Whether your goal is to compete at the top of the sport, or if you're just getting started, the basics for training horse and rider for successful barrel racing are the same.
RIDER
A truly competitive barrel racer is physically fit, has excellent riding skills, and is a good horsewoman. She must ride with the correct balance and know how a horse moves and thinks. At smaller events, one sees many women and girls who lack proper riding skills. As the difficulty of competition increases, these competitors fall by the wayside. A good horse will not be competitive past the lowest levels with a poor rider, but a good rider can get top performance out of any horse. It goes without saying that someone who treats her horse fairly and puts the well-being of the animal over a win will go farther in the sport than someone who views her mount as a commodity instead of a partner.
HORSE
While there are no rules regarding the breed of horse used, most competitive barrel racers ride Quarter Horses or other animals of stock-horse type, often with some thoroughbred blood mixed in. The horse needs the proper structure to turn quickly and drive through the turns. Agility and speed are important, but both are worthless if the horse doesn't have the mindset to compete or if his conformation will lead to unsoundness. If your goals are the local fun shows, any sound horse will work. If you want to compete at jackpots, NBHA events, or rodeos, a high-quality animal is a necessity.
TRAINING
If you are new to the sport of barrel racing, it is best to have a mentor and learn on a fully-trained animal. A few years down the road, you will then be able to utilize the techniques and knowledge you're acquired to train your young barrel racing prospect.
Even though competitions are fast and furious, a properly-trained barrel horse spends little time working at speed. The horse needs a proper foundation before even looking at a barrel. A prospect should be able to walk, trot, lope, and gallop on both leads while remaining under control; should have a good stop and back up; and should be flexible and able to disengage the forehand or hindquarters to either side as asked. A horse that is soft and flexible will find his training easier than a horse that is stiff and tense.
Once basic training is complete, the horse will be introduced to the concepts involved in a good turn around a barrel. Spiral patterns at a trot around the barrel both directions are important, making sure the horse does not drop a shoulder or cut the turns. Gradually spiral smaller around the barrel, then make your pattern larger, then smaller again. Once the horse is relaxed, ask for a stop where the horse should naturally 'rate' coming into a barrel. Let the horse stand and relax. Move out around the barrel and continue riding.
Introduce the pattern to the horse, moving at a walk or trot to start. Stop where the horse will be rating, then move calmly around the barrel making sure the horse keeps his shoulder up and turns in proper form. Jog to the next barrel, and repeat, then the third. Keep working until the horse is thinking about stopping when he approaches a barrel.
Finally, start training at a lope for a few minutes each session. Lope up to the barrel, slow the horse to a trot for the turn, and lope to the next barrel. Concentrate on correct form, and do not allow the horse to become too excited. Work on the pattern only a few times each week, always allowing the horse to stand and relax near a barrel at the end of a training session and ride outside the arena other days. It may be months before the horse is ready to train at speed, and at this time, the pattern should be firmly ingrained in the horse's mind, and he will automatically be rating for the turn, and driving out of the turn toward the next barrel. Once the horse is doing the pattern well at speed, further training will involve fine-tuning only.
To avoid the over-excited or even dangerous behavior of some barrel horses, only ride your animal at speed when necessary. Most finished barrel horses run the pattern only during competition. Other training and riding should be slow and controlled, always making sure the horse is relaxed and understands what is being asked. Ride outside of an arena whenever possible-trail riding, gathering cattle, or loping down a dirt road will help keep your competition horse fit while preventing arena sourness or dislike for the barrels. If your horse develops a bad habit, correct it with slow, careful work; don't just continue running the pattern at a gallop trying to fix it. Such behavior will quickly ruin even the best horse. Always stop training for the day before the horse wants to stop; running barrels should be the highlight of your horse's world.
Finally, training is useless without a properly-cared-for horse. Make sure your saddle and tack fit well, see that your horse is on a high-quality feeding program, keep up on hoof care and veterinary work, train your horse to load into the trailer and haul calmly, and keep your animal mentally healthy with varied work and relaxing rides. Haul to competitions sparingly at first, keeping pressure off a young horse. Use protective boots on your horse to prevent leg injury, and refrain from competing when ground or weather conditions are dangerous. Proper training combined with proper care will give you a lifetime of enjoyment from your barrel horse.