Does your barrel racing horse get overly excited when he sees the barrels? If he has the desire to run and turn, leaving you as a passenger instead of the driver, it’s time to refresh your cues. This means practicing without a barrel present. Working on speed changes and turns without the barrels will help your horse remember to listen to your aids instead of moving around the cans as he sees fit.

Here, trainer and top barrel racer Kelly Kennedy Joseph teaches you a practice drill that she has riders work on if their horses have taken the lead. She wants her horses and riders to work together—and doesn’t want a horse to anticipate what to do if he hasn’t received a cue.

“This is one of the drills we work on to help riders get their bodies in the right position and get the horse and rider in the right timing without working on the actual barrel pattern,” she says. “This drill helps the horse listen to you and rate his speed and turn on cue. Sometimes horses get running and stop thinking. There’s more to the barrels than going fast and pulling them around. You want them to respond to you.”

With Kennedy Joseph’s barrel racing exercise, you can practice barrel racing elements anywhere. You’ll have the skills you need to ensure your horse is listening.

Ride the Diagonal

Begin by clearing the barrels from the middle of your arena so you’ll have ample space to lope and turn in various locations. You may leave barrels in the arena to help show your horse that the usual clover-leaf pattern isn’t the plan for today. Instead, he’s to follow your cues as you direct him on a new and different path.

Warm up your horse by working in each direction at the walk, trot, and lope. To begin the drill, ride to the corner of the arena. Position yourself so that the long side of the arena is in front of you and your horse’s hind end is all the way to the left of the short side of the area. You’ll travel across the arena diagonally, moving from left to right.

Ask your horse to canter and pick your reins up slightly to the inside to keep your horse’s nose tipped away from the straight line. This will help you rate his speed and keep him from charging ahead.

Remind your horse to listen to your body cues. Roll your hips down onto your horse’s back to ask him to collect and use his body before you ask for a turn. Make sure to keep your hands low and sit down on your pockets as you move straight across the arena’s diagonal.

Each time you practice this long line, choose the speed you’d like your horse to go. You can choose to lope slowly or add leg cues as you ask for speed.

The Turn

Look ahead and plan for a place where you’ll turn. You’ll circle an imaginary barrel at the opposite end of the arena from your starting point. You’ll need to decide when to cue your horse to collect and slow before asking for the turn.

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“When you’re ready, roll your hips down to help your horse collect his body beneath you as you continue to drive toward your turning spot,” says Kennedy Joseph. “Make sure to keep your reining hand low. As you roll your hips down, your horse will place his hips beneath you.”

When you reach your invisible barrel, cue your horse into a circle. Turn your horse to the left, toward the middle of the arena. Keep your hips rolled down as you turn by lifting your reining hand to the left and applying outside leg pressure.

Do a turn around your imaginary barrel. Turn tightly, then move your hand forward and toward your starting point. Move out of the turn quickly by rolling your hips forward to ask for speed as you finish the pattern.

“Keep rolling your hips and look ahead as you prepare to turn,” says Kennedy Joseph. “If your horse thinks he should turn before you ask, use your reins to direct him straight ahead and keep him moving forward. At the same time, roll your hips to keep him collected. You’ll need to slow down and stay straight before you turn. Your horse should be tuned in to feel when you want the turn.”

Kennedy Joseph says this exercise will help you learn how much of a cue your horse needs to move forward and then turn on cue. For some horses, you may need to keep pushing forward so that he doesn’t anticipate a turn.

Many horses that are trained for barrels will turn as soon as your forward motion cues stop. For other horses, you may need to help guide the straight line and help the horse through the turn. When the barrel isn’t present, you’ll learn to feel what specific cues your horse needs.

Kelly Kennedy Joseph has been active in barrel racing since she qualified for Little Britches Rodeos. She now coaches riders from her Berthoud, Colo., facility and races at the professional level nationwide.

This article about barrel racing practice without barrels appeared in the May 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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If you’ve ever wanted to enter a barrel race at a fun day or gymkhana, you’ll find that your horsemanship skills will help you round the barrels with balance and communicate to your horse when you want to go fast and when it’s time to slow or rate your speed so that you won’t be out of control as you turn.

Barrel racing coach and competitor Kelly Kennedy-Joseph shares how three classical horsemanship skills apply to her sport. As she likes to say, “smooth is fast.” You’ll need to have your horse listening to your body before you add speed.

“Even if you keep your horse at half speed, but have his attention and connection, you’ll do better than someone who runs but has little control,” Kennedy-Joseph says. “If you go fast without connection and balance, you’ll pull too much and lose your balance. Your hands are a guide tool, but your body position tells the horse where to be.

“Knowing that you can get the horse’s hip driven up underneath him is important,” she continues. “When you sit down, you want him to slow down and sit down, too. You want to keep his shoulder up and move his nose tipped in. Barrel racing is about how you place the horse’s body and asking him to respond to your body. You want a connection with the horse, and not to rely only on rein cues.”

Collection Matters in Barrel Racing

Just as a dressage rider can cue a horse to round and work in a frame, Kennedy-Joseph says she wants her horses to frame up. While barrel racing participants may not need the amount of collection required for dressage competition, the same horsemanship principles apply.

She explains that barrel horses need to know how to lift their rib cages and use their entire bodies in order to move around the barrels with balance. She works on the classic horsemanship skill of collection and getting her barrel racing horse to round when she’s warming up away from the barrels.

To ask the horse to use his body well, Kennedy-Joseph says she rolls her pelvis under slightly and uses her core. The horse should match what she’s doing in her body. She tells her students to imagine pressing their belly buttons toward their backbones.

