Attn: Barrel Racers – new research shows you're no more likely to win if you whip, spur or yank/crank on your horse around the cloverleaf!
This is great news, it means no more excuses for those unsavories in Barrel Racing who beat on their horse around the barrels.
Oh, and all that wailing is actually more likely to increase those unwanted behaviors you've got a laundry list of excuses to dismiss. Those are actually your fault, yep.
On the contrary, horses that are whipped in the arena have a tendency to resist going into the arena, she said during a presentation at the 2012 conference of the International Society for Equitation Science. And the more horses are kicked, the more they have a tendency to rear up.
Christa Lesté-Lasserre, TheHorse.com
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I appreciate the fact that you addressed this issue, but I’m wondering why you didn’t open up about it. It’s a huge can of worms, is that why?
“…horses that are whipped in the arena have a tendency to resist going into the arena….” Well, duh!
A good training always the key to win to any competition. Treating your horse with respect and your horse will give you a pride. Keeping your horse is a commitment that you are giving a necessary care. We only wants to see that Horse Shows that the rider doesn’t abuse the horse.
Some horses actually do better if they are what you called ‘whipped’ between barrels since some need motivation.Barrel racers don’t whip their horses cause they can get away with it but believe it or not, horses tend to be born lazy,and occasionally need some help moving faster!one of my horses needs more than the other.She is naturally lazy, as most horses are.She doesn’t put out as much as she could be giving until I give her a reminder.she can run pretty freakin fast when she gets serious.however she doesn’t always need a bat.For some horses it takes very little encouragement, others a lot more than normal. It means everything to a barrel racer to have a horse that enjoys its job, not one that resists and resents the arena and barrels.Which also means they have to make the job enjoyable, and buy the feed that supports the horse’s joints under the pressure of rodeoing, be there for their horse, and do whats best for their horse and love on them.I don’t agree though with kicking/whipping the tar out of your horse when your horse is obviously giving it all he’s got already, that doesn’t suit me fine.Some horses are free runners. Others need a tap on the butt to serve as a reminder.It depends on the individual horse.You’re right, there is the rare abuser out there that gives barrel racing a bad name.that doesn’t mean every barrel racer doing the over-and-under is abusing their horse, since we don’t know their horse and what he’s like.We don’t know if he likes to drop his shoulder, duck out,or shut down early, or is a push-button type horse 🙂