tired teaching my paint gelding to run barrels, but he still needs a lot of work. He was trained western pleasure, and shown that for a lot of his life...so now when I ask him to go fast he is like what??...haha he has such a show lope and he isent really a gaming horse.

But anyways what I have done to teach him, is work at it slow at a trot first, until he gets the formation down and is turning well, then I will bring him to a canter and work at him with that for a bit. Sometime I bring him around the barrels more then once until I feel like he is getting his turns down. He still needs a lot of work, he can have the speed or the good turns, but he never can have both...haha Good luck with your horse.