(photo taken from rodeoalaska.com)

1. Always keep learning and improving you and your horse's physical capabilities. For you, continuing to improve your general riding skills will go miles in helping you run races better. Get creative! Ride bareback, take exercises from different disciplines... the options are endless!

For your horse, suppling and strengthening exercises, stretching and rest are crucial to keeping him/her in peak physical shape. Chiropractic and massage sessions are also a great way to keep your horse physically healthy and helps prevent injuries. Do different things while riding your horse to keep his mind and body engaged.

(photo taken from barrelracingtips.com)

2. You don't want to burn you or your horse out by constantly doing the same thing over and over again. Make sure you keep your sessions fresh with new exercises and take rests from hard core barrel racing patterns or drills. You know how if you're working on a project you need to take a break and work on something else before you can come back? Barrel racing is the exact same way! Sometimes the best thing you can do for you barrel racing performance is to go on a trail ride with your horse.

(photo taken from trailridermag.com)

3. With any athletic endeavor, it is vital to do a proper warm up before you run your horse. Warming up at the walk, jog, and lope with some gentle turning exercises will get the muscles warmed up so as to prevent any injury during a run. It's just as important to cool down your horse at the walk after a run, to ensure the horse's muscles can relax and his/her heart rate can return to normal.

4. Especially if you're a beginning barrel racer, it's important to work your way up slowly through the gaits until you and your horse feel comfortable and confident running the barrels full speed. Even if you've been barrel racing for years, sometimes it's a good idea to walk/jog the pattern for review and to work on any sticky spots. A horse just getting started on barrels will appreciate the slow approach while he/she begins to memorize the pattern.

5. Nothing beats having someone else watch you ride and give constructive feedback. If you're a new barrel racer, finding a good teacher is vital to a fun, safe, and successful barrel racing experience. Make sure you find a teacher that has high-quality instruction, is professional and most importantly the right fit for you and your horse.

(photo taken from barrelracingtips.com)

Be sure to check back next week for the last five barrel racing tips!

"In riding a horse we borrow freedom." --Helen Thomson

~ Saddle Up