how do you start barrel racing?

I've had my mare for a couple of months now, and winter is almost gone so the ground will be dry and not wet and slippery!

She has barrel raced before and she loved it, she is a 7 yearold ASH x arab mare, she is really quite and responsive.

I have never barrel raced before so I have no idea were to start and what to do, I learnt english riding when I was 7 (i'm now 14), I really love watching barrel racing, and really want to do it.

I would love some advice and drills.

I was thinking I could use this thread and post pics and videos of me riding Jazz using the drills and advice people give me? I don't know if that would be a good idea or not so let me know.

Thank you

Oh dear. There is so much you could do.

I personally think you should find a local barrel racer and have a chat with them and maybe get a few barrel racing lessons. It is a lot easier to learn in person than over the internet.

Yeah, I'd definitely look into finding a trainer. It's super easy to ruin a barrel horse if you don't know what to do at first. :)

Also, I'd see if you have any local small-level gymkhana associations or jackpot events near you. Right now my mare is green to barrel racing so I haul her to those. It's super cheap to enter (For me, it's $4 per event. ) and you get all the exposure and hustle and bustle of a race to get used to, and it's super low-key while you are learning. A lot of gymkhanas too will divide into a few divisions so that even the slower of us can get prizes just like the faster teams. :)

DrumRunner also posted a drills thread (It's in this section, as a sticky) that has a lot of good info.

Good luck!

I do have a trainer but she does mostly campdrafting and a bit of barrel racing but she has never really competed, but she is a really good trainer.

Thank you

Would it be okay to start out in a stock saddle?

I'm going riding today so I thought I would work on flying lead changes.

This is my mare jazz.

If you follow the link you'll be able to see her sire (merool snowboots) who is sadly deceased and her half siblings.

VicHorse: Advertising - Commercial => STALLIONS STANDING AT STUD ASH APHA (PHOTO NOW)

Yeah that's fine for just starting. One you get up to really haulin' you will probably want to get a barrel saddle, but for now that's totally fine. :) I'll even ride my barrel horses in an english saddle or bareback every now and then, more for my benefit than theirs.

Your horse is super cute! Love the faces on pallys, don't know what it is but it is just so adorable. :)

Thank you.
We had the horse dentist out last week and he thought she was a gelding!! Don't know how he thought she was a gelding she is way to petite.

Oh my gosh, that is so funny! My pally gelding is always mistaken for a mare....Haha, darned horses are trying to fool everyone.

His very handsome how could someone think his a mare.