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Would this horse be a good barrel horse?

2K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Chopsticks 
#1 ·
I'm currently in a conversation with someone over whether or not this horse - a halter horse - would do well at racing barrels. My side is saying his legs are too small to support him as a racer and he'd go lame pretty quick. The other side says it's a show horse, they run around in the pasture all the time, so it would be fine running barrels. What are your thoughts? The horse in question is posted below. Not a confo pic, but should be enough to give an overall impression.
 

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#2 ·
Any horse can run barrels at the local level. It depends on just what you are looking for (What level). Is he trained to ride? He looks like a WP mount if he is.
 
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#3 ·
Show level, and referring to long term soundness. Any horse CAN do ANYTHING, it's whether or not they have the build to A) be good at it and B) stay sound. The other side says they don't understand why this horse wouldn't stay sound as a long term showing barrel horse. I am saying because the legs are crap for barrels.

Not sure if he's trained for riding, it was just a random pic pulled up.
 
#4 ·
He's not as beefy as some I have seen, and if slimmed down he might be ok for riding. Hocks look too straight for high intensity sport like barrel racing, though shoulder doesn't appear as upright as many. He also looks a bit long bodied, but honestly not a very good picture for a critique. A halter horse would not generally be my pick for barrel racing.

And obviously running around in the pasture doesn't make a barrel horse otherwise every horse and every pony would be equally good at it.
 
#9 ·
elbandita, You missed quoting where I specifically said long term and elaborated myself, maybe you weren't reading all the posts but I did re-post it to you several times. I said he could barrel race- in fact, I said ANY horse can do ANYTHING, its whether they'd be good at it or remain sound.

Did you miss that too? I believe I reposted that as well. It's possible we were talking about very different things but I made myself clear and elaborated several times. Sorry if you somehow missed it.
 
#11 ·
I since posted another 3 or 4 horses before you mentioned the other statement. If I misunderstood what horse you were addressing in the confusion I do apologize.
I have the conversation if you would like to see?
I'm not positively certain that posting here is an absolute necessity. nor am I so arrogant. You're more than welcomed to message me if it's so important to you. I assure you I have not misquoted.


I did however declare I would ride that horse in the bareback barrelrace in that show halter lol. I highly disagree it would ruin him. Nevertheless freak accidents do arise. I can tell you this I would not barrelrace him in the bareback halter race after asserting that. lol
 
#10 ·
Honestly I agree with smrobs on this one. His legs are quite thin and he has a lot of mass on those small feet. He could make it around the barrel, but he will not be competitive above very low level competition and will not stand up to very many years of it. Halter horses aren't bred to barrel race or do overly strenuous work, and this is where their problems often arise when being used for strenuous activities. That horses legs appear quite upright and not well built to be hauling that body around. That being said, he isn't as chunky as some are, as said by Tryst. I still think he would break down and be lame after a few years of barrel racing and training.
 
#16 ·
I would have to say a big old no. He's a halter horse, bred to do halter, BUILT to do halter not much else. He's not conformed to do performance. He is VERY big, long backed, very upright in his angles, and not carrying a lot of bone. While I LOVE the short cannons, they aren't going to get him very far as a timed event horse. I don't even see him doing WP competitively. I mean....if someone wants to take some weight off and get him going under saddle for a couple of playday's here and there, he could do it....but he's not built to perform based on all the straightness everywhere. His movement is going to be "up and down"...not forward and free moving. I''ve shown AQHA for a couple decades in Halter with enough REAL halter horses to say there weren't bred to put a saddle on and go ride competively.
 
#17 ·
agree with Dun. Barrels? Silly to even consider. And you mentioned that your debater said these horses run around in paddocks so why not...? well from what I've seen of this world, these horses are stalled 95% of the time. So no potential at all for athletic ability. Even if they had the structure for it, which this one really doesn't.
 
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