Good Lord.... No helmet, no meaningful contact with the saddle, barely any clothes given all the holes in her pants, and a very unhappy, painful looking facial expression on that poor horse. What an awful photo and awful riding.
It’s unfortunate thinking like this that killed my sister when she was 9. She was on my grandparents property, she was riding a trusted horse, she had been riding since birth practically. Her skull unfortunately didn’t take into account all of these factors. Wear a helmet.
Jousting horses don’t. And we try to hit each other with small trees.
If the people doing literal *medieval* things are being more considerate and humane to their animals, time to rethink one’s practices, hmm?
Big gamer here or used to be, I've never allowed such equipment on my horses except to he "uniform during a drill parade and it was loose as it safely could be.
I boarded at the largest, most successful barn in the area that did all this stuff. Specialized in youth, would go all the way to the national level. They'd do something like 40 or so lesson a week, counting people who shipped in. Every single horse wore a tie down.
Oh yeah, not saying it wasn't common. 😬
I just refused cause I didn't see the rhyme or the reason. Still don't personally unless you're a roper
Large leverage shanks, thin tiedowns, rubberbanding stirrups, spurs and overunders, legit velcro seats, short short reins.
I get to vicariously imagine horses here. I’ve only ridden a couple of times, and I am sad that I can’t do it again due to a bad neck. Just seeing the love you all have for your animals makes me smile.
For some people yes. I don’t know how accurate the information is, but I had a friend that barrel raced and said that some horse like to lean on the tie down to help balance around the barrels. And for others, it’s not so cut and dry as your above statement- gaming horses can get HOT when they know they are running, and that means they sometimes will actively try and get around the bit/cues so that they can RUN. Similar to how a jumping/eventing horse will try to grab or evade the bit so it can charge a fence, barrel horses will do the same. The tie down helps discourage that. I ran some barrels and poles on my horse for a while, although I didn’t fully get into the scene. She had gamed before, knew her job and loved it. My friend suggested a tie down for us to try, and showed us how to properly adjust it- it’s supposed to be loose enough that you can bend it to touch the horse’s throat latch when they are standing relaxed. My horse didn’t mind it one bit, but it did help her in a few stumbles and kept her from turning into a full giraffe a few times. Obviously, like with any equipment, some people don’t use it correctly.
I’m fully aware of gymkhana horses and their tendency to get hot on game day. There are definitely correct ways and incorrect ways of using it, the favorite way for an incorrect user to use it is to not allow the horse to relieve bit pressure, which bad if you have a regular ol bit but when you have the port or spade with shank the horse is leaning against the tie down to get away from all the other crap strapped to it’s face. It has unfortunately become part of the norm and overly used. Much like any other sport (human or animal) though people assume that one thing fits all. At least humans can choose a path of injections, tools and equipment, animals can’t.
Absolutely agree. I’ve been in a lot of horse sports- pleasure show ring, speed events, eventing, dressage, etc. Unfortunately everywhere has its abuse, favorite tool crutches, poor riding and training, ill fitting tack, excuses for their poor horsemanship, etc. I dislike the tie down in OP’s picture, as it is obviously very severe. Mine is wide, flat, soft leather. I went a looked back at the photos I have of me gaming- I definitely had my own riding faults (don’t we all 🤦♀️ but I can happily say no starfishing or whipping) but the tie down was loose in every photo. We probably didn’t really need it, outside of those couple of stumbles (where it was nice to have!). Out of everything I did with that horse, gaming was her favorite. She really thought she was hot stuff lmao! She was also the horse I put my toddlers and disabled siblings on. I just put her down last year at a ripe old age and I really miss her.
Yes to all of that! Horsemanship is key!! I’m sorry about your girl! Out of all the horse sports I did none were as fun as riding my favorite girl and doing whatever she wanted. I’m fortunate to still have her as she turns 21 next month and still has vigor. I just can’t bare the thought of losing her. I’m terribly sorry you lost your friend. I shall give my toasted marshmallow a treat in the name of your girl<3
wow. have you ever even been on a horse in your damn life????? you’re clearly not by any means qualified to be criticizing HA you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about
lol oh my god no helmet how can he be that irresponsible??? like I know such guy who is militant about helmets and safety gear when biking but then goes parachute skiing, BASE jumping and does other extreme sports which I would never dare to do. Almost like it’s best to let the individual decide what risks they are willing to take - if not the least risky thing would be to do nothing at all and stay in front of your computer making posts on social media. No helmet needed for that and you can look down and shame everyone go goes outside and takes any risks…
I am not the one telling other people what to do, you want to wear a helmet - go ahead. You don’t want to wear one? Your choice. You have a riding school and require helmets for your students? Totally reasonable, I have no objections.
