| Where Equestrians Go To Grow! |
| Equestrian Resource Solutions |
Starting on the Barrels
Once your horse has a solid foundation, you'll be ready to start working the actual barrel pattern.
I like to start my horses at a walk. A lot of trainers start at the trot but I prefer the walk to give
my horse time to learn the pattern and really get to bending around the barrel I'll walk the pattern
on them 30-50 or more times over the course of several days.
I'll start the pattern by walking up the center of the arena. (see diagram below) About half way to
the first barrel, I'll start to cut over towards the first barrel. When I get into my pocket area, I'll
put my inside right leg against the horse at the girth, reach my right hand down the rein 1/4 to half
way and tip the nose towards the barrel just enough that I can start to see my horse's eye. (when
going to the right barrel first, imagine your horse's nose as the hour hand on a big clock. Tip your
horse's nose to about 1:00 or 1:30). Ask your horse to walk around the barrel, leaving at least 6
foot between you and the barrel, keeping his nose tipped to the inside and using your inside leg at
the girth to bend his spine around your leg and the barrel. As soon as we start to leave the barrel,
I'll ask my horse to step over to the right 1-2 steps to put us in line with the second barrel. This
stepping over 1-2 steps helps:
1. Close the first barrel, reducing the chance that your horse will come off the barrel wide in a run.
2. Teaches the horse to keep his hip up underneath him.
3. Lines you up quickly for the second barrel so you're not struggling getting your horse moved
over at the last minute before turning the second barrel.
Once we're clear of the first barrel, I'll ride a straight line two handed to the second barrel. This
helps to keep my horse between my hands and legs, teaching my horse to go straight, not allowing
the horse to weave or wonder.
When I get into the pocket area of the second barrel, I'll again follow the same steps as the first
barrel, dropping my left hand about 1/4 to half way down the rein to tip my horse's nose to the
inside to about 10:30 or 11:00 o'clock, use my inside left leg at the girth to ask my horse to bend his
spine around my leg and the barrel, and gently guide my horse around the turn keeping my horse
about 4-5 feet from the barrel. As soon as we start to leave the second barrel, I'll ask my horse to
step over to the left 1-2 steps to put us in line with the third barrel. Again, this stepping over 1-2
steps teaches the horse points 1-3 above.
I'll again ride a straight line two handed to the third barrel. Once we reach the pocket area of the
third barrel, I'll follow the same steps as turning the first two barrels keeping my horse about 3-4
feet from the barrel. When coming off the third barrel, I'll head back toward the first barrel. This
ensures that my horse closes the turn on the third barrel which will prevent the problem of "coming
off wide" in the third barrel later down the road when speed is increased.
Once my horse starts to anticipate turning each barrel on his own, I'll increase to the trot. At this
time I'm not worried about rate yet. I'll continue to follow the same steps at the trot. Once my
horse is anticipating turning each barrel at the trot, then I'll begin to introduce rate. Stopping my
horse in the pocket area of each barrel, letting my horse stand for a moment, then either walking
or trotting around the barrel. It's important that when you stop your horse in the pocket area of
the barrel, that you let your horse settle before moving on and you keep your horse's hip in slightly
toward the barrel. I've found most horses want to move their hips away from the barrel. Allowing
your horse to do that will cause him to swing the hip out more as you increase speed. When a
horse swings his hip out, he can't collect for the turn which will result in a slow, choppy turn.
When my horse is trotting the pattern nicely, I'll begin to canter the pattern. I'll canter up to the
first barrel, then in my pocket area, I'll rate my horse down to a stop. Let him stand there a
moment until he's settled, keeping his hip in toward the barrel, then I'll ask him to trot around the
barrel, keeping the nose tipped and the spine bent. When my horse finishes the first barrel, I'll move
him over to the right 1-2 steps and ask him to pick up a canter to the second.
In the pocket area of the second barrel, Ill again stop him, letting him settle and keeping his hip
slightly in toward the barrel. Once my horse is settled, I'll ask him to trot around the barrel
keeping the nose tipped and his spine bent around my leg. When coming off the second barrel, I'll
again move my horse over to the left 1-2 steps to put myself in line with the third barrel. Then I'll
canter a straight line two handed to the third barrel and follow the same steps around the third
barrel as I did at barrels 1 and 2. And again, I'll head toward the first barrel.
Note, if I need to, I'll turn each barrel several times before moving onto the next to ensure my horse
is giving his nose and bending his spine.
I like to start my horses at a walk. A lot of trainers start at the trot but I prefer the walk to give
my horse time to learn the pattern and really get to bending around the barrel I'll walk the pattern
on them 30-50 or more times over the course of several days.