“You can’t expect a horse to turn at full speed,” Kennedy-Joseph says. “You need your horse to rate his speed to get around the barrel safely. Make sure the horse is slowed down so he knows where to put his feet.”

If your horse responded well to collecting when warming up, he’ll respond to your body aids and know to listen when you use the same body cue at the barrel.

“When I roll my hips under, I want my horse to slow slightly and collect as well,” Kennedy-Joseph says. “I want my horse to know that when I tip my pelvis under, that means he should get his legs up underneath him, too. As you’re leaving the barrel, move your pelvis forward. That’s a signal to your horse to extend his strides and move out.”

Horsemanship Skills When Barrel Racing

When approaching a barrel, it’s time to put all the skills together. You’ll move straight ahead toward the barrel, find the perfect place to slow down for your horse, shift your pelvis under and slow your speed for a turn that’s in control.

It’s OK to roll your shoulders under slightly while barrel racing, even if that doesn’t feel like the horsemanship position you’re used to. You’ll need to lower your center of gravity around the barrel. Keep your hands low and bend your elbow slightly in the direction of your turn. This will push your horse up into the turn and guide him around the turn. Practice this move near a barrel or as you ride around the arena without a barrel in sight.

“It shouldn’t be a pulling war to get around the barrel,” Kennedy-Joseph says. “Instead, you’ll slow, then use your outside leg to support your horse around the barrel. It’s not kicking, it’s guiding. Then once you get around the barrel, wait for him to finish the turn. Let him take you around the barrel. Then, square your shoulders and tip your pelvis forward so that you can move out to the next barrel.”

Kennedy-Joseph says horses differ slightly when it comes to when to give this slow-down-and-rounding cue in the line to the barrel. If you’re riding a horse that runs freely, you’ll want to sit down and cue your horse to slow and collect a few strides before the barrel.

If you have a horse that will turn sharply, like a horse that was trained for cow work, you’ll need to roll your pelvis under (sitting on your pockets) and ride to the barrel more closely before you ask him to round and turn.

If your horse listens to you, you’ll be able to choose when to speed up and when to rate and slow down to get around the barrel.

“It’s not about going fast at all costs,” Kennedy-Joseph says. “It’s about choosing your speed and staying in control.”

Meet the Barrel Racing Trainer

Kelly Kennedy-Joseph has been active in barrel racing since she qualified for Little Britches Rodeos. She now coaches riders from her Berthoud, Colo., facility and races at the professional level nationwide.

This article about using horsemanship skills in barrel racing appeared in the September 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line, but it’s not always the fastest—especially in barrel racing. If you want to shave seconds off your time and leave the barrels standing when you cross the timer, you’ll need to perfect your pocket while you chart your cloverleaf path around the barrels in your barrel racing pattern. Veteran barrel racer Cheyenne Wimberley shares how.

Why Take the Long Way?

Think of it like driving a car or riding a bike, says Wimberley. When you approach a corner, you don’t want to turn too tightly, or you won’t make it.

“You have to keep the distance where your speed continues in a forward motion, but it’s easy for you and your horse to make the turn,” she says. “You need enough distance to turn but still remain upright.”

Without this space, your horse will need to slow down to turn completely, and you risk knocking the barrel over in the struggle, automatically adding five seconds to your time, which can be devastating to your placing.

You’re not leaving space all the way around the barrel, however. You just need that space as you go into the barrel, cutting it tight on the backside of the turn as you exit.

A Good Rule of Thumb

So how far should you be from the barrel as you enter the turn? Wimberley aims for a point about a horse length, 6 to 8 feet, away from—and to the side—of the first barrel. This is also the spot she pinpoints for her downshift in speed to make the turn. For the second and third barrel, she sticks to about a 4-foot distance at the entrance of the turn.

“It’s like using a brake,” she says. “You learn to gauge the speed you’re going, and how hard you need to brake before you turn.”

Building Your Pocket in Barrel Racing

Beginning at the end of the arena by the in-gate, Wimberley lines up with the third barrel as she’s making her way toward the first barrel—usually, the one on the right. She says starting in the center makes for an easier approach.

She advises you to pick your pocket area before you get to the barrel. It’ll be the same every time, so with practice, your pocket will become automatic. Wimberley says the first barrel is the most difficult because you’re often coming up the alley and you have to get that angle to nail the first turn.

When you get to your chosen spot a horse length away from the barrel, ask your horse to stop. You’ll simply “rate” or slow for a moment while actually running the pattern, but in practice, you’ll come to a complete stop.

Wimberley aims her horse directly to the designated spot beside the barrel, avoiding over-shaping her horse’s head and body on the way.

“I feel like a horse runs faster when he’s going in a straight line, so I really just go to that spot,” she explains. “I don’t want him to run with his head cocked to the side. I just want to keep him in a natural, forward position.”

Her first cue at that spot will be to check her speed by sitting deep in the saddle and then picking up the inside rein. Once your horse has taken a moment to slow, he’ll be ready to turn the barrel and head to the next one.

Practice Tips

When you’re first mastering the pocket in barrel racing, Wimberley says it can be helpful to set out several cones in a line at the entrance to the barrel to guide your path. Practice at a walk, trot and slow lope.

Once you’ve gotten familiar with the exercise, you can remove all but one cone at the barrel at your rate point. Eventually, you can remove all your cones and focus on visualizing that spot every time you get ready to turn. Even at top speed, Wimberley says you’ll need a pocket and a slight shift in speed to make the turn and make your barrel racing patterns faster.

“Even now, I’m still doing the basics,” she adds. “I try not to make [barrel racing] any harder than what it is. Getting to the right spot and setting up your turn are really just simple fundamentals that a lot of people forget.”