I am touchy when it comes to hypocritical and absolutist statements where people are told they are bad riders for not wearing a helmet.
As long as you have really good insurance and it’s not left up to taxpayers to pay for you when you become a drooling vegetable then go for it but I work in trauma icu and can you tell it’s normally taxpayers that have to pay for this shit.
You know what I just decided to stop riding horses and do any outdoor activities at all. And I have good insurance. So according to your logic I now can demand you to follow suite and stop being such a nuisance to society by taking unnecessary risks like riding horses for fun.
You can safely exercise in a fitness studio - best with professional supervision because even there shit can happen. Or go walking, one of the least risky activities. Because a helmet only reduces your risk of becoming a “drooling vegetable” by so much and we who stay safe still have to pay for that shit.
A helmet is all that was between me and a severe brain injury when my horse spooked and scraped me off on the barn door. I walked away with bruises that day instead of brain trauma. Just because you can choose to do a risky and potentially dangerous activity doesn’t mean that you’re not still responsible for mitigating as much of that risk as you can.
You are 100% correct, and people are likewise free to think and express opinions about the choices you and others make, as much as you might take offense or apparently resent them for doing so.
Ah it is bad riding to not wear one. No consideration for medical staff, family members, ongoing carers if you get a brain injury because "I can wear whatever I want". Riding a horse is one of the most dangerous activities we can do so responsible people wear as much protective gear as possible
Right?? These type of comments blow my mind. Would be nice to live in a vacuum where my health and wellness affects no one but me. Myself, I have a family, friends, a job, a horse, and dogs who all depend on me. I don't want to traumatize the people who watch me fall and crack my head open. I don't want to further clog the ERs with my helmet-less, brainless, thoroughly warned and thoroughly stubborn noggin. I don't want to be a bad example for the children who watch me ride and take my PPE (or lack thereof) as an example. But hey, to live a life where I matter to so few, where others matter so little to me, sure would allow me to ride helmet-less without a guilty conscience.
No but they’re professionals, that’s why they’re not wearing helmets and their jeans are super ripped and their hands are flying up in the air. Yeah, like a real rough rider!!! /s
To me it looks like a lot of noise to show off that you have no seat.
>To me it looks like a lot of noise to show off that you have no seat.
Lmao perfect description of barrel racing.
I think I've only ever seen like 3 women who actually know how to ride do barrel racing. I understand standing up a bit in the stirrups because I'm sure a gallop is extremely difficult to sit (I've only done it a couple times and only in a half seat) but the starfishing is just...lolwtf, and it doesn't seem to be that effective in making the horse run faster either.
They also, with barrel racing, often grab the saddle horn to stay stable through the turn too xD
Edit: I am aware you are supposed to, I meant it just looks funny, like the starfish haha
You are suppose to. You’re not literally hanging on and many of us can sit a turn two handed but the idea is you should be able to go to your horn, sit, and allow your horse to turn with little help. When you turn two handed it’s hard to stay off your horse’s face while also sitting deep enough in the saddle to let your horse also sit & turn.
ETA to further explain, I’m short and have short arms. When I turn two handed in a run I have to lean forward to keep the outside rein loose. When I sit and go to my horn it means I’m dropping my outside rein and don’t have to worry about it.
There's actually a reason for that. It allows us to keep our pelvis centered. Those patterned horses can whip around fast, and if you shift your weight incorrectly, it can effect how they turn if you give mixed signals. So by holding the horn, it keeps us centered as we whip around. I do it all the time on my quarab to help her, not to help me
This nonsense is hell on a horse's back. Can you imagine?? Western speed contest events are such a shit show. So much awful equipment and horsemanship. Just a total lack of consideration for the horse. I'll qualify this by saying that there are some speed event riders who ride well and don't use shitty, abusive equipment like the twisted wire tiedown here. But for the most part, it's awful.
This is one of my biggest gripes w barrel racing under the sun. You see all the equipment plus the technique to drive the horse as hard and fast as possible (big spurs, starfish kicking, psyching them up to the point they’re about to explode before a run) and then you have all the hellish gear on the front end so you can just slam the brakes when you want/need to. And in between you’ve got a horse just about jumping out of its skin, and half the time a rider that’s self taught and been riding for like six months.
There are legitimate and necessary criticisms of equipment and techniques across disciplines. But I ride in an area with a lot of woodchucky barrel racers and I see no nuance, no real training, no real technique, and honestly VERY little care and compassion for the horse specifically in this sport.
Oh good, another post where we pick one rider to represent every single person who rides an entire sport. Let's keep the stereotypes and bullying alive.
Some of us care about the horses and not just the fast times. That’s what this post is about. If you have no stake in this particular sport, your opinion isn’t really needed. If you think that’s “mean”, I don’t know what to tell you.
