11 Time World Champion Barrel Racers Charmayne James has a lot to offer the barrel racing world.
I came across this video on Youtube that was taken at one of Charmayne’s Barrel Racing clinics. If you have watched her video and read her book like I have, you will appreciate this visual.
Part of Charmayne’s teaching uses 5 axis points around the barrel. She also really emphasizes looking over the outside ear on a horse going into the turn to locate those points while shifting your weight to the outside. The third thing she wants to see is a bent elbow through the turn as you lift and position your horse for the turn.
This is a long video, but it won’t cost you a time to catch a glimpse of this $600 clinic.
For more on Charmayne James and her clinics visit her website: www.CharmayneJames11.com She also has some other really great articles on there that have been featured in Barrel Horse News.
This is an excellent video from Ty Mitchell from the Josey Ranch Team of trainers. He talks about some of the things we can do as riders to prevent alleyway anxiety in our horses. He will demonstrate how to be prepared for different setups and still be successful.
Prevention really is the key and he talks about some of the strategies to do that. Every horse is a bit different so getting your game plan and strategy for the alleyway in mind in advance, is key. Being prepared in the alleyway is part of getting consistent.
The horses don’t necessarily know our names, but they certainly feel our nerves!
Ty suggests trying to channel any nervous energy you may have in a positive way.
If you’ve already got problems, you’ll want to watch right through to the end. Ty talks about what to do with horses that want to turn around and circle. He suggests you turn them the opposite of where they want to go, while keeping an eye on where you want to go (even if you aren’t facing that way). Your body will follow your eyes. Try and stay relaxed and ready to make a move.
He also suggests to use progression where you would walk, trot and lope into your run rather that blasting from a stop.
One barrel horse training exercise he likes to do is “Loping in the Hot Zone”. He suggests loping circles down at the stopping end, then walking through the pattern. Make him work where he feels the anxiety and continue loping until he starts to relax.
The Josey Ranch has a lot of great resources on Youtube and online and on their website www.BarrelRacers.com
Here is a great drill that Sue Smith (NFR Qualifier and Futurity Trainer) shared on her Spur UP – Sue Smith Facebook page. The purpose of the drill is to get control of the horses shoulders. Sometimes a horse will “float” or drift in a turn where their shoulders are not following the inside rein [...]
Professional barrel racer and trainer Dena Kirkpatrick demonstrates how to get a great stop on a barrel horse. She will start at a walk first, she will sit, say whoa, make contact and have them take step back. Dena emphasizes that you stop your horse in a straight line and to get out of their mouth [...]
World Champion Barrel Racer and Olympic Gold Medalist Kappy Allen put together this video clinic. The video demonstrates proper hand position and how it contributes to a happy, relaxed and focused horse with bend through the body. All these key factors result in a smooth run and FAST TIMES. Kappy says “relaxed and fluid means [...]
NFR Qualifier and Futurity horse trainer Tamara Reinhardt makes an excellent point. Not all horses mouths are created equal. We need to consider whether the bit we are riding them in fits the horse. Watch this Winning Runs video trailer and learn how you can measure if your barrel racing bit fits your horse properly. [...]
Here is a great barrel racing tips video from champion barrel racer Kay Blandford and Barrel Racing Buzz videos. Kay offers so much insight and advice in this video you could watch it many times over and still pick up new tidbits. She has a diagram of her barrel racing drill that she uses with [...]
Fallon Taylor offers several great free barrel racing videos with tips on YouTube. Here is one of her helpful videos that talks about how to deal with a barrel horse that has a tendency to shoulder the barrels. In the video she focuses on the second barrel. The second barrel is the hardest turn because [...]
Sometimes when things go wrong with our horses we are quick to point the finger. “My horse keeps running on the wrong side of the barrel, My horse keeps hitting the barrel or My horse won’t do this, my horse won’t do that”. Horse aren’t that smart, they don’t just run into things for no [...]
In barrel racing we often try and coordinate or match our outfits to the horses gear, but when it comes to personalities, too much of the same can be a bad thing. The idea is to compliment your horses personality with your own. Too much of one thing can be a trouble. If you are [...]
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~Enjoy~
Michelle Davey
