| Anyone who has spent any time around barrel | | | | knows the pattern completely, there is no need |
| horses knows that many of them can become | | | | to run him every time. In fact, unless you are |
| very excited very easily. Bring them anywhere | | | | having a specific problem you need to work on in |
| near an arena gate and they can go from calm to | | | | the pattern, you should not even practice the |
| crazy in just a few seconds. Many people think | | | | pattern very much. If you do want to go through |
| that this is acceptable behavior and all great barrel | | | | the barrels you should walk or trot to let your |
| horses behave this way. I am here to tell you | | | | horse know that he does not need to blast |
| that not only is this behavior not acceptable, but it | | | | through every time. Another thing you can do is |
| can be downright dangerous. | | | | walk to your starting point and stop. Face the |
| There are a lot of people out there who know | | | | pattern and allow your horse to stand quietly, |
| how to train a horse to run the barrels. The | | | | then turn and walk away. If your horse won't |
| problem is that a lot of these people don't take | | | | stand still at first it's okay, this may take time. |
| the time to keep the horse focused on obeying | | | | The lesson is to get your horse to be able to see |
| commands. These horses are taught that upon | | | | the barrel pattern and not have his mind go blank. |
| entering an arena they should run full blast around | | | | Work on giving him simple commands to follow |
| the barrel pattern and the job is done. If you tried | | | | like backing up a few steps or giving to the left |
| to ride this kind of horse you would realize that | | | | and right. Make him focus on listening to you. |
| once you are heading in the gate, there is not | | | | Once you have his full attention you can either |
| much you could do to stop or even slow the | | | | walk away or walk through the pattern. Repeat |
| horse down. This can be dangerous for the rider, | | | | this process until your horse can stop and stand |
| the horse and anyone who happens to be in the | | | | quietly with a minimum command. Once your |
| way. I have seen grown men get run over while | | | | horse can do this you should try the lesson at an |
| opening the arena gate because the rider could | | | | arena. Most horses will behave differently at |
| not control their horse. This is not what I would | | | | practice than at an actual event, so you shouldn't |
| call a fully trained barrel horse. | | | | expect them to stand perfectly at first. |
| There are ways to correct this, or better yet, to | | | | Your barrel horse can be competitive, full of |
| prevent this from becoming a problem with your | | | | energy and fast while still obeying your |
| barrel horse. First, make sure you don't run your | | | | commands no matter where you are riding. Being |
| horse through the pattern unless you are at a | | | | in full control of your horse at all times makes for |
| rodeo. Once your horse has been trained and | | | | a better horse and a better barrel run. |