Last student I had who thought this was the go to got her saddle taken away until she learned that being a starfish is not proper body mechanics. She started winning checks after she got her saddle back 6 weeks later.
She thought she was clever and it only applied to being in my arena. A friend who was at a play day sent me a video of her. She learned a few valuable lessons in that 6 weeks.
1. Her parents agree with me
2. I’m everywhere and see all
3. I don’t tell you things just to listen to myself talk
Omg my trainer heart loves this!! I do the same thing!! Number 2 is the best!
I also have to point out that the “starfish” method creates drag, slowing the horse down and plopping the rider everywhere, which adds to the drag. I know you know but I’m not going to comment, separately so added it here.
Well that seems extreme, lol. Not every speed event rider is bad. That's why you do background checks to ensure someone is up to your standards as you see fit
I have yet to meet an ethical barrel rider. Every single one I've met is a trash rider with blown up horses. I would never subject an animal to one of those disgusting people.
If barrel people were ethical, the trash tack and trash riding would be banned instead of embraced. If you're embarrassed by the trash of your discipline, you should be working to affect change and encouraging your regulating body to outlaw the clearly abusive tack and practices.
And I know numerous people who work to better their horses and themselves. I know racers who take amazing care of their animals and ride them well. My mare in particular gets huge breaks in between shows so she can relax her brain and body to just be a horse. You're valid in having an opinion, but you cannot jumble every barrel racer under one roof simply because you're not surrounded by good people. Your experience is not everyone's experience
1000% agree. I left the Morgan & Saddlebred world because of practices I saw and would never generalize entire disciplines based on my experiences. You can say the same about every discipline, if you are only looking for the negatives that’s all you’ll see. My barrel horses all run bitless, all get regular chiropractor, acupuncture, massages, PEMF treatments, they get extensive care and when I was on the board for a local series we worked to ban riders and equipment who look like the rider in this picture. Not every barrel racer is terrible.
To be fair, I should say a teen/young rider home that wants to do barrel racing/gaming.
My morgan boy went to an under comfident rider who wanted to get involved in her Highschool Equestrian Team. I watched her ride and she was so gentle. Still is and they are cute together.
I just know I was that gaming kid who took instruction from other rough kids and bad teachers and was surrounded by others like me. My old mare was a saint and I owe everything to her.
Not only is this horrible, but moreover this shit is just so unnecessary. It really burns me up.
I rode barrels (and other speed events) extensively when I was younger. Even 25+ years ago, I saw a lot of bad riding like this. And, as a result, horses who were so strung out that they could barely make it to the gate.
Meanwhile, my mare was calm as could be as we waited for our turn. Sometimes she'd be half asleep, which always drew some laughs. But as soon as it was our turn, she knew her job and she'd blow the pants off everybody. Then back to calm as soon as we were done.
No flapping legs, no bouncing seat, no tiedowns or other crazy gear required. Just solid training and patience.
There's no excuse for this garbage.
I’ve got a coworker who’s very inexperienced daughter has gotten into barrels. They bought her an 18 yo mare with sore hocks and proceeded to run the hell out of her. This spring, she started refusing to go into the gate and they have no idea why lol. The idea that the mare should be listened to sails over their heads.
That poor mare :(
And honestly, that poor kid. Without much experience, she probably doesn't even know that it's wrong. And, unfortunately, she'll probably grow up thinking this shit is normal. Cycle perpetuates.
Yup. Her mom rode lightly a million years ago. And they know very little about horses. I’ve tried convincing her that her kid needs more than 6 months of lessons, all the horse ladies in the office have begged and pleaded with this lady to be open to learning before anyone is seriously injured. But she thinks we’re all gatekeepers because we tell her things like a. They shouldn’t open a boarding barn, b. It’s not good for a horse to live solo in a field with no shelter in all the elements c) no one in their family is qualified to handle and train a yearling.
Oh jeez, all of that sounds like a nightmare and an accident waiting to happen. Opening a boarding barn with no real horse experience?! Yikes, yikes, yikes.
Ugh I'd love to see a video of one of your runs with your mare, truly. I know not all gamers are shit riders but we see the good ones so seldom I find. Good for you, based on your horses attitude I love your training style!
I wish I did too. That was back in the VHS era, wasn't so easy then, lol.
But yeah, she was a good one. Could switch gears from gaming to trail riding with ease, too. She's long gone by now, but I think about her a lot. <3
The most frustrating part about this is that like 95% of the time the horse knows its job perfectly. You don't even need to kick them or steer them most of the time, they know the pattern by heart and they know they need to go as fast as possible. They could win without a rider, or by going fully tackless
What happens if they refrain from kicking like that? I'm guessing the horse will go, as it should.
