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.

1 of 5

“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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Fallon Taylor is no stranger to success. She has multiple World Championships in barrel racing, and her horse, Flos Heiress (aka “BabyFlo”), was named WPRA/AQHA Barrel Racing Horse of the Year in 2013. Fallon’s name is well known across the horse world, due to her success and colorful personality. Additionally, she is a huge advocate for safety and wearing a helmet while riding. 

In addition to Fallon’s riding career, she also owns Ranch Dress’n—a full line of western apparel that fits with her style. While she began her apparel business 10 years ago, she has shied away from telling the story of how Ranch Dress’n came to be. However, Fallon realized she enjoys watching and hearing about other people’s backstories, and she decided it was time to share her company’s history, too.

“I kind of dodged business things because I didn’t think people could relate,” she says. “As I’ve gotten older and more mature, I’ve realized everyone is trying to pay their bills. I realized that all those little vulnerabilities are the fabric of our relationship.”

Shirt off My Back

In addition to her equine career, Fallon spent some time in New York working as a model. However, the horses called her home, and she began seeking a way to combine her affinity for fashion with her riding career—while also helping her pay her entry fees. 

To start, she bought men’s shirts and left her back number attached to sell after competitions. 

“The Shirt off My Back” was successful, and people gravitated toward Fallon because they saw her drive to succeed and wanted to support her ventures. Soon, she wanted to expand her fashion ideas further.

The Start of Ranch Dress’n

When she was younger, Fallon’s mother told her, “You don’t need to be wealthy to clean your boots.” That idea has stuck with her. Putting together a good outfit, and in Fallon’s case, a good business, doesn’t necessarily require a huge start-up.

“I’d love to look back and say that I’m a genius who has made a bunch of really calculated moves that over time have been the right moves, but I think when you move from a place that is genuine, and you really want to add value, and you genuinely care, it shows and comes through.”

Fallon rented a garage and got a handful of blank t-shirts and a vinyl cutter. The small team started dyeing pants and creating shirts, and eventually expanded into working out of a trailer. Fallon wore her own clothes to competitions, and soon people started to catch on to her unique style and wanted to follow in her footsteps, which led to the need to expand the company further. 

Of course, both with the horses and Ranch Dress’n, the road wasn’t always easy. Fallon says she tries to live by the idea of “keep failing forward,” meaning that when things are rough, and when a run on your horse doesn’t go as planned, all you can do is have the most positive attitude possible and move toward the next goal. This energy has kept Ranch Dress’n moving forward, as well.

A Team Effort

A trip to the National Finals Rodeo in 2014 was a large step toward success for Ranch Dress’n. The team managed to bring hundreds of pairs of jeans and shirts to a booth where attendees could shop and see Fallon’s line. 

Of course, she also wore Ranch Dress’n while competing, which also sparked more interest. When she and her horses won money competing, the money went back into Ranch Dress’n to continue growing the business without loans or additional funding. 

The business began taking over space in the barn and employees’ homes, and Fallon knew that they needed a larger warehouse—which eventually turned into an even larger warehouse. While their physical space grew, the team has remained small. Everyone involved is hands-on, including Fallon, making the products and packaging and everything that goes out to buyers.

Ranch Dress’n Continues to Grow

Even with the business taking on a life of its own and becoming increasingly successful, Fallon says that “every single milestone of this business has felt very ‘imposter syndrome’: Do we deserve this, are we supposed to have all this? Are we doing good enough? Is it ever going to feel easy?” 

Sometimes she will take a moment to pause and realize that Ranch Dress’n is on a continued upswing.

“I’ve never reached a part where it has felt easy,” says Fallon. “In the grand scheme of things, big goals are really tough.” 

Through the struggles and growing pains, the late nights and the never-ending projects, she says that creating and continuing to run Ranch Dress’n is “absolutely worth it.” 

This web exclusive article about Ranch Dress’n is sponsored content for 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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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!

