How do you develop a correct turn around the barrel?

The turn around each barrel in barrel racing is the most technically demanding element of the pattern and the one that most directly determines competitive times. A correct barrel turn begins several strides out from the barrel, where the horse rates — collecting its stride and shifting weight to its hindquarters — in preparation for the turn. The horse should approach the barrel on a straight line, rate smoothly without breaking stride or losing forward energy, and then drive its hindquarters underneath itself to execute a tight, balanced arc around the barrel. The horse's body should follow the arc of the turn from nose to tail, bending correctly around the barrel rather than cutting in with the shoulder or swinging wide with the hindquarters. The barrel should be passed as closely as possible without contact — the tighter the turn, the shorter the distance traveled and the faster the time. Coming out of the turn, the horse should drive powerfully off its inside hind leg and accelerate down the next straight line immediately, without drifting or losing impulsion as it exits. Developing a correct turn requires extensive practice at slow speeds before any pace is added. Exercises that develop the components of the turn include serpentines, small circles, and lateral exercises that build the horse's ability to bend, collect, and drive from behind. Cone work and ground poles placed to guide the horse's path around a barrel teach the correct arc and approach line before speed is introduced. A horse with a correct, efficient turn will consistently produce better times than a faster horse with a wide, inefficient turn that adds unnecessary distance to the pattern.