Tips for Barrel Racing.

I've done barrels on my horse just for fun but this year I'm going to be getting into it full time. My horse can stop from a dead run really well, she does rollbacks really good, she neck reins and can turn a perfect circle, she responds to leg cues to sidepass turn on her front and turn on her hind end and stop. She doesn't do spins that well but I'm working on it. I'm wondering what else I should be teaching her. I'm going to be taking her to an indoor arena till it warms up so I can work her. Please any tips would be appreciated.

She doesn't need to know how to spin. Can she collect and extend on command? If she can, at this point if you have her conditioned, I would start her on the pattern. (at a walk and going very slow.)

I can get her to lengthen and shorten her stride at a walk and trot and if she is relaxed we can do it at a lope but when she is excited it involves alot of head throwing :)
Is that what you meant or did I misunderstand?

Is she good at lateral flexion? I've learned that being able to flex laterally helps a lot

At the risk of sounding dumb what do you mean by lateral fexion? :)

Pulling the nose to the side and to the cinch area (or your leg while you're on them). It's like a one rein stop, but should happen easily and almost effortlessly. I'll explain more if you want, I'm kinda busy at the moment.

Ok I get what you mean. And no she doesnt do that. I'm also working on that with her but short of holding a pail of oats by her side she wont turn her head that sharp. She acts like it is impossible for her head to turn that sharp unless of course there is oats in the deal.

A horse doesnt need to know how to neck rein to barrel race. But it does need to know how to break at the pole, flex laterally, collect/extend, move its front end,rear end, and ribcage independantly, and, of course, whoa.

Sounds like she's reluctant to give to the bit. The easiest way, that I've learned, to establish a good lateral flextion is to start with a rope halter. (rope halter will hit pressure points on the head requiring the horse to give to the pressure)
Stand at your horse's side at about the shoulder. Ask your horse to bring it's head around by reaching with the lead up towards the wither. If your horse brings its nose around at all. Even a little bit. Release and reward.(not treats...just a pat on the neck and vocal praise)
Gradually build up the lateral flextion. You don't want to have to fight. You want as little effort as possible.

After the horse has learned how to do it in a halter, graduate to a snaffle and do the same.

Lateral flextion is very important for any dicipline. If your horse doesnt give to the bit its going to get very ugly (not to mention dangerous) in a dicipline like barrel racing.

What bit are you currently riding in? Do you have a video of just flatwork?

I use a hackamore on her because she doesn't respect the bit so that is why she doesn't give her head laterally very well. I will definitely try the rope halter and see if that works. I could put a snaffle on her if I'm just in an arena but right away she doesn't respond to stopping very well. Which doesn't matter if i'm just doing slow work. As for the video thing my mom took the camera on her vacation so I can't video tape myself plus I can never seem to upload anything on youtube. In 2 weeks I will see if she can video me and I'll try to upload something but I'm not sure it will work.
Oh and I use the hackamore because I have just ridden her on trails mostly so then I didn't need to work on getting her listening to the bit cause a hackamore just works better. But I'll work with her and see if I can get her listening to a snaffle.

A hackamore is a great bit but not for a horse that doesnt know the basics in a snaffle first. Normally a hack is used in speed events for finished horses.

The easiest and safest way is to start on the ground and get the horse respecting the halter, then move up to a simple snaffle. Teach the horse what "whoa" means from the ground. Even in slow work a good whoa is needed. This is also where lateral flextion will be a help. If your horse decides not to listen during a run...it can get very ugly. I've seen it a dozen times before and it always ends up with an ambulance or a vet call.

If you get her softened in a snaffle your horse's performance longevity will increase. On the road your going now you'll be obligated to put her in a heavy bit for control which will only get worse from there.

Snaffle is the best bit for slow work, then perhaps after patterning her you might need a little more set and use a combo or short shank.

I've got a good example...
The horse I was training was a toughy. He was a very stiff stubborn gelding.

He could go through the pattern PERFECTLY all the way up to a fast lope without any effort from me. Come time to run he would need more riding.
At one show we opened up a bit more and guess what...he lapped the arena. So for the next month he was in boot camp. I put him in a snaffle and worked on softening until he was going like a reiner.

In this situation a lot of people think "bigger bit" rather than trying to figure out and fix the problem.

Anywho...
Has your horse had her teeth floated? Has she had any ground work done?