Western Horseman March 2022 Preview by Cowboy Publishing Group

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CRITICAL ROLE OF COLT STARTERS SLICES OF CANADIAN RANCH LIFE

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VOLUME 87/NUMBER 3 Western Horseman (ISSN 0043-3837) is published monthly by MCC Magazines, LLC, 735 Broad St.,Augusta, GA 30901. Subscription rate is $24 for one year, $46 for two years. Canadian subscriptions add $20 per year (U.S. funds only). All other foreign subscriptions add $40 per year (U.S. funds only). Editorial and Advertising Main Offices: 2112 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, TX 76107. Periodicals Postage paid at Augusta, GA, and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Western Horseman, P.O. Box 433237, Palm Coast, FL 32143-9616. Submission of freelance articles and photographs is welcomed. For complete editorial guidelines go to westernhorseman.com or email edit@westernhorseman.com. No faxed materials accepted. Articles that appear in Western Horseman do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of Western Horseman or MCC Magazines, LLC. Western Horseman does not endorse and is not responsible for the contents of any advertisement in this publication. No material from Western Horseman can be copied, faxed, electronically transmitted, or otherwise used without express written permission.

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RI G H T FRO M T H E S TART Trainers agree that a prospect’s first year under saddle sets the stage for its career. Five colt starters discuss how they equip young horses to compete at the highest level.

FEATURES

BY WESTERN HORSEMAN STAFF Zack Curran works with a 2 - y e a r - o l d b a r r e l p ro s p e c t .

50 S U B T L E A N D STE A D Y Ty Murray, a legendary roughstock rider and all-around cowboy, is taking his colt starting to new levels and continues to promote better horsemanship. BY JADE CURRID

72 ON T HE L INE Horseman Marty Simper explains how longeing a colt from a saddle horse yields several benefits on the ground and when you’re ready to ride. BY JENNIFER DENISON

80 T HE R EA L P ICTU RE Canadian photographer Kim Taylor captures the rich details found in genuine slices of ranch life. BY RICHARD MCCARTY

photo g ra p h by J E N N I FE R DEN I S O N

03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 3

24 RIDE WEST

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 ONLINE

T H E FA M I LY R A N C H The Buchholzes find consistency in diversifying their livestock interests and keeping it in the family.

3 Q U E ST I O N S W I T H Bobby Kerr brings horsemanship into his rodeo act with brave Mustangs and vintage cars.

OPENING SHOT

WO M EN O F T H E W E ST California horsewoman Chelsea Edsall helps people to make the most of their time with horses.

ARENAS Organizers of Road to the Horse revamp the scoring system to reward sound horsemanship.

LEADING OFF

12 EVENTS

14 CONTRIBUTORS

H OW - T O A willing and relaxed attitude are key to Terry Riddle’s first interaction with a “feely” ranch filly.

C O W B O Y C O OK I N G Homer Robertson mixes the South with the Southwest with his Green Chile Hominy Casserole.

H E A LT H Senior horses with equine Cushing’s disease can go on to live long, productive lives.

REAL LIFE RANCH WIFE Lonely winters with three young children have me looking for outer space aliens to befriend.

FEEDBACK

95 SNAP & RERIDE

96 BAXTER BLACK 4 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

RODEO Four bareback riders at the 2021 National Finals Rodeo hails from Missouri Valley College.

P R OD U C T S Feed and water your horse anywhere you go with four handy products.

ON THE COVER

Ty Murray leads Clydesdale mare Sioux without a halter through an open pasture. Photo by Ross Hecox pho to gra ph by J ENNI F ER D ENISO N

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Road to the Horse Join the WH staff in Lexington, Kentucky, for the world-class colt starting event, March 24-27. Watch our exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes highlights and up-to-date results on Facebook and Instagram.

WEB

Starting Sioux Watch Ty Murray’s unique approach to starting Sioux under saddle. On ride No. 11, Murray even takes the big Clydesdale mare into a large pasture with no bit, hackamore or halter. Neu Perspectives In her blog, “New Year, New Perspectives,” Kelli Neubert writes, “I’m going to attempt to approach people a little more like I do my horses—with some feel, timing and the understanding that everyone has an individual reality shaping their perspective.”

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pho to gra phs by ROS S HECOX

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OPENING SHOT

F O RMA L I N T R OD UCT I O NS Utah Eicke of Happy, Texas, ropes a colt in a round pen. He had been hired to start the buckskin under saddle, and later used the young horse to cover plenty of outside miles while working on ranches in West Texas and eastern New Mexico. “My wide angle lens and I joined them in the center of the round pen so that I could truly capture the energy and movement happening around me,” Texas photographer Emily McCartney says. “Staying in the middle, and below the swing of Utah’s rope, I was able to create a neat series of images showcasing the the powerful buckskin colt learning to respect a rope and Utah that day.” McCartney says the rope was the first mode of communication between cowboy and colt, and in one of her Facebook contests the photo was named “Formal Introductions” by Four Sixes Ranch head trainer Terry Riddle.

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03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 9

LEADING OFF

Firm Foundation

I saw quite a contrast in training styles when taking photos for this special issue on starting colts. On one afternoon, Ty Murray worked with a huge Clydesdale mare on his TY Ranch near Stephenville, Texas. The seven-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association all-around champion has pursued horsemanship as intensely as he competed in roughstock events, but to his credit his method of working with a horse is much slower-paced and quieter than his eight seconds of high-flying energy when riding bucking horses. 1 0 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A B O V E : Anthony Taormino introduces a saddle to a colt at his facility in Lipan, Texas.

ROSS HE C OX E D I TO R IN CH IE F

Clearly, Murray had built quite the rapport with the 6-year-old mare named Sioux. With only 10 rides, the mare was already loping around the round pen bridleless. At one point something spooked her and she bucked for a few strides, and Murray simply rode the wave with ease, reassuring the mare until she settled down. Later he took her into a 600-acre pasture, peeled off her halter again, and calmly rode Sioux around rocks, trees and cacti. The next day, I visited Luke Neubert, who makes his living starting dozens of colts each year for performance horse trainers. His facility in Dublin, Texas, was a whirlwind of activity, and after sundown Neubert was still riding cutting and cow horse prospects in his small, rectangular-shaped pen. His style involves plenty of commotion. He is constantly moving—stepping to the hindquarters, lifting the lead rope, working a flag and sacking out the horse. Within minutes he stepped on a filly for the first time, and pho to gra ph by ROS S HECOX

as she trotted around he was rubbing her neck and hindquarters, leaning left and right, and guiding her with the reins and snaffle bit. Honestly, it looked chaotic, but the calm demeanor and bright-eyed expression on his horses at the end of the session said a lot about his methods. “Luke is exposing them to a lot, quickly and without fuss,” says John Mitchell, who trained and showed Janie Wood to the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity open championship last December. Neubert started the mare. “You want someone who is experienced starting your colts for you. They can get a horse out of a bind with confidence. Good colt starters can help a horse get out of trouble, with the horse not even knowing there was trouble.” Horsemen who introduce young horses to a saddle don’t get as much credit as the horse trainers who win major futurities, derbies and prestigious horse shows. This issue points the spotlight on the colt-starting process. On page 26, Terry Riddle describes how he establishes a positive connection with young horses. On 40, Tammy Sronce, director of Road to the Horse, explains how the world-class colt starting event has improved its scoring system to better reward sound horsemanship during the competition. On 50, Ty Murray discusses his subtle and steady approach to starting colts. On 60, five 2-year-old specialists talk about their methods and philosophies in working with prospects destined for prestigious Western performance events. Finally, Marty Simper details on page 72 how he starts colts while riding a saddle horse in an open arena. There are a many different ways to start a colt under saddle, and respected horsemen will add that they often modify their own methods to fit the individual horse. But for all the variety, each colt starter in this issue listed the same key aspect to their program: building trust. Mitchell says when a horse is given a firm foundation of training based on trust, it can progress with confidence and has a better chance for success. “A colt’s life, going forward, it’s really one of the most important parts because it’s the beginning,” Mitchell says. “All of those first experiences matter. You want to broaden their horizons, but without fear”

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EVENTS

WESTERNHORSEMAN.COM

Colt Starting Camaraderie March 2022

A HORSE’S FIRST EXPERIENCE under saddle is such an important part of its career that colt starting is often considered its own division of training under the horsemanship umbrella. It requires such great skill, in fact, that the world-class colt-starting competition, Road to the Horse, was created to showcase this type of horsemanship and to help educate its audience. In 2021, the event was held in Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. As it does every year, RTTH brought the industry’s top colt starters together for three days of competition, where they demonstrated their respective methods of training young horses, all 3-year-olds from the Four Sixes Ranch of Guthrie, Texas. RTTH always draws an enthusiastic crowd. It’s an event that perfectly blends education and entertainment. This year, it returns to Lexington, Kentucky, March 24–27, and competitors Cole Cameron, Brandi Lyons, Mike Major and Glenn Stewart will vie for the champion coltstarter title. For more information, visit roadtothehorse.com.

A. Horseman Bobby Kerr entertained the crowd with his famous act, using his mustangs and cow dogs. B. Conveniently located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, the Cowboy Channel studios hosted Morris Communications founder Billy Morris III (right), for an appearance on “Western Sports Roundup” with Justin McKee (left) and RFD-TV founder and president Patrick Gottsch. C. Morris Director of Western Brands Dani Licklider interviews Idaho horseman Wade Black after winning the 2021 event. D. Legendary cowboy Bob Moorhouse gets an autograph from the late Jack Brainard, who was 99 years old at the time. E. Four Sixes Ranch mare manager Phil Fox is a staple at Road the Horse. He’s riding Double Mountain Fork, aka “Banana Pudding,” a 7-year-old gelding that was started by Dan James at RTTH in 2018. F. Two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo barrel racer Wenda Johnson was tapped by sister, Wylene Wilson, to be her pen wrangler in the Wild Card competition.

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C E

pho to gra phs by LI ZZ I E I WERSE N

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CONTRIBUTORS

WESTERNHORSEMAN.COM

RICHARD MCCARTY Writer

Kate Bradley Byars Writer/Photographer For more than 10 years, award-winning writer and photographer Kate Bradley Byars of Harper, Texas, has contributed to Western Horseman, either as a staff member or a freelancer. This month she wrote two articles, a profile on the Buchholz family ranch on page 20 and an instructional piece with Terry Riddle on page 26. “I’m always surprised by the breadth of the livestock production in Texas—from seeing the epitome of a thriving cattle ranch at the Four Sixes, where Terry Riddle starts colts that have a specific job, to the Buchholz family’s goat herd that is three hours south,” Byars says. “The landscape changes, but the people producing the food we eat and clothes we wear all have a similar purpose.” 1 4 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

Jade Currid Writer Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Jade Currid was excited for the opportunity to interview legendary rodeo cowboy Ty Murray. On page 50, she writes about his refreshing approach to horsemanship. “I’ve looked up to Ty Murray, ‘King of the Cowboys,’ since I was a kid,” she says. “It has been such an honor to learn more about his horsemanship philosophies. He has a powerful message to share as a lifelong student of the horse.”

As an instructor of English and communications at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Richard McCarty of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, embraces opportunities to tell the stories of people making their living in the Western lifestyle. His article on photographer Kim Taylor, appearing on page 80, is the fourth he has written for Western Horseman. “Having long admired the honest accuracy of her work and her solid reputation among her subjects, I appreciated this article as a prized opportunity to work with Kim Taylor and gain a greater appreciation of her Western art. Kim’s images put the observer right there on the range with her.”

A B O V E : Franklin Buchholz and his family work goats horseback on their ranch in the Texas Hill Country.

pho to gra ph by K ATE BRA D LEY BYAR S

Untouched Horses. The World’s Best Colt Starters.

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FEEDBACK

EDIT@WESTERNHORSEMAN.COM

All About January You hit the nail square on the head with the January 2022 issue. Job well done. From the new/old look (yes I’ve been reading since the ’50s) to the content and the concept of using female writers and photographers, what a great recognition! The magazine felt “different” from the moment I pulled it out of the mailbox. I love it, all of it, great job! C H R I ST I N E DAY, A L A S K A

I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU guys how wonderful the Western Horseman rebrand looks. I got a chance to see it in person over the weekend, and you guys knocked it out of the park. You left no detail untouched and did a perfect job of blending tradition with the future of the industry, which in my mind is what that publication is all about. JESSIE JARVIS IDAHO

YOU LEFT NO DETAIL UNTOUCHED AND DID A PERFECT JOB OF BLENDING TR ADITION WITH THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY.

I HAVE ALWAYS looked forward to each month’s issue of Western Horseman. The covers were either dramatic photographs or vivid works of art. The January cover is a rude surprise: a splash of yellow and black and a woman lost in a dark shadow. Flipping through the magazine, the depressing format is continued. Inserting tall letters in the text is embarrassingly comical. Longer articles and less white space would be preferred.

IT WAS SUCH A HONOR to be a part of the January issue of Western Horseman; probably my favorite issue to date. When I was asked if I’d like to be a part of this all-women project, it was a no-brainer. Of course I would! I got to share a few of the steps I go through when preparing for the roping portion of a ranch horse show run. Not much better than riding my best horse and doing something I love.

I DON’T NORMALLY do things like this, but I just had to let you know how much I love and appreciate the new format in the January issue. I have read WH for years, but due to a [traumatic brain injury] I suffered in Iraq, I could never read too much at once without getting a headache. This morning, I read the whole magazine straight through. This format is so much cleaner and easier to read. I can’t thank you enough for that and I hope your intent is to continue with this format in the months ahead. Thank you so very much for publishing the best magazine in the world! Have a most blessed and happy 2022!

KENNETH KITCHEN

KELSEY THOMAS

PA U L H O I L A N D

GEORGIA

TEXAS

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FAMILY RANCH

RIDE WEST

HERD OF A DIFFERENT KIND By diversifying its livestock interests, the Buchholz family holds on to its beloved ranch. S T O R Y A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y K AT E B R A D L E Y B YA R S

he dust kicked up by more than 1,000 goats is significant. The dry, winter-hardened ground in the Texas Hill Country looks inhospitable, but it is more than sufficient to support the Buchholz herd grazing here, and the other livestock—mainly goats, but sheep and cattle, too. “We run cattle, sheep and goats to diversify as much as possible,” says Bob Buchholz, whose family’s operations are spread out in parts of the Texas Hill Country and West Texas. “Usually, you won’t get a hit where all three markets are low; diversifying hedges your bets so you won’t have short or low prices in all markets. The goat business has been incredible, gradually going up the last 10 to 15 years, and enabled us to grow because of the product.”