Meet the Trainer Cheyenne Wimberley of Stephenville, Texas, has been a barrel racer and roper all her life, winning her first state championship at age 4. She began competing in professional rodeo at age 10 and was ranked 16th in the world at age 11. Cheyenne has won at the Calgary Stampede, Cheyenne Frontier Days, and is a four-time National Finals Rodeo competitor, most recently in 2019 and 2020.

This article about finding the pocket for a faster barrel racing pattern appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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In the fifth episode of The Horse Illustrated Episode of Horses in the Morning, sponsored by Title Sponsor Straight Arrow Products, hosts Glenn the Geek and Sarah Evers Conrad talk to breakaway roping superstar Jackie Hobbs-Crawford about her illustrious competitive career and being a mom, Dwayne Hildreth about his work on the board of Brooke USA, and to international trainer Daniel Stewart about equestrian sports psychology and how to be bolder, braver, and brighter.

Hosts: Sarah Conrad, Digital Content Editor of Horse Illustrated & Young Rider and Glenn the Geek, host of Horses in the Morning

Title Sponsor: Straight Arrow Family of Brands

There’s an App for that!  Check out the new Horse Radio Network app for iPhone and Android. Follow Horse Radio Network on Twitter or follow Horses In The Morning on Facebook.

Breakaway Roping with Jackie Hobbs-Crawford

Twenty-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Champion Jackie Hobbs-Crawford of Jackie Crawford Roping has a lifetime in speed events and roping. She was the Oklahoma High School Breakaway Roping Champion, won her first National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) national breakaway roping title as well as a national women’s team title at Vernon College, and was part of a second national champion women’s team and was Reserve National Champion Breakaway Roper at Tarleton State University. By the time Jackie graduated with her business degree, she had three consecutive NIRA Southwest Region champion breakaway roping titles under her belt.

Since then, Jackie Hobbs-Crawford has continued to excel on the rodeo and roping scene. In addition to training top-level horses, she continues to ride horses for some of the best cowboys in the business. In 2017, Jackie married Charly Crawford, a 10-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier in heading. Together they have three children: 16-year-old Kaydence, 4-year-old Creed, and a new baby girl named Journey. Along with balancing being a wife, mother, competitor and trainer, Jackie Hobbs-Crawford has played a key role in the exploding trend of breakaway roping. She continues to further the sport of rodeo by conducting clinics throughout the year and giving private lessons at the Crawford’s training facility in Stephenville.

For the article about Jackie Crawford in Western Life, click here. Purchase Western Life magazine here.

Brooke USA with Dwayne Hildreth

Dwayne Hildreth, is on the board of Brooke USA. He is an owner of two performance Quarter Horses and has been competing in reined cow horse and stock horse competitions for just over a year. The mission of Brooke USA is to significantly improve the welfare of 100 million working horses, donkeys, and mules who are helping to support 600 million of the poorest people throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and the Caribbean. They do this by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need. But rather than just handing out money and leaving an area, Brooke also provides education, supplies and assistance not only to animal owners, but also to locally based veterinarians, veterinary technicians, farriers, feed suppliers, and those who make and repair tack and horse-drawn vehicles. They have also expanded into university research and community projects, as well as working to influence governmental policy. After all, healthy animals work better, live longer and thus can support their humans in a more sustainable way.

For the article about Brooke and Brooke USA in the July 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated, click here.

Daniel Stewart and His New Horse Book Called Bolder, Braver, Brighter

Daniel Stewart has been an equestrian for more than 35 years and has coached horse riders all over the world for the past 25 of those. Combining his knowledge as an equestrian with a degree in physical education, he created an empowering and inspiring clinic series that helps riders develop equally strong minds and bodies. As the internationally acclaimed author of Pressure Proof Your Riding; Ride Right; and Fit and Focused in 52; he talked about his latest book—Bolder, Braver, Brighter, available through Trafalgar Square Publishing. Daniel Stewart is widely considered one of the world’s leading experts on horse sport psychology, athletics, and performance. He teaches clinics and seminars to thousands of riders each year, including an annual summer clinic tour that includes 50 clinics in more than 30 cities over a span of 60 days. He’s a sought-after keynote speaker, has published countless magazine articles, and is an equestrian sport psychology and rider fitness contributor for many other equestrian associations. A father of two, when he’s not teaching his jumping, cross-country, and dressage clinics; he runs four-day equestrian athlete training camps at various athlete training centers around the country. He also produces weekly mental coaching and rider fitness videos for riders of all levels, ages, and disciplines.

For the article from Daniel Stewart’s book—Bolder, Braver, Brighter—from the October 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated, click here.

Title Sponsor

We want to thank our Title Sponsor, the Straight Arrow Family of Brands, makers of Mane ‘n Tail, Cowboy Magic & Exhibitor’s, with over 100 years of grooming excellence. For more information about your favorite products, please visit www.straightarrowinc.com and find Straight Arrow Products at a tack shop near you!

Premier Sponsor

Farnam is showing you their appreciation with a very special 75th anniversary giveaway. Visit www.farnam.com/75-giveaway for a chance to win a custom, special edition Farnam 75th anniversary John Deere Gator. This Gator is gorgeous, and it is filled with $1,000 worth of Farnam horse care products! Somebody is going to win all of this, so it might as well be you! Farnam, Your Partner in Horse Care!

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Along the short end of the arena sits an enclosed play area filled with toys, a small trampoline, Tonka tractors and trucks. For any parent who rides horses, it’s a dream space to let kids play while still being supervised. It’s one of the many ways Jackie Crawford makes room in her life to continue roping.

