Possibly gettin Gunner back!

Well, throughout this whole project I have been really wishing I had a horse to run. Especially after Minney pulled her extensor ligament out of her leg. I have always dreamed (from about when I was 5) of having a big chromy red dun barrel horse.

In 2007 my dream finally came true. I work for a guy who had bought a red dun barrel horse. Gunner was my project. He is about 5'9'' at the shoulder, he has a white face and 3 of his legs have white all the way up past his knees. I instantly fell in love with him. He was a money earner, trained and shown in reining, pole bending, and barrel racing(also his best talent). He was perfect. One problem though,  he was a $15,000 horse. After I started really riding him hard though, we found out he had a foot problem and was lame after alot of work, which dropped his value- but not enough, $10,000. I rode him for a bunch of prospective buyers, hoping they wouldn't take him. They none did, that was just too much for a lame horse. After trying to get rid of him for along time and failing, Gunner was put on the auction list. He was put in a dry lot with hardly any food or water and he was given no attention. I was told to just let him be. Auction day was quickly approaching and that meant saying good-bye to my perfect horse. I begged for him to drop the price everytime I saw my boss. Finally the morning of the auction, I asked one last time, and he asked me how much money I had, I told him $500 was all I had, but I would work the rest off or see if I could get a loan or whatever it took to get Gunner. He said he'd take the $500, because that was all he was going to get at the sale anyways. So i had finally gotten my dream horse. He was is bad shape when I got him, but I fattened him up, got him into shape, got medications and supplements for him, and special shoes, everything I could possibly do to get him back to what he used to be when I had first laid eyes on him. He got better and got into shape, and off his meds and most of his supplements.

 Then one night when I went out to feed, I came into the barn to my worst nightmare. Gunner was on the ground bleeding out. He couldn't get up, his skin was pale and he was in shock. He had kicked through the barn wall and split an atery open near his hoof. I had to call the vet out. He said it was my call, to put him down or try and save him. I decided to try and save him, but doc gave me one warning, "You'll be lucky if you can ever ride him again, but don't plan on barrel racing anymore." I was devastated, but I took care of him religiously and later that year I qualified for 2 runs in Youth World on him and recieved the title of 2009 Youth 2D reserve champ on him.

I had to sell him when i went to that joke of a school in Kentucky. The lady I sold him to bought him to rebuild her confidence and for her 5 year old son to learn to ride on. I have really missed him though, even though he was being loved.

Well on Thursday I got a text from the lady who bought him wanting to know if I'd like him back! So the plan is to go look at him early next week and possibly bring him back with me! He's turning 17 this coming year, but he's still the horse I have wanted forever.

Flickerwood

I went to Flickerwood arena in Jackson MO on saturday to a barrel race. It is a very nice facility with over a hundred stalls and a nice arena. The show started with prayer. We thanked God for giving everyone a safe trip to the show and also to keep all riders and horses safe. We also prayed that all the horses ran fast and not knock any barrels. After prayer they started running. The horses were all pretty good. There were also alot of vendors selling jewelry, purses, bling tack, and horse supplements. It was a pretty good day, I just miss having a horse to run.

Tough?

'Twas the day before thanksgiving, and it was pouring down rain... anyways my horse barn was half flooded and I had to get the water out, it's not healthy for horses to stand in water it softens their hooves. So I went to Rural King to get pelleted bedding (sawdust compressed into pellets that when moistend expand into fluffy bedding). I bought 12 forty pound bags (about 480 pounds total). I had to cart it out myself and on my way out the bell ringer looked at me and said "Your doing that all by yourself?" and I said "yeah" then he said "You sure are tough." That got me thinking about how tough horsepeople have to be. We have to be able to find a way to move things much larger than ourselves, get the respect and trust from a large animal, give up things that are important such as; family, friends, relationships, sports, vacations, freetime... that list never ends. I had never really given any thought as to how tough a horseperson has to be to get by in life.

barrel racing

I am planning on going to (and running in!) a jackpot race thanksgiving weekend. It is being held at the flickerwood arena in Jackson, Missouri. I am going with my friend Glennda, who I interviewed. I am planning on riding a horse from work who has come back from 90 days of professional training, she's really good just needs to be seasoned (ran and shown to get her solid and consistant in her runs). It should be a good time and I should be able to get more information for my project, and maybe even a check!

barrel racing

I went riding with my friend this week. I interviewed her for this project after we were done, while we threw hay. We practiced barrels and loaded hay. She rode her finished barrel horse and I rode her boyfriend's horse that is in barrel training. We went to her boyfriend's dad's place (also one of my employers) and rode in the arena there. I buy my hay from them so after we rode we loaded up some hay. During the interview she talked about barrel racing, the importance of good horse care (mostly due to an experience we had last spring), tips for begginers and about her barrel racing experience.