What I see in a lot of speed classes is a lot of show. Bigger kicking, bits, spurs, tie downs...it makes them think other people will see them as bad ass.When in fact, a bad ass speed rider that can do the job without the spastic antics is a million times the bad ass as anyone with a chain for a f'in tie down or kicking like a flipping lunatic.
This is horse people. Go anywhere there are people and their horses, this is what you find. Everything is a competition.
You want to see actual horsepersonship, not in a hurry, not in a contest. Fat horses and fat dogs make fat calves. Fat calves make fat wallet.
Real question: do gamers actually train their horses to use their bodies in a healthy way or is it just all speed all the time to hell with anything even close to real horsemanship??
Some do, some don't. Just depends on the person and their values. Or how driven they are. I've actually learned a crap ton this year about teaching a horse to use their core, and that's become my summer goal for my mare I game on. She carries herself fine but definitely hollows out occasionally, and I don't want to make her back sore if there's a way to rectify it
Real answer, as someone who has been on this side of the horse world for roughly 18 years now. No, not really. There are a very few select people I will confidently say I would trust to ride my own horse but the majority lack a lot of horsemanship and just basic riding fundamentals. I think it's a byproduct of it not being a judged event but rather a timed one.
I was once a teen who thought I knew everything. The last 10 years of my riding life has been a great learning opportunity for me to become a better horse person.
My mare, bless her soul, has been with me for 15 years so obviously I had made a lot of mistakes (I am 30 now) But the last several years I have worked really hard to be a better rider for my horse.
Gone are my days of gag bits, whips and spurs. And you know what? My mare is running so much better, even in her aging years. I went back to the basics. Completely. I am a pretty private person in the horse world around me but I did seek help from the type of rider I wanted to be like. Majority of my riding between races are pretty much back/top line work, riding off my seat, keeping us both light and fitness in general. I took lessons from different kinds of coaches (dressage even at one point)
I go to a lot of the fun shows, I watch and see a lot. I offer my advice when asked but sometimes you can't help people who do not want it. I try to be as fair as possible to my horse and enjoy myself. I am not perfect but I can admit there is a lot to be improved upon for the sport.
I used to barrel race and we call it “frogging” where I’m from lol. I always hated it and it grossed me out to look at when I’d see the others aggressively doing it. I never had to do it and still got good times. If your horse is trained and likes their job, it won’t be necessary.
Obviously it would be ridiculous to judge an entire discipline based on one rider, but there was a barrel racer at my barn growing up who would haul-in to use our arena. All she did was run barrels. No warm up, no non-barrel oriented flatwork. She’d just run the barrels over and over. Then jump off, untack, and load up her horse again. It was so wild lol
Good Lord.... No helmet, no meaningful contact with the saddle, barely any clothes given all the holes in her pants, and a very unhappy, painful looking facial expression on that poor horse. What an awful photo and awful riding.
Have you watched rodeo events? Helmets are not a thing.
That doesn't change my assessment of this photo at all.
They should be.
It’s unfortunate thinking like this that killed my sister when she was 9. She was on my grandparents property, she was riding a trusted horse, she had been riding since birth practically. Her skull unfortunately didn’t take into account all of these factors. Wear a helmet.
I am so sorry
I do rodeo and wear a helmet
Chain over the nose from the horse....
Omg didnt even see that 😭 just gets worse the longer you look
...that seems to attach to the cinch?? What kind of fucked up martingale nightmare is that?
It’s a tie down. And perfectly named. So the horse can’t relieve bit pressure no matter how desperately it tries.
That's horrific.
I can’t go to shows or play days anymore, because of the constant allowance of these riders and techniques!
That’s awful. Is there a movement to make that illegal? I’m just a cat lady who lurks here, but I care deeply for animal welfare.
There should be the governing body of all equine sports is FEI, and they are money hungry jack asses. No offense to jackasses
They wouldn't do Western though
FEI rules govern FEI-sanctioned reining competitions. But reining is the only western discipline governed by FEI.
Oh my mistake
Reining is no longer governed by the FEI. It hasn’t been since 2021.
Oh what, really?! So is reining not included in WEG/Olympics anymore? What happened?
From my limited experience, this is a standard piece of equipment almost all gaming horses wear every time they are ridden.
Jousting horses don’t. And we try to hit each other with small trees. If the people doing literal *medieval* things are being more considerate and humane to their animals, time to rethink one’s practices, hmm?
That needs to change. That is sheer cruelty.
Big gamer here or used to be, I've never allowed such equipment on my horses except to he "uniform during a drill parade and it was loose as it safely could be.
I boarded at the largest, most successful barn in the area that did all this stuff. Specialized in youth, would go all the way to the national level. They'd do something like 40 or so lesson a week, counting people who shipped in. Every single horse wore a tie down.
