Buckaroo Texan Blog

I recently got to thinking about all the negative that surrounds us everyday.  This I believe is a human trait.   Horses are not negative unless their encounters with the human have made them that way.  We get picked at to be perfect, time deadlines for this and that, service of any sort is suppose to be right now if not sooner.   None of that makes any sense to the horse.  If you look at the world in a real sense, the beauty of your surrounding is not made in a flash, it takes time.   Relieve the stress by looking for the good in everything.    This relates to your relations with horses more than you know.  Horses just want to be peaceful, calm and comfortable.  Sounds really good to me too!  I remembered something I have heard from Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman.  When you are working with a horse, on the ground or in the saddle, just ignore the stuff you don’t want and reward the stuff you do want.  With time that other stuff disappears or is something you will want later.    Look for the good in your horse and those around you.  We are all at different places in our horsemanship. Encouragement of the good and seeing the good, just makes it all better.

I was reading  Tom Dorrances’ book the other evening.  I just picked it up, opened it and just starting reading where it had opened.  Tom was discussing about how you approach a horse, your presentation, whether you get a reaction or a response.  He was talking about really understanding the horse at that moment, and how each horse is different.  That is why he cannot say “do this for that”, all the time, for all horses.  It really is an art to be able to adjust to fit each horse, any horse, the same horse, each time you are around it.  Horsemanship is about feel, timing and balance. That’s all there is too it,  but there is so much to it!   Happy trails.   Have a wonderful Christmas season to all my friends.  See you soon riding and roping!!!         Jeannie

Photo by:  Carol Akers- riding colts with Buster McLaury

I was invited to come to the fall branding on the 3G ranch outside of Midland, Texas this past weekend.   Kate and Sam Gooding had a recently weaned group of calves to brand and work.   I arrived Friday night and got settled in for a full day of riding and roping on Saturday.  I took my most experienced horse, Button, so we could do a good job for our host and hostess. 

Saturday morning we started out in the pastures, looking for 6 head of renegade cattle that have been running loose for over a year.   Kate on her trusty steed, Ranger and I, mounted on Button rode out in search of the cattle.   The cattle had been spotted a few times, so we had a good idea where to start our search and gather.  A lot of the fences have been down in west Texas due to the vast ranging fires over the last year.   So it was easy for this group of six to be hard to find roaming in thousands of acres.   Sam sent a text that he saw them north of the windmill in the pasture we were in so off we went at a fast trot and gallop.   We found the cattle, eased up on them and headed them towards the nearest set of pens.  It was a few miles, lots of wind, and they had a big bubble.  We had to drive them from a far distance, like fifty yards or more at first.  We got them penned about noon and headed for the branding pens.

 After a water break, and arrival of the rest of the crew, we set up to brand.  We had three ropers.  Jerry Allison joined us for the branding.  Martha and Josh helped Sam with the branding pot, vaccines and wormer.   We took turns heading a calf, the other ropers would fall in to heel and whoever had not caught heels, helped with the ground work.  We all headed, heeled and worked the ground.   The calves got worked with very little stress. We got lots of good practice roping in the 20 to 30 mph gusty winds.

Sunday morning we spent driving the renegade cattle to another stronger set of pens near the highway, so they could be hauled to another pasture and joined up with another group of cattle.   The cattle were wild enough that having experienced horses that could be maneuvered one foot at a time, backwards or forwards was important to keep from having them run off.   Any pressure from the horses got their heads up looking for a place to run.   We got the cattle moved and penned.  The cattle were starting to settle some, ease around and be driven quietly by the time we made the four mile drive to the next set of pens.   What a great weekend of riding, roping, horsemanship and stockmanship practice.

This past weekend, I got together with a few friends and we spent an afternoon with our horses.  We had discussions on lightness as compared to softness and what that really is.  A horse can be light but stiff and braced.  A horse with softness throughout can be directed in any direction without a brace.  Instead of just doing groundwork, or just riding, we discussed and worked on the ideas of refinement to get that softness throughout the horse.  The idea of a horse responding to me without a brace when I reach for him, really appeals to me from a horsemanship point of view.  This togetherness is something I am striving to get with all my horses, and it is an ongoing process.  The more I understand how to get this between the horse and I, the more I realize it is more work on my part.   Once I have a mental picture and physically know where to shape myself up so that I am not in my horses’ way, the horse comes thru willingly and with a good feeling about being with me. One of the hardest concepts, is that you have to be consistent day in and day out, no matter how you feel.   You have to have the presence about yourself to ask for quality from you horse all the time.  It has to be a habit for you and your horse or it will always be a hit or miss thing.  All our horses made some good changes as we got our techniques better.   It was a great weekend to study horsemanship and share ideas.

If you are nervous, think about this ole Cowboy saying:  Just keep the horse between you and the ground- one leg on either side and your mind in the middle-  BUSTER MCLAURY

Attending a horsemanship clinic in October in Texas is like attending a clinic in March.  You have to be prepared for any kind of weather.  This past weekend was an example, in the other extreme of the roping clinic I did a few weeks ago.

