Too Cool for Cones

Camarie and Highbrow Amy at Manawa, WI pro rodeo.

Once upon a time, a cowgirl named Camarie was too cool for cones in the practice pen. Camarie was in her twenties, training horses, giving lessons and entering pro rodeos. She'd had some success at the beginning of the season, but as the season went on she started hitting barrels. This was frustrating for her. So, Camarie went to the practice pen.

In the practice pen, her slow work felt great and her horse was respectful and listening. Yet, every time she'd add speed a barrel would fall. Reluctantly, she decided it was time to turn to her mother for help.

Her mother, Sharon, had offered suggestions before, but Camarie was unwilling to listen even though Sharon had trained and won on many horse. Even as an adult, asking for help AND accepting it was a tough pill to for her to swallow. It was time for Camarie to swallow her pride and tuck away her ego. She asked her mother for help.

Sharon suggested putting cones around the barrels so Camarie could see where she needed to steer her horse. As it is 99% of the time, Sharon knew it was the rider causing this problem. Camarie argued that she didn't need cones. In her mind, if she was going to enter professional rodeos, she need to be "good enough" to not use cones.

Sharon reminded her that she asked for help and this was the help she was giving. If she wasn't willing to use the tools available to her to overcome the problem, it didn't matter what level she competed at, she'd still have the problem. Putting her pride aside again, she tried the cones.

Sharon, Camarie and her son Flynn at her first rodeo back after having him. Camarie's parents have always been her biggest supporters!

To Camarie's surprise, she had the prettiest turns and smoothest run she'd had for awhile. She decided to to try it again throughout the week. It continued to help. Not only did it help Camarie ride better, but it also gave her horse visual guidelines.

Now, it was time to take the cones away. Her mother coached her to take a little time before her run to visualize where the cones would be placed. Once Camarie had her visual, it was time to make her run. Once again, it was beautiful. The cones had helped her connect what she was feeling and what was actually happening.

The entire time it was Camarie sending the wrong cues. She was looking too far ahead to the next turn with her eyes. Her body was following her eyes and cueing her horse to cut off the backside of her turns, which caused the horse to catch the barrel with her hip on the way to the next barrel. When the cones were added, she could see the extra space she needed and where her horse needed her help. Before the cones, all she had was feel. What she thought she was feeling and what was actually happening were two different things. Using the cones to exposed the real issue and helped her see where and how to fix it. The cones helped her connect the feel and visual.

Through this humbling experience, Camarie was reminded that champions set aside their pride and ego. Champions utilize their resources and take advice from trusted sources regularly. She was also reminded how powerful our brains are and how many tools there are to train your brain to help you. Using the cones for a few runs created visual images in her brain. When she went to another arena her brain would still place the cones around the barrels.

You might find yourself or your rider & pony having similar issues. Or, maybe your rider and pony are stepping off their turns and blowing out or going wide. You might find that if you rewatch runs, the rider is getting stuck in his/her turns with their eyes down or not using their body to cue the pony to stay on the right path. Cones can also be used to help with timing, leaving the box correctly, transitions and anything else that needs help creating the visual connection from our brains to our bodies to our ponies. Be creative and have fun with them!

Maybe you're the parent or coach who is too cool for cones. Maybe you're the one telling your rider that they have to be able to do it without cones at the show so why practice with them? If that's the case, I encourage you to reconsider. While you are correct that they can't have them in competition, the visual that sticks in their brain might be the game changer you're looking for!

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