Franklin Buchholz is one of three sons helping his family keep their ranching operation thriving.

ABOVE:

A steady market has not only benefited the Buchholzes financially; it has allowed Bob and Mary Ross’ three boys—Robert, 29, Dalton, 26, and Franklin, 23—to return to the ranch and continue doing what they love in the livestock business. With three boys and a recipe for success that he never strays from, Bob is able to maintain multiple properties at a high level of production. The key? “Flexibility,” Bob says. With interests in growing a horse herd, an ever-increasing demand for the family’s protection dogs bred to work with herds, and the evolving livestock markets, the Buchholzes continue to pursue a life they all love and hold dear. 03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 1 9

FAMILY RANCH

S TA RT I N G O F F S I M P LY Bob grew up in Dripping Springs, Texas, and Mary in Sonora, where West Texas and the Hill Country meet. “My grandmother on my mom’s side, she was from [Sonora] and they purchased the ranch in 1920. I inherited it,” Mary says. “We live on the west end of the ranch and my cousins live on the other part. My dad is from Sutton County and his family still ranches near Junction.” Growing up, Bob was located more centrally in Texas, where his father had a ranch near Blanco. He and his brother, David, raised Angora goats. Bob also started colts for the public. “I used to do a lot of livestock trading in the sheep and goat business and made a lot of contacts—her dad was one of them,” Bob says. “He let me go through his stock and get some very specific animals from his flocks over in Crockett County. Even after that, it was several number of years before I met his daughter. “Dated her 37 days before I asked her to marry me. That was 39 years ago!” Mary was attending Texas A&M University when the two met and married. She had their eldest, Robert, and went back to finish her degree. “My goal was to come back and ranch. I think when you grow up around it, you have an interest in it,” Mary says. And ranch they did. Starting with family properties and growing to lease coun-

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try suitable, and sizable, enough to handle the amount of livestock their diverse operation calls for them to run. It’s a lot for one man, but Bob has hit the jackpot in life, he says. “I’ve won my lottery in my life with my wife,” he says. “To find someone with a common background and attitude is nearly impossible nowadays. God has blessed us incredibly with our relationship. I’m blessed with three big, stout boys that, if they mind doing labor-intensive work on the ranch, they don’t say much.”

G R O W I N G W I T H FA M I LY The Buchholzes settled in West Texas to raise their sons and their livestock— and a pack of sought-after dogs. The large, mainly white-haired dogs seen traveling with flocks of sheep or herds of goats stem from a breeding Bob and David started in the late 1970s in Texas. The protection dog is vital to not only the Buchholzes’ ranching operations, but many other producers. “We started out with Great Pyrenees; that was the only breed really available. They had been used for mainly show dogs in the U.S. from 1930s to ’70s,” Bob recalls. “It is incredible the amount of strong

B E L O W : The Buchholz family includes (left to right) Robert, Bob, Mary, Franklin and Dalton. R I G H T: Bob Buchholz kicked-started his family’s love of horses, and in the future hopes to build his herd of mounts suited to working all kinds of livestock, like thousands of meat goats, in different Texas terrain.

RIDE WEST

“WE WENT FROM DAY-WORKING COWBOYS TO RUNNING THOUSANDS OF ANGORA GOATS BECAUSE OF THOSE [PYRENEES] DOGS. I OWE MY RANCHING LIFE TO DOGS OF ONE TYPE OR THE OTHER.” —BOB BUCHHOLZ

breeding those dogs had for the instinct to come back to working after being a show dog for 40-plus years. Those pups bonded to livestock and went back to their working purpose. My hat is off to the Basque in the Pyrenees Mountains [of France] for that bloodline.” At one point, the brothers were registering 40 to 50 working dogs and expanding their livestock operations into South Texas, where producers had raised Angora goats heavily in the 1950s, he says, but had been overrun with predators. “We moved in there with our dogs and got it done,” Bob says. “We went from day-working cowboys to running thousands of Angora goats because of those dogs. I owe my ranching life to dogs of one type or the other.” 03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 2 1

FAMILY RANCH

“BECAUSE OF OUR HIGHMAINTENANCE WORK ETHIC AND GRAZING ROTATION, WE DON’T JUST ROUND [THE GOATS] UP TWICE A YEAR. WE ARE CONSTANTLY MOVING THEM.” —MARY ROSS BUCHHOLZ

The dogs are still an integral part of dayto-day life. With the more than 1,000 goats, Robert manages a parcel of lease land, and there are at least a handful of the Akbash-Great Pyrenees type dogs with the herd. He also uses family-raised Border Collies to maneuver the livestock. “The backbone of our operation is definitely hard-footed horses, Border Collie dogs and portable panels,” Robert says. “We work our livestock often. That plays a big hand in how gentle they are and makes it a whole lot easier for one man and a couple dogs to rotate them from pasture to pasture. I can do a whole lot by myself with a good horse and better dogs.” All species of their stock are raised to be worked horseback or with an ATV. The 2 2 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

Protection dogs like this are bred to bond with the herd, travel with the stock and ensure the various predators, from wild hogs to bobcats, can’t impact the animals.

ABOVE:

family has two broodmares and recently purchased a couple more at the 2021 Return to the Remuda Sale at the Four Sixes Ranch. The love and appreciation for a good mount runs in all the family members, especially Franklin, who competed on the ranch horse team at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He says the experience helped further his horsemanship, and he plans to continue his horse involvement through breeding and training. “Franklin took colt starting classes and took some of our horses to start them. It’s helped our situation here,” Mary says. Franklin started learning more defined horsemanship under ranch horse team coach Chance O’Neal, then more recently under team coach Justin Stanton. “I’ve learned a lot since I have been up there,” Franklin says. “I took a horse up there for [riding class] for three years and took colts up there, and it has helped me make pretty far strides in horsemanship and in my riding.” The boys all ride. Robert helps shoe when needed, depending on the country in which the horse is being used to

gather stock. Mary says the ground in their West Texas pastures has slick rock, so a horse has to travel well and have a good foot. The terrain is different in the Hill Country. “Down here in Menard, it isn’t as imperative,” Bob agrees. “We try to get out of the habit of having to shoe them. Robert comes back and forth, so we either ride them barefoot or shoe them with a heeled shoe.” Just like with all other aspects of their ranching program, the horses are flexible.

FUTURE FOCUS In West Texas, drought is a daily consideration for ranchers. The positives of the Buchholzes’ diversity is that sheep and goats survive off different forage than cattle. It allows the family to continue to focus on a profitable ranching future. Dry conditions helped Bob develop his “recipe” for success. “We do things exactly in certain times of year, and we don’t mess with the recipe,” Bob says. “The recipe lets us produce 150 to 170 percent kid crop [nanny goats often give birth to more than one kid]. I don’t mind divulging my ‘secret,’ but most people won’t follow it. Just like a cake, when you change the recipe a little bit, the end product is different.”

RIDE WEST

While Bob has adjusted his own recipe, much of his grazing philosophy came from global resource management expert Allan Savory, who during the 1960s introduced holistic systems that improved grazing, agricultural production and grassland preservation. “Some of the ranches [we lease] are based off an old cell system. It enables us to have flexibility because we have a number of smaller pastures,” Bob explains. “Every now and then we run sheep or goats together, or goats and cattle, but often not. That depends on the amount of rainfall and forage conditions. It is hard to run small livestock and cattle together without getting something injured. We will have mature nannies and cattle that we run together and that makes management of the forage a lot easier because you’re in one pasture, and the rest of the ranch is rested. A prolonged rest period in these ranching conditions is key to forage.” It’s a hands-on, control ranging system that moves livestock often, an approach that has multiple benefits. “Because of our high-maintenance work ethic and grazing rotation, we don’t just round them up twice a year,” Mary says. “We are constantly moving them, once a week or so, depending on how many pastures you have and if you speed up or slow down the rotation. A lot of the ease with which we can work our stock comes from handling them. “When you see them every week, you know if you have predation. Sometimes, we need to hire a helicopter to hunt for [wild] hogs or coyotes and manage that predation. We start with a high percent kid or lamb crop, and we want to end with that. It’s hands-on.” Like all aspects of ranching, the Buchholzes are ready for the unexpected and able to face it head-on with a flexible production operation that isn’t heavy on one species or another. “It thrills us, especially Bob, that they want to ranch,” Mary says of their three sons. “We are fortunate to have various places, even though they are spread out, where they can ranch in the future. It’s finding that person who wants to be out here, who wants to live like this.”

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03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 2 3

WOMEN OF THE WEST

CHELSEA EDSALL Drawing from her own horse life, this California horsewoman creates special events and rides for people to make the most of their time with horses.

INTERVIEW AND PHOTOGRAPH BY JENNIFER DENISON

ull of energy and quick-witted comments, Chelsea Edsall has a zest for life, horses and the people who own and ride them. Those qualities serve her well as the business and marketing manager for a private equestrian center on the 20,000-acre Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel, California. Nestled on two old Mexican Land Grants—El Potrero San Carlos and the San Francisquito—the Preserve was operated for years as a working cattle ranch. With the support of her primarily female staff, Chelsea coordinates the care of the stabled horses, plans special equestrian-related events, and develops relationships with members and potential new members while attending National Reined Cow Horse Association events with her husband, trainer Clayton Edsall. | The daughter of a successful hunter-jumper rider, Chelsea grew up in Linden, California, riding English horses. A few years after graduating from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, she found her passion guiding trail rides at the Preserve. A year later, in 2011, she became manager of the equestrian center. After taking time off to stay home with her two children—Weston, 6, and Rylee, 4—and do consulting, she returned to her role full time a few years ago, while also managing her husband’s cow horse training business. | To some, the 38-year-old horsewoman is best known for her humorous takes on showing horses in her YouTube video series Cheers! It’s Chelsea.

Anything you could imagine doing with horses as a kid, I get to make it happen at the Preserve. I get to live out those dreams through the eyes of other kids. My kids sometimes get to tag along. I worked in produce sales and business development right out of college for four years. I had just received a promotion when one of my mentors—who had recently been diagnosed with cancer— came by my cubicle and congratulated me. He said, ‘Now you get to stare at two computer screens for six days a week for the rest of your life. Do what you want to do. Think about it, life’s too short.’ Then, shortly after, he took his own life. What he said really stuck with me. So, I took a job as a wrangler [at the Preserve]. It was a huge pay cut, but the rewards were also huge.

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One of our best employees got a job working [as an assistant trainer] for Clayton. I told him he couldn’t leave, that this Clayton Edsall guy sounds terrible. He went anyway, and they came into town for the [California Rodeo Salinas], where Clayton was showing in the bridle classes. They came up to the equestrian center, and I was in the barn trying to learn to rope with an old rope someone had left in the tack room. Clayton said, “You’re trying to learn with that rope?” A week later, a brand-new rope showed up with a note from Clayton that said, “I’d love to teach you to rope.” The first time I saw Clayton ride, I thought he had the most incredible horsemanship. Then I talked to him and learned he was a real cowboy that wanted to improve at showing horses. I thought he could improve on his business and showmanship,

so I imposed some of my ideas on him and he saw his business change and more people take interest. We make a great team. He doesn’t like to promote himself, but I have no problem talking about him because I believe in him and see how hard he works. After Clayton won the World’s Greatest [Horseman in 2016] on Skeets Oak Peppy, I took over

“WHEN YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH HORSES YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND THEN YOU GET OUT OF IT FOR A WHILE, IT EVENTUALLY PULLS YOU BACK IN.”

the horse and set a goal to show again. I ended up winning the non-pro limited world championship at the 2021 NRCHA Celebration of Champions. Now I’m taking a big break from showing. Helping members and their horses progress and stay safe, and get the most out of horse ownership keeps me coming back—and getting to plan events and watch young riders grow up with horses. We’ve gradually introduced reined cow horse to the equestrian center members. It’s been a big change not just seeing trail riders and people out here for pleasure, but now they’re entering shows and starting to compete or own show horses. Making the non-pro videos is my outlet for fun, and people have been so supportive. Sometimes in the horse business you can’t joke around much, but I think I have very good insight as to what a non-pro, a horse owner, a trainer and a stall cleaner goes through on a daily basis because I’ve done most of those things. One of my predecessors at the Preserve was [the late] Leslie Dorrance. To see her balance everything and manage this place inspired me to do a good job and do right by her and myself. She believed in me and put her stamp of approval on me, and I wanted to make her proud.

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01.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 2 5

HOW-TO

HOOKED TO A FEELING A willing and relaxed attitude are key to Terry Riddle’s first interaction with a “feely” ranch filly. S T O R Y B Y K AT E B R A D L E Y B YA R S • P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y TA M M Y S R O N C E

he many methods that can apply to starting a colt can boggle the mind. However, words like feel, timing, pressure and release are applicable no matter if you prescribe to one method or another. Fo u r S i xe s R a n c h h e a d trainer Terry Riddle uses an approach to starting “feely” ranch colts and fillies that has evolved from how he has worked with performance prospects for years. Today, the young horses started under Riddle go one of two ways: into the saddle horse herd or into his show barn, bound for the reined cow horse arena. Before moving to the Four Sixes in Guthrie, Texas, Riddle worked under trainer Todd Bergen, who has won more than $3 million in reining and reined cow horse competition. Riddle has qualified ranch-raised horses for the intermediate open finals of the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s Snaffle Bit Futurity, and started some of the industry’s current stars, such as Saddling At Sunrise, a stallion that has earned more than $72,000 in NRCHA competition. Regardless of the final destination for a horse, each horse starts its tutelage in the same manner: in the red, ranch round pen under Riddle’s careful eye. Here, he discusses how he focuses a horse’s attention, creates willingness and sets it up to be a solid student through the remainder of the training process. 2 6 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

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AT ATTENTION A palomino filly trots into the round pen, and her attention is anywhere but on the man standing in the center of the circle. For Riddle, his thoughts and actions immediately go to how he can get her focus without pressuring her into running around the pen.

