Proper care

Every horse should be fed a top quality feed. Barrel horses especially, they need a lot of nutrition to keep them energetic and healthy. A lot of horse owners feed their horses "Sweet Feed" which is a mixture of oats, molasses, and corn and added supplements. Horses also need better quality hay and pasture grass to maintain their health and eating habits. Having fresh water at all times is another important part of owning a horse. After practicing with your barrel horse you should always offer them water so they don't dehydrate and heave.
Another important aspect in keeping your horse healthy is providing them with proper stall bedding. You should leave your horse in a stall that has plenty of room for them to turn without feeling trapped. Also, in the stall you should lay down rubber mats before applying saw dust. This helps protect their legs since horses spend the majority of their life standing, also if they do lie down the concrete floor won't scrape hair off of their legs. When applying saw dust you want a thick layer for padding on top of the rubber mats. The sawdust you choice should be top quality, you can not use walnut or cedar sawdust. Walnut absorbs into their hooves and goes into their blood stream and internal system and they could get deathly sick. Cedar has too strong of a smell for horses and can also cause them to get sick. One of the best shavings to use is Pine, the smell is light and there is no harm for the horse.