Barrel racing: speed plus trust

Madison Baty, a senior at Alexander-Smith Academy, will continue barrel racing while at Tarleton State University. (Photo: David Shutts)

The feel of the wind in your face when you’re running on your horse and moving quickly around the barrel is amazing. As you are moving through the pattern, you have such an adrenaline rush that, after you make the run, you don’t remember what you just did. There is one downside with that, and that is the danger that it brings to you, the rider. While you are running, you need to make sure that you stay aware of your course and horse, for barrel racing depends on the rider’s ability to control the horse and make split-second decisions simultaneously.

Barrel racing is about your speed, thought processes and your bond with your horse. You want to compete at a speed that is comfortable and allows you to control your horse. Furthermore, while you are riding, you need to think and act fast. You want to make sure that you are quick because if you are not, you could get seriously injured. One way to prevent that is to have a strong bond with your horse. While you are in the saddle, your horse can feel everything you do, so if you are tensing up, your horse can feel that and will start to get antsy. This bond is a promise to never doubt or push each other too far, allowing you to trust your horse with your life.

Even though barrel racing is dangerous, it is also very rewarding. I was really nervous when I began racing in 10th grade, but since I have been able to travel all over Texas to compete, I have found a lot of freedom in racing. In fact, I am going to continue competing at Tarleton State, and once I graduate from there, I want to become a trainer. I will be taking summer classes to get some of the 15 hours that Tarleton State requires for me to be able to be on the rodeo team. I hope to one day be like my role model, professional racer Fallon Taylor, who shows me that anything is possible if I set my mind to it. I will never regret my decision to start barrel racing.

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