It All Lies in the Attitude- Guidelines for Choosing Barrel Horse Racing Sale

It is not like buying a gold fish or a puppy. Buying a horse is real business. Aside from the initial expenses that you would incur, there are other maintenance costs that are relatively taxing. This is why you must be very decisive when buying a horse, especially when you are on for a barrel horse

While we may benefit from on-sale items, we still must discern if we would profit in the long run. Before indulging yourself with the least expensive horse at your glance, be sure that you are secured with your choice and that you will have no regret in the end. As we have said, buying a horse, any type of horse for that matter, is a taxing business. You would not want risking your money over an old horse that can't speed up while on track.

One of the major considerations when selecting an option for a barrel horse is its speed. After all, barrel horse racing is all about speed, not on the beauty of might or elegance of your steed but on its agility and performance. You are against no subjective rules while on race track but your bane is the time. Thus, you must give priority on how fast the barrel horse for sale can go.

You should also put in mind the training a horse for sale has gone. Early discipline is vital with barrel horse racing as this is not only a discipline–based event for horses; it also incorporates focus while on track. Earlier during the selection, you should ask for some display of skills.

There are horses that have problematic temperament, regardless if they are oriented to barrel horse racing. Even some of the best in the barrel racing can present difficult behaviors at times. Common problems include hesitance during the race which may manifest during the onset of the game or the ending of the race itself.

Some horses can be very aggressive during the first barrel which leads to missing the angles that must be hit to be able to perform the cloverleaf pattern perfectly.

Others, on the other hand, could be hard headed with following commands during the race. Thus, common mistakes occur. Still others can be very timid or too deviant during the end of the race which could then result to delayed acceleration towards the finish line. Put in mind that a slight delay due to the horse's hesitation while on the arena would mean lesser points on your end. Thus, you must check into the temperament of your prospect horse. Lower price is nice but if this would endanger your performance then it would be better if you go with much priced barrel horse with greater capacities.

Another problem commonly encountered with horses is their tendency to become tired of training. It won't hurt if you would ask bits of information about the horse's background. This way, you would know how to get around the stuffs that would stress the steed. Say, sudden change of environment would be detrimental for the horse.

As much as possible, if the horse got fixed with a specific atmosphere that has proven to be healthy for him, make it a point that this same environment can be partly adopted. In such case, you would need ample assistance from the previous owner of the barrel horse.

Lastly, but certainly not among the least consideration is the justification of the price. Too low price, considering that the horse barrel horse is for sale might imply lesser efficiency on the horse's part. High commanding price may also be too advantageous. Either way, you must discern things properly.

Want to be a cowboy?

So you want to be a cowboy. If you’re not born and raised on a ranch, weaned on horses and cattle, exactly how do you go about achieving that all-American dream? I always wanted to be a cowgirl but by some strange accident I was born in Philly and lived the better part of my adult life in Jersey. Not exactly the Wild West, but I did it- I found a job in Colorado wrangling horses. I would never call myself a real ‘cowgirl’ because at the age of 49 I’ll never get there. And I too much respect what the real cowboys and girls do. But I wrangle horses, can saddle and care for them, and I can teach other folks the basics. Not bad for a girl from Philly.

No matter where you live, the first step in becoming a cowboy (forget the gender thing for a minute if you can) is to get familiar with horses. Take lessons if you can afford it. If not, volunteer to clean stalls at any barn anywhere. Within driving distance of any major city you’ll find stables of some kind. I used to volunteer at the Atlantic Riding School for the Handicapped. This organization used horses as physical therapy for disabled children and adults. There were specially trained instructors but they always needed help cleaning stalls, saddling horses, and walking beside the riders for safety. Do whatever you can to start getting a real comfort level with horses.

Next, start your mind-training. Read, read, read about the cowboy lifestyle, about life in the West, about a “day in the life” of a cowboy. You’ll find most “real” cowboys are born and raised in the West, and were on horses before they could walk. You can’t really aspire to this, but you can absolutely become a ranch hand, a wrangler, and a dude horse trainer. “Dude” in the West refers to any city slicker or any non-ranch or horse person. In Jersey, ‘dude’ was a surfer term of endearment. Not so much out West. This is what you can learn by reading about the cowboy culture.

A “wrangler” is a person – not always a cowboy – who has some basic competence around horses. He can groom, saddle, and care for them; he understands tack (horse equipment, saddles, blankets, bridles etc.) and is committed to safety on a horse and when teaching others. Cowboys do wrangle, but they do a whole lot more than that. They are usually responsible for an entire herd on a ranch (and you can’t imagine the trouble horses can create) and they do tons of general maintenance involving tractors, fences, hay, and any structure on a ranch. It’s a hard life.

Start to explore areas of the country where you can work outside with horses. Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana do the lion’s share of dude ranching so these are a natural fit for cowboys-in-training. But anywhere you live in this country, there’s probably green space somewhere, with someone working horses. Do you research and find it. If you can afford to travel, go West young man or woman (or in my case, middle-age woman). Take a horse pack trip – they’re not that expensive – and get familiar with the process of horse-related travel. This is where I met the folks I work with now. I took a five day pack trip into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. When I came down from the mountain, life would never be the same.

If you are young, you’re probably not yet saddled (sorry) with debt and family responsibilities. Even with little experience you can get a job on a ranch as a hand or a beginner wrangler. You have to be eager, and willing to work hard. There are a few places – including my ranch, through Mountain Spirit Adventures (http://www.mountainspiritadvnetures.com) where you can actually attend a Wrangler School. Our academy is a six-day intensive program designed to give folks basic competency in the horse adventure industry. These courses are enormously beneficial and surely look good on a wrangler resume.

If you really want to be a part of the cowboy or wrangler culture you have to be willing to work very long hard hours, outdoors, in any weather. Summers in the dude ranch industry are incredibly busy – 16 hour days, and many nights spent sleeping under the stars (not a bad perk, huh?) There are a few great websites for outdoor jobs, like www.coolworks.com and www.ranchweb.com . You won’t believe what’s available. You can also do a Google search for dude ranches in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. You may need to start out as a cook one summer, and work your way up to wrangling.

I was a high school teacher and (gulp) a litigation attorney for 16 years before my dream of being a wrangler came to fruition. If this nearly-50 year old Jersey girl can ride the range for a living surely you can too. Good luck, and come see me at the ranch.

Phyllis Coletta co-owns and operates KB Mountain Adventures and Mountain Spirit Adventures at Bear Basin Ranch in Colorado. Feel free to contact her through either website, http://www.kbmountainadventures.com and http://www.mountainspiritadventues.com

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