This clinic started with warm windy weather as we arrived and settled in for the night.  I feed my horses and gave them Essentials in their feed.  As usual before a outing, I had fed these two horses essentials for several days to enhance their immune system and to be sure the stomach had plenty of probiotics for easier digestion under stress. 

Friday morning we woke up to lots of wind and very warm temperatures, climbing well into the 90’s by afternoon.  I gave the horses essentials and XanGo juice in their feed.  I also added a bit of magnesium supplement and Eleviv.    These products work to reduce inflammation, and support natural vigor and balance. We got thru the day with the horses feeling great.  My more nervous horse, Rojo, who has had metabolic issues in the past, got thru the day with his body well supported nutritionally to keep his nerves, muscles and all systems in good working order.    He was able to stay focused and handle the situations well.  

 Friday night a norther with rain moved in, howling rain, thunder, lots of lightning and a 40 degree temperature drop made for a miserable morning for the horses.  Saturday morning found the horses wet and shivering.  I gave them hay to warm them up and waited for the rain to let up to feed them grain and supplements.    The workouts later in the day proved good for both horses.  They warmed up, dried off, ate well and enjoyed their lessons.  Rojo has a harder time staying with me in these conditions, but came thru.  Knowing his past, I was very glad to have paid close attention to his nutritional needs before this event. 

(Photo by Carol Akers)Sunday was very cool with misty rain and light showers. Rain gear was in order.  The ground was not as slick as Saturday so we rode out in the pasture.  It was a  misty October day that was refreshing to man and beast alike after the brutal heat of the summer.   I loaded the horses a couple hours before leaving to let them dry off in the trailer before heading home.  The weather was closing in with more rain, so I wanted the horses to be mostly dry in the stock type trailer I have for the 4 hour trip home.  The horses had a few carrots when I stopped for fuel.   They were glad to be home and have hay and their grain when we arrived home mid evening.    Just paying attention to a few small details for the horses and myself probably prevented colic or colds for any of us.

This past weekend, I attended a Horsemanship Clinic with Buster McLaury in Paducah, Texas located in the Texas Panhandle.    We had warm wind, cold rain, sun, fog and fantastic cloud formations.  No arena, just panhandle pasture for this clinic.

Buster is a cowboy that studied for years with Ray Hunt.  He is a darn good cowboy poet, knows the cowboy ways, but is also and foremost, a fine horseman.  As you study, learn and ride with Buster you can feel the presence of Ray Hunt.

 I took two young horses to ride with Buster, for the experience and one in particular that has had problems of coping with riding around other horses.   As we discussed the background of my sorrel gelding, Rojo, Buster reminded us of a saying of Ray’s “ A horse learns what he lives and lives what he learns”.   I had heard this phrase before but on this troubled young horse it really hit home.   The bad experiences he has had is what he had learned, so we had to understand his living what he learned and try to gain his confidence that living and riding around other horses could be a good experience.  We were able to set up some situations that he could be exposed to and allowed me help him with moving his feet, directing him, show him he could move to a comfortable spot and use his energy in a productive way.  This allowed him to gain some confidence and ride the rest of the session a lot more relaxed than he ever had around other horses.

 Rojos’ session on Saturday was after a cold rain, he was shaking, tight in the tail, tight in the flank, stomach and his mouth.  Buster had me direct him with a lot of ground work to get to his  mind.  To work in such a way that he was out of trouble if he stayed focused on me.   The ground was slick in spots and for this horse, just staying even with yesterday was big progress.  I was able to build a new depth of closeness between Rojo and I, a deeper confidence, that is so easy to destroy if a person is not aware and responsible.

We worked out in the pasture bending our horses so they could go straight.  A horse needs to be balanced, straight even if he is making an arc with his path or a straight line.  The rider needs to direct the horse with an idea and know that idea before he asks the horse to move a foot. We broke down our exercises to realize and actually feel when were getting the horse soft and working on his mind.  As we got the horses prepared to move out or stop, we prepared.  We felt of him, felt for him and then we felt together. 

We directed our horses to better their stops, backing up hills, bringing the hind and the front, hobbling, roping, and transitions.  We asked for the slightest try and got great results by remembering we were really working with their minds. Sometimes you get to the horses’ feet through his mind and sometimes you get to his mind through his feet.

A group of us Buckaroos planned a Ranch Roping clinic for the end of September, thinking the weather would be cooler.   We have had some almost fall days here in drought stricken Texas and we were expecting a nice cool weekend of weather in the high 80’s or low 90’s.   At my ranch I had had quite a few mornings in the 50’s and even in the 40’s so the horses were actually starting to fuzz up just a bit.

I took precautions in case the temperatures got hotter than expected.  I gave my horse XanGo juice in his feed the night before and also put some in water bottles for us both to sip on during the two day clinic.   Four days before the clinic I gave my horse a pack of essentials everyday, instead of every couple of days, to build up his system with the probiotics and algae.     I also  took carrots, oranges and apples for us to snack on.

Saturday of the clinic, the temperature soared to 99.  I kept a bucket of water in the shade to offer to my horse every time we were between working cattle or taking a break.  He also got a carrot every time I offered him water.  He also got several slices of an orange a couple times in the afternoon and I ate some too.

