Comments on: Getting Your Barrel Horse Through the In Gate

By: Olivia

Olivia — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 18:34:46 +0000

Interesting article… I got to reading because today I was making a run. (first time in a week) I didnt even make it to the arena before my horse backed up all the way to the barn on the driveway and slipped and fell.. Broke my foot and two of his teeth.. Almost trampled my friend in the process. I’m SO OVER this gate sour crap. I don’t understand it! He loves to run but why get so hot?! He is normally a 3-4 on the hot scale. But when he knows were going to make a run, it goes up to a 15 on the hot scale.

By: Emma

Emma — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 21:53:26 +0000

My barrel horse doesn’t have any I those problems he’s been bet checked his teeth have been check the whole nine yards. I don’t over pattern him he works great he’s finished in the arena but not in the gate he locks up an reuses to go forward.

By: Hunter

Hunter — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:54:58 +0000

My pony is a hot headed little thing. I currently blindfold him and have him led into the arena. My mom then takes the blindfold off, and there we go! He sits so calmly at the gate, but when I start walking him closer, he freezes up and rears. Blindfolding is just safer for everyone. He is not a vicious pony by no means; he just loves barrels! Cole is nineteen years old and still runs like a champ, though. 🙂

By: Genevieve

Genevieve — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:01:17 +0000

I have to back my barrel horse into the arena. He refuses to walk straight in but his backing up is perfectly straight, I turn him and point him to the first barrel and away we go. It is quirky, but it works for us.

By: Gabby

Gabby — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:35:34 +0000

nice!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:25:31 +0000

very good info

By: AJ

AJ — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:58:21 +0000

This good information and helpful when it comes to keeping your horse from getting gate sour, but once they’ve gotten to the spinning away and bolting backward stage, they usually require a change of career. Most sour barrel horses have been gamed too much with ill fitting tack or inconsiderate riders and will not learn to trust again.

By: KJ

KJ — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:50:45 +0000

good info

By: Eva

Eva — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:43:32 +0000

Very well written. It taught me how to get started with barrel racing. Thanks!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 07:06:28 +0000

I like the article as I see many of those kind of horses at gaming competitions. I would also like to add that it may be the riders fault. Let me guess, when you are practicing at home, you try to use all the proper cues and are very considerate. However, when people get to an actual competition, all that changes. When we get in the gate, we give the horse a big kick or smack him with a bat, andthen when the horses are running for all it’s worth we still beat on them and when we start our turns, we start jerking on their mouths. How would you feel if you were trying your absolute best and then get beat for it!?? The next time you go to a competition, be more considerate of your horse…and then maybe he won’t be so gate sour