This weekend I also attended a horse auction in Macon MO. I had a good time and worked on honing my horse-picking skills. Almost bought a young horse to make into a barrel horse, but I was good and came home empty handed. I was looking at the conformation, bloodlines, temperment and the overall horse. It was a good time.

duqouin barrel race

Last weekend I went to the NBHA district finals is Du Qouin. and watched some really nice horses run some awsome runs. talked to several barrel racers about horses and such. the arena is a huge covered arena used for many equestrian events. last weekend it was barrel racing and this weekend it was a huge 3 day cutting. they have really good footing in that arena and the horses seemed to run fast is that pen. when i arrived i was greeted with condolences about my horse. I helped my friend get ready and watched her daughter (i think shes 3).  My friend won the 1D with a 15.01 run (i think) i forgot to bring the waivers to have everybody sign and i got sick (my allergies acted up) so i need to track everyone down again, but i learned more about barrel racing by talking to the pros.

this week's blog

After a hectic week in the barn, my horse pulling a section of ligament out of her leg and my cat dying, it's now sunday and that means that this homework is due... I am planning on attending the NBHA IL-05 ( National Barrel Horse Association Illinois district 5) finals on saturday. District finals take place in DuQuoin at the fairgrounds in the covered arena. It should be a good day, fast horses and good times make for a good day.

New upcoming trend in the barrel world

I recently bought some mane/tail highlights. They are called Gypsy Tails. A friend of a friend makes them in TX. They are big down in Texas right now, but they will spread as time goes on. They are pieces of horsehair attached to a looped end. They are incredibly simple and quick to put in. Just make a braid, put a rubberband in the middle, then run a zip tie thru the ring on the highlight and zip it into the braid. I put some pictures of the ones I bought in my horse onto here.

barrel racing

I found this video on my computer, this is me last august at a show  in Waterloo running in the trainer barrels ( timed practice before the show). I ran a 19.459 second run, it would have been faster by about a second if he hadn't come off the first barrel, and if i had pushed him to run faster, but trainer barrels dont count for anything so generally I won't push a horse on them. He was a little off his game that night though, we ran a 19, 18, and a no time that night, he usually ran around 16 second runs. The horse is my old show horse, Hot Shot Gun "Gunner". I qualified for the 2010 world championships on him. He was a real nice horse when he was thinking straight.

Barrel Racing

I am doing my project on barrel racing. Barrel racing is a rodeo sport. In barrel racing a horse and rider run a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels (55 gallon drums). You can run to the left or the right. The fastest time wins. Generally times range around 15-16 seconds. I am planning on attending the NBHA IL-05 district finals in October. District finals are held in Duqoin. This past weekend was state finals, several friends of mine qualified for state and made the final go-round. I didn’t get to attend because of work, and the lack of a fully trained horse.

Project Letter

Mr. Nadziejko and my English 102 class,


I plan to do my project on local barrel racers. Barrel racing is a western equestrian sport done around the world. It is usually performed at rodeos and at barrel races. In barrel racing the horse and rider run a clover leaf pattern around 3 barrels at break-neck speeds and the fastest time wins, usually around 15-16 second times.

Most horse shows and rodeos in the area have barrel racing classes; there are also specific shows that are just barrel racing. You can find barrel racers at fairgrounds, private and public arenas, and just about anywhere you have horses.

Barrel horses can be any breed, but the majority of barrel horses are quarter horses, because they have a powerful hind end, letting them turn fast, and they are the fastest horse for short sprints. Barrel Racers train and practice all year. The majority of shows are held in the summer, but there are jackpots held all year round. There is no age limit on horse or rider. Riders sometimes start as young as 3 or 4 and continue on well into their senior years. Horses are usually started under saddle when they are 2 and started on barrels when they are around 3. Many horses race well into their teens and some even into their twenties.

Barrel racers are a group of horse people, so they also have many of the morals and backgrounds as many horse people, but are also different in several ways. Horse people are generally obsessed with their horses, fun loving, and they are also generally conservative in their morals. Horse people are also very traditional, some traditions going back to the time of the cowboys. Barrel Racers are different from many western riders, such as cutters for example, because they like to stand out from everyone else, leading to lots of colors, rhinestones, and styles in both their tack and outfits. They also are also as a general group more willing to spend money on horses, trucks, trailers, tack, and clothing just because it’s pretty or in style. Horse people and barrel racers are both tight-knit groups and sometimes it’s sometimes very difficult to get accepted into the group, but once you’re in you are just like family and they will do anything and everything to help you out.

There is specific terminology for the sport, such as a “pocket”, which is the space you give between the horse and the barrel when you’re coming into it to make sure you get the tightest turn you can. I have been accepted as a barrel racer and as a trainer, so I have unlimited access to barrel races, practices, and even trainers. Barrel racing is safe for observers and it is legal, so unless I choose to run a horse, I will be one-hundred percent safe. Riders do take a chance of getting hurt, but that is just a part of this sport and handling horses, which I do on a daily basis. There are associations, such as the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA), that have rules, regulations, and shows, so there are credible sources for barrel racing.



Heidi Burmester

How do you know when enough is enough?

When do you cross the line of working so much you drive yourself mad? I have 3 jobs (Barn help/horse loper, horse trainer, and Hardees employee), and I also board/train horses, and give riding lessons. I also attend school full time. This week I think I have crossed that line. I worked until at least 10:30, but it usually averaged around 11-11:30, every night that I was not at class. I work a half hour away from home so late nights. I also am up by about 5-5:30 every morning to go out and take care of horses, and all my other creatures, and then off to school or one of my other jobs. This last week also was the first week of school, so that means homework, like this blog, and studying also needs to find time in my schedule. A new horse also moved in this last week as a boarder and her previous owners did not take care of her or train her. So I have also been asked to assist in that process. So when is everything too much? When you can't keep your schedule straight? Is it when you don’t see members of your immediate household for 24-48 consecutive hours? When no one can find you, because they can't read your schedule?