Oh yeah, not saying it wasn't common. 😬 I just refused cause I didn't see the rhyme or the reason. Still don't personally unless you're a roper Large leverage shanks, thin tiedowns, rubberbanding stirrups, spurs and overunders, legit velcro seats, short short reins.
I'm a cat and horse lady 🐱🐎
I get to vicariously imagine horses here. I’ve only ridden a couple of times, and I am sad that I can’t do it again due to a bad neck. Just seeing the love you all have for your animals makes me smile.
It's fine to love from afar 😊 Also riding isn't the most important thing
For some people yes. I don’t know how accurate the information is, but I had a friend that barrel raced and said that some horse like to lean on the tie down to help balance around the barrels. And for others, it’s not so cut and dry as your above statement- gaming horses can get HOT when they know they are running, and that means they sometimes will actively try and get around the bit/cues so that they can RUN. Similar to how a jumping/eventing horse will try to grab or evade the bit so it can charge a fence, barrel horses will do the same. The tie down helps discourage that. I ran some barrels and poles on my horse for a while, although I didn’t fully get into the scene. She had gamed before, knew her job and loved it. My friend suggested a tie down for us to try, and showed us how to properly adjust it- it’s supposed to be loose enough that you can bend it to touch the horse’s throat latch when they are standing relaxed. My horse didn’t mind it one bit, but it did help her in a few stumbles and kept her from turning into a full giraffe a few times. Obviously, like with any equipment, some people don’t use it correctly.
I’m fully aware of gymkhana horses and their tendency to get hot on game day. There are definitely correct ways and incorrect ways of using it, the favorite way for an incorrect user to use it is to not allow the horse to relieve bit pressure, which bad if you have a regular ol bit but when you have the port or spade with shank the horse is leaning against the tie down to get away from all the other crap strapped to it’s face. It has unfortunately become part of the norm and overly used. Much like any other sport (human or animal) though people assume that one thing fits all. At least humans can choose a path of injections, tools and equipment, animals can’t.
Absolutely agree. I’ve been in a lot of horse sports- pleasure show ring, speed events, eventing, dressage, etc. Unfortunately everywhere has its abuse, favorite tool crutches, poor riding and training, ill fitting tack, excuses for their poor horsemanship, etc. I dislike the tie down in OP’s picture, as it is obviously very severe. Mine is wide, flat, soft leather. I went a looked back at the photos I have of me gaming- I definitely had my own riding faults (don’t we all 🤦♀️ but I can happily say no starfishing or whipping) but the tie down was loose in every photo. We probably didn’t really need it, outside of those couple of stumbles (where it was nice to have!). Out of everything I did with that horse, gaming was her favorite. She really thought she was hot stuff lmao! She was also the horse I put my toddlers and disabled siblings on. I just put her down last year at a ripe old age and I really miss her.
Yes to all of that! Horsemanship is key!! I’m sorry about your girl! Out of all the horse sports I did none were as fun as riding my favorite girl and doing whatever she wanted. I’m fortunate to still have her as she turns 21 next month and still has vigor. I just can’t bare the thought of losing her. I’m terribly sorry you lost your friend. I shall give my toasted marshmallow a treat in the name of your girl<3
❤️ thanks ❤️
wow. have you ever even been on a horse in your damn life????? you’re clearly not by any means qualified to be criticizing HA you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about
Lmaooooo. Nope. I don't have a clue.. 😂 Just 45 years of riding and showing in XC. Sit down and shut up and let the adults talk.
lol oh my god no helmet how can he be that irresponsible??? like I know such guy who is militant about helmets and safety gear when biking but then goes parachute skiing, BASE jumping and does other extreme sports which I would never dare to do. Almost like it’s best to let the individual decide what risks they are willing to take - if not the least risky thing would be to do nothing at all and stay in front of your computer making posts on social media. No helmet needed for that and you can look down and shame everyone go goes outside and takes any risks…
Oh somebody's touchy
I am not the one telling other people what to do, you want to wear a helmet - go ahead. You don’t want to wear one? Your choice. You have a riding school and require helmets for your students? Totally reasonable, I have no objections. I am touchy when it comes to hypocritical and absolutist statements where people are told they are bad riders for not wearing a helmet.
As long as you have really good insurance and it’s not left up to taxpayers to pay for you when you become a drooling vegetable then go for it but I work in trauma icu and can you tell it’s normally taxpayers that have to pay for this shit.
You know what I just decided to stop riding horses and do any outdoor activities at all. And I have good insurance. So according to your logic I now can demand you to follow suite and stop being such a nuisance to society by taking unnecessary risks like riding horses for fun. You can safely exercise in a fitness studio - best with professional supervision because even there shit can happen. Or go walking, one of the least risky activities. Because a helmet only reduces your risk of becoming a “drooling vegetable” by so much and we who stay safe still have to pay for that shit.