And when Crawford won the inaugural Wrangler National Finals of Breakaway Roping world title in 2020 while six months pregnant with her second child, women rejoiced. Being a female roper is challenging enough, and to compete while pregnant was next-level.

Motherhood aside, Crawford’s roping career has been defined by optimism, hard work and perseverance. It’s how she’s earned 20 world titles in breakaway, team roping and all-around, and at the time of publication, ranked first in breakaway in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association with more than $520,000 in career earnings.

There’s a reason why Crawford’s social media posts go viral. She’s proof that with sweat equity and determination, you can rise to the top.

Early Learning

A self-proclaimed tomboy, Crawford grew up in Illinois playing basketball and riding in speed events like poles and barrels. She didn’t have an arena, so she either rode in the pasture or hauled her horse to local trainers for lessons and advice.

“Riding and being around horses was our way of life,” says Crawford. “When I was little, my mom, Annette, cut a hole in a piece of Styrofoam and set it over her saddle horn, and that’s where I rode. I was always in tow.

“We trained barrel horses, and my mom would haul me to a bunch of barrel races. She was also an outrider at the racetrack in St. Louis, so I grew up on the track. As I got older, team penning was big in Illinois, and I started to do that. It’s what my mom did, and she’s well known for being a horsewoman up there.”

Crawford didn’t start roping until her family moved to Oklahoma when she was 11 years old.

“When I moved to Oklahoma, they had junior rodeos—a lot more than what they had in Illinois,” she says. “As I started going to those, running barrels and poles, I saw girls roping in a ‘guys’ event,’ and I was like, ‘I want to do that! It looks so cool and fun.’ That’s where I fell in love with the roping.”

At the time, Crawford was riding a “ratty little barrel horse” named Cowgirl.

“She was really gritty and a cute mare,” Crawford recalls. “She was little, so she wasn’t a barn burner in the barrels, but she tried her heart out. When I turned her into a roping horse, I remember riding laps and laps trying to get her to let me swing a rope on her. It took forever. She was scared of it and prancing and champing on the bit. But once she figured out what it was, she was the most phenomenal horse ever. She never took my throw away, ever.”

A Career is Born

Crawford remembers entering her first roping event, despite her horse never being ridden through the barrier.

“By pure accident I caught and actually won,” she says. “After that, my mom said that when rodeo season starts, if I roped the dummy enough and worked at it enough, she would let me enter all the rodeos.”

Natural ability only gets you so far, and Crawford’s mom recognized the importance of a good work ethic. When rodeo season came back around, Crawford’s mom said she didn’t practice enough on roping the dummy and wouldn’t let her enter.

“It made me so mad, and I said I would never let it happen again,” says Crawford. “From then on, I worked so hard. I would rope a bale of hay plumb in two.”

She competed in rodeo her sophomore year of high school, which is when she started tracking the National Finals rodeo and seeing people like JJ Hampton and Lari Dee Guy achieve lofty goals.

In 2000, her junior year of high school, Crawford was the Oklahoma State Breakaway Champion, and she won second place her senior year. She chose to attend Vernon College in Wichita Falls, Texas, for its college rodeo opportunities.

“Once I got to Vernon, I got my butt kicked. I mean, I got it trampled,” says Crawford. “I don’t think I was in the top 10 that year. It was so disappointing. I learned from that year and got better. I learned the different situations and studied. My sophomore year I actually won the region and won the nation for Vernon [in breakaway].”

After earning two associate degrees from Vernon, she transferred to Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. While studying for her business degree, she won three National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association individual titles and two team titles, earning her a place in the college’s hall of fame.

And although Crawford was becoming a well-known name in the roping world, she was uncertain about her future. She loved the horses and the sport, but she was lost as to what her future held.

Fulfilling Dreams

Crawford went to work for professional roper Lari Dee Guy following college. She trained rope horses for Guy and other pro-rodeo athletes. It was there she met what would become her all-time favorite horse, DS Sassy Shiner, fondly known as “T-Boy.”

T-Boy was a “silly horse” that stood out to Crawford and that she “just had to have.” She finally called him her own after trading out riding and some money for the colt. He would end up carrying Crawford to win her first National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) championship and her 20th world title in 2020.

Crawford eventually struck out on her own to train rope horses. She started hosting roping clinics and gaining a strong following.

In 2012, Jackie Crawford started dating a longtime acquaintance and professional team roper Charly Crawford. Their first date was at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev., and they were married a year later. Now, they live in Stephenville with their son Creed, 4, and Charly’s daughter Kaydence, 16. The family welcomed their baby girl, Journey, in March 2021.

Rodeo life functions differently with kids, but it’s not to say it can’t be done. Juggling the responsibilities of kids, horses and a business is nonstop.

“There’s no balancing it—it’s pure chaos,” says Crawford. “You can’t have a schedule, you just roll with it. You better be someone who can laugh in the chaos of it, because if you can’t, it ain’t for you.”

As she’s done before, Crawford not only rises but thrives given the challenge.

“There are some days when I’ve been tired and the weather is bad and it crosses my mind to skip a day of riding,” she says. “And Charly will say, ‘Oh it’s fine, but I bet so-and-so is out there getting better.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, hell no.’ I’m so competitive.

“I remember I’ve been given this talent,” she continues. “I’ve been given this opportunity. I don’t want to look back and regret not using every single ounce of it. I know this time will pass, and I want to give it all I have.”

The Goal That Stands Out

Giving it her all has landed Crawford countless silver buckles for breakaway roping, team roping, and all-around titles. The one that stands out to her most is her most recent victory at the NFBR.

