NFR Qualifiers Talk About What It Takes To Care for Their Barrel Horses

There is a lot that goes in to keeping a horse working their best.

Emily Beisel posing with her team outside of the Thomas and Mack | Kenneth Springer Photography

There is a lot that stands out in the arena about the top competitors in the sport of barrel racing, but even more happens behind the scenes that most wouldn't think about. These horses are the best in the industry, but if they aren't taken care of on the trailer, before runs, and after runs, their longevity would be next to none.

Rodeo on SI had the opportunity to chat with some of the biggest names in professional rodeo as they both have amassed over a million dollars in earnings in the WPRA- 8x NFR qualifier Emily Beisel and 5x NFR qualifier Ivy Saebens.

Years of Mastering the Art of Hauling

Ivy posing with Reba and JLO at the NFR | Kenneth Springer Photography

The pair of athletes have been rodeoing professionally for years and have both qualified to the NFR on multiple horses. They both learned a lot early in their career and the mistakes that were made early on were corrected as they went on. It took time to learn where to enter (specifically where not to, because of the ground) and how much hauling is too much.

Traveling thousands of miles a year is one of the most difficult parts of rodeoing for both the person driving, but, specifically the horses in the back. Their horses receive Suceed daily and weekly the horses get a Vitamin C IV. On top of that B12 is something that is done twice a week also through an IV to keep them feeling their best.

Arriving four to five hours before running is important for the horses to secure a good parking spot away from traffic, dust, and maybe find some grass.

Both Beisel and Saebens make sure that during hauls and once arriving, their partners have a chance to drink, eat, put their heads down, and rest. They both make big pens for their horses (with shaving) so they don't have to be in stalls and prioritize their horses' well-being over their own.

Packing feet with magic cushion and wrapping legs with liniment applied is important for those long trailer rides or just the night before a run. Once the hauling is taken care of, it comes down to the couple of hours before a run.

Pre and Post-Run Routines

Ivy Saebens Professional Barrel Racer

Saebens and Beisel have very different horses, but the care before and after runs remains very similar, which is why they both have had success with prolonging their horses' careers. For their pre-runs, it comes down to a few simple things:

• Bemer blanket before giving Lasix
• Lasix three-hours out Electrolytes with Lasix
• 25-45 minutes of warming up, depending on the temperature

Now post-runs typically are a little more extensive:

• Hand walk after the run
• Hose legs off with cold water
• Ice wraps
• Water
• If they have to get back on the trailer again they will get at least an hour before loading up. If a rodeo is loud with lots of lights, they will get started on the next day's drive a little early and drive an hour or two to get to a spot they can camp for the evening. This helps with the haul and gives them a better chance to rest.

These two girls have well-known horses that have been seen on the Cowboy Channel for years, winning at the Thomas and Mack: JLo, Tibbie, Chongo, Pipewrench, etc. If not for everything Beisel and Saebens have done for their equine partners through the years, it wouldn't have been possible.

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