I've had such a fun time teasing Sis about needing my thumb sticking out of her bit to make a fast run! But that wasn't the case last night!
She runs every Tuesday at the Kansas Coliseum Arena. The barrel pattern is set to the official WPRA measurements so we like knowing what kind of times we pull on this size.
She's gone three weeks in a row, taking Mighty into the first barrel at a medium to high lope - not a full powered run.
Week 1 she ran an 18.39 clean.
Week 2 she ran an 18.00 (with a 3rd barrel just barely down) When I say "just barely" it means she just nudged it. Didn't plow it down, just took it out with her stirrup.
Week 3 - last night - she ran a 17.76 with the second barrel teetering and then toppling to the ground! BUMMER!! She would have finished 2nd in the 1D!
For those of you who barrel race and for those of you who don't, her coach Kristy said she isn't riding to her point before she gives Mighty the cue to turn. She's a little anxious and reaches down for that saddle horn a bit to early. She needs to ride aggressively to her point with both hands on the reins, then drop the outside and grab the horn once she's at her point. Dropping that rein is his cue to turn and she's telling him too soon.
The good thing is she is taking him straight in now, not having to lope circles at the top of the pattern before she starts her run. He's still squirrely going into the arena but as long as he's taking that first barrel with no problem, we'll work on that later!
I've been living my life vacariously through my daughter, so I told her I would start taking a horse and try to catch up to her. We'll see how it goes. I'll keep you posted!
Thanks for letting me ramble on about my Girl. She's one of the five loves of my life!
Blessings~
P.