“If the horse starts out running, or if my pressure gets it running, that creates more work in the long run to get the horse’s attention,” Riddle says. “A more timid horse that is being still, I will maybe snap my fingers or stomp my foot, something that just makes the horse uncomfortable enough to turn and look at me. The last thing I want to do is teach the horse to travel away from me.”

Riddle has seen other colt starters work a horse around a pen, then have it face up and focus on them; however, the method has never been as successful for him as getting a horse hooked to his feet and gaining its attention straight off the bat. “When the horse comes in, like this yellow horse, I try to get the horse to hook up to me,” he says. “If the horse will con-

“I WANT TO USE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PRESSURE I CAN TO GET THE HORSE TO FACE UP AND HOOK UP TO ME, AND IT IS MORE WILLING.” —TERRY RIDDLE

Riddle’s end goal is to get the filly to willingly hook to him, move with him or respond to pressure, and let him reward her. B E L O W : The 2-year-old palomino filly was interested in everything but Riddle when she came into the round pen. L E F T:

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HOW-TO

sistently keep its focus on me, then it is easier to catch with a halter. I put pressure on the hip to get it to face me. I walk toward the hip and around the horse to where I can get right behind its tail but be 6 to 10 feet from him, depending on the feel of the horse. But it is enough commotion that the horse’s ears and head looks back at me. As soon as it looks at me, I release the pressure. My goal is to have the horse turn all the way around and look at me.” The palomino filly doesn’t want to focus on Riddle, despite his attempts to attract her. He knows without her willingness to hook up to him, he will have to try a new method. “With the yellow mare, I tried to get her to hook up on the ground, but she never really wanted to pay attention,” he says. “She didn’t lock on. Once a horse locks on me, and I can go left and right around it, and the horse rotates its hindquarters but keeps its eyes on me. That lets me know I am getting close to the horse letting me touch its face, run my hand down the jaw, side of the neck, and eventually put a halter on. I wasn’t seeing that with her.” One aspect of his program is to rope a colt, because the ranch cowboys rope their geldings out of the remuda to saddle them, so he instills that lesson. With a feely horse like this filly, roping her to start the haltering process isn’t his first approach. But having difficulty catching her attention made roping her necessary. However, it was critical to do it properly.

SHIFTING FOCUS Though Riddle had used a rope as a tool starting colts before, it wasn’t until his time at the ranch that he found the most effective way to incorporate it into colt starting. With the palomino filly, it becomes a necessary tool to help her better understand pressure, release and direction, so Riddle steps on his roan saddle horse and uncoils his rope. “Even though I’m horseback, I treat her like I am halter breaking,” says Rid2 8 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

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dle. “I want her to hook to the [saddle] horse. If we are moving around and the rope starts to get tight in my hand, through my fingers, I want to feel that. I want to feel the moment the mare leans back toward my horse, almost before she takes a step, and release the pressure to reward before it happens. If I can rope a horse, keep the slack out with my hands and keep that [light] pressure without ever having to dally, that is how I can achieve my goal.” The rope becomes a line of communication between Riddle and the filly. His goal is to reward her when she thinks of making the right move, and not delay in releasing pressure. “I want to use the least amount of pressure I can to get the horse to want to face up and hook to me, and it is more willing instead of [it giving] forced attention. The willingness is not there if I force it and hold tight. A horse that I take care with and don’t force to halter quickly, that horse will be more willing once I’m on its back and going through the training process.”

WILLING TO WORK The filly’s attention is caught, literally, when Riddle ropes her. It isn’t long before she understands that drawing to and near the saddle horse is her way out of a pressure situation. Soon, she gets close enough for Riddle to put hands on her. “A horse will get lighter on the rope,” he explains. “I want to be aware enough that as soon as that horse thinks about stopping and looking at me, I can release pressure. Though what I want hasn’t totally happened, I am releasing pressure to help her want to come to me. As we go on in the session, this mare

OPPOSITE PAGE: Though Riddle quietly tried to attract her attention, the filly was more willing to travel around or stand and look around. He decided to shift his efforts to working with a saddle horse. ABOVE AND LEFT: The pressure of the saddle horse increased the filly’s movement, but Riddle was able to rope her and then better control the filly’s direction. He never dallies, but does keep the rope in hand to better release pressure.

03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 2 9

HOW-TO

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Riddle’s goal is a willing horse that leads with the slightest pressure.

L E F T:

got lighter and understood that pressure let off around her neck as soon as she wanted to face forward. When she started to understand, it was easier to keep the rope loose, she was lighter and she was softer in response to me releasing pressure.” His end goal in a haltering session is to halter a horse, rub its face and neck, and start to work it into a supple position with a flag. From his position horseback with the palomino, Riddle is able to achieve some of those goals and create a positive experience. “The biggest thing I look for is that horse to let down mentally, especially after I get the halter on and start rubbing on the horse,” he says. “Generally, I start with a flag once the horse is haltered and move it around me. When it takes the flag, it softens moving around me. I then drop the flag and rub on it with my hands to create that softness, and I can usually see the bend and willingness in its face. I am looking for a sign that the horse is relaxed, that it has let down. Anything that I ask, nothing rattles it and it is quiet. That is my end game. That is the place I’ll quit that morning.” Repeat afternoon sessions, or when he works the horse the next day, offer Riddle another opportunity to attempt to hook up without roping the horse. With this filly, he opts for an afternoon session in a smaller, more confined alley, which helps her focus more on him, sooner. “I may go through it again in the afternoon with the goal to catch the horse without roping,” he says. “If I can, I flag and start to sack out with a pad. Then, every time I work with that horse again, I only quit when the horse is willing and accepting. I find that sets up for every session after the horse understands a little faster and relaxes faster every day. That is what I shoot for in everything I train, that the horse always quits on a good, relaxed note and not one where it is nervous or rattled.”

In the end, Riddle wants the horse to be willing to work with him, and not only when he’s on foot, but also once he starts riding. Whether he can halter a horse without roping it or if he has to take an alternative route, the end goal of Riddle’s colt starting remains the same: have a willing partner in the pen.

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Terry Riddle, currently the head trainer at the Four Sixes Ranch in Guthrie, Texas, has earned more than $61,000, according to EquiStat. He has seen success in reined cow horse and ranch versatility competition, showing horses that blend ranching and Western performance bloodlines. He begain his career as a trainer working for Eddie Flynn, a cutting horse trainer who has won more than $2.8 million in earnings. Next, he worked with reined cow horse and reining trainer Todd Bergen, who has won more than $4 million. In 2014, Riddle showed his first NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity horse, Light N Lucky, owned by Alan and Kay Needle, and finished fourth in the Level 1 division. In 2017 he rode Four Sixes Ranch stallion Natural Bottom to the Ranch Horse Association of America’s senior national champion title. He focuses on starting horses that can complete a day’s job on the ranch or earn a good score in the show pen.

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chassmiddleton.com 03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 3 1

HEALTH

CUSHING’S CONUNDRUM

A disorder know as equine Cushing’s disease is a concern in senior horses. However, with proper management they can go on to live long, productive lives. S T O R Y B Y J E N N I F E R D E N I S O N • I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y R O N B O N G E

iving in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, above 7,400 feet in elevation, I’ve come to expect cold, snowy weather for at least six months of the year. My pasture horses’ internal barometers also realize this, and they adapt to the climate by growing wooly winter coats and clinging to them until late May. A year ago, however, I noticed that my then-18-year-old Paint Horse gelding, Habanero Pepper, aka “Romeo,” had grown an excessively long, wavy coat. I thought it was a sign that we were going to have a cold winter, but that wasn’t the case at all.

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Despite lots of grooming in the spring with all kinds of brushes, curry combs and shedding tools, he still had patches of winter hair into late summer, and his deep sorrel haircoat lacked its usual luster. I also noticed I was filling his stock tank more frequently, and he was losing muscle in his back and developing a potbelly. I started suspecting a nutritional deficiency or possibly pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, more commonly called equine Cushing’s disease.

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I scheduled an appointment with my longtime veterinarian, Kevin Conrad, DVM, of Woodland Veterinary Clinic in Woodland Park, Colorado, to find out what was causing my horse to look like a lion.

KNOW THE SIGNS PPID is a progressive hormonal disease that affects nearly one-quarter of horses 15 years and older. It involves the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain and helps regulate hormone levels in a horse’s body, as well as plays a role in metabolic and reproductive functions. The pituitary gland produces adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which signals the adrenal gland to produce the stress hormone cortisol. A normally functioning pituitary regulates cortisol levels and signals the adrenal to stop cortisol production when it reaches an adequate level. In a PPID horse, however, the pituitary becomes enlarged and dysfunctions, causing an overproduction of cortisol. The most obvious signs of PPID include a wavy, wooly haircoat (hirsutism), delayed shedding, redistribution of fat deposits, muscle atrophy (particularly along the topline, creating a sway-backed appearance), a cresty neck and potbelly, lethargy, decreased performance, increased water intake and urination, abnormal sweating, watery eyes and stiffness. As the disease progresses, it can lead to more serious conditions, such as laminitis, tendonitis, infertility, recurrent infections from decreased immunity, dental issues and suspensory ligament laxity. Senior horses showing any of these symptoms should be tested for PPID before the condition escalates.

BASELINE TESTING & TREATMENT There are a few different tests used to diagnose PPID based on the severity and type of symptoms it shows. Last June, my veterinarian used the most common and straightforward test, which evaluates baseline ACTH and insulin concentrations in blood samples. He did

note, however, that ACTH levels naturally fluctuate in horses during different seasons and it’s best to test in January through June for the most accurate results. Also, avoid testing a horse’s ACTH levels when it’s stressed, excited or was just trailered, as all contribute to elevated hormone levels. Romeo’s test results came back with high levels of ACTH and insulin, confirming a PPID diagnosis and likely insulin dysregulation, or equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). The two hormonal diseases often overlap but are two different conditions, and to diagnose EMS requires further testing. Even though PPID can’t be predicted or prevented in horses, the good news is that it is manageable with medication and dietary adjustments. My veterinarian prescribed the FDA-approved medication Prascend, which is the brand name for the drug pergolide. Romeo receives one pink pill daily at a set time in his feed or embedded in a treat. Within a couple of months some of his symptoms had subsided. In addition to administering pergolide daily, my vet also offered dietary tips to help manage the disease. He recommended feeding grass hay rationed to 1.5 percent of the horse’s current body weight. Soaking the hay in water for a few minutes prior to feeding helps reduce the starch and sugars in the hay. Sunlight causes sugar surges in pasture grass, so restricting grazing to evening or early morning when the sugars are suppressed can help control insulin levels. Select hay, a ration balancer and treats with less than 10 percent non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and low sugar content. Total Equine offers a formula low in NSC that I feed Romeo with his pill, or sometimes I insert it in a low-sugar treat. Occasionally, I feed him a piece of carrot or apple slice as a treat, but only in moderation since they both have high sugar content. Exercise plays a role in regulating Romeo’s hormones and weight management, so I work him as often as possible in a round pen, arena or outside at a walk and trot. The weight of PPID

horses with severe lameness or exercise limitations, however, is best managed through ration adjustments.

MANAGEMENT FOR LIFE PPID horses like Romeo have suppressed immunity and are susceptible to infections and higher parasite counts, so routine vaccinations, deworming and dental work are critical to keeping a horse healthy. Romeo’s feet have always been tough, and because he is primarily retired to pasture, I’ve opted to keep him barefoot with trims every six to eight weeks. With the help of my farrier, I’m monitoring any changes in his feet and looking for any abnormalities and signs of the early stages of laminitis. So far he’s stayed sound, and with proper management he is living a content life. Though the life expectancy of a PPID horse is not necessarily shortened, it’s important to understand that there is not a cure for the disease. Now that my horse has it, he’ll require daily management and monitoring for the rest of his life.

CASE FILE NAME: Habanero Pepper AGE/GENDER/BREED: 19-year-old Paint Horse gelding KEY SYMPTOMS: Thick, long, haircoat; delayed shedding; increased water consumption and urination; watery eyes; weight gain; swayed back and potbelly. DIAGNOSIS: pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction or equine Cushing’s disease TREATMENT: one pergolide pill daily; diet low in non-structural carbohydrates and sugar; routine health care and exercise

03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 3 3

RODEO

Many rodeo fans may not realize that four bareback riders at the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo hailed from Missouri Valley College. Cole Franks made his debut at the event with a bang. S T O R Y B Y K Y L E PA R TA I N

ole Franks proved himself to be one of the best bareback riders in the world in 2021, but his focus this spring is proving he’s among the best to ever wear the Missouri Valley College vest. That’s a more difficult challenge than many might realize. The Marshall, Missouri, college boasted four current or former students in the event at the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas: three-time world champion Tim O’Connell, two-time NFR average champ Jess Pope, six-time NFR qualifier Tanner Aus, and Cole. Three of the MVC bareback riders finished in the top six in the final world stand-

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ings: Pope was second, Cole was third and O’Connell was sixth. Cole did his part to boost the college’s profile on the professional stage when he finished third in the NFR average. He pocketed $227,422 in his first year of professional competition. “The NFR was just awesome,” says Cole, whose father, Bret, was a threetime NFR qualifier in saddle bronc riding. “I can’t say I really knew what to expect because it’s totally different from any other rodeo I’ve been to. But my dad was able to give me some advice and help me know what to focus on.” And, of course, he could lean on the experience of his college alums and traveling partners, O’Connell and Pope.

A B O V E : Cole Franks made quite an impression at his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, finishing third in the average in the bareback riding.

