[Palominopaint]

This is what I found out thought you all might be interested.

Barrel racing began in Texas, as a fun activity for women who came along to ropings with their husbands. After the husband roped, the wife or daughter would get on the horse and pull them around the barrel pattern. There was no special training, so the horse who was the fastest usually won. In the 1950's, people started taking barrel racing more seriously, and clinics were started to be held. Specialized training equipment like barrel racing saddles were also mad for the first time. Older methods of training have been replaced by educated riders and and good horsemanship. Trainers are now training barrel horses so that they stay willing longer. More specialized riding and training equipment is being used. The amount of prize money is now equal to that in the other events. Barrel racing has gotten very competitive now, but it is still possible to be a professional barrel racer if you really want to. You just have to work hard and your dream will come true! You don't have to be a pro to enjoy barrel racing. If you'd just like to do barrel racing as a hobby, or are an amateur, then you can still compete successfully. The NBHA is the most well know association for riders of all levels. They have different divisions to level out the competition and are just as fun! This fast paced event is defiantly a crowd favorite. You enter the arena at full speed, ride around three barrels set up in a cloverleaf pattern, and dash out of the arena. That's what it looks lik anyway. It's relly much more complicated. There's rating, squeezing with your legs, pockets, and many mor technical things. Whe every mill second counts, the little things make a huge difference. Barrel racing is timed and you must not only be fast, but careful too, because for each barrel you knock over, you receive a 5 second penalty. Martha Josey, a champion in the sport once said "if you knock one barrel over you might as well knock em all over." Because once a barrel is overturned you have virtually no chance of winning. Although barrel racing my look less harrowing than some other rodeo events, it certainly is not for the fainthearted. The horsemanship skills and competitive drive in this fast and furious event make it a crowd favorite. In barrel racing, the contestant enters the arena at full speed on a sprinting American quarter horse or any horse. As they start the pattern, the horse and rider trigger an electronic eye that starts the clock. Then the racer rides an cloverleaf pattern around three barrels positioned in the arena, and tripping the eye and stopping the clock as she leaves. The contestant can touch or even move the barrels , but receives a five-second penalty for each barrel overturned. With the margin of victory measured in hundredths of seconds, knocking over one barrl spells disaster for a barrel racing competitor. The most dominant barrel racing horse in the history of the event is "Scamper," a bay American Quarter Horse owned and ridden by Charmayne James. The horse, who carried James to 10 consecutive world championships from 1984-93, was selected in 1995 into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., under heading of timed-event horse.

[mustang_dodger]

wow thanks for sharing this. i could have used this information when i was taking my barrel racing class in college.

[Palominopaint]

I am glad you injoued it. Just thought every one would. I am a barrel racer and I found out alot of stuf that I did not even know lol.

[mustang_dodger]

yeah same here. i love barrel racing.

[Palominopaint]

Once you start you cant stop. It like that camerciol on TV you just cant eat one. You just cant run one time and thats its for the rest of your life you want more and more.

[mustang_dodger]

yeah that is for sure. i got hook the first time i trotted the barrel pattern on my old appaloos gelding. now i'm training my mustang cross for barrels and roping.

[Palominopaint]

My mare I have now loves to run barrels but cents we had are wreck back in 97 she not as fast as she was. But she stell has the heart. I am getting 4 registerd Palominos mares and I am going to train them for barrels and when I get one going good enuf I am going to retier her. Let her live out the last of her year in the paster.

[mustang_dodger]

yeah it's fun training horses. i really loved training my old horse for barrels, and i really enjoying training dodger. he just loves to turn sharp.

[Palominopaint]

I know just geting them going good enuf to go to there first run is grate. Just to see how they will do.

[mustang_dodger]

yeah i would have one the 4d at my first show if some one hadn't ran a 14 sec run. i was so mad.