BEYOND THE BORDER

Master the Art ofBarrel Horse Training

Access our exclusive collection of professional barrel racing training videos. From fundamentals to competition prep, elevate your barrel horse skills.

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Train To The End

Train To The End

When you are training, its the most overlooked part. Train to the finish. Dont stop your horse after the third barrel. Train them to get to a place at the end of the run and stop.

Public Podcasts, Discussions & Interviews

Putting On Polos - Front

Competition PrepBeginner

Putting On Polos - Front

Tutorial on correctly applying polo wraps to the front legs of your horse.

Cool Moves with Celso

other_brazilian_trainersAdvanced

Cool Moves with Celso

Watch how Brazilian trainer Celso Valetti warms his horse up to get the horse to keep his hip under and front end faster.

Exercises To Improve Your Seat

Competition PrepBeginner

Exercises To Improve Your Seat

Here are two great exercises to help you get your seat where it needs to be in a run. They work and strengthen the exact muscles we need to use as our horse turns under us.

Part 1 of 3 with Franco Bertolani

podcastBeginner

Part 1 of 3 with Franco Bertolani

Franco and Shannon talk about so much internationally, how Franco got started. How to move forward to reach your goals. All three episodes deserve a listen! Great trainers from different disciplines talking about everything horse and horse business.

Podcast with Abbi McClaugherty - Topic: Getting over nerves

Podcast with Abbi McClaugherty - Topic: Getting over nerves

Abbi and Shannon talk about how to get over nerves and becoming confident to make runs.

Podcast with Savannah L. - Topics: Social Media, Mindset, Goals

Podcast with Savannah L. - Topics: Social Media, Mindset, Goals

Savannah came to visit Brazil for Christmas and we just LOVE her mindset, attitude and intelligence. Savannah and Shannon talk about the negativity in social media and we get her perspective as a barrel racer with a non horse related profession. She gives great advice and insight to the industry.

Fundamentals

Balance Up Your Horse

FundamentalsAdvanced

Balance Up Your Horse

Here is the square/circle drill that works to teach your horse to balance himself and to lighten up in your hands and works to prepare them for the turn.

Bits

FundamentalsBeginner

Bits

The bits that I like to use to train and use for competitions.

Barrel Pattern

Train To The End

Barrel PatternBeginner

Train To The End

When you are training, its the most overlooked part. Train to the finish. Dont stop your horse after the third barrel. Train them to get to a place at the end of the run and stop.

Step 1 - Starting to Train Barrels

Barrel PatternIntermediate

Step 1 - Starting to Train Barrels

The very first step in training a barrel horse to turn a barrel, is quit simply getting them to turn a circle with cadence.

Starting a New Horse on The Pattern

Barrel PatternIntermediate

Starting a New Horse on The Pattern

Starting a horse on the barrel pattern – taking it slow and setting a solid foundation for future speed and success

Training the lead change between 1 & 2

Barrel PatternIntermediate

Training the lead change between 1 & 2

Here is a video to help you train lead changes between your first and second barrel.

Taking a 2 year old through the barrel pattern

Barrel PatternBeginner

Taking a 2 year old through the barrel pattern

A look into the average day of what it looks like taking the young horse through the pattern. This is a 2 year old son of Tres Seis and this is his training after about 30 days of training the turn.

Speed Control

Keep inside hip under and drive

Speed ControlAdvanced

Keep inside hip under and drive

A quick excercise to keep the inside hip under and driving. A new way to use the reverse arc that really works!

Turning Technique

Stop The Drop

Turning TechniqueAdvanced

Stop The Drop

Here is an exercise to work your horse to keep them from dropping in turns. If your horse drops you lose drive and forward motion and more importantly power and speed. Here I work a 3 year old filly on staying up and working without dropping.

Reverse Arc

Turning TechniqueAdvanced

Reverse Arc

Starting a horse on the reverse arch pattern — focusing on foundation, body control, and building confidence every step of the way.

Training to the finish

Turning TechniqueIntermediate

Training to the finish

Over-train your finish by 30%—this helps your horse stay focused through the end of the run and prevents them from dropping into the turn too early.

Turning TechniqueBeginner

Clock Method

This method, helps both you and your horse stay in time during training and actual runs. It encourages proper timing and positioning, helping your horse stay balanced, avoid dropping their shoulder, and steer clear of hitting barrels.

Follow the Inside Rein Intro

Turning TechniqueIntermediate

Follow the Inside Rein Intro

Teaching a horse to follow the inside rein — building softness, direction, and connection from the start.

Cross over

Turning TechniqueAdvanced

Cross over

Nice easy exercise for any level of horse, listening to inside rein and hip.

Conditioning

Stretching Video 2

ConditioningIntermediate

Stretching Video 2

Here is a 3 year old gelding learning to do the stretching exercises. These are fundamental for a healthy and athletic horse.

Circles

ConditioningAdvanced

Circles

Working circles helps to train drive and builds fitness.

Straights Part 1 - Fitness Program

ConditioningAdvanced

Straights Part 1 - Fitness Program

Example of doing the Straights exercise

Intro to Fitness Program and the trot

ConditioningAdvanced

Intro to Fitness Program and the trot

Welcome to the Fitness Program and understanding the program. This video also illustrates the trot portion.