ROSS HECOX

PRIDE OF MISSOURI VALLEY

RIDE WEST “It was a little intimidating sitting in that locker room the first night and looking around at all those guys,” Cole says. “But I hung with them throughout the year, so I just had to know I could compete with them in Las Vegas.” Not that there was any doubt, but Cole felt a lot better about his chances after surviving his first trip through the eliminator pen in the rodeo’s opening weekend. Strong horses like the ones that make up that pen have given the 5-foot-8, 145-pound cowboy trouble in the past. But three rounds in, he was sitting third in the average and on his way to the type of NFR performance many seasoned cowboys can only dream about. “As someone who has done it and knows how hard it is to get to the NFR and be successful there, I never imagined Cole would be so successful this soon,” Bret said. “I would say it was surprising,

but it isn’t because I know how hard he’s worked to get there.” A highlight of the rodeo’s 10-day run was Cole’s 90-point ride aboard Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies. He finished second in the round to now six-time world champ Kaycee Feild, but was excited about his chance to finally climb aboard the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s bareback riding horse of the year. “I was kind of nervous when I saw the draw, but I’ve wanted to get on that horse since Tim [O’Connell] won Calgary on him,” Cole says. “I knew he was a great horse, so I couldn’t drop the ball on that one and mess it up.” With the first of what he hopes will be many NFR appearances behind him, Cole is concentrating on college rodeo this spring as he looks to claim his first national championships for MVC. He

“WE WORK REALLY HARD IN BAREBACK RIDING HERE ... COLE ALREADY IS THE NEXT GREAT BAREBACK RIDER FOR MVC.” —KEN MASON

03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 3 5

RODEO

“I CAN’T SAY I REALLY KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT BECAUSE [THE NFR] IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER RODEO.” —COLE FRANKS

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bested Kolt Dement of Panola College by 8.5 points in the average standings with 330.5 points on four head. “I wasn’t really wanting to go back to school, but I guess it’s important to get my degree,” says the ag business major, who transferred to MVC last fall. “I talked with Tim before I got in with him last summer, and Jess [Pope] lives there too, and they’re always helping out with practice. Ken [Mason, MVC rodeo

R I G H T: Franks was one of four current or former Missouri Valley College cowboys to compete in bareback riding at the 2021 NFR.

coach] is really good at fine-tuning guys. My dad wanted me to go there as much as anyone.” Bret knows a thing or two about finding the traveling partners and mentors in rodeo, saying that everything he ac-

ROSS HECOX

qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo the past two years while rodeoing for his dad at Clarendon (Texas) College. The 2020 CNFR was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Cole made a name for himself in 2021 when he claimed both the all-around cowboy and bareback riding national championships. He also finished 12th in saddle bronc riding at last year’s CNFR. “I went in there knowing I had a good shot at winning a title, but I still had to do my part,” Cole says. “I won three out of four rounds last year, but my goal this year is to get that average record. Tim has the record, and I was just one point off last year. He texted me right after to say congratulations but that he still held the record.” Still, it’s hard to argue with Cole’s success at the CNFR. He won each of the first two rounds before tying for fourth in the third round. Then he came back and won the short round with an 85-point ride and

RIDE WEST complished in saddle bronc riding was because of the things he learned from traveling with the Etbauer brothers in the 1990s. The success of MVC cowboys in the event, as well as the access that current rodeo team members have to famed alumni, played a role in Bret’s notso-subtle suggestion that his son finish a four-year degree in Missouri. Mason was just as sure that MVC was the best place for Cole. “He can come here and work with guys like Tim and Jess on a regular basis,” Mason says. “We work really hard in bareback riding here, and I’ve been blessed with the guys who’ve come here and been successful in our program. Cole already is the next great bareback rider for MVC.” After the fall season, Cole was sitting first in the Ozark Region’s all-around and bareback riding standings and second in

the saddle bronc riding. He’s also helped propel MVC to a comfortable lead in the men’s team standings. “My goal this year is pretty much the same as last year,” Cole says. “I want to have another year like last year and try to improve in the saddle bronc riding. I’ve been working on that a lot during the break.” Practice is especially easy when Cole is back home in Clarendon, where he and his dad are raising a string of bucking horses. It takes a lot of practice stock to keep both Cole and the Clarendon bronc riders sharp for the season. “We’re just trying to raise some goodto-ride hoppers that are perfect for the practice pen,” Bret says. “We’re also starting young bucking horses for guys like Pete Carr and Sammy Andrews. At this point, if we raise a really rank one, we’ll probably trade him to one of those guys for some more practice horses. It takes so

many horses for the bronc riders we’ve got here at the college.” As a coach and a dad, Bret would love to have his son around again this season. “But this is something he needs to do,” Bret says. “He needs to go get that fouryear degree. He’s lucky to have a place he can go where he can do that, but also have these great bareback riding mentors and traveling partners already built in.” With any luck, Cole will break that CNFR average record this summer and then turn toward his ultimate rodeo goal: winning world championships. “I’m not sure what I’d even do if I wasn’t rodeoing at this point,” Cole says. “I’m definitely shooting for some gold buckles in the years to come.” KYLE PARTAIN is a Colorado-based

freelance writer who has covered rodeo for more than two decades.

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3 QUESTIONS WITH

B O B BY K E R R I N T E R V I E W B Y K AT I E F R A N K • I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y R O B E R T O PA R A D A

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CREDIT TK

hen Bobby Kerr talks, it’s like chatting with an old friend. No matter how long it’s been, the horseman’s warm, casual voice quiets the listener’s mind. His kind demeanor combined with his talent for training is why his horses, whether Mustangs or Quarter Horses, and his dogs become talented, reliable performers. Kerr, who lives in Hico, Texas, with his wife, Susan, has been performing at rodeos with his Mustang act since 2011, when he won the “Fan Favorite” title at the Extreme Mustang Makeover with a colorful Mustang named Poncho (who is still a staple in his performance). When Kerr drives a stagecoach into the arena during a rodeo performance, the audience—from horse people to city folks— is captivated. There’s incredible horsemanship, fire, fast dogs, blazing guns and a cool old car. No wonder Kerr has won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Dress Act of the Year in 2017, 2019 and 2021. But Kerr had been training horses long before he was recognized for his Mustang gig. For more than 45 years, Kerr has trained and successfully competed with horses in roping, cutting, reining and reined cow horse. His talents don’t stop there. When he’s not starting colts or training horses and dogs, he’s engraving knives and jewelry. And when he’s not doing that, he’s making custom bits, fabricating elaborate metal gates or chandeliers, or working on cars. In short, he’s busy.

RIDE WEST So when doctors found a cancerous tumor in his esophagus last year, it was a hard reality for Kerr to slow down, cancel upcoming rodeo appearances and schedule treatments. And, as you’ll read, with support and love from the Western community, Kerr is feeling strong and gearing up for another rodeo season.

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—BOBBY KERR 1 What is your favorite thing about performing at rodeos? Other than entertaining itself, my favorite thing is all the people we meet. It’s one big family, especially this past year. The year started with a big boom, and then there was a bump in the road. I got cancer. I had to cancel a bunch of rodeos for treatments. It was terrible having to call rodeo committees. But then the rodeo folks would call me weekly, just to check on me. People who I thought didn’t even know me were sending notes. In my hometown, people I didn’t know would see me in my old truck, wave me down, and say a prayer on the side of the road and give me a hug. You hear about how everything is bad in today’s world, but there are so many good folks out there that actually care.

2 Have you found a difference between starting Mustangs and stock horse breeds? Yes, I think there’s a difference. A lot of Mustangs have actually been around a lot of stuff, because when they’re rounded up they go through chutes to get branded and get their feet trimmed. I’m not saying they’re getting gentle, but they’ve been exposed to things. The colt I have now, who I got from the Triangle Sale, isn’t scared of much, but you can tell he hasn’t been exposed to much. The people who raised him did a good job, but he was probably raised in a pen and kept in a stall. The other day I just about wore a tarp out trying to desensitize him. Once I get on the road and am taking him with me, he’ll get exposed to a bunch, which

will be valuable. I think that’s an advantage for me when training horses. I can haul an extra horse around, and I’m going to try to train a really good horse somebody will want later on.

3 What inspired your act with a horse jumping over your old car? The first year I did the Mustang Makeover and won the freestyle, I had an old ’46 International truck, and I had the horse jump in the back. When Susan and I were driving home, she asked, “How are you going to top that?” And I remember seeing a picture from Pendleton Round-Up or something, where there was a 1920-something model car and a cowgirl was jumping a horse over the car. I thought that was just cooler than heck. I said, “I’m gonna find an old car, get a horse and jump over it. Maybe even ride in it.” It was just a thought I had. That winter I found a car and started building it. When it came time to get a Mustang for the next year’s Makeover, I was looking for a horse that wasn’t too big so it would fit in the car. I found a horse and trained him to lay down, sit up, and then sit on a bale of hay. Then I taught him to jump into a box and turn around. The car was still at the mechanic’s getting the engine worked on when I hauled the Mustang to his shop. I loped him around and around, and then I jumped him in the car, on his own he turned around and sat down on the bale. I’ll tell you what, that was one of the happiest days of my life.

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LEADING THE WAY

Road to the Horse moves into a new era of competition, debuting a revitalized scoring system designed to reflect the evolution of the industry, while providing a fair advantage to competitors. STORY BY KAILEY SULLINS

he purpose of Road to the Horse is to identify the superior colt starter who accumulates the highest score, across three days, during the competition. Judging focuses on the competitors and the effectiveness of their horsemanship methods as they communicate, educate and build a partnership with their colt. The world-class colt starting competition also strives to keep the longterm respect of the horse at the forefront of its mission. Inspiring horse owners to reach a higher level of horsemanship and develop unity with a horse based on trust and not fear has been the vision of RTTH since its inception in 2003. While there will be winners and losers, the event’s first priority is always the horse.

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RTTH competitors battle through two rounds and complete an obstacle course and rail work requirements on the last day. In recent years, the judging system for allotting points and ultimately the champion was based on a common performance-horse method of scoring on a 70 plus and minus scoring system. Meaning, the scoring was on a positive numeric scale with 70 denoting an average performance. As an example, reining uses this standard of scoring where patterns are comprised of several distinct maneuver groups which judges are asked to evaluate. The individual maneuvers are scored in ½-point increments, from a low of Road to the Horse will debut a revitalized scoring system at the 2022 event in Lexington, Kentucky, designed to reflect the evolution of the industry, and provide a fair advantage to competitors. RIGHT: Tammy Sronce, director of RTTH, says the new scoring system is more reflective of industry trends. ABOVE:

pho to gra ph by ROS S HECOX

RIDE WEST

minus-1½ (extremely poor quality) to a high of plus-1½ (excellent quality), and a score of 0 denoting a maneuver that is correct with no degree of difficulty. The total of the scores applied to the maneuver groups is combined with the starting score of 70, and from this gross maneuver score any penalties are deducted to calculate the horse’s final score. Previously set on a this type of system, RTTH went back to the drawing board in 2021 to develop a renewed system of scoring, all with the intentions of reflecting the evolution of the industry, while providing a fair advantage to competitors and horses. RTTH strives to remain a leader in the industry, and in 2022 RTTH will debut a revitalized scoring system in Lexington, Kentucky, on March 24–27, according to Road to the Horse Director of Operations, Tammy Sronce. “With the evolving talent of the clinicians—look how far they’ve come over the years—the system has to evolve,” Sronce says. “Just like the colts do and the clinicians do and the industry does.” The scoring system has been continually adjusted since the event’s inception, however Sronce says key modifications were necessary to stay current with the times and talents of horsemen and -women. One of the challenges Sronce witnessed in the old system working for RTTH was in the premise of the event itself. In contrast to reining or other performance horse disciplines, where a 70 plus or minus scale is used, those horses are at the peak of their training and performance careers. RTTH is the onset of a colt’s education, therefore the simple act of a judge scoring maneuvers rather than the process in which a trainer interacts and build’s a colt’s confidence did not purely reflect the values of RTTH. “Road to the Horse wanted a scoring system that directly reflects our message, and this is one which focuses on building the colt’s confidence and trust through the entire journey,” Sronce says. “To us, it’s about creating a solid foundation, rather than just being primarily centered on the obstacle course.” photo g ra p h by ROSS HE C OX

Through months of meticulous research and evaluation, Sronce along with a panel of respected horsemen and judges such as Jeff Williams and Stormy Mullins, RTTH found a more concise and effective system in which to score competitors and horses. This new system works on a basis of 0 to 5 points, which increase in half-point increments. With the 0 to 5 scoring scale, judges will mark a competitor on individual scoring elements throughout the rounds based on 0 being the lowest level of difficulty and 5 being the highest. Those scores for each individual scoring element will then be tallied and totaled at the end of each round of competition. At the end of competition the competitor with the highest composite score will be crowned the champion. “We kind of had to work backwards and look at why and what we were doing,”

Sronce says. “Then make sure the scoring system follows that purpose.” RTTH test-drove its revitalized scoring system at the 2021 Days of ’47 RTTH Collegiate Colt Starting Challenge in Salt Lake City, Utah. The event was a glowing success. “We did use this system at Utah, and it was hugely successful,” Sronce says. “I remember turning to Jeff Williams, and saying, ‘We did it.’ It directly mirrored what we were watching in the round pen, and the scores reflected that.”

THE BREAKDOWN In years past judges had what Sronce calls a subjective view of categories in which to judge and score the competitor and the colt. With the new system, those blurred lines have been cleaned and sharpened.

