Adios

Summer is coming up and I will be very busy with barrel racing and working and taking summer classes and getting a nice tan that I imagine I will not have a lot of time to keep blogging. I will keep my site up though in case anyone wishes to visit it while I am away, or I get a sudden urge to post a blog. But, I imagine this is the last one for awhile. I hope any visitors learned a little about what barrel racing is, some of the ups and downs and answers to a few questions one might have. I hope that my love of the sport came out in my posts and that I perhaps sparked an interest in others.
Best sung by Roy Rogers,
"Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again!"

                                                  Whitley and Alibi, 2012

home-made acronym

B- blood, sweat and tears
A- attitude. It is all about a winning attitude.
R- ready. preparation is key
R- rodeo! the best outlet to compete in barrel racing.
E- energy. sometimes it's hard, but you gotta keep going. and going. and going....
L- luck. when preparation meets opportunity


R- run fast! obviously, its a timed event so its all about speed
A- addicted. competing in barrel racing is heavily addicting,  proceed with caution
C- cowboys. one of the highlights of being a cowgirl
I- importance. BR has to be a priority in order to be successful
N- never weaken. never give up.
G- giddy up! (cheesy, but cute)

barrel racing gone WILD

Here are some youtube videos I found of some pretty gnarly barrel racing accidents. Enjoy :0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywWy-xcyS-M   OUCH!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm9yhPZYc9Y&feature=related beer beer beer beer beer beer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDtERokwFXI  "let the bodies hit the floor" (get it?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzLWGRLY02Y&feature=related bloopers

He said / She said

good ol' barrel racing quotes and such:


3 barrels
2 hearts
1 dream
tUrN n' BuRn

barrel racing is a drag race ...with a few detours



Barrel Racers Prayer

Lord, I might seem so little
Sitting up here all alone
Astride the mountain of a horse
You made of muscle, of bone.
But, together we're a team, Lord
With one goal in mind,
To make it around the cloverleaf
In record breaking time.
Please, keep my horse surefooted,
Let me hang on to my quirt.
Racing around those barrels
With one stirrup in the dirt.
As we make that last runaround
And we quickly race for home.
Win or lose, record or not,
With you we're never alone.
I thank You for being there,
Keeping my horse and me safe
And Lord, with your divine help,
We will compete in our next race.

What makes a good barrel horse?

Although many different breeds of horses could ultimately run the barrel pattern, it takes a certain type of horse to do it the fastest. Thoroughbreds are generally the fastest horses on earth, but generally lack the body composition to stop and turn on a dime. A quarter horse is the ideal horse used for barrel racing. Their conformation generally follows these guidelines:

A good shoulder angle - 45° is the ideal, if the shoulder is too vertical then the horse's strides will be too short and choppy.

A short/compact back: Horses with longer backs have weaker backs as it is more difficult to support the length.

Clean legs: Being over, under or tied in at the knee weakens the front legs and makes it harder for a horse to absorb the shock created from running. Being sickle-hocked or cow-hocked causes the footfalls of the hind feet to be less efficient and that can slow a horse down.

Strong hindquarters: All of the power in a good barrel horse comes from it's back end, so it needs to have a strong hip, a proper croup and can't have "post legs".

Being either level or slightly uphill (rear end shorter than shoulder): Being uphill makes it easier for a horse to collect themselves during turns since conformationally, they're already carrying much of their weight on their back legs.

And of course, more than anything, a big heart that WANTS to ruN!

What's the fastest time?

I get this question a lot and the answer, there is none. The size of arena depicts the time that wins that race. So, 13 seconds may win at one place and 16 at another. I'm sure there is some record time of 12. something in some arena, but that doesn't mean it's the fastest run ever because it was just ran in a smaller pen.

Actually,

I think this wiener dog has the fastest time of 5 seconds>>>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWpDOuVaYxohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWpDOuVaYxo

Who invented barrel racing???

This past weekend I got angry at barrel racing and wondered who invented the sport in the first place. I guess there is no one person or clear cut answer, but this is what I found:

It was created by women, for women. I guess a group of gals started setting up empty barrels in a triangle and seeing who could weave in and out of the obstacle the fastest. Their husbands were off riding bulls and roping calves, so they wanted to compete in something amongst themselves. This was in the early 40's and the rules have stayed pretty much the same ever since.

So, there ya go. It isn't the oldest sport in the books, but it certainly is the greatest!

I apologize for being angry at it

Trials and Tribulations of Barrel Racing

I'm stressed. I have so much homework and exams to study for. I have to worry about working and all that crap. It is hardest to make yourself go out and practice and do chores when there is so much more weighing on your mind. Everyone thinks "horseback riding" is sooo fun and I'm lucky because I get to do it EVERy day. I agree, I am very blessed to have the oppertunity but it's no stroll in the park. When I work my ass off to have money to enter $300 worth of barrel races this weekend, I can't afford to loose.  I mean I do, but that just means I have to work that much harder the next week to make it up. Honestly, I do not want to go out and ride and clean stalls and feed my herd of animals. But I can't just take the night off and go do that stuff whenever I feel like it. My horse depends on me. Sometimes it is a great feeling, but tonight it sucks. It pisses me off so much when girl walk around pretending they're a cowgirl because they drive a truck or wear boots or ride a horse every now and then. This life is rewarding, but it is also very hard. Not just the physical exhaustion I feel every night when I finally come inside, but mentally just draining. So, if you were ever thinking of getting a horse and trying this sport of barrel racing, my advice is don't do it unless you can see past all the adrenaline rushes and rodeos to the grit of it all; everything else in your life will suffer because it has to be number one priority. I struggle with this myself but I've came to terms with it. So, sorry college and work and friends but I chose this lifestyle and am fully prepared to make the sacrifices. I love what I do and wouldn't change it for anything in the world, but ya, sometimes it sucks.
Ah, venting feels good.

Headed outside...

Want to see if for yourself?

Announcement!

There is a barrel bash in Columbia, MO this coming weekend (March 23-25) at the fairgrounds. $5,500 is added and girls from all over the country will be competing for a shot at it. Admission is free and the race will run Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. 

Come out and support the sport!


If you have any questions feel free to ask. I will be competing so wish me luck :)

So, what's barrel racing anyways?

Hey fellow bloggers! I'd like to begin my blog with a sort of informative. The majority of my followers have probably never even heard of barrel racing. It is a unique spot that involves horse and rider, an electronic timer and three 55 gallon metal barrels. These barrels are set up in a triangle and the goal is run around them in a cloverleaf pattern, fastest time wins.
Seems easy enough, right?

Wrong.
The concept in itself is quite simple, but in order to be successful in barrel racing, one needs more than just a fast horse.
Just like any sport, it takes a lot of practice and determination.

Follow my blog to learn more about this unique sport and what it takes to be a winner, in and out of the arena :)