Okay, so folks, this barrel racing thing got me curious as hell. Heard whispers about this “starfishing” trick, some secret sauce for shaving seconds. Figured, why not give it a whirl myself? Total experiment mode activated.
Hearing the Buzz & Getting Setup
First off, kept seeing folks online talkin’ about starfishing making horses turn like greased lightning. Sounded like some weird magic trick. Like, how’s spreadin’ out like a starfish supposed to make ya faster? Didn’t make a lick of sense at first glance. But the rumors were strong.
So, grabbed my trusty but definitely-not-a-racing-pro horse, Dusty. Hit my usual practice barrel set up in the field behind the barn. Sun was blazin’, dirt was dry – typical practice day. Felt kinda ridiculous even thinkin’ about tryin’ this wacky move.
The First Few Tries: Pure Chaos
Right. Walked Dusty up to the first barrel nice and slow like always. Okay, starfishing time. Hit that turn point and threw myself out – arms stretched way wide, outside leg jammed out hard against the stirrup, leanin’ out over the turn like I was tryin’ to touch the dirt. Felt like I was gonna fall off sideways for sure!
- Dusty looked confused as heck. Like, “What in tarnation are you doin’ up there, boss?” His turn was wonky, almost stumbled.
- I was grabbin’ mane like my life depended on it. Probably looked like a scared cat clingin’ to a tree branch.
- Totally messed up the straight run to barrel two. Spent half of it tryin’ to get my balance back.
Result? Slower than molasses in January. And way sloppier.
Tweakin’ It & Finding the Feel
Alright, clearly just flingin’ myself out wasn’t the answer. Next few runs, tried to be more deliberate. Focused real hard on timing it just as Dusty started to drop his shoulder into the turn.
- Kinda jammed my outside hip down and forward towards the turn, not just my leg.
- Kept my inside arm loose and low, let it kind of point where Dusty’s head needed to go.
- Stopped grabbin’ the mane like a lunatic and tried to feel that “lean” deep in my seat bones.
It felt… weird but cool. Less like I was gonna fly off, more like I was just glued to the side of the horse for that tight corner. Dusty seemed to understand quicker this time.
The “Oh!” Moment
Maybe run number eight or nine. Pushed Dusty a bit faster coming into the first barrel. Hit my spot, threw the starfish move down hard with that hip drive forward and strong outside leg. Lean out, arm guiding…
That horse dropped his shoulder and pivoted SO DAMN TIGHT. Like, way tighter than he ever has before. Didn’t drift out wide at all. It was like the barrel was magnetic and just sucked him around. Felt effortless. And then we were gone onto the next straight, balanced and ready.
That was it. The “Oh!” moment. Suddenly, why they called it a “secret speed technique” clicked. It wasn’t about speed in the turn, it was about setting up the turn so tight and clean that you saved precious feet on the ground between barrels. You exit facing the right way, already balanced, and BOOM, you can rocket off.
Where I’m At Now
Look, I ain’t no pro. Still gotta practice this starfishing gig a ton. Timing’s gotta be perfect, every horse feels different, and damn does it tire your leg muscles out fast holdin’ that position.
But after today? I totally get it. It ain’t magic. It’s physics. Throwing your weight down and out helps that horse coil underneath you like a spring and whip around that barrel without losin’ momentum or driftin’. Makes the turn efficient. And efficiency on a tight turn equals speed on the clock overall.
Saw a real difference once we kind of figured each other out. Dusty wasn’t fightin’ my weird lean no more, he was usin’ it. Felt like teamwork finally. Definitely gonna keep at it. Maybe next week I won’t feel like a complete goober doin’ it!