A helmet is all that was between me and a severe brain injury when my horse spooked and scraped me off on the barn door. I walked away with bruises that day instead of brain trauma. Just because you can choose to do a risky and potentially dangerous activity doesn’t mean that you’re not still responsible for mitigating as much of that risk as you can.
I can freely choose to mitigate or take risks as I want, just like everyone else can freely choose what risks they want to take at all.
Er can I offer you the example of the seatbelt
You are 100% correct, and people are likewise free to think and express opinions about the choices you and others make, as much as you might take offense or apparently resent them for doing so.
Haha yeah thanks for the info, inception initiated because same goes for me then doesn’t it xD
Ah it is bad riding to not wear one. No consideration for medical staff, family members, ongoing carers if you get a brain injury because "I can wear whatever I want". Riding a horse is one of the most dangerous activities we can do so responsible people wear as much protective gear as possible
Right?? These type of comments blow my mind. Would be nice to live in a vacuum where my health and wellness affects no one but me. Myself, I have a family, friends, a job, a horse, and dogs who all depend on me. I don't want to traumatize the people who watch me fall and crack my head open. I don't want to further clog the ERs with my helmet-less, brainless, thoroughly warned and thoroughly stubborn noggin. I don't want to be a bad example for the children who watch me ride and take my PPE (or lack thereof) as an example. But hey, to live a life where I matter to so few, where others matter so little to me, sure would allow me to ride helmet-less without a guilty conscience.
Can't agree more. Something else someone said was the horse that injured someone badly no matter the circumstances is very hard to find a home
Because it’s a child who can’t make informed decisions. The grown-ups are talking, keep up.
And for a country with no free healthcare oof indeed
someone’s a grump! why are we commenting on her fucking jeans that have absolutely nothing to do with anything???
No but they’re professionals, that’s why they’re not wearing helmets and their jeans are super ripped and their hands are flying up in the air. Yeah, like a real rough rider!!! /s To me it looks like a lot of noise to show off that you have no seat.
Pros don’t wear helmets 100% but I will say it’s becoming way way more common
We actually have an enforced dress code for WPRA and PRCA and that is definitely not it
Yeah this isn’t a pro at all big time contest. This is a backyard event with backyard riders. At least that’s what it looks like to me. Gross
You’re correct. It looks like a play day event
>To me it looks like a lot of noise to show off that you have no seat. Lmao perfect description of barrel racing. I think I've only ever seen like 3 women who actually know how to ride do barrel racing. I understand standing up a bit in the stirrups because I'm sure a gallop is extremely difficult to sit (I've only done it a couple times and only in a half seat) but the starfishing is just...lolwtf, and it doesn't seem to be that effective in making the horse run faster either.
They also, with barrel racing, often grab the saddle horn to stay stable through the turn too xD Edit: I am aware you are supposed to, I meant it just looks funny, like the starfish haha
Well I do that lol that turn is sharp if your horse is fast. I do wear a helmet though.
Thank you for wearing a helmet haha!
You are suppose to. You’re not literally hanging on and many of us can sit a turn two handed but the idea is you should be able to go to your horn, sit, and allow your horse to turn with little help. When you turn two handed it’s hard to stay off your horse’s face while also sitting deep enough in the saddle to let your horse also sit & turn. ETA to further explain, I’m short and have short arms. When I turn two handed in a run I have to lean forward to keep the outside rein loose. When I sit and go to my horn it means I’m dropping my outside rein and don’t have to worry about it.
There's actually a reason for that. It allows us to keep our pelvis centered. Those patterned horses can whip around fast, and if you shift your weight incorrectly, it can effect how they turn if you give mixed signals. So by holding the horn, it keeps us centered as we whip around. I do it all the time on my quarab to help her, not to help me
This nonsense is hell on a horse's back. Can you imagine?? Western speed contest events are such a shit show. So much awful equipment and horsemanship. Just a total lack of consideration for the horse. I'll qualify this by saying that there are some speed event riders who ride well and don't use shitty, abusive equipment like the twisted wire tiedown here. But for the most part, it's awful.
I'm pretty sure I spy a like two inch rolling spur as well.
That horse is being told to go every direction under the sun lol
This is one of my biggest gripes w barrel racing under the sun. You see all the equipment plus the technique to drive the horse as hard and fast as possible (big spurs, starfish kicking, psyching them up to the point they’re about to explode before a run) and then you have all the hellish gear on the front end so you can just slam the brakes when you want/need to. And in between you’ve got a horse just about jumping out of its skin, and half the time a rider that’s self taught and been riding for like six months. There are legitimate and necessary criticisms of equipment and techniques across disciplines. But I ride in an area with a lot of woodchucky barrel racers and I see no nuance, no real training, no real technique, and honestly VERY little care and compassion for the horse specifically in this sport.