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Barrel racers from around the world gathered on October 26–November 2 for the 2019 NBHA Open and Senior World Championships in Perry, Ga. A featured event on the National Barrel Horse Association’s tour schedule, the 2019 World Championships pulled over 2,000 entries and awarded approximately $250,000 in cash and prizes. The event attracted international riders from Australia, Italy, Canada, Panama and the United Kingdom. It was Brandon Cullins of Clements, Md., who took top honors in the Open Division with a 14.762 riding A Cornerstone. Edwin Cameron of Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, secured the Senior Division aboard A Dash Ta Glamour with a 14.962.

“Congratulations to all our champions,” stated NBHA Executive Director Sherry Fulmer. “Talk about a smooth show! Other than a loss of power during our Trick or Trot Parade, the 2019 NBHA World Championships went off without a hitch.”

In addition to cash prizes, brand new 4 Star Trailers valued at over $32,000 each were awarded to both the Open 1D and Senior 1D Champions. All finalists from the Open and Senior 5Ds were awarded Gist Silversmiths buckles. Prize packages also included awards from Alamo Saddlery, Triple Crown Feed, Wrangler, Yeti, Professional’s Choice, Justin Boots, Oxy-gen Inc., and Boot Barn.

Cullin’s victory was bittersweet. His mount A Cornerstone, was owned by the late Sarah Attea Griffin, and the Open Finals marked the one-year anniversary of Griffin’s passing.

“I have had him (A Cornerstone) for almost two years, and he is now owned by Sarah’s husband,” stated Cullins. “Sarah got to see him start to win before her passing. He’ll always be a very special horse to me.”

Cameron’s mount, A Dash Ta Glamour, although a recent purchase, is the perfect combination of Cameron’s two favorite bloodlines.

“A Dash Ta Glamour is a 7-year-old gelding who I purchased in July. He’s sired by JL Dash Ta Heaven, out of a Bully Bullion mare; his breeding is as good as it gets for me. I’m a JL Dash Ta Heaven fan and a Bully Bullion fan, so this horse is both in one package,” stated Cameron.

Full results from the 2019 NBHA Open and Senior World Championship are available at www.MyHorseSport.com. Relive the action on Ride TV at www.RideTVGo.com. Learn more about the National Barrel Horse Association and see the full event schedule at www.NBHA.com.

About the National Barrel Horse Association

The National Barrel Horse Association, headquartered in Augusta, Ga., is the largest barrel racing organization in the world. The NBHA is the recognized leader of barrel racing in the world and is known to be professional and innovative while staying true to western heritage, lifestyle and dress. In 1992, the NBHA revolutionized the barrel racing industry by pioneering the divisional format, which allows riders of all skill levels a chance to win money and prizes in barrel racing competition. NBHA official events have paid out $13 million to date with more than $2.5 million in added prize money. NBHA has over 20,000 members of all ages across the United States and affiliates on five continents. Learn more about the NBHA at www.NBHA.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

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Barrel Racing Exercise #1:

4-Barrel Exercise

Set up four barrels in the shape of a square. You can run either direction, but we’ll start by going to the left barrel first, turning that to your left and going to the top right barrel, turning right.

Once you complete that turn, go straight across to the top left barrel and turn to the right. Jog down to the bottom right barrel and make a left turn and cross your start line.

Essentially, you will turn left, right, right, left. Or, if you start on the right side, it’ll be right, left, left, right.

Start slowly and then, as you get comfortable, you can increase your speed.

Barrel Racing Exercise #2:

6-Barrel Exercise

Set up six barrels in a “V” shape, with the wider end being the start.

Starting on the right side, turn the three barrels on your right to the right, then go across and turn the left side barrels to your left (right, right, right, left, left, left).

If you start on the left side, you will turn left three times, and then right three times.

Work this pattern at a walk, trot or canter, but remember to start slow and only speed up to where you can still have control and keep the rounded shape.

About the Expert:

Kelly Murphy-Alley is a professional barrel racer and trainer based in Wilmore, Ky. She owns Striking KMA Performance Horses.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Amberley, then age 18, 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 seatbelt.