Sunday, the temperature reached 105 by the time we were done. I think my horse drank close to 15 gals just during the day and I had at least 8 20 oz bottles of water.!   We both had a pack of Essentials to start  the day.  I mixed XanGo juice in his morning feed, and gave him a small amount of hay .  We both had water, oranges, apples and carrots during the day.  I kept my bandana wet with ice cubes rolled up inside during the afternoon.  It was so hot, the water in the bandana did not drip much, just evaporated.   My horse trailered home just fine.  I knew he was very well hydrated before leaving the clinic site for the ride home and he got his evening meal after dark. The  temperature already had dropped into the 80’s.  My horse and I had a very enjoyable clinic and stayed comfortable.    Really paying attention to our mental,  physical and biological well being sure pays off with bouncy health that snaps back easy after stressful events!

On September 10, 2011 I attended another Ranch Horse Versatility Show.  I took my trusty steed Mr. Qien Sabe 501, aka Button for my mount for the day.   We entered all five events.   It was a test to see how many skills were really honed between us, due to not getting to work any cattle since July, when I had to sell all my cows.  Also, the extremely hot weather had made our workouts very slow and easy paced. 

The day was to be a bit milder than the last show, only range in the mid 90’s for temperature highs.   The morning started out nice and the trailer ride was going good except about 30 miles from the show, I heard a big pop, looked in the rear view mirror and trailer tire was flying in all directions.  The force was with me as I was able to find a tire place and get back on the road in 30 minutes.  I got signed up and entered my first class Ranch Cutting without any warm up.   We placed 4^th.

 The next class was Working Ranch Horse and we had a really smooth run.  Button was really soft, really eyeing the cow and we ended up 2^nd.

The Ranch Trail class had 2 lead changes, dragging double post in a circle, roping a barrel, loping and trotting through a box, carrying a sack of leaves, dismounting and picking up the off fore foot and the near hind foot.  We placed 1^st.

The Ranch Riding class is generally Button’s least favorite.  After working cattle and going through obstacles I think he thinks, “What is the point of walking, trotting and loping around this arena some more”.  He was a trooper and was just right with me on all my cues.  I was able to stay very consistent and very easy to give subtle cues mostly with my body and legs.   We placed 1^st.

 The Halter class is not always a good class for my little bay, but our consistent work with being supple and working towards carrying collection more and more paid off.  His whole presence is a different horse than he was a year ago.   We placed 1st.  After the scores were tallied we were Ranch Horse Versatility Champion, this day.  

I was asked what I thought was contributing to our continued success at Ranch Horse Versatility.   I owe a lot of gratitude and thanks to my mentor Buck Brannaman for the continuing development of my horsemanship skills.  I appreciate the support and guidance from professional farriers Kate and Sam Gooding, also great friends.  My friend and holistic veterinarian Madalyn Ward, who had been a guiding force in directing my horses and myself to better health and well being.

Photos by Carol Akers.

This past Saturday and Sunday, I attended a Ranch Roping Clinic at the ranch of Jeff and Liz Spooner in Gatesville, Texas.   We had a good group of eight.  Most of the group already knew each other and had some roping skills, and we had a few new friends  trying out this style of roping.   We got started Saturday morning with practicing throwing loops at the dummies and helped each other with our form and techniques for the various throws.   We moved on to throwing loops horseback.  Several of the participants were riding young horses or restarted horses, so everyone looked out for each other to give the youngsters plenty of challenge but in way to let them learn at their own pace.  

In the afternoon , we  mounted up and headed to the pasture to bring in the cattle.  We worked as a team, with the cow boss giving directions on how to bring the cattle in.  Every time we headed to the pasture, we changed who the cow boss was.  This was a bit of  a challenge for a few of the group.  It was good mental practice.  Not only were you responsible for you and your horse and your job, everyone else’s too. 

We brought in the cattle to a round pen, two of the participants would sort out 2 or three head and then turn the rest back out.   We then spent time with one or two riders throwing break away shots.   After a few participants practiced throwing breakaway loops with discussion on strategy, a team would come into the pen with either metal or rawhide Hondas and  work to head and heal and take the calf down.  Then a ground crew would come in the finish getting the topes on the legs of the calf, clear the area and then the two ropers would let the cow up.  Then we headed to the pasture to gather again and sort out  fresh cattle to rope.

The following day we worked on our horsemanship, handling the rope, did some drills to work on our dallying smoothness, and stretched some ropes.   The day was getting really hot, so we emphasized watching the expression of ourselves and the horses to move the cattle gently and slowly to not over heat them.  We discussed positioning of the horse to work the cattle by watching there eyes and feeling for the flight zone of the cattle.  Staying just out side of the flight zone allowed us to move the cattle very softly and quietly to most anyplace  we needed them.  This roping part was done just with our breakaways to lessen the stress on the cattle on the hot day.  We all learned a lot from each other, our horses really enjoyed their jobs, and  everyone came away with heighten skills and a real feel of working cattle slowly really gets the job done fast.