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Prior to the scoring changes, competitors were scored in 10 basic categories: forward motion, degree of difficulty, yields, smooth presentation, confidence and trust, horse’s overall demeanor, fear management, clinician demeanor, progress, reading horse correctly. Those 10 scoring elements didn’t change through the first two rounds of competition or the rail work. Couple that with the broadness of the elements, and Sronce says it left a sizeable degree of personal interpretation to the scoring. “I felt they needed to be broken down into more concise elements that could be judged more objectively,” Sronce says Going from 10 categories to 20 different elements the 2022 scorecards will offer a clearer look at the progression of the colts and how point allocations are granted to competitors. Along with a deeper breakdown in scoring elements, they are more reflective throughout the rounds of the progression of the competition. Milestone markers have also been added to the scoring system. Now, the new system reflects changes in scoring components based on how the colts’ education grows in the rounds. In Round 1 competitors will be judged on these 20 categories: catching and haltering, saddling preparation, saddling, introduction of rider, obstacle preparation, groundwork, general interaction, timing-reward and release, forward motion, willingness to guide/steer, progression of colt’s softness-yields to pressure, clarity of message, overall horsemanship—reading of colt, clinician’s conduct/demeanor, clinician’s confidence and understanding, clinician’s ability to build confidence in colt, clinician’s ability to adjust to the colt’s needs, clinicians ability to build a solid foundation, appropriate use of pen wrangler, and colt’s demeanor at end of session. When competitors move to Round 2, all the same categories will be judged as in Round 1 with one replacement: obstacle preparation is replaced with use of obstacles. The final round—which is comprised of four components: saddling pen, rail work, obstacle course and overall riding—also

RIDE WEST received updated scoring components broken down into more concise categories reflective of the process. “It’s not a big change, but it changes as the colts develop through the process, rather than just having the same checklist,” Sronce says. “The biggest thing was the colt’s demeanor at the end of the session. When the competitor walks out of the round pen, did they leave a better horse? To me, the new scoring system focuses heavily on the progression of the partnership between the competitor and colt, across all the rounds. “It’s the establishment of confidence and the building of the colt,” she adds. “That was the biggest thing for us. It’s not so much, ‘Did you get over the tarp at Road to the Horse?’ It’s, ‘Did you build the colt’s confidence enough to get that done?’ The focus is on the journey rather than the destination.” Sronce says ultimately the new system provides a more even allocation of points throughout the event, mak-

ing the objectives clearer and the scoring reflective of the entire process of starting a colt with checks and balances along the way. “There used to be a heavy allocation of points in the final round,” Sronce says. “We have now changed to more even allocation of points throughout the entire competition. Road to the Horse is not solely about the obstacle course. We are here to watch a colt build his confidence through the entire competition. We are about building horses here, and want a scoring system that reflects that.” At the end of the day it’s a strategy born from a desire to provide the best opportunities available to both clinician and horse to build relationships together based on genuine trust. “When we ask a clinician to put their reputation on the line, we need to have a solid foundation to judge them appropriately,” Sronce explains, “and they need to be confident in how they’re going to be judged.”

THE EVOLUTION OF HORSEMANSHIP Horsemanship is ever-evolving, and RTTH strives to be on the cutting edge of those evolutions. Thus was the decision to create a new scoring system, but beyond that Sronce says the growth of the industry as a whole has always been the driving force behind what RTTH works to represent, for both trainers and horses. “Everyone’s horsemanship methodology is different,” Sronce says. “There’s such diversity in horsemanship, and we want to display that, celebrate that, and educate people. The vision of Road to the Horse is about communicating with that horse, building trust and taking the time to do it right. “We focus on a competitor and the effectiveness of their horsemanship methodology to communicate and build a partnership based on trust,” she adds. “I think that sums it up, right there.”

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COWBOY COOKING

GREEN CHILE HOMINY CASSEROLE Homer Robertson mixes the South with the Southwest in his popular chuckwagon dish. COMPILED BY ROSS HECOX

ope, it’s not macaroni and cheese. Cowboy cook Homer Robertson often has to make this clarification to folks gazing at his Green Chile Hominy Casserole. He adds that hominy was a staple of chuckwagon cooks more than 100 years ago because it didn’t spoil easily. Its plump, fluffy kernels are dried field corn that have been soaked in lye or lime solutions and rinsed several times to remove the hulls and make the remaining substance more tender. The cook from Granbury, Texas, says he was first introduced to Green Chile Hominy Casserole at the restaurant of Tom Perini, another well-known cowboy chef. Robertson has modified the recipe, and it has become a popular dish at events he caters. “It’s a neat recipe, and it’s something different,” he says. “In the South, we love hominy. And it’s prominent in Native American and Hispanic cultures. It’s used in pozole [a traditional Mexican stew]. I like to say this recipe is where the South meets the Southwest.” Robertson, who works full time for the Fort Worth [Texas] Fire Department, hauls his wagon to ranches, cowboy gatherings and chuckwagon cookoffs throughout the United States. He has won the Red Steagall Cowboy Poetry Gathering six times and has placed first in many other prestigious chuckwagon cooking competitions. “The thing I enjoy most about chuckwagon cooking is the relationships I have,” he says. “I really noticed it during the COVID pandemic when I wasn’t out catering or going to competitions. [Serving from a wagon] is like going to a party at somebody’s house. All good parties wind up in the kitchen, and it’s the same way around the wagon. It’s an inviting spot. People can sit down, enjoy the fire and enjoy good food.” 4 4 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

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GR E E N C H ILE H O M IN Y C A SSE R OL E (SERVES 22 PEOPLE) 1 No. 10, gallon can of white hominy 6 to 12 ounces green chiles (add to taste, use fresh, canned or frozen) 1 large onion, diced small 3 strips of bacon, diced 15 ounces Mexican table cream (crema Mexicana) 3 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese 3 teaspoons of paprika Salt and pepper to taste In a Dutch oven, sauté the diced bacon, then add the diced onions and cook until onions are soft and clear. Drain the hominy and add to the Dutch oven, along with table cream. Mix well and then add the green chiles, paprika, and salt and pepper. Be careful with the amount of salt because of the bacon. Cover the hominy with the shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the casserole is hot all the way through and the cheese is melted.

FAR LEFT: Homer Robertson loves to cater events, compete at chuckwagon cookoffs and promote the Western way of life with his recipes. LEFT: Last year, Robertson cooked at the annual Cowboy Artists of America Ride in Possum Kingdom, Texas. BELOW: Green Chile Hominy Casserole is one of Robertson’s favorite dishes to prepare, and it includes a staple of chuckwagon cooking from the trail drive era of the American West.

p h o t o g rap h s by RO S S H E COX

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REAL LIFE RANCH WIFE

LOSING MY MIND, ONE WINTER AT A TIME Spending winters with three young children, while my cowboy husband is away, has me rearranging furniture and looking for outer space aliens to befriend. STORY BY JOLYN YOUNG I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y T Y L E R C R O W

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CREDIT TK

ave you heard that remote ranch wives used to go crazy in the Old West? Well, as it turns out, they can still lose their sanity in the New West, too. There’s something about living way past the edge of civilization with no regular adult interaction that makes a woman start holding conversations with herself, then forget who she was talking to. At least Jim texted me every day through the GPS system on his dog collars. But reading, “We caught seven head today, Charlie got limbed off his horse, and a big bull hooked my leg so hard it turned purple,” wasn’t the same as hearing him say, “Have a good night, sweetheart. I love you.” Social media claims to take the edge off loneliness, but it doesn’t. I just don’t quite believe that all the other moms are wearing false eyelashes, carrying handmade purses with fringe down to there, and grinning while pushing a cart full of toddlers through the Target parking lot. I’ve shopped with toddlers before, and it’s nothing to smile about. pho to gra ph by F I RST LA STNAM E

RIDE WEST

Cow-Horse Confidence

Horses

$23.95

ISBN 978-0-7627-7012-0

Cow-Horse Confidence

To that end, in recent years the Idaho trainer has conducted horsemanship, colt-starting, cattle-working and ranch-roping clinics in Europe, South America and Australia and throughout North America. A successful competitor in rodeo, ranch rodeo, ranch-roping, cow-horse and even camp-drafting events, Black also has worked with leading cutting, reining and racehorse trainers. Martin Black could be called “the pro’s pro,” the horseman other trainers seek to help resolve a problem or get a young horse off to a good start. Cow-Horse Confidence gives an inside look at Black’s time-honored techniques for working horses and cattle.

Printed in U.S.A. Cover Photography by Darrell Dodds

Martin Black brings not only his finely tuned horsemanship skills, but also his highly perceptive sense of stockmanship to Cow-Horse Confidence. His understanding of the horse’s mind and knowledge of how to achieve confident performance with minimum stress are seldom matched. Likewise, the depth of the stockman’s savvy is such that he can teach a cow—or a herd—to load in a trailer in open country. His stockmanship takes Black’s horse training and cow work to new levels. He uses what a horse knows about rating herd mates, for example, to teach the horse to rate cattle, just as he recognizes that a horse speaks the language of flight zone and balance point, the two components required to move and direct cattle. Such intuitive understanding of livestock is a natural result of Black’s upbringing. Five generations of his family have ranched in Owyhee County, Idaho, in the ION—Idaho, Oregon and Nevada—region of the Great Basin. Horses and cattle are a way of life there, and vaquero horsemanship is a strong influence, as are rodeo and stock-horse competition. Through the years Black has stayed true to his Western roots. He is a keeper of the horsemanship and stockmanship traditions that have withstood the test of time. Black is a preservationist of sorts, who doesn’t want such skills lost to future generations of horsemen and –women.

Martin Black Cynthia McFarland

Talking on the phone is nice and helps break up the daily grind of cook, clean, repeat. One day, I chatted on my cell with a family friend who mentioned an episode of the X Files pinpointed theCow-Horse Cow-Horse epicenter of alien activity as Montello,Conﬁdence Conﬁdence Nevada, population 42. This was news to me. The tiny nontown of Montello is located only 14 miles down the dirt road from my house. Surely little green men in hovercrafts could cover that distance in a few seconds and be roaming my front yard uninvited in less than a minute. The horses would probably snort and run, the cattle would stampede, and my kids would Product # 87, Price $23.95 hide under their beds in terror. 192 Pages I wondered if the aliens took their coffee with cream and sugar, or drank Martin Black’s understanding of it black. What was the weather like on the horse’s mind and knowledge their planet this time of year? Did they, of how to achieve confident pertoo, have incredible natural phenomeformance with minimum stress nons like the Northern Lights, tsunamis, are seldom matched. Likewise, and the Wright brothers of rodeo (both the depth of the stockman’s generations)? But, sadly, the X Files was savvy is such that he can teach wrong. The aliens never showed up. a cow - or a herd - to load in a Without visitors from another planet trailer in open country. to visit with, I decided to pass the time Black uses what a horse knows by sprucing up the inside of our home. about rating herd mates, for The past four months, I rearranged the example, to teach the horse furniture so many times that moving the to rate cattle, just as he recogcouch isn’t even fun anymore. I painted nizes that a horse speaks the the kitchen eight times—in my mind— language of flight zone and then started to feel like the walls were balance point, the two comreally getting in my way. ponents required to move and “Mom, what are you doing?” my direct cattle. 9-year-old daughter asked when she walked into the living room and saw me Martin Black could be called standing stock-still with my eyes closed “the pro’s pro,” the horseman and both hands placed firmly on the dryother trainers seek to help rewall in front of me. solve a problem or get a young “I’m moving the wall,” I whispered. horse off to a good start. “Shhhh. It works better if you’re quiet.” Cow-Horse Confidence gives an She raised her eyebrows and went back inside look at Black’s time-honto watching a movie. Suddenly, Harry ored techniques for working Potter and his flying broomstick weren’t horses and cattle. the craziest thing she’d seen all day. US $23.95/CAN $26.50

Black Cover.indd 1

“SU R ELY L I T T L E G R EEN M EN I N H OV ERCR A F TS CO U L D B E ROA M I N G I N MY FRO N T YA R D U N I N V I T ED I N L ES S T H A N A M I N U T E.”

But then again, a ranch wife’s grocery run involves driving a total of four hours and purchasing three weeks’ worth of groceries, plus a stop at the feed store, bank, doctor’s office, and swing into J.M. Capriola’s to say hi to Julie in the freight room. I barely have time to scarf down a drive-through cheeseburger, much less glue a fake lash onto my eyelid. Offline, I met a couple of other ranch wives whose company I enjoyed. But the closest one lives an hour away and has a full-time job at the Gamble Ranch, so we haven’t had a chance to meet up yet. Feeding cows really cuts into a gal’s social life, which is annoying. Then again, maybe the other women are hanging out and not inviting me. Maybe it’s like junior year of high school all over again, minus the skin tight Wranglers and flip phones.

JOLYN YOUNG lives in Nevada with her

husband, Jim, and their three children. She helps operate the family’s feral livestock business for a vocation and cares for the kids as an unpaid hobby with no discernible finish line in sight.

7/19/10 2:19:29 PM

Order online at: westernhorseman.com (MasterCard, VISA & Discover orders only)

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800-874-6774 03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 4 7

PRODUCTS

DRIVE -THRU DINNER Feed and water your horse anywhere you go with four handy products and advice from Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Cheyenne Wimberley.

Securely attach your feed and water buckets wherever you go with this handy Mustang adjustable bucket strap from National Ropers Supply. Made with 1-inch-wide poly webbing, this strap has a loop on one end and a nickel-plated snap on the other. Choose from eight colors. $4.99; nrsworld.com

C O M P I L E D B Y A B I G A I L B O AT W R I G H T

Offer your horse round-the-clock access to hay with Tough 1’s Deluxe Slow Feed Hay Net. Made with durable poly hay cord, this net’s 40-inch size holds lots of hay to keep your horse snacking for hours. The net’s knotted style has 2-inch square holes to encourage your horse to eat less, and make less mess. $9.95; farmandfleet.com

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CREDIT TK

For watering horses in below-freezing climates, consider the Allied Precision 5-gallon Heated Flat-Back Bucket. Running off of a 120-volt plug and a 67-inch long cord connected to an anti-chew coil, the heating element is coiled between two walls in the bottom of the bucket to keep water from freezing, even when temperatures dip far below zero. The thermostat turns on at 38 degrees Fahrenheit and off at 50 degrees. You can hang this bucket by its sturdy bail. $49.95; valleyvet.com. pho to gra ph by F I RST LA STNAM E

RIDE WEST

FEEDING ON THE ROAD Keeping your horse fed and hydrated is a daily necessity, but when traveling with your horse, that task becomes more of a challenge. Cheyenne Wimberley knows this better than most. The five-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier hauled to 77 rodeos in 2021 to qualify for last year’s NFR. The barrel racer shares her on-the-go feeding tips.

that in the trailer, but I really feel like it’s a necessity to be able to do that for their hips and muscles.”

Select major brands. If traveling extensively, you will need to purchase feed on the road. That’s why Wimberley chooses nationally available feeds. “To feed really specific, homegrown formulas, it’s hard to get it shipped to where you are, and it can be so expensive,” she says.

