HELPPP! 3rd barrel:(

Hey, Im Jessica.
I am 14, and Im new!
I have been runnin barrels for about a year or two..and I just now got this HUGE gelding. his first and second look great, a hard WHOA when I hit my spots really bear his butt down, and makes him turn nice!
I try the same thing @ the third, but he just runs soo fastt and hard, I dont think it does any good. I have tried slowing him down but he wont! Im thinkin a new bit, but if yall are thinkin ANYthing else, PLEASE help me(:
Thanks.
-Jessica

Do you have a video?

No ma'am:(
Im sorry. I am gonna go ride tomorrow(today)
And I'll try to get one.

Video please...!! Tell me if u need any help with ta video... Welcome Jessica! :) Have fun with the barrels.

Welcome to the forum Jessica!! Now keep in mind that I am not a barrel racer and have never run the pattern. What kind of bit do you have him in right now? As is always suggested here before going to a stronger bit, you may want to take him back to the beginning and start the pattern from a walk. Work your way slowly up to speed and make sure that you have perfect control over his head, body, and speed at each gait. Try walking and trotting the pattern some and switch things up sometimes. Maybe walk the first barrel then go lope some circles around the arena then go trot the third barrel and exit the arena. Just keep things interesting where he actually has to pay attention to you instead of concentrating so much on the pattern.

Again, I am by no means an expert but I am just throwing ideas out that may help a bit.

Hello Jessica and welcome to the forum,
Try to use a twisted D-ring snaffle, they seem to work the best from my experience, but a lot of riders like different things that work best for their horse, you'll find out what works easier, and it sounds like you have to go back to horsemanship, work with your horse at the walk first, work on your stop's roll backs, flexing, and counter arcing, when you trot up to your barrels and go through them slow, trot up, when when you give the cue to slow down, really sit in your seat like you do and walk the horse around the barrel, when its time to speed up again, give your horse the loose rein again and really ask for that trot and when its time to sit down into your seat, sink in and ask for that walk again. for the loap, do the same thing and trot around the barrel, you want to practice perfect. A video would help a lot if you can get one, but just really sounds like you have to really go over that slowdown cue again, and you really don't want to say "whoa" unless you want your horse to stop, for a slow down cue opposed to a stop cue you should use the word "easy" or the horses name in that kind of "easy boy" or easy girl" tone. Good luck and let me know how you do. You should never have to be hard in the horses mouth, oh and on those barrels really apply a little pressure to your inside leg, it helps your horse bend around the barrel, and never look at the barrel, look where you want to go, because horses can sense where your looking. Again, in between the barrels you don't want to be in the horses mouth at all, unless you really need to, that way when you really need to use the reins, its going to mean something. Right now I'm using a regular D ring snaffle, and don't do the pattern every day, your horse will get bored, always change it up with trail rides or doing a different activity, that way your horse is always excited to do something new, and he'll always want to work with you!! anyway good luck and keep us posted on how you do!

A video would be very helpful. I agree with smrobs, i think he needs to go back to the basics, hes rushing the third barrel and not listening to you, going back to the beginning will probably help him. Try it before you go to a bigger harsher bit.

Thank yall so much!
I dont get to ride for 3 dayss!!!/:
But when I do I am gonna take him back TO the basics, and
be sure that I have that control that I need. I
know how important it is for a barrel horse to have control.
I know that a longer shank would be helpful, but thanks for the help(:
-Jessica

Don't change bits. It is a temporary fix and you will have a much better horse if you just keep him in the one he is in now and TRAIN him.
The only way to fix the problem is to go back to basics like arura explained.

I think switching bits would not be a good choice. Do that if all else fails.