“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,” she 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 didn’t 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.”

To Ride or Not to Ride

Doctors told Amberley she wouldn’t ride again—not the kind of riding she had in mind, anyway.

“I’ve been in love with horses for as long as I can remember,” she says. “I started riding at 3 years old. 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.”

Prior to her accident, Amberley was competing in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying and breakaway roping. In 2009, she qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo. She also won the World All-Around Cowgirl title at the National Little Britches Rodeo Association.

“I think I love barrel racing in particular because it gives you the speed, the horses and the rodeo atmosphere,” she says. “After the accident, not for one second did I doubt that I’d ride again.”

However, it took her four months of rehab and a lot of convincing before her mother and the doctors agreed to let her try it.

Her first day back in the saddle wasn’t exactly a dream come true, however.

“Honestly, that was one of the hardest days in my life because I realized it wasn’t going to be the same,” she says. “I had built it up in my mind that if I got back on a horse, it would be the one place that would never change for me.

“I was happy to be back on, but at the same time, my heart was broken that I couldn’t feel my legs around my horse.”

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

But the disappointments kept coming. “At the end of that summer, I was on a ride with my mom and my little sister. My mom’s horse started acting up, and for me, that was usually when I would get on to fix it. I was the one that was in charge of doing that, and I couldn’t do it anymore. It flipped a switch in me that I honestly didn’t expect. I went home that day, and I told my mom and my little sister to sell my horses.”

Pushing Through

Luckily, Amberley’s mother did not sell the horses—Wrangler, her roping horse, and Power, her barrel horse, whom she had trained herself. Instead, the horses remained at her family’s farm while she attended Utah State without them.

“I went a whole semester at school without them and without even going out there to see them. I wasn’t sure when I was going to get back to it.”

It wasn’t until the following spring—about 18 months after her accident—that Amberley made her first post-accident barrel run. Less than a week later, she was signed up for a barrel racing competition.

“It was wonderful competing again. 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 for it now has even grown because it’s a place 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.”

Since then, Amberley has competed on her college rodeo team in the competitive Rocky Mountain region. “To be able to keep up with them and win a rodeo or two has been awesome.”

Then came an even bigger surprise in March of 2015: 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 with those people was nothing short of amazing.”

Next up on the barrel-racing front, she hopes to go pro. “I’m hoping to get my permit this year. A big goal is to make the National Finals Rodeo someday.”

Adaptable Equines

Amberley’s horses have adapted to her being in a wheelchair in ways she never imagined.

“They are smarter than I gave them credit for. The very first time I got Power out of the field, he walked behind me with his head down—very careful. He just knew when to take care of me. It’s a miracle really. It’s something I didn’t expect.”

While she had trained Power and Wrangler prior to her injury, she’s learning to train her upcoming colt without the use of her legs. “He’s the first one I’ve trained to do barrels after my accident. It’s been a challenge, but it’s been fun at the same time.”

At the time of the interview, he was the only horse at school with her, and she says the experience brought out a whole new side of him. “He has taken on this whole other role. He comes to the fence for me to catch him. He makes sure that he puts his head in my lap for me to bridle him. It’s crazy how they step up and want to be that protector. All of my horses have done that.”

Everyday Challenges

“Balance is definitely the hardest thing for me,” Amberley says of riding. “If I’m not a couple of steps ahead of my horse, or if he makes a duck or a dive or something I’m not expecting, then I can fall onto his neck.

“Not being able to use my legs is also hard, and getting my horses to move forward like I want them to. I know my barrel horse has a lot more speed than what he gives me. We’re working on helping him to know that he can give that speed, and that’s OK.”

Groundwork offers its own difficulties. “I have to be careful about the horses that I get around on the ground. I’ve been flipped over a few times in my wheelchair. I’ve learned which situations to avoid.

“Obviously height is a challenge, and not being able to reach everything I want to reach. Saddling and doing chores are challenging. Everything you don’t think twice about is a whole new ballgame for me.

