Buckaroo Texan Blog

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

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.

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.

The other afternoon I was bringing in the fillies.  A three year old, a two year old and a yearling, all sorrels.  I call them the “red ladies”.   The yearling, Summer, saw me coming to call them into their pen for the night from the pasture.  She was the first to come up to me.  We met at the gate and an opportunity presented itself to work on a little confidence between the two of us.   I reached out to pet and scratch her, which she reached for me, to accept.  I needed her to go on through the gate and come with me.  I suggested she rock back on her hind and get balanced by touching her chest and having my hand every so slightly on her nose to discourage forward movement.  As she started to balanced herself and lifted throughout her body to send energy unto her hindquarters, I took my hand from her chest.  I moved my hand from her nose and directed at her eye to cross over a step to her right.   I could see that she was a bit confused so I stepped in front of her and she followed me to the right with the nicest easiest cross over step you could ask for.  I had to smile to myself, for a change I set it up and let the horse find it, just let it happen.   I catch myself supporting and directing a horse entirely through a maneuver.  Forgetting to let go and let it happen, until it has happened.   It is before what happens, happens, as Ray Hunt would say, that makes all the difference to the horse.   You can never really get a feel of a horse until you begin to know why things happened for the good or for the bad.   Release is so important, but that timing makes the release mean something to the horse.  But before a release will mean something, the horse needs to be in balance within himself so that he is prepared to make a step or maneuver that has some quality to it.  It is when you feel the horse about to make a move in the direction you asked that you release.  It may be right, it may be sort of right, or it may not be anything like you had in mind but it was a try.  That timed release allows him do it on his own, search and learn, and it means something to him and helps him to connect with you more and more each time that happens.  You can develop a feel with a foal or yearling, long before you think about riding.  Always keeping in mind balance, timing and feel, in very short sessions with these youngsters, can help them have the confidence to go on their first ride like it was their tenth ride.

The 2012 Legacy of Legends event is being planned and the dates are set.  Mark you calendars and start making plans to attend this fantastic event.  The next event will be held February 3-5, 2012 at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center in las Vegas, Nevada.     Go to www.alegacyoflegends.com for more information and details as they come available.   I attended last years’ event and I have made my plans to attend this event.        Photo by: Heather Hafleigh

If you’re not willing to go back every day and start over, you shouldn’t have started to begin with, because you might have to start over a lot of days in a row before it carries over from one day to the next, or one month to the next or one year to the next.            BUCK BRANNAMAN

Photo taken at Legacy of Legends event, December 2010, Ft. Worth, Texas

We have all heard Ray Hunt say “ Prepare for the position for the transition” and “get the horse even on all four corners”.  This was his way of telling us to get the horse balanced, then you can position to make transitions.  This is all horsemanship and guiding your horse is about.  Sounds so simple and is it, until you try to do it.   How do you go about finding that balance?

Lets go all the way back to lateral bending or flexions.   Ask yourself, are they really good?   Do I feel for my horse, he feels of me and we feel together?   If not, then maybe you haven’t really done a thorough job of your homework with flexions.   This can be started when you are working with a foal and his first halter lessons.  But, even your older horse in his teens can go back and really learn these flexions and get balanced, so there is harmony between you and your horse when you ride.  A true softness, balance and feel.

 Start you flexions from the ground with a green or young horse that has not been ridden.  All these flexions are done at a standstill.   These flexions should be revisited a lot during every ride to get them really good and for checking in with your horse through out his riding career.  Not just for a few sessions, few rides or a month or so. You should start flexions with your halter and lead, then progress with your snaffle.   These flexions will be revisited often as you progress into the hackamore and with greater refinement as you advance into the two-rein and bride.

