[blue_ribbon_gal]

hey guys... just wondering how to get my TB to creat a pocket... thanks!

[IIIBarsV]

Don't think "pocket"..... think "perfect circle". Same distance allllllll the way around the barrel.

Depending on how tall and the stride length of your horse, the size of the circle may increase. He needs room to get his butt around the barrel- if he can't, then he'll possibly crossfire, will lose momentum, slow down, straighten up, and you risk shouldering the barrel.

I have a big-strided 15hh mare in barrel training- I give her a good 6 feet of space from the barrel allll the way around the turn. This allows her to stay fast through the turn and balanced.

I suggest Charmayne James' "Perfect Pattern" DVDs, and Dressage on riding straight lines and circles.

Especially the dressage- this is training and will get your horse to use his whole body comfortably to turn, retain collection, and be faster. It will also help your balance, body position, and how to ride the horse without messing him up.

Basics are "Riding the perfect circle".

"Riding the turn through the hind end, not the front end".

"Eyes up and looking where you're putting the horse's hind end, not the barrel or the next barrel."

"Light hands and legs, going around the barrel with inside rein guiding and outside rein pushing."

"Never lift the inside rein or pull the outside rein to push the horse off the barrel." - Extremely important and biggest cause of shouldered barrels. Pulling or over-bending the horse to the inside or outside throws them out of balance, and then your shoulder drops or your hip swings. You want to keep the horse's whole body working together in alignment.

Dressage. Charmayne James. More Dressage. *drills it into your head*

Search "Riding Circles" or "straight lines" on the forum.... you will get TONS of good tips from that. Even if it's "english", it is totally applicable to barrels. With it, you will also get training tips to get your horse good enough to ride this way.

[farmeress]

[quote=IIIBarsV;2832331]Don't think "pocket"..... think "perfect circle". Same distance allllllll the way around the barrel.

Not being a western rider, I wondered what a "pocket" was.

This was a perfect, brief statement that explained it well

Thank you

[BriLeigh]

I was always taught like 4-3-2 so you start out with 4 feet and then go to 3 and then 2 at the end. But make sure you aren't cutting your backside off. It isn't the horse that creates the pocket it's the rider. He probably doesn't know what the heck that even is haha

[Haas Horse Farm]

[IIIBarsV]

Haas' diagram works great- as long as you give enough room to get past the barrel and don't pull your horse on top of it (which is extremely common- and then it becomes "the horse's fault... he shouldered the barrel")

Video examples:

My young horse and I last weekend- still pretty green. I'm giving her lots of room to turn the barrels (except first, she tried to cut the backside of the turn off and it was a little tight on her bum.) This is using the "perfect circle" idea. I ask her to collect/gather with a half-halt and "whoaa" about 15 feet out from the barrels, which is a little further than you'd need on a finished horse (she is very free-running).

YouTube - Wisher Spring Thaw Open Sun

Annnd here's what happens when you focus on the pocket and do not maintain your perfect circle (equal distance around the whole barrel). Horse knocks first with his hip leaving, and almost shoulders second on the backside of the turn. Now, pay close attention to third barrel- look how far he is going into the barrel, and look how far he is when he leaves it (before she pulls him around). On third barrel, he is the same distance all the way around, and there is no risk of shouldering or hipping the barrel.
This is my 10 yr old work-in-progress Turbo, with my sister riding (excuse the "farmer clothing" lol). Turbo is now working Dressage Level One/Two in a full cheek snaffle with no tiedown in sight. Believe it or not, he's a natural peanut roller and should never have had a tiedown in the first place. (This is also an example of what a tiedown *shouldn't* be used for). He will probably stay in the full cheek to run this year. (We'll find out how well this plan works this Saturday, eh? lol)

YouTube - Turbo Barrels Home -hip knock 07

[probarrelracer]

I usually run a 3-2-1 turn, but each horse is different. I have found that longer horses need more room. I use my inside leg to keep mine bent in a circle, and my outside leg to keep the hind end engaged. As long as I keep the bend, I do not have a problem with knocking down. The closer I can get, the fewer strides I need to get around. I do not put them in a bind, though. They need room to turn and run. I am not sure that I understand which part of the pocket you are having trouble with. Is it getting there, or keeping it? Also, I disagree with the above diagram in that you should not be looking to the next barrel until you are finished with the one you are turning. This causes barrels to fall often because you tend to drive your horse to the spot where you are looking.

[Haas Horse Farm]

You can put old tires around the outside of your barrel to practice to help learn the distance.... Also never look at the barrel that is a sure way to run it over... Look up at the next barrel so your horse will go where you are looking...

[John]

If you watch a clip of any good barrel race you will see that all of the fast horses are going from barrel one to two in seven full strides and from two to three in eight. Short choppy strides around the barrels are not counted. To be able to shorten or lengthen strides to fit the arena is what gives these top riders the edge.

[blue_ribbon_gal]

Thank you guys soo much for all your help!! it is gretly appreciated!!