Idaho native, Megan McLeod, is making her presence known in the world of barrel racing. The 27-year-old Platinum Performance client declares that healthy horses are one of the most important aspects to success in her sport. With residences in Idaho, Arizona and Texas, and many shows in between, McLeod and her horses spend a lot of time on the road, which is why their health and soundness is her top priority.
We caught up with McLeod, on the road, at the National Barrel Horse Association Professional’s Choice Las Vegas Super Show. She turned in a successful weekend, with two finalists in the 1D barrel race. Consisting of over 700 entries on Saturday, McLeod garnered third place in the 1D on her 13-year-old barrel horse, “Uh-oh.” An astounding accomplishment for Uh-Oh, McLeod points out he’s recently been upgraded from “the back-up” to her “go-to-guy.” Uh-Oh also placed in the 1D in the Friday race of 670 entries. Even her 15-year-old, semi-retired horse, ‘Petey,” rose to the occasion to place seventh in Saturday’s 1D.
Running barrels since she was old enough to ride a horse, McLeod declares, “I always craved the speed.” Today, she mainly competes in the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association. She’s qualified for several tour finales and many major short rounds. And, in the expression of a true horsewoman, she notes that the biggest accomplishment is having qualified for these finales and short rounds on several different horses.
Although, like anyone on the road, her biggest goal is to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo. But, that won’t be her focus this year. “I have been mostly involved in rodeo until as of late. I had a futurity colt last year, who I’ve taken to derbies this year. I also purchased two 3-year olds this spring that I plan to futurity either as 4- or 5-year olds,” McLeod says. “My mom is a proven, and great, futurity horse trainer, and I would really love to follow in her footsteps, or at least get my horses to follow in her horses hoof prints.”
The past few years have seen McLeod on the road quite a bit. She is currently hauling three horses. With three on the road and others at home, she shares what it takes to keep them healthy. “Knowing every hair on your horse’s body is the most important thing you can do when traveling.” She explains that it’s imperative to keep them comfortable whether at home or in a box stall, while providing quality feed, water and shelter. “Although some situations are not ideal, letting a horse be a horse is of high importance.”
She believes that feeding a horse right is crucial. “Knowing your horses dietary needs can change not only his performance, but his demeanor,” she says. That’s why Platinum Performance is an integral part of McLeod’s equine-health regimen. She feeds Platinum CJ to all her horses on the road. “I think it is a great product and I’ve been happy with the results I’m seeing,” she says. “My family and I feed Platinum Performance Equine to all the other horses on the place. This includes colts, numerous head horses and barrel horses that don’t get in the trailer as much.”
After her dad discovered Platinum years ago and witnessed the positive changes in their horses, they’ve remained loyal customers. “Their coats got shinier and they put on a bit of weight. It helped to maintain the condition of their feet,” McLeod says.
Then, she started to notice the results of Platinum at a performance level. “Their energy level rose, and I was able to condition them better, resulting in better fit, stronger bodies. Even with a rise in energy levels, their minds stayed intact during training,” she says. “There are so many products out there that we have used and are great products, but when it comes down to putting my horses in the trailer and expecting to compete against the best in the world, Platinum has shown me the best results.”
Barrel racing can be a demanding and sometimes frustrating sport, but McLeod stays true to her own program. She realizes that what works for her might not work for someone else and vice versa. “The only thing I can really say is that there is no book on barrel racing. Ok, well there are lots of books on it, but some are going to work for you and others aren’t. That is the key, finding out what works for you,” she explains. “In the end, however, you have to have a healthy horse to consistently win. It is a big part of the game. Some horses are just higher maintenance, so knowing your horse’s diet, exercise program, and personality can really help to understand what a horse needs to be at the top of his game.”