“There’s so much packed into that one little buckle; so much emotion,” says Jackie Crawford. “It’s years and years of work. That buckle represents dreams. It represents hard work. It represents perseverance. It represents going against the grain and doing what you love. It was surreal. Now my biggest goal for the breakaway is for [that event] to be in the NFR in the Thomas & Mack Center. And I’d love to be there.”

Still, she stresses that she’s not in the business to win, and no one involved with horses or roping should have it as their sole goal.

“Any time you’re fulfilling your passion, you’re not losing,” she says. “Here’s the thing I’ve learned: You can’t just enjoy the end product or reward. That’s not what this business is about. You can’t just find happiness in the end result. If you don’t enjoy putting the puzzle together and working the horse, then you’re in the wrong business. I see a lot of people who don’t have the skill, but their will is a lot stronger. It’s not all about natural ability.”

Follow Jackie Crawford on Instagram @jackiehobbscrawford and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JackieCrawfordRoping.

This article about breakaway roper Jackie Crawford appeared in Horse Illustrated’s Western Life magazine. Click here to purchase!

The post Breaking the Mold: Breakaway Roping with Jackie Crawford appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

My name is Lenna Peterson, and I compete in barrel racing. I am from Watkins, Minn., and I am 9 years old. I’ve been riding since I was 2 years old. My mom Teresa and I learned barrel racing together and started competing and taking clinics together when I was 4. Barrel racing and taking care of my horses is hard work, but I love competing. Barrel racing is so full of highs and lows that I call it a roller coaster ride sometimes.

In April of 2018, my parents and I went to Broken Bow, Neb., and I ran a Junior National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier on my horse, Reckless Merit. We call him Ned, or Ned-Monster. I got Ned at the end of 2017, and he and I just clicked. We became a great team together. Everyone says he only runs fast because he loves me. At the qualifier, I ended up third, and they took the top three into the final, so I was very excited to qualify.

A Change of Plans

I worked hard to finish second grade and was excited to run barrel races that summer. We started to plan our trip to NFR, but in June, Ned came up lame. It turned out that he had a swollen suspensory ligament and would need four to six months off.

I was sad, because there was a chance of him not being able to run in Las Vegas. In July of 2018, we went to Oklahoma for a National Little Britches Finals. I was sad to not be able to run Ned, but we brought him with us, because my mom found a therapy place that might be able to help him.

Ned stayed at the therapy place for two months to get better. I was so happy—it only took him two months to get better instead of six.

When he came back I was excited, but it seemed like he didn’t like me anymore, or he was mad at me. It turns out he just had to get used to me again. By October, he was back to running his very best.

We made the trip to Las Vegas, and it was a long drive from Minnesota! We got to travel through a lot of states. In Las Vegas, it was very cool to see all the lights and action.

When it came time to run Ned in Las Vegas I was nervous, but Ned is an old pro. At 17, he knows his job, and I trust him. We ran the first two rounds at the Junior NFR, but I ended up three or four spots shy of making it back to the short round.

After I shed a few tears because I was sad. I was just so thankful for everyone around us. I had a lot of fun in Las Vegas, and I loved seeing everybody that came to watch me. Another thing I loved was going to the real NFR and seeing all the NFR girls there. My experience in Las Vegas taught me a lot about how to handle barrel racing highs and lows.

Tragedy and Rebuilding

When 2019 came around, on February 19, we were riding my mom’s horse, Six, and my horse, Ned, in the snow in a field. We hit a drainage ditch, and my mom’s horse hit a fence post and broke his shoulder, and we had to put him down.

That same day, my dad had surgery on his shoulder, and I was worried about him. It was sad. Ned was sore, because he also fell, so he needed some time off.

My mom and I worked hard to move on without Six and leg our horses up for the spring. In April 2019, we went to Broken Bow to try to qualify again for Las Vegas, but I tipped a barrel. Otherwise I would have been in the top three.

In May 2019, I met a new horse owned by our friend Hannah. Her name is P-nut. I got to try barrel racing with her at the Sherry Cervi Youth Championships in Verndale, Minn., and she just loved me, and I loved her.

Hannah let me welcome P-nut into our home and as part of my team. Throughout the summer, P-nut, Ned and I got to barrel race and have so much fun. I was able to ride P-nut, and she won some barrel races. I also won a big jackpot on Ned and won two buckles on him this year.

In October, me and P-nut placed first out of 450 riders at the ProElite World Challenge Finals in Verndale, Minn. I hope to set some big goals for 2020 and qualify for barrel racing at the American Rodeo and compete at National Little Britches Finals with my horses.

This article on Lenna Peterson, a young rider who is taking on the barrel racing world, appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post In Real Life: Young Rider Lenna Peterson is Rounding the Turn to Take on the Barrel Racing World appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Enjoy this short story from Young Rider magazine involving barrel racing in which Emma’s perfect new horse brings out her riding flaws.

Emma couldn’t believe she finally had a barrel horse of her very own. A big, beautiful bay Quarter Horse gelding nicknamed George. He’d won the 1D—the fastest division—in their region last year. Sure, her parents said the money he cost meant no smartphone and even no car when she turned 16, but Emma was sure George was worth it.

She’d been running barrels on her sister’s hand-me-down pony, Sparkles, but now she could pass Sparkles down to her little brother, Aiden, and really become a champion.

George was her dream horse. He was perfect.

Practice Makes Perfect?

Emma’s big sister, Madison, who also rode barrels, told her to start off slow with George and get to know him before going full speed. Emma had been taking that advice, doing trail rides and controlled runs and arena exercises. Everything was going perfectly.

That all changed one month before the first big barrel racing event of the season. Emma decided they were ready to do a real run. They measured the barrels, and Madison stood on the arena fence to watch.

