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Monday, November 23, 2009
TIMING, TIMING, TIMING!
TIMING TIMING TIMING
Barrel racing is all about timing! I have received several emails about problems in the pattern. Many of the problems stem from TIMING! The most important thing you can do is know your horse! Why do think certain teams win all the time. Usually the most winning teams the rider really knows her horse and they know each others every move while running full out.
There are things that change at every barrel race or rodeo; ground conditions, sights, noises, emotions, things that happen around you before your run or during. But there is ONE thing that never changes and that is you knowing how to execute a perfect run on your horse and your horse knowing how to pay attention to those cues, it's called MUSCLE MEMORY.
Once you and your horse are a team it all comes down to TIMING! Did they fire, where they lazy, did the long alley way or score change things for you, the approach to first, the ground fast, slow, sticky, deep, slick, shifty. I doubt that any barrel racer more then a few times a year says WOW perfect RUN, I think they all come out even after a win and can say I could of done this better.
Barrel racing is all about KNOWING your horse, your style and thinking about how you can get more snap, more fire, automatic rate, how much leg, hand, body or hussle to use, when to back off! Each horse is different, each rider is different!
My suggestion is to make notes after each run, video tape and review your runs. CHANGE ONE THING at a time so you know what is working and what is not working!
If you want to become consistent with your horse, if you want to shave off those last few tenths you must start thinking of the little things; health, conditioning, mental wellness, mental confidence, focus, perfect execution of your cues at top speeds, how to practice, warm up and prepare for those winning runs. Change ONE thing, make notes and build yourself into that WINNING TEAM!
Do not harp on your negatives, think MY HORSE is this way and I CAN RIDE that way! Then DO IT! Believe you me, I deal with it every day. I ride 6 to 8 different barrel horses a day and then at top speeds must execute perfect timing and the right cues on each one and each one requires a slightly different feel! While I may only compete on a few, the rest I am getting ready for clients, it's still in my muscle memory from the week of riding so it's key I get away about 2 drags before each run and SEE/visualize what that horse needs and try to execute in my run on them! It's all about TIMING once the training is DONE!
Tina Spangler - TLC
www.tlcbarrelhorsetraining.com
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