The first thing I would recommend is that you go back to the round pen. Be sure that your horse is broken and that you can totally control him. You need to be sure that your horse understands how to flex off the bit.
Many exercises using groundwork and riding can be used to teach your horse to flex off the bit. You also need to teach your horse to move in response to leg pressure. I would recommend that you find a local trainer to give you direction on how to teach your horse to flex and move off your leg.
In teaching your horse to barrel race, it is important that you only use your hands to position your horse's head and keep his shoulders from dropping. Use your legs to push him forward and to move him laterally. This method is desirable because it decreases pressure and movement to the horse’s mouth and focuses his concentration on his job and not your hands. Be sure you start out walking the barrel pattern, slowly increasing your speed. It may take weeks before you even think about loping the pattern. The key is to be patient and let your horse develop slowly.
Do not concentrate just on barrel racing. Your horse will soon get bored, and he will start to give you problems such as being stubborn. Find other things for him to do. Take him out a couple days a week just for a ride. While you are riding, you still can work on activities used when running barrels, such as turns and moving off your leg.
A good trainer who understands behavior problems could also help you understand why your horse is stubborn and sometimes acting up. Consider the possibility that your horse is not suited to barrels and would rather do something else. Many problems we see in our horses are due to human error. Perhaps his mouth is being abused by a rough bit or rough hands.