Straights Part 2 - Fitness Program

ConditioningAdvanced

Straights Part 2 - Fitness Program

Another angle of the Straights exercise

Circles - Fitness Program

ConditioningAdvanced

Circles - Fitness Program

Here is an example of how the circle exercise works

Unblocking the pelvis

ConditioningAdvanced

Unblocking the pelvis

𝐔𝐍𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐈𝐒 Unblocking the pelvis is kind of difficult, because you're really going to need to be patient and keep asking the horse to bring that inside hip in while they bring their shoulders up and around, while maintaining roundness through the ribcage. This is a video of a four-year-old futurity horse who I feel is blocked in her pelvis, and I'm going to show you how I warm her up to release that tension in her pelvis to allow her to be the great horse that she is and to extend reach with the inside hind. In order to get this, you're going to need to use your outside pocket and your hip, and you're going to really give pressure on top of your saddle with that. That's going to help to drive the outside pelvis to push under. Then you're going to want to lift their front a little bit, bring their nose around, all the while looking back at their inside hind so that their shoulders mimic your shoulders. You're going to have to pull them around a little bit, but make sure when you're doing this type of roll back, you're not doing it stiffly. You want the horse to stay really round. That's why you're going to need to drive with your outside hip and your outside leg. Once they start to come around, you're really going to have to shift your weight to that outside. That's going to drop the outside pelvis and lift the inside pelvis, allowing the inside hind to come under and the horses shoulders to come across. This motion is going to break up any tension that is inside that horse's pelvis and get that pelvis rocking side to side and up and down. This is why I go right and I go left. Eventually that tension leaves the horse's pelvis. They're able to step under better, they're able to work better, and be freer.

STRETCHING

ConditioningAdvanced

STRETCHING

Let’s talk about the importance of stretching your horse. Regular stretching helps improve flexibility, encourages them to open up through their body, and can lead to reduced soreness and stiffness. It’s a simple but powerful way to support their overall performance and comfort.

Straight Lines

ConditioningAdvanced

Straight Lines

What I’m going to do now is what I call a “straight.” I want her to lope straight, turn on that straight line, push forward, then turn again on the straight line. She’s not the best at it yet, but this drill is great for teaching a horse to get their hip underneath them, drive forward, and stay balanced so they can stand up on any ground. They have to come under themselves and lift, it works their whole body and gets them in shape fast. So here we go: straight, turn, push forward, turn, staying on the same lead the whole time.

Moving feet in a small Circle

ConditioningIntermediate

Moving feet in a small Circle

Keep your eyes ahead of your horse so you create a true circle. Now I’m going to bring her in even tighter. She wants to stop her feet, but I’m driving with my legs, pushing my hands forward and around while keeping my eyes on the path. Notice how her feet are still moving? Many horses will try to drop in, stop, or pivot, but you can’t allow that. If you do, they lose forward motion and drive. This simple trot exercise is the foundation for maintaining that consistent forward motion.

Problem Solving

Rushing Turns

Problem SolvingAdvanced

Rushing Turns

If your horse rushes to leave a barrel, here is a drill to help fix that rushiness. This is also a great drill to show your horse where to put their feet in a turn.

Losing Drive on the Backside

Problem SolvingIntermediate

Losing Drive on the Backside

I see a lot of people losing considerable amount of time on the backside of the barrel and this video explains why.

Nervous horses

Problem SolvingBeginner

Nervous horses

Today, I’m going to show you how to handle a horse that can tend to get a bit nervous and starts to refuse the alley. It all starts with stretching and teaching them to yield to pressure. When I pick up on her nose, she should soften and give. Right now, she’s tight and wanting to resist that’s where our work begins.

Alley Trouble

Problem SolvingBeginner

Alley Trouble

Alley trouble? Try this simple trick that keeps your horse calm and everyone safe, game changer for those sticky entrances!

Horsemanship

Seat Position in the Turn

HorsemanshipIntermediate

Seat Position in the Turn

How I use my seat in the turn during training and in a run.

Competition Prep

Warming Up at a Race

Competition PrepBeginner

Warming Up at a Race

My warm up before a rodeo. I want to make sure the horse is supple and really listening to my inside rein. The small circles at a trot are to make sure the horse is balanced in a small circle and moving all her feet and rounding through the rib cage.

Open Horses

Competition PrepAdvanced

Open Horses

Keeping my open horses in shape while making sure they stay sharp and tuned up at the same time

Nutrition

Homemade cut & injury paste

NutritionIntermediate

Homemade cut & injury paste

Here is a video on me making a paste that we use on cuts here in Brazil. It works AMAZINGLY so I’m sharing it with subscribers only. Ingredients will be put into the comments. This came from my amazing sport vet here in Brazil. •⁠ ⁠20 ml DMSO • 20 ml Terramycin • 20 ml Dexamethasone • 20 ml long-acting corticosteroid - can use Banamine • 20 ml Cydectin • 20 ml Gentamicin • 5 ml Triatox - a pour on • 5 ml Creolin • 1/2 Wonder Dust • 50 ml Chlorhexidine • 10 ml Lubricant - I use an antibiotic ointment or ivermectin Thicken with Tandil until it reaches the desired consistency. Tandil is a powered used on livestock for ticks. If you don’t have, just use Wonder Dust.

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