The Barrel Racer’s Guide to Speed
Listen to this article in audio form! It’s #179 on the Barrel Racing Tips podcast.
Find the latest episodes and subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.
I’ve created a very special 10-page guide on the subject of SPEED, and how to get every bit of it you possibly can from your horse in competition.
And now The Barrel Racer’s Guide to Speed Development is available as FREE gift with purchase of Secrets to Barrel Racing Success.
In fact, I devoted the entire Speed Changes Everything chapter in ‘The Secrets’ to the topic, and went in-depth to discuss some of the main contributing factors, those being:
– Natural Talent
– Weight
– Soundness
– Conditioning
– Foot Placement
– Foundation
– Rider
Also described are the specific challenges speed presents to barrel racers and their horses, AND how to overcome them.
I could go on and on about speed!
In fact when I wrote this, I emailed the BarrelRacingTips.com community and shared EVEN MORE tips for helping to reveal speed in the barrel horse (if you don’t want to miss out on these additional winning tips, be sure to sign up below).
To give you a sneak peek into the Speed Guide, I’ve added an excerpt from the introduction below, as well as details describing what this rare guide reveals to barrel racers.
Enjoy the first page from The Barrel Racer’s Guide to Speed Development:
I once came across some great horsemanship advice that suggests we do our “feeling during the day and thinking at night.” I often remind myself of this in order to sustain a balance between the two. I’ll be the first to admit that over the years, I’ve done way more thinking than feeling.
It’s not that I haven’t gained a lot through having this tendency to be such a dedicated left-brain student, with a desire to analyze and figure out how things work and why. The trouble with many barrel racers, is that they don’t do enough thinking OR feeling. It’s all too common to get stuck going through the motions (we’ve all done it), not so much aware of what’s working, what’s not working, or why. As the famous quote by W.L. Bateman says…
“If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.”
Barrel racing has been in the stone age for too long when it comes to speed development. We breed for it, we (think) we train for it, we feed for it, but for the most part, it remains a gamble. Sometimes, we come across that “freak of nature” horse, or sometimes we stumble across the perfect recipe for explosive speed, by complete accident.
Like you, I had developed some ideas when it came to speed development based on what I’ve seen and experienced. We all look at everything through our own individual filters, based on our personal experiences. At first I thought that the truly fast horses were the Scamper-like “daisy clippers” with short cannon bones – lower legs that moved more like wheels. But then I’d come across extremely fast, leggy, race bred horses with knee action so high, when they ran it reminded me of a large, snorting Paso Fino. There were the horses that looked or felt fast but didn’t clock, and horses that looked slow and DID clock!?
It didn’t entirely make sense.
I learned that in most cases, observations like mine don’t even begin to touch the surface of what can be gained through a combination of studying the facts – the science of speed – AND really listening to, watching, and feeling our horse (the ultimate source of feedback), and then of course, in the end – the clock won’t lie.
Long story short, speed development has been just one of many areas where I had a feeling – there was more to it, than what I already knew.
Turns out, I was right.
The Barrel Racer’s Guide to Speed Development goes on to discuss the two foundational qualities of speed.
It includes a detailed comparison of two horses – one that’s fast, and one that’s quick (there IS a difference)!
The Speed Guide explains how you can determine which quality your horse lacks and how to develop one or the other.
It even goes as far as to include three different conditioning schedules based on your individual horse’s needs!
Most importantly though, it includes some specific precautions to take, so that you don’t make common mistakes that prevent your horse from fully expressing his speed in a run.
If you’re ready for the ALL the contents, click here to make The Secrets to Barrel Racing Success yours, and the Speed Guide will be yours as well – delivered to you within minutes via email.
How’s that for FAST!? 😉
Do you have these books available for Kindel?
Hi Ronda,
Thanks for asking! “Secrets to Barrel Racing Success” is available on Amazon.com both in print and for Kindle. The free gift(s) with purchase are currently only available as PDF ebooks (although there ARE ways to put a PDF ebook onto a kindle – click here for details on that). All the information, instructions and links for purchasing “The Secrets” and receiving “The Barrel Racer’s Guide to Speed Development” are available here.
I ordered your book but did not receive the Speed Guide. Is it available for download?
Hi Tammy, I’m sure you already have the Speed Guide (your comment was stuck in queue – so sorry!), click here to visit the Secrets to Barrel Racing Success page where you can complete a simple form to request and download it.
I bought the book & the online version & the training tips on line but didn’t get the “speed development” article. Is there any way I could get it since I have already bought the book? Thanks, Bebe Bertino
Hi Bebe,
You bet, I’m happy to help with that. You’ll just want to sign into your Amazon account to retreive your order number. Simply follow the steps to enter your order number (highlight, copy and paste from your Amazon order) in the form at on this page (the Secrets link in the navagation menu here at BarrelRacingTips.com), and it will be sent instantly! If you have any trouble feel free to email me at admin@barrelracingtips.com. Thanks for purchasing “Secrets to Barrel Racing Success!”
I just bought this book from amazon and I didn’t get anything for free??????????????????
Hi Tammy, I assume you have this resolved (your comment was unapproved in the queue as well), click here to visit the Secrets to Barrel Racing Success page where you can complete a simple form to request and download the Speed Guide.
I already have your book. I got it for Christmas two years ago. How can I get the speed development guide? Love your information and daily emails.
Hi Kelly,
If you can copy & paste an amazon order number you can enter it into the form on the Secrets to Barrel Racing Success page to receive the Speed Guide!
what is we already have the secrets to success book and just want to purchase the speed book is this an option?
You bet Tracy, just find your order number in your Amazon.com account and enter your info. in the form on the Secrets to Success page!
Heather, I ride a Shire in CGA, which includes barrel racing and pole bending. we will never be the fastest and thats ok but i want to do the best we can and get the most speed out of him that i can.
will your book and speed guide help us ?
Absolutely Norma, all the concepts will certainly apply!
trying to order the book in the link on the page the link above takes me to but it is a no working link. Do I just go to Amazon its self to order? If I do how do i register for the Speed development guide?
Hi Marti, did you click the “Shop Now” link on the “Secrets page?” I just tested all links and things are looking good from this end. It’s possible to order through amazon then just come back to the Secrets page to enter your order # and the Speed Guide will be on the way! I appreciate you asking and if you are able to be more specific about the link that doesn’t seem to work, I’ll look into it even further to ensure there aren’t any problems. Thanks!