Barrel Racing: Approaching Your First Barrel

By Kelly Murphy-Alley
In this video, I'm going to show the approach to your first barrel. It's very important because you sometimes can't see your first barrel. If you're running rodeos, you're going to come through an alleyway and you have to know how to set your horse up correctly to turn the first barrel the way you want to turn it and set yourself up for your next barrels.
Going into your barrel, you want to make sure you have a big enough pocket. That's the space between your horse and your barrel. You want to give yourself enough room, so you take about half of their length and give yourself that room between your horse and your barrel. Keep your hands low. You'll come down the alleyway. Lift your horse up. Get your pocket space between your first barrel and your horse. Sit. Turn. Look. And you'll head to your second barrel.

Kelly Murphy-Alley

Striking KMA Performance Horses

Wilmore KY