Emma could feel how fast her heart was beating, and her stomach was a knot of excitement. George knew what was coming and tensed, fidgeting from side to side until Emma moved her hands up his mane, leaned forward and gave an encouraging kick.

George pounced forward into a full run, the power from his hind end like that of a race car. Emma smiled and grabbed for the saddle horn as they made a perfect turn around the first barrel. They headed for the second, and—BAM—her leg went straight into the metal barrel, tipping it over.

She was stunned. And it hurt. She tried to recover. They finished the run, but it was slower and sloppier than the first half.

“You sat down too soon!” Madison yelled. “Try it again a little slower, and don’t turn so soon!”

Emma tried again, trying hard to not turn or sit too soon. But again, they tipped the barrel. She tried two more times, and both times the barrel tipped.

“You can’t keep running him,” Madison said. “Just trot it a few times so you don’t end like that. We’ll work on it more next time.”

Someone to Help

George was perfect, so Emma knew the barrel tipping had to be her fault. Madison kept trying to help, but two weeks later, the barrel was still tipping.

“Why don’t you call his old owner and see if he can give you tips?” Madison said. “Ethan is a grade behind me at school, and he’s really nice.”

“Can’t you ask him for me?” Emma pleaded. Ethan was sooo cute, and Emma couldn’t imagine calling him and talking to him.

“Don’t be dumb,” Madison said. “Just call him.” Emma felt more nervous calling Ethan than she ever had been before a run. But she had to get George on track before the first race. Her parents spent all that money on him, and she knew he’d been a champion for Ethan.

When she finally got up the courage to call him, she could barely speak. Ethan had to ask her to repeat herself twice. But he was super nice and said he’d come over to help them.

The next day, Emma spent an hour messing with her hair and changing outfits before he arrived. Madison and Aiden kept teasing her.

Ethan had just turned 16 and drove himself over in his dad’s truck. He petted George’s head so gently, saying he’d missed him. Ethan is just as perfect as George, Emma thought, knowing Madison would tease her so much if she knew what she was thinking!

Finding the Problem

Ethan had them do a run so he could watch. Sure enough, down went barrel two.

“I think I know what’s happening,” Ethan said. “You’re putting your hip toward the barrel, so George is moving his ribcage in to put himself under you, and he’s hitting the barrel.”

Emma was so distracted by Ethan she had to take a minute to process what he said. He showed her with his own body.

“When he turns correctly, you want to be in line with him, which means you’re both curving around the barrel, not bowing in toward it. Does that make sense?” he said. He drew her a diagram in the arena sand. She nodded.

They ran the pattern again, and this time it didn’t tip! As she rode back to Ethan, he gave her a high five, and she smiled the biggest smile ever.

“Don’t practice at full speed for a while,” he said. “Focus on the technique. Same thing at the race. You have plenty of time to increase your speed as the season goes on. Get it right first.”

Emma nodded and almost forgot to thank him.

Race Day

She wanted to show all her friends how great George was, so it was hard not to let him go all out at the race. But she knew Ethan was right. And he was watching. So she didn’t go full speed and really watched her form. They came in second place in their division with no tipped barrel.

Ethan gave her a big high five again. “You guys did great,” he said. “You’ll be up a division in no time.”

Second place or not, it felt like a pretty perfect day.

This article on rules to feed a horse by appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Barrel Racing Short Story: The Case of the Tipping Barrel appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Split Reins

What they are: Although typically made from two strips of leather, split reins can also be made of braided cotton rope. Widths vary. Metcalf prefers a width of 3/4-inch for most riding and 5/8-inch with a snaffle bit.

Used for: The current trend sees split reins used in most western events, particularly western pleasure, horsemanship, reining and cutting.

Pros: Split reins allow you to make tiny adjustments to one rein or the other, direct your horse with one rein, apply a neck rein and/or a number of other cues using one or both hands with the option to hold the reins in several different positions. This is the most versatile type of reins.

Cons: Adjusting your rein length in one hand can be more challenging than other types of reins. It’s also easy to drop one while riding, which is a safety hazard. And Metcalf says sometimes riders sneak extra cues in that can hamper good training in the long run.

“You need to be aware of your rein length, and practice so you’re using them correctly,” she says.

Selection tip: Look for good-quality leather, a substantial thickness and no stretch. Make sure the attachments to the bit are in good working order. Metcalf avoids snaps or Chicago screws in favor of leather ties for safety.

“I always check the leather every time I use a pair of reins,” she says. “I’ve had snaps come open or screws come unscrewed, and leather can wear out. I replace those leathers if there’s any sign of wear.”

Romal Reins

What they are: Derived from the traditional Spanish vaquero methods, romal reins are comprised of two parts: the reins and the romal, which is one piece connected to the reins. The romal usually has a strip of leather on the end, called a popper. Today they’re usually made out of rawhide.

Used for: Particularly on the West Coast, many bridled reined cow horses (versus one in a hackamore) are ridden in competition using a romal. Some riders use a romal in trail and other all-around events, but the romal is useful for a variety of disciplines. Metcalf says they’re also helpful for training a horse.

“When I start putting my 3-year-old horses in the bridle, I’ll ride them in split reins,” she says. “But when I go to one hand, 98 percent of the time within a few weeks I’m using romal reins to polish up the steering.”

Pros: You’ll hold the reins in one hand and the tail in the other. When held correctly, it’s easier to keep your reins even and at the correct length versus split reins. They are helpful for keeping your horse upright and between your reins. Romal reins are also a great way to find out how trained your horse is to rein cues, says Metcalf.