Train horses to drink. Wimberley trains her horses to drink water at every stop and whenever it’s offered—starting from a young age. “I think just getting in the habit of drinking more often helps,” she says. “We stop every four hours to walk them, but every time we stop to get gas or a snack, or anything like that, we offer water.” She doesn’t leave water in the trailer, however, because if horses play with the bucket it can get messy. Adding electrolytes, starting at home, helps mask the smell of water in other locations.

Feed hay. Many road warriors feed hay cubes for continuity, but Wimberley prefers hay so the horse can graze. “I try to have hay available all the time,” Wimberley says. “We feed slow feeders at the trailer, and I put a square mat in their stalls so I can put the hay on the ground and they can get their head down when they’re eating. They’re not able to do

Use light-colored buckets. Wimberley says with light-colored buckets, horses can see the bottom of the pail, making them more likely to drink. “You know, they usually walk up to the pond or water trough, and they look first before they drink,” Wimberley says. “I don’t know what they’re looking at, but I feel like they do better with a lighter-colored bucket.”

CREDIT TK

Cashel’s Corner Feeder allows you to easily feed your horse hay in a stall or slant-load trailer. The bag’s mesh bottom allows dirt to fall through, while seams reinforced with nylon webbing increase durability. Adjustable straps allow you to attach the bag in a variety of ways. $36.99; cashelcompany.com photo g ra p h by FI R ST L A STNA ME

03.22 WESTERN HORSE M AN 4 9

5 0 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

T Y M U R R AY,

A LEGENDARY ROUGHSTOCK RIDER AND

ALL-AROUND COWBOY, IS TAKING HIS COLT STARTING TO NEW LEVELS AND CONTINUES TO PROMOTE SOUND HORSEMANSHIP.

Subtle& STORY BY JADE CURRID PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROSS HECOX

STEADY

03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 5 1

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TY MURRAY EXPERIENCED AN EPIPHANY AT AGE 20, realizing that true horsemanship entails communicating with the horse in a manner that excludes the use of force. The seven-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association all-around champion and co-founder of Professional Bull Riders realized that the journey of a horseman is a lifelong quest of knowlTy Murray and his Clydesdale mare, Sioux, walk through a 600-acre pasture on the TY Ranch. On the ground or in the saddle, the world champion roughstock rider strives to build a connection that doesn’t require halters or bridles. L E F T: Spinning windmills and tight spaces can spook a horse. But Murray works with the horse through the situation, rather than forcing it to face its fears. B E L O W : Murray often takes off the halter and works to communicate primarily with his seat and legs. OPENING SPREAD:

edge in forming strong equine partnerships. At this point, he had been horseback from age 2 and had the distinction of being the youngest cowboy to earn an all-around title in PRCA history. Since then, Murray has meticulously honed his horsemanship skills and intensively studied under master natural horsemen, in particular Dennis Reis of Petaluma, California. It doesn’t take long to notice that the“King of the Cowboys” is bursting with a powerful story and an unquenchable desire to make the world a better place for the horse. On an easy Sunday afternoon in October on his TY Ranch near Stephenville, Texas, Murray mused over his horse-

manship philosophies while seated in a rocking chair on the porch of his rustic saddle house. This particular fall day was warm enough for cowboy banter on how the seasonal felt hats—that had barely seen the light of day since last winter—could be easily swapped out for the freshly tucked away straw hats. Murray shared a favorite quote by legendary horseman, Buck Brannaman: “The horse is a great equalizer, he doesn’t care how good looking you are, or how rich you are or how powerful you are—he takes you for how you make him feel.” Murray has taken Brannaman’s words to heart and built a program based on

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“The tip is to learn how to be a better horseman with feel, and know all of the fundamentals and foundation that these horses need to have an understanding,” Murray explains.

Rethinking How to Start Colts The Phoenix, Arizona, native’s cowboying roots began when he was 2 years old, already commanding his own horse with no assistance. At 8, he began gentling colts alongside his father, Butch Murray, a former rodeo hand and racehorse starter. The elder of the two had sustained a widespread reputation of being able to transform the most difficult and dangerous horses into reliable mounts.

“They start wanting to follow you when you’re providing good feel and leadership. So what you’re trying to do is get that horse where he’s looking at you like your’re the lead stallion or lead mare.” —Ty Murray

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Luke Dyleski (right) has adopted Murray’s bitless approach to horsemanship. RIGHT: Dusk at the saddle house on the TY Ranch often signifies the end of a long day pursuing sound horsemanship. ABOVE:

how he makes a horse feel—safe, relaxed and happy “Being a horseman to me is being able to deal with your horse’s emotions in a way that works for him,” Murray says. “Because that’s what you’re riding, a big emotion with a giant motor. There are times when horses are relaxed and happy, and times they’re herd-bound or barn sour. “Most of the time, they’re scared,” Murray continues. “What’s over there? Is that going to hurt me? That’s what it is 99 percent of the time. And even when they’re herd-bound, it’s because they’re scared. Generally, when they want to come back to the barn, it’s because they’re nervous, uncomfortable or don’t feel safe.” Tricks and gimmicks will never serve as a substitution for a solid foundation of horsemanship, according to Murray.

Murray’s horsemanship methods and philosophies become most evident when he is starting colts under saddle. “Obviously I believe exposure is good for a colt, but it seems like a lot of bad information has been handed down from generation to generation for a long time,” Murray says. “I’ve heard everything in the world—tie them up, let them stand all day tied. I’ve heard every quick-fix gimmick in the world to get a horse to lose an undesirable behavior, and I’ve tried every one of them. I’ve tried everything I’ve been told since I was 2 years old.” Murray and his assistant, up-andcoming horseman Luke Dyleski, both communicate with colts they start us-

ing a constant, subtle and steady stream of information, along with consistent body language. Dyleski grew up in New Mexico and Colorado leading strings of packhorses in the mountains, and his extensive cowboy résumé includes bull riding. “So, the thing that Luke and I try to do is learn that we have a specific body language with a horse that makes sense to a horse, and it’s all about a subtle ask,” Murray says. Murray emphasizes that the accurate application of energy, feel and pressure, along with cadence and the correct use of seat, legs and hands, are key. As a way of demonstrating their colt starting process, Murray and Dyleski use the analogy of teaching colts the letters of the

alphabet and helping them string together those letters into words to form a language. “Luke and I try to start teaching them words the first day,” Murray says. “What I mean by words, for example, is the first thing I always do with almost every colt is ask him to lower his head.” As soon as the colt tries to lower its head, Murray provides the colt relief in the release of pressure. The colt’s effort in lowering its head in conjunction with the lightest cue given constitutes one word it has now added to its vocabulary. “So, we start trying—that’s one word,” Murray says. “We move their front end around their hind end and their hind end around their front end. We ensure

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“In the horse’s mind, he says, ‘If my rider is going to pull on me all the time, how about my rider pulls while I go where I want to go or do what I want to do?’” —Ty Murray we can ask them to go from a walk, trot, canter and run, and back down, [all] in the round pen. We achieve this not through whipping them or chasing them, but through energy and escalation of aid.”

SUBTLE, STEADY STREAMS OF INFORMATION Both Murray and Dyleski ride colts outside of the round pen for the first time with no bridle. “The words don’t change, so when I ride out of that round pen, that’s the same thing to the horse as the first time they go down the road to a show or to an event,” Dyleski says. “You’re in control of their feet, so if your words stay the same and you demonstrate good leadership, they can tune in with you, and it can be a good experience.”

Being a leader with a nice, soft feel and the ability to use unvarying words the horse knows is imperative. “They start wanting to follow you when you’re providing them with good feel and good leadership,” Murray says. “So what you’re trying to do is get that horse where he’s looking at you like you’re the lead stallion or the lead mare. And he doesn’t want to think about any of it. He wants to put his finger in your belt loop and follow you wherever you go. That’s how they are. That’s their nature.” Gradually, the horse begins to focus more on the unchanging words and precise communication being relayed, more than he does about distractions such as the horse nearby, the arena lights or any type of noise or commotion. “It starts with a very subtle ask,” Murray says. “Then if I don’t get a response, I escalate my aids until I do get a response. But, I always refine back to the subtle, steady stream of information where the horse doesn’t have to fill in any blanks.” One has to develop a solid foundation with a horse, before progressing to working with their horse on exposure. “They never learn through just throwing them in the fire and letting them sink or swim,” Murray says. “So, they somehow survive it, but it didn’t really help them. And, the big thing we try to do beyond teaching them all these words that we can now start stringing together is ensuring they understand energy is going to drive them forward, starting from Day 1 on the ground.

LEFT: Murray rides Sioux bridleless in an open pasture for her 11th outing under saddle. RIGHT: Seasoned ranch horse Zip requires only subtle cues—not a bit— to spin, stop and lope circles.

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“A little more energy drives them up to a trot, and then we match their energy,” he continues. “Then I bring my energy up, and it creates a canter. I match their energy. And, then I start to dampen my energy, and they’ll drop right back down to a trot. I start to dampen my energy again, and they drop right down to a walk. So, it’s not about pulling on their face.” Murray also employs the example of teaching a colt how to stop to illustrate the importance of giving the horse relief in the form of the release of pressure. When

your energy quits, your colt should quit. However, most young horses will not stop the first time they are ever asked to stop. “Then I get in their way with that rein until it causes them to stop. But, the important part is when they start to try to stop, I let go,” Murray says. “And that’s the part that is often missed. A common mistake I see is the tendency to pick up the reins and continuously pull on them. Letting the reins go at the appropriate moment is what matters most to the horse. And, that’s where the horse learns.”

If a rider continues to pull on the reins after a colt has already stopped, the colt will have a hard time making the connection of when to stop. Any time a rider continues to pull on the reins after the colt has willingly completed any maneuver asked of it, the colt will struggle with determining what the rider wants overall. “I’m just trying to give you a real elementary example, but to me, it’s in every facet for a horse,” Murray says. “For example, if I want a horse to turn around, and I

put my leg on and I leave it on until we’re done turning around—there’s nothing in it for the horse because there is no release of pressure. Then I don’t get a quick, snappy turnaround, because he is just going to get dead. He’s just going to get slower.” Murray uses concise and consistent body language when teaching a colt any maneuver. When teaching horses to move or turn in the direction he desires, he provides the horse with what he calls a “subtle ask” in the form of a light amount of leg pressure. “I put my leg on them with less than four ounces of pressure,” Murray explains. “But it’s more important that I take the pressure off when they start to move off of my leg. If I need quicker movement, I put my leg on with purpose and energy. That doesn’t mean hard or jabbing them. It just means putting some energy in that leg. That’s saying I want a turn now, and I still let them step off of it.” Murray compares pulling on a horse’s mouth to convey information to the horse to trying to type on a keyboard, but just hitting one key such as the letter “Y” over and over. “What I talk to Luke a lot about is you can’t really change a horse’s personality, but you can change the way horses react when they’re scared or when they’re wanting to come home,” he says. “They all want to come home. They’re all barn sour. They’re all herd bound. That’s what a horse is. They’re a herd animal. You have to know these things about them, and then do something besides pull.” Murray emphasizes how horsemanship is an expansive conversation topic with many intricate layers and nuances. “It’s a big subject to talk about, and all I’m talking about is starting a colt,” he says. “We’re not even getting to the rest of making a horse—and making a performance horse—to making a light horse and a responsive horse. I’m just talking about taking a young horse and making him feel better by providing him with an understanding of good leadership.” If you teach a uniform language the horse fully grasps, and provide a solid foundation of communication in the beginning, additional steps such as exposing the horse to various stimuli becomes a much smoother process. “A big thing I’ve spent a lot of time trying to learn and trying to help Luke with is being able to set everything up as two choices,” Murray says. “We try to never make our horse do anything. We try to 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 5 7

never hem them up, or trap them. We try to have them give us everything, every step of the way.” Murray and Dyleski provide horses with choices, which includes allowing them the space to make a mistake and even exhibit undesirable behavior. Horses often behave negatively as a defense mechanism when they are anxious or uncomfortable. If a horse demonstrates an undesirable behavior or does not completely comprehend or fulfill what is being asked of it, Murray and Dyleski will gain control of the horse’s feet and redirect its energy, such as in a figure eight or a circle. Their next step is to make what they are asking of the horse the easiest, most desirable option in the world. 5 8 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

A Bit Doesn’t Make a Reinsman Murray facilitates best horsemanship and stockmanship practices on his 2,800-acre TY Ranch, bestrewn with clusters of prickly pear cacti, mesquite, cedar and live oak trees, blue stem grass and the Bosque River that flows through it. He often works cattle on Zip, his Quarter Horse gelding whose bloodlines descend from Peppy San Badger and Zippo Pine Bar. Murray often rides the stout sorrel bareback and bridleless. “[Riding] bridleless makes me ride my horses with good straightness with my seat and my leg and with energy and life in my body,” Murray says. “So I’m giving them a lot more subtle information and taking the

guesswork out of the equation. In my experience, whenever they start to develop that, they start to look at you as a leader—they start to want to follow you. It happens fast.” Horsemanship is a family affair, as his wife, Paige Murray, who is a Ride TV personality and cookbook author, laid the foundation for their most green filly, Sioux, through groundwork exercises. The big, flashy mare is one of two Clydesdales that Murray added to his herd in 2020. He has started the two mares, Rosie and Sioux, under saddle, sharing videos of their progression on his Facebook page. Demonstrating his conviction that communication does not have to flow through a horse’s mouth, Murray rode Sioux onto a bluff in a 600-acre pasture, leaned forward in the saddle, unfastened her halter

“So, if I were to put a snaffle bit on, and pull, pull, pull, pull, pull, the horse starts getting numb to it,” Murray says. “And in the horse’s mind, he says, ‘If my rider is going to pull on me all of the time, how about my rider pulls on me while I go where I want to go or do what I want to do?’ ” A rider, unaware that a lot of unnecessary pulling on the reins causes a horse to have a tough mouth and become unresponsive to the bit, might make the mistake of progressing from the use of a snaffle bit to a harsher bit, such as a twisted-wire snaffle. If that rider continues to ineffectively pull on the reins, the harsher bit will begin to sore the horse’s mouth. According to Murray, if one is still riding ineffectively and pecking that one key on the keyboard without using a full range of letters and words to communicate with the horse, a harsher bit will not resolve the issue. “Well, now the twisted-wire snaffle doesn’t work, so now it goes to the higher port and the bigger shank, and the tie down and the ‘brain chain’ and the gag bit,” Murray says, shaking his head. “And, one can go on and on with all of this stuff that one could be looking for—that gimmick, that tip, that trick. ‘Oh, I’ve got this bit, and my horse is fantastic in this bit.’ Well, the bit doesn’t matter, if one hasn’t learned the fundamentals of being a horseman and being a reinsman, I don’t think one is gonna find the bit.”

