HI! How are you? I wrote to you a while back about my horse that was turning in front of the barrel. He is still turning in front of the barrel and it does switch from the second to the third.
When I do my exhibition runs he does good and I am staying the same speed. When I make my class run that is when he does it.My Husband has been watching my hands and feet. When I go in for my class run I think I am changing my hands, I usually approach the barrels two handed,drop outside rein,sit and turn. In my class run I start out like I always do and then if I go one handed to the second or third that is the barrel he will turn in front of.
Today I felt him tring to turn and I picked him up and used my inside leg and bumped him at the bottom of shoulder and base of his leg and I could feel him move over. On my class run what I felt was that he did not come out of it clean and I went one handed and he was at the barrel before I could do anything to help him.
I have trained this right and spent alot of time at slow work and we have been consistent up until the last 2 months. I am tried of getting NT I need to get my mind right. and work the horse.
Should I go back to just doing exhibition on him until we come back to being like we were? I have always just trained horses never did compitetion. Would coming to a clinic help me? What will help me get back my trust and confidence in both of us?
I know I can do it but I am not when it counts. I can not keep going this way I have to do something to stop it and move on in a forward motion. I have worked to hard to give up now and
I figure I am going to have work even harder to get passed it. Thank You for your time!
Linda,
P.S. I have decided that if I listen to the other girls and there put downs that is my fault not theirs. I am the one in control of my own thoughts and I do know what I know!
You definitely need to go back to the time-only or exhibition stage and get your confidence as well as establish some confidence in your horse.
Make some runs away from home but with no money up and see if you can’t learn to concentrate on riding your horse two handed to your rate point and keeping the horse balanced and comfortable approaching the barrel.
It sounds like the main problem is your nerves and consequently your lack of concentration and consistency in your cues to your horse. Take one thing at a time – get comfortable with your self and your horse before you add the pressure of competition.
Martha Wright
Thank You so much for the e-mail you are so right! I did do that very thing go back to some time only and I Had 3 very nice runs and I am going to keep on doing them for a little longer. The mental part of barrel racing to me is very important I want to learn how to achieve this which is going to be a chalenge for me. My son at one time rode Bull,s Professional. He told me the same thing you did. Thank You so much for your time! I will get back to you and let you know how things are going.
Linda