“You can’t slip a finger or hand in the reins to steer with romal reins like you can with split reins,” she says.

Cons: Holding and using a romal incorrectly can get points deducted from your score in the show pen. Check your association’s rule book for specifics. They’re not to be used with a bit without a shank, like an O-ring snaffle.

Selection tip: Metcalf says a good rawhide set of romal reins is not cheap. Inexpensive reins may wear out quickly. Look for quality materials and workmanship.

Roping Reins

What they are: Roping reins are attached to the bit in a loop around the horse’s neck and are made from a single length of leather, braided nylon or cotton. There is usually a snap on one end.

Used for: These western reins are used for roping and speed events, such as barrel racing.

Pros: Metcalf says roping reins are easy to manage for a beginner or a rider using one hand-like a roper-or if the rider needs to grab the saddle horn with the other hand.

Cons: If your reins are too short, you’ll be limited on the maneuvers you can ask of your horse. They are considered illegal equipment in some classes, like western pleasure, so check your association rule book before using them.

Selection tip: Make sure that your reins are the right length for you, the snaps are in good working order and the rein material is good quality.

Mecate Reins

What they are: Mecate reins are typically used with a bosal, also known as a hackamore. Made of horse mane or tail hair, mohair, or nylon in several thickness options, mecate reins include one length of rope attached to the bosal to make a loop around the horse’s neck, with the remainder used as a lead rope that is tied around the saddle horn. The bosal and mecate are another derivative of Spanish vaquero training.

Used for: Horses are usually outfitted with a bosal and mecate during the early days of training; they can be shown in this tack as long as they’re under the designated age limit. Check your rule book for specifics. They’re suitable for most events except horsemanship and speed events. You’ll usually ride with a rein in each hand.

Pros: Metcalf says that a bosal can be a helpful tool in the course of training a horse, and the mecate reins are designed to facilitate that training. They can deliver subtle cues thanks to the rough texture and weight of the rein.

Cons: If your horse doesn’t know how to work in a bosal, or you’re inexperienced with this piece of equipment, you may not be able to properly cue and control your horse.

Selection tip: Metcalf prefers mane hair instead of tail hair, which tends to be too stiff, or mohair, which tends to be too smooth. She recommends looking for a quality bosal and mecate set over one that is inexpensive.

“Mane hair won’t tear your hands up,” Metcalf says. “I feel like my horses respect a mane hair hackamore rein more than mohair.”

This article on western reins originally appeared in the January 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Take the Reins: The Ins and Outs of 4 Common Types of Western Reins appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

You’ve been running barrels for a while now: You know the pattern. Your turns are solid. Your seat is stable. But you just aren’t going fast enough! If that sounds familiar, then this guide is for you. We’ll walk you through the steps to add acceleration and improve your barrel racing runs.

Play Detective

The first step is to make sure there isn’t a good reason your horse or pony doesn’t go all out. Talk to your vet to make sure the diet you’re feeding your horse is what’s best for his needs and performance level. Also ask your vet about any soundness or health concerns. If your horse isn’t feeling his best, then he won’t perform his best.

Next, check that your saddle and bridle fit your horse correctly and are properly adjusted. If anything is pinching or rubbing, it can interfere with your horse’s performance. An experienced trainer, instructor or saddle fitter can help you double check that everything fits and that the bit you’re using isn’t too harsh.

Self-Evaluation

You don’t want to try to add speed until your barrel runs are otherwise solid, meaning you have good control and consistent turns. You also need to make sure you have a secure seat and aren’t losing your balance during any part of the run.

When you want your horse to speed up, assume a slightly forward position. Your legs should stay underneath you with your heels down. Your upper body should come slightly forward, as will your hands.

Keep your hands steady, and make sure you’re not accidentally pulling or bumping your horse’s mouth as you ask for speed. Look where you want to go, and free your mind of any fear.

Many horses will need encouragement in the form of squeezing or tapping from your legs, but avoid overly aggressive kicking. Spurs should only be used by experienced riders with very steady legs and an understanding of how to use them effectively, which varies depending on the type of spur chosen. (Always work with a trainer or instructor to determine if spurs are right for you and to introduce them to your horse.)

Getting in Shape

Your horse needs to be in good physical shape to perform at his fastest. Ideally, you’ll want to ride your horse most days, with one or two days off per week. If you do a more rigorous workout one day, then do a light or more moderate workout the next time you ride.

While it’s important to practice the barrel pattern, you don’t want to overdo it. For one, the tight turns are hard on your horse’s legs and joints. Secondly, you and your horse will both get bored. Don’t practice the cloverleaf every workout—instead, mix it up.

Exercises for Improving Your Barrel Racing Runs

Exercises inside and outside the ring will keep things fresh and help your horse stay in shape. Here are a few exercises that you can try.

◆ Free Run: Letting your horse open up outside the arena can help him learn to speed up. If there’s an open area with good footing, and you have proper control and feel safe, you can practice letting your horse fo into a full gallop without interference. Do not gallop toward the barn, however, as many horses stop listening and may become out of control.

Once he’s gone a ways (further than the final barrel to home), you can let him rest as a reward for his hard work and give him a pat on the neck and some encouraging words.

◆ Trail Riding: Trail riding is always a good break from the arena. Doing some hill work—just at the walk!—can help build up muscle. Long trotting on good footing can also help condition your horse.

◆ Free Rein: Inside the arena, you can try an exercise where you keep your horse in a trot but don’t interfere with his mouth. Keep your hands on the reins but keep them low and loose. Let him go wherever he wants to in the arena as long as it’s safe.

The idea is to maintain speed without interfering with his mouth. Once this is comfortable, you can try it at faster speeds. This will also help you become more aware of your hands and seat.

