I have a love and passion for horses/barrel racing, and here is a little information on how my passion developed. I started riding when I was 9, and I have been riding ever since. I participated in 4-H, High School Rodeo, and every club or organization that would have me. During my junior year inn high school, my parents found me an Easy Jet colt to train for the 1990 futurities. He was a super nice horse, and we made some money competing and I had fun on him. I learned a great deal from running with this kind of company. I was “bit by the bug” as one might say, and from that futurity on, that’s all I wanted to do. My parents gave up everything, and spent every extra dime they had to get me entered and they made sure I had horses, and I was able to go barrel racing every weekend. What ever it took to get there they did it. My dad, bless his heart, he had big plans.
At the age of 19 I discovered boys, and at 20 I got married to a race horse trainer. There wasn't any real money to be made training race horses in St. George Utah, so we headed for California. I left my horses, and tack with my mom and dad, and headed WEST. I took a job as an exercise rider at Santa Anita Park; Galloping race horses 7 days a week, and with no days off, I was left little time for barrel racing. We traveled from coast to coast, from race track to race track. Horse Racing was our life and paid the bills, however there was little or no time for other horse activities. I spent 14 years working on the race track, galloping, grooming, asst. training, you name it, I did it.
In 2004 with a sore back, and a broken heart, I left the race track business for good. I learned more about horses from my race track experiences, than any school, or trainer could have ever taught me. I wouldn't take any of it back, except for the broken heart part. The horse racing business is a hard life, and even harder to have a family, it was time for me to move on, and that is what I did.
Like many people, who may have been down this trail, I still love to compete. My daughter is now barrel racing, and has taken over my horse. I have 2, I just started. I have always had to start, and finish any horse I ever owned. Growing up we couldn’t afford a horse that had been started, much less a finished barrel horse. I didn't have a choice; it was either start it, finish it on barrels, or no horse. I have experience from the race track in terms of getting basics, also observing, talking with other barrel racers, I learned to get them broke, get the basics, then go on to getting them on the barrels and eventually finishing one off as a barrel horse. I really enjoy the training, and the teaching involved with horses and riders. I like to take a young horse off the track that has had little racing under his/her belt, spend 6 months to a year on the horse and then put the horse on the market as a prospect, as going or finished depending on the horses growth in training. There is something very rewarding about that.
I do not hold any great records, or titles in barrel, racing . I have won some money, tack, buckles, saddles,etc. but now a days you can run 2 plus seconds off, and accomplish that (chuckles :o) I'm not a big “bit” person, I like to start with a snaffle bit, a pair of split reins, and a set of rings, and stay in that until I absolutely have to make a step up. I once heard a trainer say “ whisper with your hands and talk with your feet.” That just makes sense to me. If I have an older horse that's not working right, I like to put them back in a snaffle bit,and go back to the basics. I like to keep it simple and straight to the point. I believe that less is always more,and like to ride my horses out, more than in the pen. I thank the Man up stairs for my blessings; family, critters,horses and great friends. You will always get my honest opinion, that's not always what a client wants to hear. If your looking for glamour, gossip, and politics, I am probably not the one you want to call. If you looking for an honest hard working horseman, that will return your phone calls, then I'm your gal. I don't play politics I don't have time for gossip, I don't want to hear it.
