Barrel Racing: Then and Now

Barrel racing is one of Equestrian Americas most popular pastimes. The first barrel race took place when women wanted an event to compete against each other that would be challenging. The idea they came up with was taking 55 gallon barrels and setting them up in a cloverleaf pattern. The pattern has one right turn and two lefts. They would take their husbands roping horses and see who could get through the course with the fastest time without knocking over the barrels.

Barrel racing today is more intricate. It is something that you and your horse have to be in tune with each other to compete in. It requires stamina, concentration and harmonization from both the rider and the horse. Running fast does not win a barrel race, there is much more to it than that. But how has barrel racing changed since then? How could something so easy be any different now.

To find out what has changed we go to the era of the True Cowgirl. When women were tough and horses swift. You didn't have all the gimmicks we have now, tack selection was low, you raced with what you had. There wasn't a saddle made specifically for barrel racing, so most were heavy roping saddles with low cantles and large horns. The bits of choice were usually larger bits, with long shanks. Stiff curb bits, mechanical hackamores and o-ring snaffles were the majority of what you saw in the rodeo arena. Attached to these bits were reins of thick webbing with a large rubber grip to better aid you in pulling your horse around the barrel. If your horse wore any protection on his legs, it wasn't much. Skid boots and splint boots were all that were offered. There was no neoprene or other orthopedic options.

The rider wore pants or slacks, jeans were mostly banned from arenas and shows. But perhaps the biggest tragedy of the mandatory use of these pants were done to the rider. The slacks were thin, they had a tendency to show things that you may wanted to be covered up. They had little grip in the saddle often causing catastrophes during a race. The plus side is they came in every color, but of course you had to have each one. Hats were worn, usually tall and had brims that curled up almost as high as the hat itself. Most competitors wore chaps to protect their legs from bumps and knocks. If you had a bat, it was held between your teeth until you needed it. It wasn't uncommon to see a horse trailer being pulled by a car instead of a truck. Your choices for a trailer were very slim, but if you had a roof on it was a luxury. There were no big rigs or living quarters on these, just enough to load your horse and go to the next rodeo.

Chiropractors, acupuncture and equine massage were unheard of. There were not supplements for your horses, joint or otherwise. Your main medical concerns were to keep your horse sound. Most did this by turning their horse out to pasture from when the show season ended, and bringing them out when it began again. You kept your horses mane roached and tail cut short so it would stay out of the way. Deworming was very rare, and if done it was by a veterinarian with a stomach tube. The event related experts we have now did not exist then.

The horses went through a different training method, as most were used for several events. The style of the times was more a grab your horse out of the field and go to the arena, race around the barrels and hope you did well. Riders more stood in the saddle and pushed and pulled their horse around the barrel. The horsemanship in the sport at the time was quite different then it is now, since most didn't really know what made a horse work, physically and mentally.

Since most horses and riders were all around, they were expected to do well in each class. They were not trained specifically for barrel racing, or for roping or any other event. When you went to purchase a horse, the ability to be versatile was the main concern. Then if you paid $5,000 for a horse, he better be an All-Around winner. A large amount of horses became barrel horses because they didn't excel at one event, and people would hand them off to barrel racers because all they did was race around the arena anyway. Breeding wasn't so much of an issue, as a horse needed heart and a great attitude to be able to do the things asked of him. Not much different than today.

The way the competitions were run is what has changed the most. The shows were all Open, there were not any age divisions, all ran in one class from beginner to professional. There wasn't the 1D, 2D, 3D or 4D format. A large class with more competitors and less chance to win, as most only gave ribbons or paid out to 4^th place. There were few events across the country as there were no regional associations. A few high school rodeos here and there, but not enough to satisfy the people that were further away. Most of the competitions were at saddle clubs. This was more affordable but still competitive.

You knew who you were running with and were willing to lend a helping hand if it was needed, and you knew you would get the same in return. You rooted for your competition and offered congratulations to the winner even if you didn't win, wouldn't you want the same? Of course there were the occasional bad apples, but you were there to have fun! If they wanted to make it something more, they could do it by themselves. Ground conditions were generally not the best, and made it difficult to run if you were at the bottom of the class. The wait time was dreadful since not only did you have to wait your turn in the huge class, but you usually had to wait for the pleasure events to end. But there were fun times too. Times when you would swap horses with a friend just too see if you could win with another horse. Relaxing times with you would run barrels all day than go for a trail ride after. Most people wouldn't think of doing either now as it may ruin their horse.