 LATERAL FLEXIONS: Be sure the horse is balanced and square on his feet before you ask for flexions.  Your want the horses’ head from his foretop to his nose to be perpendicular, You want his nostrils perpendicular to the ground and you want elevation of the poll.  You will take the head to the side (flex) up to a 90 degrees bend.  But this will be done in increments.  Let the horse find that this is the most comfortable way to flex.    At first you may get only one of the three positions.  Release for that.  You may get 2 of the 3 positions, release for that, it is a try.  As you work these flexions you may get any combination of the 3 positions and this is acceptable at first.  Remember to keep yourself mellow, even if your horse is not, he is searching and trying.   Just hold until the horse gives you a try in the right direction.  His mouth may get busy during a session of working on flexions.  He is processing, so hold until you get a try and he is not fussing with his mouth.  If you release while he is fussing with his mouth even when you got a response to the asking for a flexion, you will get what you released for, a sloppy flexion with lots of mouth.  Once they start to understand, you hold a little longer to get them to search for the exact proper place for the release and true balance point of the flexion.  Be sure to keep your hands about your shoulder width apart on the snaffle bit horse.  Wide hands will make you timely.  If you ask for a flexion that moves the horse’s head about two inches to the right, for example, you have moved your right hand about 2 inches out and back, be sure to give 2 inches with your left.   Your feel will change a lot as you work on the flexions and all during your ride.   As the horse gets better in the flexions but you find he   still needs more vertical in his face, take the rein more toward his mane than to you hip and hold and let him search.   The horses’ forehead and nose should be perpendicular and his poll between his ears, horizontal and level with each other.

SOFT FEEL:  After you and your horse have the lateral flexions working pretty well, you will combine working with soft feel.    Soft feel is nothing more than you reaching for the horse and he responds to that reach. It ultimately leads to the true form of collection. You feel of him, feel for him and you both feel together.  Ray Hunt would say this many, many times during each of his clinics.  It takes a while to understand and get the true feel of this phrase.  Buck Brannaman has emphasized in his clinics how important it is to master these flexions and soft feel before you ever get on your colt for the first time.  Once you understand and have a feel for these flexions, spending about an hour working on flexions and soft feel, can make all the difference in that first ride!  Then you are ready to go – in balance!

Again, we are looking for balance through the whole horse.  The horse needs to raise his poll up to a feel.  Lifting and elevation is not head throwing.  Elevation in the neck and poll is not gotten by bumping, just hold.  If the muscle down the neck of the horse is tight, the horse rises but looks like a lama.  The horse should rise softly to open his shoulders, clear through   his rib cage. The shoulder blades are closed if the head is lower than the withers.  First, ask you horse to elevate his neck slightly, by having your hands shoulder width apart, in front of the horn of your saddle and raise your hands no higher than you elbows. You will have your reins short enough to make soft contact. Release for the slightest try.   After your horse gets good at elevating his neck softly, then you will bring you hands slightly back to encourage vertical flexion with softness, think of it as rolling into softness.  Remember, the key is reward the slightest try. If the horse bobs his head and does not lift, do not reward this, just wait, he is searching.   If you do too much he reacts instead of responding to you.  Take a feel of your horse, do not think of it as you lifting your horse, let him find you.   Make sure you hands are soft on the reins to ask for this softness. Also, remember, that a chin dropped towards the chest does not always mean soft feel, this position can be the horse avoiding you. 

Practice the flexions and soft feel anytime you are sitting around on your horse throughout you ride.  As you are walking ask for soft feel from you horse.  You will ask for thousands before this becomes really good, so be patient.   Just wait for a little change and release. When you are moving, do not allow your horse to slow, just take a feel of you horse with the elevation and giving to you, in mind, while you ride.    All the time put in on flexions will get you better and better and you and your horse will have a very good feel of each other.

Photo 1–Kate and Ranger, slight bend, notice width of her hands and softness in her hands, notice there is no tension in the rein and the relaxed giving expression on Ranger’s face.  This horse is advanced in the bride. 

Photo2- Kate and Ranger doing a flexion at 90 degress. Notice the horizontal line between the ears, slight elevation of neck and almost vertical postion of the front of his face.