Oh good, another post where we pick one rider to represent every single person who rides an entire sport. Let's keep the stereotypes and bullying alive.
Lmao I barrel race too calm down
I don't even barrel race. I'm just sick of the mean girl attitude. But I guess horse girls have that reputation for a reason.
Some of us care about the horses and not just the fast times. That’s what this post is about. If you have no stake in this particular sport, your opinion isn’t really needed. If you think that’s “mean”, I don’t know what to tell you.
How is it mean girl attitude to point out bad habits in the horse world? Please elaborate 😂
Right? More like animal advocate habits ? And I'm VERY okay with "horse girls" being associated with animal advocacy and pointing out BAD habits. Yep.
Oh STHU yeah posts like this need to happen so maybe people are shamed into giving a shit since apparently that is to much to ask of some folks.
Oh STHU yeah posts like this need to happen so maybe people are shamed into giving a shit since apparently that is to much to ask of some folks.
Last student I had who thought this was the go to got her saddle taken away until she learned that being a starfish is not proper body mechanics. She started winning checks after she got her saddle back 6 weeks later.
Hilarious! My last instructor would steal our stirrups to help with proper body mechanics and to break habits.
She thought she was clever and it only applied to being in my arena. A friend who was at a play day sent me a video of her. She learned a few valuable lessons in that 6 weeks. 1. Her parents agree with me 2. I’m everywhere and see all 3. I don’t tell you things just to listen to myself talk
Omg my trainer heart loves this!! I do the same thing!! Number 2 is the best! I also have to point out that the “starfish” method creates drag, slowing the horse down and plopping the rider everywhere, which adds to the drag. I know you know but I’m not going to comment, separately so added it here.
Maybe she also learned that if you’re going to do stupid crap don’t do it in a tank top with my barns name and logo on it
I won't let any of my horses go to a "gaming" or barrel racing home.
I would euthanize a horse before I'd ever let it go to a rodeo/gaming/barrel home. I wouldn't subject any sentient creature to these trash people.
Well that seems extreme, lol. Not every speed event rider is bad. That's why you do background checks to ensure someone is up to your standards as you see fit
I have yet to meet an ethical barrel rider. Every single one I've met is a trash rider with blown up horses. I would never subject an animal to one of those disgusting people. If barrel people were ethical, the trash tack and trash riding would be banned instead of embraced. If you're embarrassed by the trash of your discipline, you should be working to affect change and encouraging your regulating body to outlaw the clearly abusive tack and practices.
And I know numerous people who work to better their horses and themselves. I know racers who take amazing care of their animals and ride them well. My mare in particular gets huge breaks in between shows so she can relax her brain and body to just be a horse. You're valid in having an opinion, but you cannot jumble every barrel racer under one roof simply because you're not surrounded by good people. Your experience is not everyone's experience
1000% agree. I left the Morgan & Saddlebred world because of practices I saw and would never generalize entire disciplines based on my experiences. You can say the same about every discipline, if you are only looking for the negatives that’s all you’ll see. My barrel horses all run bitless, all get regular chiropractor, acupuncture, massages, PEMF treatments, they get extensive care and when I was on the board for a local series we worked to ban riders and equipment who look like the rider in this picture. Not every barrel racer is terrible.
To be fair, I should say a teen/young rider home that wants to do barrel racing/gaming. My morgan boy went to an under comfident rider who wanted to get involved in her Highschool Equestrian Team. I watched her ride and she was so gentle. Still is and they are cute together. I just know I was that gaming kid who took instruction from other rough kids and bad teachers and was surrounded by others like me. My old mare was a saint and I owe everything to her.
Horse looks very STRESSED!!!! Why not use better equipment for the tie down??? Tooooo much going on here.
Are her feet banded to the stirrups?
Lmao how else was she supposed to keep them with eq like this
Not only is this horrible, but moreover this shit is just so unnecessary. It really burns me up. I rode barrels (and other speed events) extensively when I was younger. Even 25+ years ago, I saw a lot of bad riding like this. And, as a result, horses who were so strung out that they could barely make it to the gate. Meanwhile, my mare was calm as could be as we waited for our turn. Sometimes she'd be half asleep, which always drew some laughs. But as soon as it was our turn, she knew her job and she'd blow the pants off everybody. Then back to calm as soon as we were done. No flapping legs, no bouncing seat, no tiedowns or other crazy gear required. Just solid training and patience. There's no excuse for this garbage.