“In order for me to feed my horse, the feed usually has to go on my lap between the barn and where I feed him. It’s a constant game for me to think ahead on how I’m going to get things done, and I have to allow more time to do it.”

Motivating Others

Amberley graduated from Utah State in May 2015 with her bachelor’s degree in agricultural education, and she’s now pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling.

In addition to barrel racing, she’s found a calling as a motivational speaker, sharing her story with audiences of all ages across the country.

“I feel like it gives me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many people.

“Everyone faces challenges in their lives, not just someone who is in a wheelchair or has a physical ailment on the outside. If I can help other people, then I’m willing to share those moments that are hard to talk about sometimes.

“I want people to know that not every day is easy, and having a positive attitude is challenging sometimes. There are moments that are hard and times when I get very upset. But I feel like as long as you keep going regardless of those moments, that’s what makes you successful. It’s OK to have those moments, as long as you pick yourself up at the end of the day.”

For Snyder, picking herself up and carrying on with a positive attitude has certainly equaled success: in the saddle, on the stage and in the classroom.

You can find Amberley Snyder on Facebook to enjoy photos, updates and special “Wheelchair Wednesday” video segments.

Bonus: Amberley’s Barrel Racing Tips

“Spend a lot of time on your horse outside of the arena. I feel like we do a lot of focusing inside the arena and around the barrel or pole pattern. Clear your mind and let your horse clear his mind, and really get a feel for your horse. That’s something that’s been a huge blessing for me—the time I spend on my horse outside the arena. Even if you lope your circles in a field versus inside an arena. Go up to the mountains or work on some cows—give them something else to do other than think about barrels.”

“The second thing is to always have soft hands. Not having my legs for communication, I’ve had to remember to have those soft hands in my horse’s mouth.”

This article originally appeared in the September 2015 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Meet Barrel Racing Champ Amberley Snyder appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The money barrel, the first one in a barrel racing pattern, sets up your entire run. Success depends on how well you make the first turn.

Fallon Taylor of Dynasty Equine in Whitesboro, Texas, is a five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and trainer of the American Quarter Horse Association 2013 Horse of the Year, Babyflo.

“If you’re having trouble with that first barrel, it could set you up to have trouble at the second and third,” Taylor says. Here, she offers tips for riding a good approach to the first barrel and explains how to troubleshoot common problems.

Setting Up for Success

When schooling for a good barrel run at home, maintaining consistency and keeping it fun are important, says Taylor. You don’t want to just drill your horse around the first barrel over and over again.

“That first barrel needs to be somewhere a horse wants to go,” explains Taylor. Her horse’s daily arena workouts may only last 10 to 15 minutes. “If I’m working on patterning a young horse, I’m going to walk through the pattern a few times, trot it, lope it maybe once or twice, and then to reward my horse, I typically walk to the first barrel, step off and undo the cinch,” she says. This rewards him for a job well done and makes going to the first barrel a good thing. Taylor even likes to unsaddle her horses after a training session and let them play and roll in the arena so that it’s a nice place to be.

Variety is also integral in training to keep your horse from getting stale. Taylor’s key exercises away from pattern work include riding figure-eights and doing rollbacks, and for finished horses a workout may focus on a specific issue. Each session is carefully tailored to the particular horse, says Taylor, who also likes to make sure they spend time outside the arena.

“Not making the arena their main work is really great for horses’ minds, especially barrel horses,” Taylor says. “If you take them away from the pattern, they’re able to stay more level-headed.”

Trail rides are a great supplement to arena work, as are cool-downs outside the ring. “After you’re done working the pattern in the arena, take your horse out for 10 or 15 minutes,” says Taylor. “Ride around and just enjoy it. Let him breathe and walk. That’s a big deal.”

Every Horse is Different

Taylor emphasizes that each horse has different strengths, and that how horses run the pattern—and even the angle at which they approach each barrel—will vary.

“You might have a really ratey horse, where you need to pay attention to your timing as a rider,” explains Taylor. The issues will be different for a horse that is more forward.

