04/27/2026
Grateful when someone takes the time to nicely line people out!! I think it is especially important to remember that looking at your phone in the warm up arena is unfair to others and the horse you are on. I hope everyone shares this info to help those that maybe just don’t know what is appropriate when you are horseback.
There was a conversation yesterday (which involved a comment from an NFR qualifier) about the *lack* of warm-up pen etiquette at Better Barrel Races - BBR… and honestly, it’s worth talking about.
Because if you’ve ever stepped out of a futurity warm-up and into a big open show like BBR World Show/NBHA/any other super-show, you know exactly what I’m about to say.
The difference is… noticeable. 😅
At a futurity or pro rodeo, the warm-up pen tends to run like a quiet, unspoken agreement:
We’re all going the same direction.
We’re all paying attention.
If someone needs to switch directions, they communicate it.
If a horse is working through something, people give them space.
It’s not fancy. It’s just awareness and respect.
Now contrast that with what we sometimes see at bigger open races…
We’ve got seasoned riders on green horses.
We’ve got youth riders doing their best (and sometimes just trying to survive the moment).
We’ve got handy teenagers multitasking like it’s an Olympic sport.
And we’ve got a whole lot of folks who have never been taught what a shared warm-up space is supposed to look like.
And that’s where things get western in all the wrong ways.
The warm-up pen is not the place to:
– drift aimlessly across the middle and hope for the best
– cut people off like you’re merging onto the interstate with your eyes closed
– scroll your phone like you’re sitting on your couch
– or be Snapchatting and texting your friends while you’re supposed to be getting your horse ready
Because that one? It’s not helping you *or* your horse prepare for what’s coming next.
It *is* the place to:
– pick a direction and stick with it
– keep your head up and your awareness on
– and ride like the other horses around you matter (because they do)
Also… we do, in fact, turn right. 😉
If everyone only practices to the left, we end up with a whole pen of horses (and riders) that are less prepared than they should be. Be the one who can go both directions and do it with intention.
At the end of the day, most of this comes down to education—not ego.
Not everyone was brought up in an environment where this was taught, and it shows. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do better moving forward.
Because a good warm-up pen isn’t just safer… it sets the tone for better runs, better horses, and better experiences for everybody in there.
And honestly? It makes the whole place feel a lot more professional—even when it’s a 5D on a Saturday night.
Let’s ride like we share the space… because we do.
