Turning the barrels good!!

Ok so I have been working with my gelding on the pattern for about a year now!! I have been doing a LOT of walking and trotting, and he turns those barrels like a pro!!! But when I lope him he turns a perfect first barrel but on the second and third barrel he makes a huge arch around them and that is costing us time!!! I don't wan't to rush him I want him to turn those barrels right!! Is there anything I can work on to get him turning like he does on the first barrel? I have took him to a friends arena my arena and I have entered him in an exbidition run to and he does that at those places to!!

It's hard to say what's going on without seeing a video.

Most of the time, it's rider error.
Is he on the correct lead when he is going to your second and third barrel?
Does he listen to your legs, so that you could ask him to move over with your outside leg?
Is he turning on his front legs, instead of getting down and turning on his hindend?
Have you tried running the pattern the opposite way?
Is he over-bending his neck in the turns?
Are you getting him collected enough to rate for the pocket?
Are you going into your turn too tight, forcing him to come off wide to avoid hitting it?

Just a few reasons I can think of off the top of my head as to why he is turning wide. Again, that's simply speculation as I don't have a video of you to see what's going on.

First do you have a video?

And I would recommend spirals....get him comfortable going that way around the barrel a little tighter each time you do spirals. It isn't going to happen overnight because it is hard for a horse to lope a tight circle CORRECT if they don't know HOW.

But I would REALLY like to see a video....because it is hard to say if it is the horse or the rider that is causing the problem.

He needs to go back to working on being collected going through the pattern...he is sorta everywhere.

On the first barrel he looks pretty good but when circling start him loping BEFORE you take off so he is on the correct lead as he is changing as soon as he gets to the barrel. Also give him more pocket...your coming in to close to fast so he has to go wide coming out to finish.

On the 2nd same thing...your not giving him a pocket at all and he can't turn the barrel correct.

On the 3rd your really jerking and grabbing his face....then your making him run home and if he hasn't been loping much he is going to start rushing the 3rd and wanting to just run which he is doing.

So I slow him down and get him controlled as he is sorta lost out there. I would give him a bigger pocket, without a proper pocket he can't work properly.

So I say your starting to push him to fast too soon....he needs to go back to the basics and learn collection, rate, pocket, and to finish the barrels. I see a lot of holes right now that are just going to get worse if you keep trying to go fast.

Get him going pretty nice at home where he is wrapping barrels before taking him to a show because if he isn't working at home very good he isn't going to work at a different arena. It isn't the arena...it is the pattern.

Ok Thank you so much for your advice, ill work on all of that!!!

These are pretty good videos that might help you. I don't personally grab my horn though. If I were you, I'd stick to a bigger pocket going in. The faster you eventually get, and the more seasoned your horse is, your pocket will shrink. But it is SO important to have yourself lined up coming out of the barrel. And for that, you'll need a bigger pocket right now. I would say 12' (1st barrel) and 6' (2nd and 3rd) are the very minimum you should be practicing. Also, on the second video, he shows you how to lope around the barrel, just outside of your normal tracks, to get your horse smooth and comfortable...This would be a big help for you. Once he feels smooth and responsive, bring him into your pocket, turn that second barrel and head to your third. Another thing that would help, is to lope in a small circle. Put your inside leg on him and move him out. Then put your outside leg on him and move him in. Make your circles all different sizes. He has to be able to move off your leg. Don't settle for "good enough." But slow and correct is what you should be aiming for. Hope this helps...and the above advice is great too!!!

Thanks for the video's that's nice:) and for the advice?

Ditto to absolutely everything BarrelRacingLvr said. Took the words right out of my mouth.
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