Relentless Pursuit of Horsemanship ABOVE: Building trust is important to Murray and results in his horses clearing obstacles more readily. RIGHT: Ty Murray won seven all-around titles with the PRCA and grew up riding. But he says his understanding of horsemanship didn’t begin until later in life.

and tossed it on the ground. He then proceeded to guide the feather-footed horse around cacti, rocks and mesquite trees. The mare walked around like a seasoned ranch horse, even though it was only her 11th ride. It’s more common for Murray to ride green colts in a halter, and he says he has not placed a bit in a horse’s mouth in 20 years. If he decided to use a bit, he wouldn’t need more than a snaffle bit. He adds that bits are ineffective when one pulls too much, uses too much pressure, and overall, hinders progress with incorrect use of one’s hands when riding.

behavioral issues stem from poor training techniques or failed communication. In addition to the philosophy of Dorrance, Murray credits his friend and mentor, horseman Dennis Reis of Dennis Reis Universal Horsemanship, with guiding his horsemanship journey and infusing it with profound wisdom and knowledge. “The first day I rode with him, he looked at me and said, ‘Ty, you ride your horse 10 percent of the time,’ ” Murray recalls. “I said, ‘No, I ride him every day.’ He said, ‘No, when you’re riding, you’re giving him information 10 percent of the time, and it’s not even that good of information.’ It took a while for me to understand what he meant.” Murray has evolved as a horseman many times over since those early days of his enlightened journey, going from riding only “10 percent of the time” to stepping on each horse with purpose. He will quickly remind anyone who listens that being a good student of the horse is a relentless pursuit. Murray arises every day to humbly hone his craft and continue his life’s work. From the porch of the TY Ranch saddle house, he routinely witnesses the promise held in a new sunrise or views a brilliant sunset that signifies the satisfaction of a day’s work well done. Glitz and fame do not phase Murray. He is in it for the horse. JADE CURRID is a writer based in Texas. Send comments on this article to edit@westernhorseman.com.

Although he already had been a cowboy in every sense of the definition since a toddler, Murray pinpoints the start of his journey of being a true student of the horse to age 20, when he first read the classic book, True Unity: Willing Communication between Horse and Human. It was written by Tom Dorrance, who many consider to be the “father of natural horsemanship.” “Everything just gets put on the horse,” Murray says. “Tom Dorrance said that the horse needs a lawyer. It’s the coolest quote I’ve ever heard. Because it’s so easy to just go, ‘My horse likes to run off. None of them like to run off. Running off is manmade.’ ” Murray believes horses shoulder the blame for most undesirable traits they display, including running off. He says many 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 5 9

Right Start F RO M T H E

Professionals across all disciplines agree that a prospect’s first year under saddle sets the stage for its career. Meet five 2-year-old trainers equipping horses with skills to succeed at the highest level of performance. S T O R Y B Y W E S T E R N H O R S E M A N S TA F F

o matter if they are destined to compete in barrel racing, cutting, reined cow horse or roping events, it is common practice for performance horses to be started under saddle as 2-year-olds. | Their respective event doesn’t change the fact that they need to have a great start, and successful horsemen and -women regularly sing the praises of a good “2-year-old guy.” | Austin Shepard, a two-time National Cutting Horse Association Futurity champion and $8 million rider, depends on 2-year-olds that have been given a solid foundation before he begins training them as 3-year-olds for top limited-age events in cutting. | “The job that the 2-year-old guy does not only sets up their futurity season, but also the rest of their career,” he says. “If that guy has done a good job, and the horse has been started correctly before we get them, it makes my job a lot easier. And if not, it makes it a lot harder.” | Grant Setnicka, who has earned $3.5 million in cutting, agrees. | “I think 60 to 80 percent of a horse’s career is built right there during their 2-year-old year, honestly,” he says. “You can’t afford to spend their 3-year-old year fixing stuff, playing catch up or hiding skeletons in the closet. There’s a very short time window, it’s so important that it’s done well.” | So who are the horsemen entrusted with a horse’s critical 2-year-old year? We interviewed five of them—Zach Curran, Richard Jordan, Luke Nuebert, Andrew Steiger and Anthony Taormino—about life as a 2-year-old guy, working to give horses a productive career under saddle, right from the start.

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Anthony Taormino works with a 2-year-old stallion by Smart Chic Olena in his round pen near Lipan, Texas.

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LUKE NEUBERT LEADING TRAINERS OF CUTTING AND REINED COW HORSES send their futurity prospects to Luke Neubert for their horses’ first couple of weeks of riding. With help from his wife, Kelli, he starts nearly 100 colts each year. He was raised in northern California and influenced by his father, respected horseman and clinician Bryan Neubert. Early in his career, Neubert made a name for himself starting colts with his brother, Jim, for ranches and large horse programs throughout the nation, including the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas and the Parker Ranch in Hawaii. | Today, Neubert operates out of his facility in Dublin, Texas, and has started young horses for successful trainers such as Kelby Phillips and John Mitchell. Neubert started Janie Wood, the mare that Mitchell showed to the NCHA Futurity open championship last December, marking a record-tying 230 score.

If you have too strong of an opinion too soon, that’s being a little bit too rigid, making your mind up that one horse is a certain way. Think about how much a horse can change at this stage in their life. If I’m like, “Well, it’s not very goodminded,” then I start treating it a little bit different. I like to be flexible. Maybe I need to change something and fit the situation. What can I do to give the horse a better chance of “getting it”? I think the people I ride horses for respect my opinion enough to where I don’t have to have a cookie cutter result. I might call and say, “This one was a tough sucker. I didn’t get near as much done as I wanted to. Can I keep him for another week?” And sometimes I call them up early and say, “Hey, this sucker is good. Take him back.” It stands out pretty quickly whether a horse is a good mover or not. I like a good-moving horse, one that seems to float when he goes around the pen. Then you see one that hits the ground hard in front, and you’re like, “Aw, that’s gonna be a rough ride.” You can only do what you can do. Not all kids are the same in kindergarten. Some kids can take more schooling than others. I’ve overdone it plenty of times—trying to do too much too soon, trying to impress someone, or just trying to do somebody a good job. Usually I could pet on them, take them for a trot, and it gets better. 6 2 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

When I was about 12, I stepped off one and I wasn’t short with my rein. The horse was looking just a fraction away, and then it saw me [getting off ] and jumped ahead. It kicked and broke my leg. And I don’t hardly get off one without thinking about that. If I get hurt it doesn’t do anybody any good. So I want to stay safe and try my very best to keep my horses safe, too. They’re going to feel my snaffle and feel my spurs before they leave here. I see people sometimes don’t do

much, just get along with a horse, which is fine. But the next guy is likely to pull on them and use his feet to some degree. I’m trying to get them ready for the next guy. I don’t want to sneak or slip around them. If I’ve got to just slip around them, man, what if the next guy doesn’t? Are they going to whirl past him and kick him? If you really wanted to be successful in that [futurity] pen, you can figure out a way to do it. But it’s not that big a deal to me, not just winning. I like staying home. I’m not antisocial, but I like being with my wife and family. Me and Kell could be out by ourselves and be fine. You’d like to say your job is pretty important. But is it? You’d like to think, “Yeah, they couldn’t get it done without me.” But I betcha they can. They did it for years before, and they’ll probably get them started well after I’m gone.

“He’s a cowboy. Luke rides them and gets them exposed to everything. He doesn’t ease around them. When you get them back home, you don’t have to sneak around them. You can just saddle them, get on and start riding. Also, he’s shown quite a bit, so obviously he knows what the finished product is supposed to be.” —KELBY PHILLIPS, NRCHA SNAFFLE BIT FUTURITY CHAMPION

pho to gra ph by ROS S HECOX

photo g ra p h by FI R ST L A STNA ME

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pho to gra ph by F I RST LA STNAM E

RICHARD JORDAN RICHARD JORDAN CAN RECALL the day he decided he wanted to train cutting horses. He

was 12 years old and helping his grandfather and uncle sort pairs in eastern Oregon. Assigned to a ranch gelding, Jordan felt the thrill of a cow-smart horse working a cow. At the time he hadn’t even seen a cutting horse, but he knew the horsemanship path he wanted to take. | Fast forward 28 years, and Jordan has accomplishments that include starting the 2013 NCHA Futurity open champion, Dual Smart Kitty, and the 2017 NCHA Futurity open reserve champion, The Animal. In 2020, Jordan and business partner Todd Nelson took 12 2-year-olds to the Western Bloodstock sale in Fort Worth, Texas. The following year, as 3-year-olds at the NCHA Futurity, four out of the 12 made it to the open semifinals, and three made it to the finals. Clearly, Jordan has his 2-year-old program running in the right direction. | Jordan and his wife, Hope, have two sons and live in Parma, Idaho, where they operate Jordan Performance Horses.

I’m an extremely shy person. I love the horsemanship, but not so much the show pen. This is just the best way for me to be able to do it. It fits both my personality and skill set. The first couple of [cutting] horses I had, well, we had a little bit of a disagreement with the owners right before the futurity season. They ended up taking those horses to a different trainer. I got to see them be super successful all fall, and that was interesting in a way because for

some reason I didn’t mind it at all. You would have thought I’d be jealous or something, but instead I was like, that is awesome that my horses were able to go and do well. And I didn’t have to be the one showing them. I think it would be harder to maintain my own style if I were in some place like Weatherford [Texas], where you’re watching the best all the time. Not to say that I don’t try to mimic the best anyway, but up here in Idaho I think it’s easier to

“The best way to describe Richard’s horses is that they always want to snap back to a cow. You can pull them away from a cow, but they always want to go back to that cow, and that’s obviously super important for what we do in the cutting. We all have different styles, but a bunch of us [trainers] have gotten along with his horses, and that’s a feather in his cap. No matter who they go to, they end up doing well.” —GRANT SETNICKA, NCHA $3.5 MILLION RIDER

photo g ra p h by N I C OL E P OYO

keep my own feel for it. I’m not doing the exact same thing everyone else is doing because I’m not really in the mix. I make sure I teach them to turn over their hocks, and that’s always treated me pretty good, whether I was trying to train a rope horse or a cutting horse. My wife, Hope, rides a lot of barrel horses and we have some rope horses, and most of what they do needs to be off their back end. It’s important to be able to stop them, shape their ribs right and bring their nose through the turn. A lot of the things are similar, as far as how a horse needs to balance and move. That’s why we teach it right away. I try to quit working a horse when they start to lose their breath. You can gain way more ground quickly, than if you have a long ride where you try to get everything just right. A lot of people want to quit on a good note, but for me there is a spot where a horse, especially these colts, get tired enough that you’re not teaching them anymore. The ones that just don’t try, I don’t care for. Then there are some that try extremely hard but are just too hot. And those ones are much harder to decide on, because they are actually kind of fun to work since they try so hard. But they don’t have that spot where they slow down and think. Basically, we don’t go on with them if they are either too lazy or too hot. I know I can get a horse to cut and hold a cow really well, so now I’m constantly trying to make bigger moments where the horse is faster and sharper, but also has slow, poignant moments. I love to watch a run where things are fast and look like a tornado, then all of a sudden everything slows down, is precise and your emotions go up and down with it all. I’m constantly trying to teach these horses to develop a cooler movement and I start working on that Day 1, in the round pen. 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 6 5

ANDREW STEIGER SUFFERING AN INJURY while competing in rodeo roughstock events directed An-

drew Steiger down a path for which he is grateful. Based in Farmington, California, he starts 2-year-olds bound for barrel racing, reined cow horse and other events. | He started his first colt when he was 12 and continued training and showing horses in a wide range of events during his teenage years, including dressage, show jumping and camp drafting. Raised in New South Wales, Australia, he moved to Canada in his early 20s and began competing in saddle bronc riding throughout North America. Injuring his shoulder caused him to focus on training, and he made an impression in 2019 when he won the Wild Spayed Filly Futurity in Reno, Nevada, aboard South Steen’s Maggie Magpie. | He and his wife, Kelsey Hayden, both train performance horses, with Hayden focusing on barrel prospects while he starts 2-year-olds and shows a few reined cow horses in limited-age events.

I rode broncs for a long time, but then I injured my shoulder. It was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. At that point I still would have a few horses [in training] on the side for when I was at home. But I was dabbling too much on either side [rodeo and training]. I picked the horses and went down this road. I’m really glad I did. They’re all individuals, and all on their own set time. Some horses you might be 30 days down the road, and they’re feeling like they’ve had six months of riding on them. And then you might have one that has six months of riding on him, and he feels like he’s got 30 days. I feel like most of the time, though, after 60 or 90 days, you can have a pretty good read on your horse— how he reacts, his ambition, what he wants to do. Whether or not he’s doing certain maneuvers will give you an idea on how much he’s trying. In the early stages, I always look for their mindset—if they’re accepting the training, accepting me. But then also, do they have the athletic ability to do it? If they have the ability and are accepting the training, that shows all through their career. Those are the two most important things: mind and athleticism.

got to have respect and trust. You can’t have one without the other. If you get both of those things, you can make a pretty solid foundation on one, to where mentally he’s going to be kind and willing. I’ve got a few different saddles. They’re all kind of a ranch cutter style. They’ve got a deep seat in them and don’t restrict you from moving your legs around. I’ve used a lot of different stuff when starting colts. I’ve got a giant beach ball, and I’ll use that a bit. But I’m

not stuck on any particular tool. You give me a saddle and a snaffle bit, I can get some stuff done. A horse that gets started right has good confidence in whoever is on him. If he’s doing things out of confidence, and not fear, then that horse is a lot more likely, I believe, to have a successful career down the road. I ride a lot more 2-year-olds than show horses, but I am trying to make that move from just starting colts to going and having some futurity and derby horses, and bridle horses and all that. I like the competition. And I’d like to start them and see them all the way through. But I do think I’m always going to have 2-year-olds. You get a horse that doesn’t know anything, and you get to see a lot of progress in what you’re doing. If after 60 days, someone can come pick their horse up and ride it, do whatever they want to with it, and they’re happy, then that’s a pretty good bit of satisfaction.

