[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Not really, I've had horses that were harder to stop. I think only one time I was on a horse that just didn't stop. He wasn't mine. But I've always managed to get them stopped. I think it's just I've seen alot of barrel horses that were really stupid. I've always believed it was the training that made them that way, but I still wonder.

Mack is going to get a stop watch today, and we're going to practice, by first just timing me going straight lines. Just down the arena. That way I don't have to worry about anything but going straight. He thinks, and I agree that if I can see my self speeding up like that, then speeding up for the barrels will be easier. He thinks seeing improvement with real times will boost my confidence.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, that's worth a shot! I wondered if it would help to go to the arena in town and just gallop him ~full out~ around the arena a couple times, no barrels.

[Beaker]

I've watched barrel racing on TV, and while I know nothing about it at all, just that it's exciting to watch, I've noticed that a lot of the horses get REALLY hyped up at the gate. It's like there's a rocket under that rider's butt instead of a horse, and they look like they just want to explode. Yeah, I understand that fear ya got. :-) It makes me nervous just watching them at the gate.