Your first turn is a breeze, the 2nd is when your heart starts to skip beats, and the 3rd barrel is when it all goes down. The run back to the gate is the best feeling in the world. Lightless. Speed is what fills my needs. The bond I share with my horse is stronger than anything else, and the love we both have for barrel racing is almost as strong as the love we have for eachother. Racing stops my heart but makes it race at the same time.

It takes courage to throw your leg over a 1,100 pound animal with a mind of its own. But, it’s the risk I have to take and it’s definitely worth it. The feeling i get when I saddle up the horse is like no other, my heart starts to race, I have trouble breathing, and I sometimes can’t see strait which sounds bad but it’s actually pretty nice. When my name is called a smile appears on my face. But, once I enter the arena I know I have to settle myself down because not being focused could lead to something tragic for both my horse and I.

I sit there for a moment, close my eyes, and take deep breath. Then, once I open my eyes everything seems to vanish from my mind and my sight besides those 3 barrels. I kiss my lips to give the signal to my horse that it’s time and kick it’s sides. Nothing else seems to matter at that point. The run back is the best, wind in your hair, and the energy running through your body and the wonder of what your time is. The grace in the movement in the horse is just stunning. Most people are scared of horses and honestly that makes me feel good because i feel dangerous and brave by putting myself on a huge animal.

My support for barrel racing is growing up on a farm filled with horses and my parents that started me on it when I was just 6 years old. Even after my 9 years of barrel racing I still feel that amazing feeling. Everything about barrel racing I crave, to the feeling of the saddle all the way to what I wear. Barrel racing has ran in my family for generations starting at my Papa being a champion barrel racer. Watching my aunt, uncles, and father riding made me feel like I needed to keep the trend going in my family, and i am glad I did.

In the future, i will still feel the love and passion towards barrel racing and will have my kids grow up on a farm filled with horses and teach them to ride at a young age just like my father did for me and watch them adore the sport as much as I do. Barrel racing will always be my escape to the social world, all my worries seem to drift behind me in the dust that I pull up. Whenever I am stressed it’s what keeps me sane, it’s my addition. Just me, my horse, and the 3 barrels.