◆ Run and Rest: With the pattern set up, practice running your horse past the barrel to the arena fence and then resting. You can do this with each of the three barrels. It can help your horse open up without worrying about an upcoming tight turn.

Go For It!

All horses can improve their runs. However, keep in mind that not all horses are optimally built or bred for speed. Some horses have more of an ability or desire to run barrels. But with some good detective work, conditioning and exercises, you can still shave seconds off the clock.

May you turn and burn with the best of them!

Thanks to Sadie Jackson and TC for demonstrating these exercises! Sadie Jackson is 12 years old and lives in Colorado. Last year, Sadie joined the nation’s best cowboys and cowgirls in Las Vegas, Nev., for the Junior National Finals Rodeo where she ran barrels. So far in 2019, she’s won multiple national titles in youth barrels and will be heading back to the Junior World Finals at the National Finals Rodeo in December. All these accomplishments wouldn’t be possible without the help of her American Quarter Horse mare Sundae Frost (“TC”). TC stands 14.2 hands and is full of speed, sass and sweetness. I addition to being a busy rider, Sadie is an honor roll student and participates in leadership team, track and choir. She also spends time giving back to the community through various events and groups, including volunteer work at McNicholas Miniatures Therapy Horses.

This article on improving your barrel racing runs originally appeared in the September/October 2019 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The Need for Speed: Improving Your Barrel Racing Runs appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Growing up, Amberley Snyder, star of a rodeo movie on Netflix, competed in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying and breakaway roping. She won the World All-Around Cowgirl title at the National Little Britches Rodeo Association and qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2009.

In 2010, at the age of 18, she was driving through Wyoming from her home state of Utah on her way to the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver when she glanced down to check her map. She had just stopped at a gas station and had forgotten to re-buckle her seat belt.

“As I looked up, I realized I had faded over a lane and was heading towards a metal beam on the side of the road,” Amberley recalls. “I tried to correct my truck, but I slid off the road, and my truck turned completely sideways. I was ejected and hit a fence post on the side of the freeway. I knew I must have broken my back, because I did not have any feeling in my legs. I underwent five hours of surgery, which left me with a whole lot of hardware in my back. The doctor’s prognosis was that I would not gain any feeling below my waist, nor would I have any chance of regaining the use of my legs.”

Behind the Scenes of Her Netflix Rodeo Movie

The 2019 rodeo Netflix movie Walk. Ride. Rodeo. is based on Amberley Snyder’s life.

“The movie process was eye opening,” she says. “It takes a village to make a movie. I was able to be a part of the process from start to finish. There were some things they wanted to be different or bigger for Hollywood, but I feel I was able to keep it 85 percent accurate. My little sister and I were the riding stunt doubles! My favorite part was getting to ride for the film.”

After her accident, the doctors told Amberley she wouldn’t ride again—not the kind of riding she had in mind, anyhow.

“I’ve been in love with horses for as long as I can remember,” she says. “At 3 years old, I started riding. I feel like it’s just been in my blood. It’s something I love to do, and it stuck with me from the time I got on a horse to the first time I did a barrel pattern at the age of 7.”

She knew she wanted to ride again after her accident, but it took her four months of rehab and a lot of convincing before her mother and the doctors agreed to let her try it. In her mind, she thought the back of a horse was the one place where everything would feel the same. On a horse she would be out of her wheelchair and completely free.

However, once in the saddle, Amberley realized she couldn’t feel her legs around the horse and had to learn a new way to balance. She could ride, but it wouldn’t be the same.

Despite the heartbreak of that initial ride, Amberley carried on riding throughout that first summer, adding modifications to her saddle.

These included a padded seat, a seatbelt pulled from an old car, and Velcro around her legs and stirrups.

“A lot of it was trial and error since no one had done what I was doing—wanting to not just ride but compete again someday.”

Finding Her Way

It took a while before she was ready to compete—about 18 months.

“It was wonderful competing again,” Amberley says. “There are definitely frustrations like not being able to kick, but being back competing was spectacular. It’s what I’ve always loved to do and still love to do. The meaning has grown because it’s a time where I don’t have to be in my wheelchair. I get to be on my horse, and I get to move around like everyone else. It’s a joy I have.”

Amberley went on to compete on her college rodeo team in the competitive Rocky Mountain region. Then came an even bigger surprise in March of 2015: As seen in the movie, Amberley was voted in as fan favorite to compete at RFD- TV’s The American—the richest one-day rodeo in the sport.

“It was such a blessing from beginning to end, meeting the people who have been my idols and who I’ve watched for years. Just making a run in the same arena as those people was nothing short of amazing.”

Since then, Amberley Snyder earned her pro rodeo card and competes on the Wilderness Circuit, placing at multiple pro rodeos. In 2016, she was a 2D champion and top five in the Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association.

Amberley’s horses have adapted to her being in a wheelchair in ways she never imagined, but there are difficulties.

“I have to be careful about the horses that I’m around on the ground,” she says. “Obviously height is a challenge, and not being able to reach everything I want to reach. Saddling and doing chores is challenging. Everything you don’t think twice about is a whole new ballgame for me.”

Amberley graduated from Utah State in 2015 with her bachelor’s degree in agricultural education, and earned her master’s degree in school counseling in 2018. Currently she’s focusing on her health and young horses, as well as motivational speaking.

“I feel like [sharing my story] gives me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many people. And this movie has opened the doors to my ability to reach even more people.”

This article on Amberley Snyder, star of a rodeo movie on Netflix, originally appeared in the September/October 2019 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Amberley Snyder: Walk, Ride, and Rodeo Star appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.