I'll start the pattern by walking up the center of the arena. (see diagram below) About half way to
the first barrel, I'll start to cut over towards the first barrel. When I get into my pocket area, I'll
put my inside right leg against the horse at the girth, reach my right hand down the rein 1/4 to half
way and tip the nose towards the barrel just enough that I can start to see my horse's eye. (when
going to the right barrel first, imagine your horse's nose as the hour hand on a big clock. Tip your
horse's nose to about 1:00 or 1:30). Ask your horse to walk around the barrel, leaving at least 6
foot between you and the barrel, keeping his nose tipped to the inside and using your inside leg at
the girth to bend his spine around your leg and the barrel. As soon as we start to leave the barrel,
I'll ask my horse to step over to the right 1-2 steps to put us in line with the second barrel. This
stepping over 1-2 steps helps:
1. Close the first barrel, reducing the chance that your horse will come off the barrel wide in a run.
2. Teaches the horse to keep his hip up underneath him.
3. Lines you up quickly for the second barrel so you're not struggling getting your horse moved
over at the last minute before turning the second barrel.
Once we're clear of the first barrel, I'll ride a straight line two handed to the second barrel. This
helps to keep my horse between my hands and legs, teaching my horse to go straight, not allowing
the horse to weave or wonder.
When I get into the pocket area of the second barrel, I'll again follow the same steps as the first
barrel, dropping my left hand about 1/4 to half way down the rein to tip my horse's nose to the
inside to about 10:30 or 11:00 o'clock, use my inside left leg at the girth to ask my horse to bend his
spine around my leg and the barrel, and gently guide my horse around the turn keeping my horse
about 4-5 feet from the barrel. As soon as we start to leave the second barrel, I'll ask my horse to
step over to the left 1-2 steps to put us in line with the third barrel. Again, this stepping over 1-2
steps teaches the horse points 1-3 above.
I'll again ride a straight line two handed to the third barrel. Once we reach the pocket area of the
third barrel, I'll follow the same steps as turning the first two barrels keeping my horse about 3-4
feet from the barrel. When coming off the third barrel, I'll head back toward the first barrel. This
ensures that my horse closes the turn on the third barrel which will prevent the problem of "coming
off wide" in the third barrel later down the road when speed is increased.
Once my horse starts to anticipate turning each barrel on his own, I'll increase to the trot. At this
time I'm not worried about rate yet. I'll continue to follow the same steps at the trot. Once my
horse is anticipating turning each barrel at the trot, then I'll begin to introduce rate. Stopping my
horse in the pocket area of each barrel, letting my horse stand for a moment, then either walking
or trotting around the barrel. It's important that when you stop your horse in the pocket area of
the barrel, that you let your horse settle before moving on and you keep your horse's hip in slightly
toward the barrel. I've found most horses want to move their hips away from the barrel. Allowing
your horse to do that will cause him to swing the hip out more as you increase speed. When a
horse swings his hip out, he can't collect for the turn which will result in a slow, choppy turn.
When my horse is trotting the pattern nicely, I'll begin to canter the pattern. I'll canter up to the
first barrel, then in my pocket area, I'll rate my horse down to a stop. Let him stand there a
moment until he's settled, keeping his hip in toward the barrel, then I'll ask him to trot around the
barrel, keeping the nose tipped and the spine bent. When my horse finishes the first barrel, I'll move
him over to the right 1-2 steps and ask him to pick up a canter to the second.
In the pocket area of the second barrel, Ill again stop him, letting him settle and keeping his hip
slightly in toward the barrel. Once my horse is settled, I'll ask him to trot around the barrel
keeping the nose tipped and his spine bent around my leg. When coming off the second barrel, I'll
again move my horse over to the left 1-2 steps to put myself in line with the third barrel. Then I'll
canter a straight line two handed to the third barrel and follow the same steps around the third
barrel as I did at barrels 1 and 2. And again, I'll head toward the first barrel.
Note, if I need to, I'll turn each barrel several times before moving onto the next to ensure my horse
is giving his nose and bending his spine.
That's it for now. Stay safe!
Kim
Kim
Disclaimer
Equine training can be a hazardous activity which may subject the participants to possible serious injury or even death.
Kim Szymoniak will not assume any liability what so ever. All tips, techniques, advice, and ideas you get from this email is
entirely at your own risk. This email provides general information, instruction and techniques that may not be suitable for
everyone. I strongly recommend getting help from professionals since horse training can result in serious injury and or
death to you, the horse and/or spectators.
Equine training can be a hazardous activity which may subject the participants to possible serious injury or even death.
Kim Szymoniak will not assume any liability what so ever. All tips, techniques, advice, and ideas you get from this email is
entirely at your own risk. This email provides general information, instruction and techniques that may not be suitable for
everyone. I strongly recommend getting help from professionals since horse training can result in serious injury and or
death to you, the horse and/or spectators.