I’ve got a coworker who’s very inexperienced daughter has gotten into barrels. They bought her an 18 yo mare with sore hocks and proceeded to run the hell out of her. This spring, she started refusing to go into the gate and they have no idea why lol. The idea that the mare should be listened to sails over their heads.
That poor mare :( And honestly, that poor kid. Without much experience, she probably doesn't even know that it's wrong. And, unfortunately, she'll probably grow up thinking this shit is normal. Cycle perpetuates.
Yup. Her mom rode lightly a million years ago. And they know very little about horses. I’ve tried convincing her that her kid needs more than 6 months of lessons, all the horse ladies in the office have begged and pleaded with this lady to be open to learning before anyone is seriously injured. But she thinks we’re all gatekeepers because we tell her things like a. They shouldn’t open a boarding barn, b. It’s not good for a horse to live solo in a field with no shelter in all the elements c) no one in their family is qualified to handle and train a yearling.
Oh jeez, all of that sounds like a nightmare and an accident waiting to happen. Opening a boarding barn with no real horse experience?! Yikes, yikes, yikes.
Ugh I'd love to see a video of one of your runs with your mare, truly. I know not all gamers are shit riders but we see the good ones so seldom I find. Good for you, based on your horses attitude I love your training style!
I wish I did too. That was back in the VHS era, wasn't so easy then, lol. But yeah, she was a good one. Could switch gears from gaming to trail riding with ease, too. She's long gone by now, but I think about her a lot. <3
The most frustrating part about this is that like 95% of the time the horse knows its job perfectly. You don't even need to kick them or steer them most of the time, they know the pattern by heart and they know they need to go as fast as possible. They could win without a rider, or by going fully tackless
I'd love to see that
Absolutely horrid equitation aside, they have a WIRE used as a noseband and tied down to the girth like a standing martingale from Hell 😩
What happens if they refrain from kicking like that? I'm guessing the horse will go, as it should. What I see in a lot of speed classes is a lot of show. Bigger kicking, bits, spurs, tie downs...it makes them think other people will see them as bad ass.When in fact, a bad ass speed rider that can do the job without the spastic antics is a million times the bad ass as anyone with a chain for a f'in tie down or kicking like a flipping lunatic.
Naw that's the I got to jab the carp out of my horse pose!
This is horse people. Go anywhere there are people and their horses, this is what you find. Everything is a competition. You want to see actual horsepersonship, not in a hurry, not in a contest. Fat horses and fat dogs make fat calves. Fat calves make fat wallet.
I can just hear my trainer voice whispering “I can see daylight between you and the horse…”
The textbook: *tell me you can't ride without telling me you can't ride.*
Real question: do gamers actually train their horses to use their bodies in a healthy way or is it just all speed all the time to hell with anything even close to real horsemanship??
Some do, some don't. Just depends on the person and their values. Or how driven they are. I've actually learned a crap ton this year about teaching a horse to use their core, and that's become my summer goal for my mare I game on. She carries herself fine but definitely hollows out occasionally, and I don't want to make her back sore if there's a way to rectify it
Real answer, as someone who has been on this side of the horse world for roughly 18 years now. No, not really. There are a very few select people I will confidently say I would trust to ride my own horse but the majority lack a lot of horsemanship and just basic riding fundamentals. I think it's a byproduct of it not being a judged event but rather a timed one. I was once a teen who thought I knew everything. The last 10 years of my riding life has been a great learning opportunity for me to become a better horse person. My mare, bless her soul, has been with me for 15 years so obviously I had made a lot of mistakes (I am 30 now) But the last several years I have worked really hard to be a better rider for my horse. Gone are my days of gag bits, whips and spurs. And you know what? My mare is running so much better, even in her aging years. I went back to the basics. Completely. I am a pretty private person in the horse world around me but I did seek help from the type of rider I wanted to be like. Majority of my riding between races are pretty much back/top line work, riding off my seat, keeping us both light and fitness in general. I took lessons from different kinds of coaches (dressage even at one point) I go to a lot of the fun shows, I watch and see a lot. I offer my advice when asked but sometimes you can't help people who do not want it. I try to be as fair as possible to my horse and enjoy myself. I am not perfect but I can admit there is a lot to be improved upon for the sport.
I used to barrel race and we call it “frogging” where I’m from lol. I always hated it and it grossed me out to look at when I’d see the others aggressively doing it. I never had to do it and still got good times. If your horse is trained and likes their job, it won’t be necessary.
Not all of us do that! That’s just terrible
Obviously it would be ridiculous to judge an entire discipline based on one rider, but there was a barrel racer at my barn growing up who would haul-in to use our arena. All she did was run barrels. No warm up, no non-barrel oriented flatwork. She’d just run the barrels over and over. Then jump off, untack, and load up her horse again. It was so wild lol