LS Ranch Naturally

Hi folks, I hope you’re enjoying summer weather before it’s summer. It’s 105 here at the ranch today. I just got back from a successful clinic in Buffalo Wyoming. The focus of the clinic was helping your horse with the necessary movements and responses needed for the currently popular recreational equine competitions like Working Equitation, Cowboy Dressage, Ranch Versatility, etc.

While I was there a ranch family that has been riding with Jody & I for many years came again to ride. They initially started with mom and a daughter. Pretty soon the daughter grew up, left home and the next daughter began riding with Jody & I. This daughter is now a junior in high school and a good rider who is working towards becoming a good horseman. The entire family works their ranch from horseback and it shows. Mom and this daughter can really ride and speed is no problem.

Within their daily activities, they came upon a five-year-old Buckskin that was having a tough time of it. Somewhere along the way he got loose from his handler, found a bunch of wire, and tangled himself up. Both back legs were severely cut in many places. The result was that after healing, he was extremely skeptical of anything. People, big movements, loud noises to the point that his owner was going to put him down. Mom suggested that they bring him home to see if the things that they had been learning with Jody & I over the years could help him, and daughter could improve her horsemanship along the way.

They brought him to the clinic for a couple of lessons with me. On the first lesson, it was apparent that he was not very responsive to the daughter. I asked if I could play with him. As usual “NO CAMERA”. The lesson was very western with much jumping, pulling, and excitement. It ended wonderfully. The horse could handle external excitement and learned to look to the human for comfort. It was extremely rewarding for me and all who watched. I asked to play with him the second lesson and this time someone videoed. What was very interesting is that the horse so much changed his attitude toward people that the second lesson was pretty quiet. Still some little things worth watching; but not the big blow up from the first.

The daughter worked with him for the third lesson very successfully, and it’s apparent that they are going to be able to continue on themselves and help this nice horse make it in their world.
Here are a couple of clips from my second session. The entire session is on my library on LSRanchNaturally.com.
You can go directly to the video at https://www.patreon.com/LSRanchNaturally/posts/dave-at-83-still-161013457?collection=750259

I’m looking forward to seeing this nice horse next year at our clinic and seeing how this young lady and her horse are progressing.

I’ll see you down the trail.