The ladies of that time are what real cowgirls are. Most of them are still in competition today, and still showing up the younger versions of themselves. They have evolved with the times, adding to the sport for the new generation coming in, making it easier for us to learn, to win.

We have been spoiled by their improvements. We now have saddles that are designed exclusively for barrel racing. They are light, have high cantles to better hold you in, tall thin horns for better grip, forward hung stirrups to keep us down in the saddle for those turns. There are so many types, brands and styles for us to choose from. We also have custom saddles to make sure it fits our horse accurately. Now there are bits made to correct a problem you may be having. Bits that lift, that whoa, bits that bend, that don't bend. So many styles to choose from, you can just as easily ruin your horse as fix him. But you have options now as to what will work on your horse, and what will not.

One of the greatest additions, and a very popular one, is the braided knot rein. Made to aid you in your barrel run by precisely placed knots to tell you where your hands should be. They come in a variety of colors, and are a favorite among most barrel racers. Another great option we have now is protection for our horses. We now have sports medicine boots to act as shock absorbers for our horses, they take the impact so the horse doesn't have to. There are now so many different types of trailers it sometimes hard to choose from, you want to get what is best for your horse and what you are going to be doing. Now trailers are hauled with trucks, and most truck and trailer combinations cost more than a house. Some trailers are a house but, living quarters are a luxury that few horse people can afford.

Our appearance in the ring has greatly changed. Jeans are on the majority of competitors, and hats come in many styles. Mostly barrel racers are rodeos version of a fashion show. Tack to match the outfit, to match the horse. You rarely see chaps on a contestant, but will see shin guards on an occasional few. We now not only have bats, but over-n-unders that attach to the saddle so you can find it and use it easier.

Along with the material extras, we are more advanced in the medical way of caring for our racers. With the many choices for joint supplements and veterinarians that specialize in our sport, we are able to prevent and care for any injury that may come along. Since most do not pasture their horses between show seasons, we need this to avoid leg and unsoundness issues. The chiropractors, acupuncturists, and equine massage specialists now can help your horse with any soreness he may have been having. We also have more knowledge and are more educated on how a horse works physically and mentally. This enables us to better our training methods for our specific event.

The way horses are bred and trained for barrels is a vast difference. Now horses are bred, trained and sold exclusively for barrel racing. But that isn't just for barrel racing, other events are the same way. You wouldn't buy a ranch bred horse to be a dressage prospect.

However, breeding or pedigree is a indicator, not the final word. Even if you have a stallion that was a proven barrel racer bred to a mare that barrel raced, you still have a foal that can be trained to do anything, he might not even be good at barrels. You can not always rely on papers to tell you the outcome of a horse. A more solid foundation is now put into barrel horses. This helps keep their mind sane and gives them the ability to compete to their full potential when they are older. Our style of turning is very different. We make sure we sit deep in the saddle during a turn, and more guide our horse around. Expense wise, horses are very costly now, you can hardly get a 2D/3D horse for under $5,000.

As for competitions, thanks to the National Barrel Horse Association we have more events all over the country, and also age and time divisional barrel racing. In NBHA shows, there are three divisions for you to compete in. Youth, for ages 18 years and under, Open for any age, and Senior for ages 50 and over. Along with this we now have the 4D format, which enables everyone a chance to win. You do not have to have the fastest horse to place and earn money. We also have several other countrywide associations, and many states have their own. There are more men competing now then there used to be, and more inexperienced people. But the new division format allows everyone to compete and place. Ground conditions have improved to meet the standards of what the horses physically need to do.

Various things that have changed as to the manners of racers. Some have become less patient for fellow participants getting to the ring. Their gate manners are slacking because they are inpatient to wait. Classes used to be much bigger, and we should appreciate the way they are divided now. We also have a tendency to wish it was easier to win today. With the 4D format, you are able to place and win a good amount of the purse. Before people could hardly come home with what they paid in entry fees. A lot of today's seasoned racers do not care for the new format because of how little you have to work to place. A big thing is there are more people just in it for the money. They push the little guys down just so they can be on top. Barrel racing should be fun, yes you want to win, but that is no reason to be unkind to your fellow competitors. Treat others as you want to be treated. It is very expensive to compete, and unless you are very good and running professionally you are probably going to just break even with the expense of buying a truck and trailer, training, entry fees and many others. There are still saddle clubs around that you can go to and have a good time.

The sport of barrel racing is something that will always be changing. There will always be something to improve, or something new to try. When someone who has been doing it for a while gives you a suggestion, you should open your ears and listen. After all, they have been winning for a while, and will continue to win, whether they share their secrets or not, because they remember the fun in it.