# What to look for in a barrel prospect?



## Cowgurl060405 (Jun 7, 2009)

A friend of mine has a gorgeous 3 year old quarter horse that I'm going to look at tomorrow. She is a wonderful friend who is offering to give me the horse because I've done a lot of work for her with her business over the past few years. She bred the filly herself and she has excellent breeding and is stunning to look at. I'm looking for a barrel prospect though and I was wondering what I should look for conformation and personality wise to get a horse that can really run. I know the basics of barrel racing, but I want to get serious about it and really compete. What do you think is important when evaluating a horse's barrel ability?


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Check out this link: Barrel Racing 101: A Complete ... - Google Books

Go to page 24ish


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Wow, Spastic. That is an excellent site for any horse, not just a barrel horse.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

I'd say if your looking for a barrel prospect...
You want a horse that's smart enough to think before reacting but a horse dumb enough to not outsmart you down the road.
Quiet minded. Athletic ability differs from horse to horse. There are so many proven stlyes of running that you simply can't say "this kind will work, but this kind won't".
Try the horse out. If she doesnt make it sell her to someone who can give her a job she will excell in. The youngins are tough to guess on as far as what they are gunna be good at. You've just gotta try it.


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## aruraeclipse (Mar 22, 2009)

_Hello, 
You need a well ballenced horse when you search for your barrel prospect, you can start off with the hooves, make sure they're well ballenced, move to the pastern, shoudln't be too long or too short, move up to the legs, should be straight not over at the knee or back at the knee, (btw this is just a really quick checklist) The neck should be sleek and long to balence the body, because the balence of the horse should be about the middle of his rib cage, if his neck is too short, he is able to stop his momentum quickly, and he wouldn't have a long stride, The shoulders should be nice and wide, long and sloaping, and a good with between the legs for room for his lungs. The nice sloaping scapula gives your horse a nice long stride, a short steep angle on the scapula, gives you short strides, Your horses head should be straight, too much of a dish or roman nose restricts airflow, and affects your horses bodly performance, your hind quarters is your powerhouse, your get up and go, your umph! They should match the shoulder in angle and length, you want a short canon bone in the back legs and the frong legs, the croup should be long and sloaped slightly. Your withers shoudl be placed as far back in the back as it can, this helps your length in stride, horses should have a long underline which is the distance between the stifle and the stifle. Horses should have a good depth in ribs, where as the lungs are housed ribs should also be springy. Nostrils nice and big, and that should cover your bases!! Hope this helped!
_


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## aruraeclipse (Mar 22, 2009)

Here is a nice guy! 

http://www.sunrisewest.com/images/RJ0324sMod550x425.jpg

oh here is another nice one! 

http://www.stonehollowfarm.com/images/horses/newt/newt-pro-2007-left.jpg

hats off to google for the quick images.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Personally, I like this guy:


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## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

scamper was amazing, i dont know if there will ever be another like him.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Yeah, he was pretty epic.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

As I have said already. There is no set conformation for a good barrel horse. I know a 2D horse who is built down hill, neck doesnt tie in pretty, legs are crooked, and his butt and hocks arent low set. Another one I know is a 1D horse, long back, no rear end, ewe necked, high build in the hind quarters, and is just...ugly.
Look at Hot Shot... conformationally he's average. Nothing special and quite frankly, flawed in much of his build.

It's always going to be easy to say what you THINK will be the best suited confo for a barrel horse... but in the end a horse's heart can outrun his body.


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## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

very very true buck off. thats what my barrel trainer has always told me, its not the horses breeding or the way the horse is built its the horses heart and desire and the will to want to win.


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## TimeChaser (Jan 13, 2009)

I'm such a conformation freak so this is hard for me to say - barrels horses come in every shape, size, and conformational fault there is. Here is what to look for: soundness and HEART. That seems to be the only thing that matters. I know a super pole horse that is so toed in that it is hard to believe she can even walk. Good training, good riding and good planning is what makes a good barrel horse.


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## aruraeclipse (Mar 22, 2009)

TimeChaser said:


> I'm such a conformation freak so this is hard for me to say - barrels horses come in every shape, size, and conformational fault there is. Here is what to look for: soundness and HEART. That seems to be the only thing that matters. I know a super pole horse that is so toed in that it is hard to believe she can even walk. Good training, good riding and good planning is what makes a good barrel horse.


TimeChaser, good information, your right, it doesn't seem to matter the confirmation much, the more I read, and your quote is very funny and helpful!


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