Dear Sharon,
I just got my new horse yesterday. Could you give me some tips to start him on barrels?
Dear Brooke,
I remember signing my book for you, The A.R.T. of Barrel Racing, at the Quarter Horse Congress! Please refer to page 20 on Training Bits. At this time, the most important thing you can do is to get to know your new horse, select training equipment for him (Reinsman #744 with Martingale #7762) and begin to identify his strengths and weaknesses along with his level of training. See my tack on this website or at the BarrelRacingSuperstore.com.
Address each accordingly. It would also be my suggestion that you locate a mentor, teacher or coach to help guide you through the training process. My recommendation would be to ride with a dressage trainer that will help you establish rhythm, suppleness, connection, forward and collection, all maneuvers that you will need to train an efficient and responsive barrel horse. Keep me posted on your progress. Hope to see you at one of my Eastern clinics.
Happy trails and safe rides,
Sharon