Common Problems

Typically, an ideal turn should resemble a tear-drop shape. Common problems with the first barrel can include crowding or knocking down the barrel, and going too fast or too slow while approaching or leaving the barrel.

“If the horse is shouldering the barrel, you need to walk the barrel pattern and really pick up that inside rein,” Taylor says. “So when you are approaching that first barrel, focus on sitting when your leg gets to that barrel. As you sit, especially at a walk, always exaggerate your movements. Even at a walk, remember to grab the horn with your outside hand.” Your inside hand will lift the horse’s shoulder by bringing the inside rein toward your inside pocket, not lifting it up or out.

“Leaving that barrel is just as important as how you approach it,” Taylor continues. “Push your hands up toward your horse’s ears as you complete your turn and drive to the pocket of your next barrel.”

Your horse will learn at slow speeds, so don’t try to run the pattern as you work through the issue. “Slow it down, break it down, and really make sure your hands and body position are rodeo-ready on every single walk, trot and run,” says Taylor. “Horses learn your body, so if you sit, you need to make sure that your horse knows that it’s time to turn. Sitting when your leg gets to that barrel is super important. With shouldering, you have to make sure you lift that inside rein and get an arced angle—a nice tear-drop shape.”

Leg cues will depend on your horse’s body position in the turn. “If you have a horse that is not bending at the ribcage, you can take your inside foot and bend him at the ribcage—just a slight bump for some horses, or it could be a steady pressure,” explains Taylor.

If your horse is hitting the barrel with his hip as you leave the barrel, you need to make sure you’re giving him the proper pocket to make the turn. “Clear your leg, clear his hip, and then start to run,” Taylor says.

For horses that are turning too wide, she also recommends going back to slow work. “Really slow down and make sure you have the right amount of space between you and the barrel,” she explains. “Focus on that pocket. I say it’s around 4 or 5 feet depending on how big or small your horse is.”

If your horse is going into or out of the turn too slowly, Taylor suggests really opening him up and letting him run outside the arena. “Take your horse to a big field and let him know he can run,” she says. “Some horses don’t know they can run. Take him to a racetrack or field, somewhere you’re not going to injure yourself or your horse, and let him open up and just run. If you open them up, they realize what they’re capable of, and it really helps when you apply it to the barrel pattern.”

On the other hand, horses that are all speed need to learn to rate. For this, Taylor recommends an exercise that involves the horse dropping his gait around each turn. “If you’re loping the pattern in practice, when you get to the barrel, slow down and trot around it,” she says. “Go back to a lope and trot the second barrel, and so on. Break it down for them so they realize they have to slow down for the turn.”

Taylor advises against too much stopping and backing up. “One common rider mistake I see is not enough forward motion,” she says. “I also see not enough hind-end engagement, meaning the horse doesn’t know how to use his motor on the back side; he doesn’t know how to get his legs underneath him. My suggestion for that is rollbacks in the arena.”

Taylor recommends videoing your runs when you’re having issues so that you can pinpoint exactly what’s going wrong and where. “Go back and pay attention to your timing and what your horse is doing,” Taylor says. “If you’re knocking the first barrel, it could be a shoulder, a hip on the back side, your leg, or that you’re coming in too close or preparing for your turn too soon.” Once you pinpoint the problem, you can work on tackling it more specifically.

Through it all, remember to reward your horse and slow down. “Don’t ever forget to reward your horse,” Taylor says. “It’s vital to his training, and it’s good for his mind to really slow down sometimes.”

Liked this article? Here’s more info on barrel racing:
Rating Your Run
Barrel Essentials
Barrel Racing Troubleshooter

Special thanks to Kelly Murphy-Alley and her AQHA gelding, Cruz, for demonstrating these exercises.

MICAELA MYERS is the author of The Horse Illustrated Guide to Trail Riding (BowTie Press) and KNACK Leg and Hoof Care for Horses.

This article originally appeared in the September 2014 issue of Horse Illustrated. Click here to subscribe!

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