“Andrew was a saddle bronc rider, and it seems that [roughstock riders] are not afraid of a horse at all. So with a colt, he doesn’t get in a panic and do things to one that’s a little bit skittish or broncy. He can let things happen and just guide it around it, or talk it out of it, and then go on. Also, Andrew has a great work ethic, and his desire to learn is incredible.” —RUSSELL DILDAY, FOUR-TIME WORLD’S GREATEST HORSEMAN CHAMPION

I think the first 30 days, or three weeks, are probably your most important. You’ve 6 6 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

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photo g ra p h by FI R ST L A STNA ME

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pho to gra ph by F I RST LA STNAM E

ZACH CURRAN AS A BOY, ZACH CURRAN was drawn to rodeo and competed from age 10 until his college years, when he rode bareback horses. He credits his success as a colt starter to Bill and Rick Smith of WYO Quarter Horses in Wyoming, both uncles to his wife, Lindsay. Curran began riding colts for the two men when he was 25, after he’d quit rodeoing. | From there, he broadened his knowledge of horsemanship from the opportunity to ride with leading clinician Buck Brannaman. Ultimately, those early experiences led Curran to working for Sherry Cervi, a four-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world champion barrel racer, and her father, Mel Potter, an NFR qualifier and leading breeder and owner. Curran has been starting 2-year-olds for the father-daughter duo for the past five years.

I just lucked out, getting to work for Mel Potter and Sherry Cervi. Mel came to the fall WYO sale one year up in Thermopolis, and he’s friends with my wife’s uncles, Rick and Bill, and he was talking to them and wondering if they knew of anybody that would maybe want to come down and start their colts. So I just got hooked up that way. All the horses I get to start for Potters have potential. They’re all going to fit somewhere. It’s hard to tell when they’re so young if they’re going to be a standout in any one thing, but they all have their good qualities. I mean, you could have four horses bred the same way, and they all might end up doing different things. So, I just try not to put them in that box and just try to do what’s best for each horse. I’ll turn them loose right after I saddle them and while they’re getting used

to the saddle, I’m trying to get them hooked on to me. Right from the start, I like to work on their transitions. If they tear out across there, I’m not going to make them keep going or anything, I want them to come back down and just work through all the gaits and get those transitions down. It seems like if they have a tight spot it’s going to be in those transitions between the gaits, so I get them really comfortable with that. Then while I’m doing that, I might swing a rope or a flag or something, but mainly I’m just trying to get control of their feet. Whatever you’re going to do on their back, you prepare them for on the ground. Then when you get on and start directing them, you’re basically just leading them from their back, and they already have an idea of what you’re asking.

“No matter what horse Zach is riding, he rides them all the same. It doesn’t matter the breeding, background or future intentions, he puts just as much time in the high dollar ones as the less expensive ones. I think that is a unique characteristic, and I appreciate it.” —SHERRY CERVI, FOUR-TIME WPRA WORLD CHAMPION BARREL RACER

photo g ra p h by J E N N I FE R DEN I S O N

I know how I want a finished horse to feel, so everything I’m doing is working toward that. A lot of it is breaking their body apart, getting control of their hindquarters and then separating that from their front end to where you can basically control each foot and every part of their body. That’s with any horse, you know how you want them to feel, and you want to be able to control each part of their body. You can keep them out of trouble—running barrels, roping, in the branding pen, anywhere—if you have those parts broken up because you can control them and help them be correct. Understanding their expression is really important to me. You want them to be working for you. I always try to quit while they’re still trying for me—quit on a good note, or where they let down and are happy. There are still times where you feel like you might mess one up and then you have to figure out how to put the pieces back together. Sometimes things don’t go like you had planned, but I think as long as you try and do what’s best for the horse then you’ll be alright. That’s the main thing, putting the horse first. I’ll do groundwork but am careful not do too much; I think you can overdo some of that. If you’re spending weeks doing the same thing every day, you can almost get them to go the other way. Once you get them good with something you need to just move on. As a trainer, everything you do is just getting them prepared for the next step. So, if something doesn’t go right, it’s probably because you missed something and don’t have them quite prepared. There are two things I always think about: I always come back to making the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult; the other one is just always putting the horse first. 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 6 9

A N T H O N Y TAO R M I N O HANDLING A HORSE’S 2-YEAR-OLD YEAR is ideal for Anthony Taormino. His self-proclaimed laid-back, desire-to-be-out-of-the-spotlight demeanor suits this type of work, and his abundance of patience allows him to take things slow before he hands the horses over to his wife, leading reined cow horse trainer Erin Taormino. | Early in their careers, Anthony and Erin worked under accomplished cow horse trainers such as Ron Ralls and Todd Bergen. In 2019, the couple bought a place in Lipan, Texas, operating under the name Taormino Performance Horses. They focus on their respective talents within the performance horse training process. Anthony starts the horses in their program, and then Erin steps in for the fine-tuning, the show pen and, hopefully, the winner’s circle. Erin has earned numerous National Reined Cow Horse Association accolades, including open reserve champion at the Snaffle Bit Futurity, and has won more than $600,000, most of which was earned aboard horses that Anthony started.

I don’t mind at all being in the background, I don’t particularly care for the show pen. If I’m going to screw up, I just as soon be in my round pen with no one watching. How they move is so important. Early on you can kind of tell how they are going to lope, if they’d have a tendency to run on their front end or not, and how they use their hind end—that’s just a natural ability they have to have these days. You can’t manufacture that. If they don’t want to stop and really use their hind end, they probably won’t be very competitive. I saddle them the first or second day, depending on the horse. I want them always ready to go to work. I’ll put a smooth snaffle in their mouth the first or second day. I may not be pulling on it or anything, just tie the reins loose so they figure out how to carry it around. We try to give them 90 days before we make a decision if we’re going to send them home or not. You may not be able to know if it’s going to be an open finalist, but I think you can tell if it’s worth going on with at that point. Some of the spicy ones, it just shows they have a little try and will put in some effort. Some of them, you can tell if they are being resistant-spicy or just have-a7 0 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

little-bit-of-grit-kind-of-spicy. The resistant ones worry me more. I teach them how to walk a circle on the ground, and then when I get on I want to be able to walk a circle both ways and get off. That’s my ideal first ride. I don’t want them to learn to buck and think bucking is part of the routine. I want to control what’s going on and do enough groundwork to teach them to be relaxed. I do not want them worried or scared. I want them relaxed about the whole process because that sets their mind up to accept training down the road.

I’m always telling myself to keep teaching, let them learn. You might have a 2-yearold that will run, drag it in the dirt and be really good. And then the next time they act like they didn’t even hear you and run into the fence or something. I remember if stuff like that would happen at Bergen’s, he would just ride by and go, “Well, how old is it, again?” You gotta just remember, yeah, they’re 2, they’re inconsistent. Ron Ralls always used to drill in our heads that they need to learn to take a pull. When you pull the rein, you want them to bring their nose through, with their front end coming across soft and willing. You don’t want a lot of resistance and you don’t want them coming through backwards, as far as shoulder first. Teaching them to take a pull, that’s going to matter forever in the horses’ career. Starting fresh every year gets me excited. I love seeing the potential, wondering what’s it going to be. It’s always weird to me to see them shown as 3-year-olds because I still think of them as 2s. I love seeing how they turn out. Especially if you have seen potential in them and then see it when they walk into the show pen.

“Anthony’s strong point is instilling confidence in colts, and that confidence in a young horse means their ability to take training without worry or stress. Everything you throw at them, when they have that confidence from the basics, they just lick their lips and carry on. When Anthony hands them over to me, they pick up on what I want in no time.” —ERIN TAORMINO, NRCHA $600,000 RIDER

pho to gra ph by ROS S HECOX

photo g ra p h by FI R ST L A STNA ME

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O n the

LINE Horseman Marty Simper explains how longeing a colt from a saddle horse yields several benefits on the ground and once you’re ready to ride.

CREDIT TK

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER DENISON

pho to gra ph by F I RST LA STNAM E

CREDIT TK

photo g ra p h by FI R ST L A STNA ME

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HETHER STARTING a 2-year-old, riding a ranch horse or tuning up a seasoned show horse, Utah horseman Marty Simper always wants to give the horse a job so it’s engaged and doesn’t get bored. He finds it’s easier to accomplish this in a large arena or even an open pasture, and he likes to work two horses simultaneously. “I don’t use a round pen a lot when starting colts,” Simper explains. “I prefer to take them out and work them off another horse. That way, both horses have purposes and they don’t get bored. Also, horses like a buddy system; it gives them security.” Based in Tremonton, Utah, Simper starts several 2-year-olds each year that go on to be ranch, performance and recreational riding horses. An American Quarter Horse Association world champion, he also trains horses and coaches riders for all-around and ranch versatility events. In the spring, he enjoys taking his colts and show horses to brandings to expose them to different things. “Horses are more than a tool to me,” Simper says. “I’ve always wanted to be a good horseman and to put the horse first. I want to build a relationship with a horse, starting as a colt, and develop its respect.” In this article, Simper demonstrates how he increases a colt’s confidence and body control by longeing it while riding a broke saddle horse. He also explains how the exercise benefits both horses. “If I have to longe a horse, I’d rather do it from another horse than from the ground,” he explains. “Who wants to stand in the middle of a round pen while a horse goes around? I want to work two horses at the same time.”

PREVIOUS SPREAD: Marty Simper prefers to work a colt while riding another horse to develop the colt’s confidence. LEFT: Simper attaches a bull snap to a lariat and fastens it to a rope halter when longeing a colt. The snap swivels and keeps the rope from forming a figure eight. RIGHT: Ponying a young horse teaches it to respond to lead rope pressure and the release reward.

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PREP STEPS Before longeing a young horse from the back of another horse, Simper sacks out the youngster with a lariat until the horse is comfortable with the rope around its legs, brushing against its body and being thrown across its back, over its head and in front of and behind it. He also starts ponying it from a wellbroke horse so it gets used to moving forward in response to pressure and understands that the release of pressure is always its reward. With those basics instilled in a young horse, Simper progresses to the longeing exercise. He takes the loop out of a 40-foot lariat and threads a bull snap down the rope to the honda. Then he rebuilds the loop and tightens it around the snap.

“The snap swivels so your rope won’t figure eight and come up your hand when you start flipping it over the horse’s head,” Simper says. He places a rope halter on the young horse and attaches the rope with the snap. “A rope halter pulls more cleanly across the horse’s nose and applies pressure to different points on the face,” Simper says. “A web halter sits flat and gives a horse more to brace against and push into. Plus, [with a rope halter] you don’t have to worry about a buckle breaking, and you can always untie it [in an emergency].”

ON THE RIGHT TRACK Holding his reins and rope coils in his left hand, Simper releases some of his coils so there’s slack in the rope while he longes

“I don’t use a round pen a lot when starting colts. I prefer to take them out and work them off another horse.” –Marty Simper

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Simper rides toward the colt’s hip and uses his saddle horse’s energy to drive the colt forward into a circle. R I G H T: He asks the colt to change direction by riding toward its head to block the movement and flips the rope over its neck. FA R R I G H T: Then he rides toward the inside hip and sends the colt forward again. ABOVE:

the young horse. Starting at a walk, he drives the horse into a circle to the right by riding toward the horse’s inside right hip. He continues to remain in this position as the young horse circles around him and his horse. If the young horse doesn’t move off right away or sluggishly, he increases his and the saddle horse’s energy to motivate the colt to move. 7 6 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

“The colt learns that if it moves off the pressure from the horse, the pressure releases and it gets to relax.” –Marty Simper

“As the colt moves away, I back the horse off a little bit so the colt learns that if it moves off the pressure from the horse, the pressure releases and it gets to relax a little,” Simper explains. “I also release some rope slack so there isn’t any pressure from it.” Once the young horse is moving steadily in a circle, Simper asks it to change direction. He removes some of the slack from the rope while riding toward the horse’s head. He then flips the rope over the horse’s head. The pressure from the rope and the horse blocking its forward motion opens the door for the colt to turn in the other direction. When it does, Simper releases his rope slack and drives it forward into a circle to the left by riding toward the horse’s inside left hip. “It’s like tracking a cow,” says Simper. “I push the colt forward from the hip with the horse I’m on, and then we cut off the colt like we’re turning a cow and push it forward in the other direction. The colt is drawn to the other horse and that helps. The horse I’m riding learns to track and rate the colt.” Both horses get used to ropes flipping around their heads. “Even if you get the rope caught on the horse’s nose or ear, that’s okay. It gets the horses used to ropes flying around their 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 7 7

“Keep things soft and easy, and don’t get in a hurry. You don’t want to force the horse—you want to build its confidence.” –Marty Simper

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face,” Simper explains. “If I go to a branding and have people throwing their ropes or coming at my horse with a rope, it won’t be a big deal. “It also is good for colts because they get to see someone above them,” he adds. “People spend a lot of time working colts from the ground, and then when they go to get on the colts don’t know what to do with someone above them, and they get scared.” Simper repeats the longeing exercise several times. As the horse becomes more responsive to the cues, he asks it to change direction more often and more quickly. Before long, the horse starts setting his hind legs in the ground and pivoting around them while his outside front leg crosses over the inside front in the turn. That’s the foundation for a turnaround. Simper also advances to performing the drill at a trot and, later, the lope.

BODY CONTROL BASICS Simper works on another drill while the horse is moving in a circle. He places the rope slack along the inside of the horse’s body, between the hock and hip, and starts to ride around the horse’s hindquarters, keeping a safe distance in case it kicks. When the horse feels the rope pressure on the halter, it learns to flex through its neck and rib cage and move in the direction of the pressure. “It teaches a horse body control, or giving its face, rib cage and hip, which is important for any maneuver you’ll eventually do on it, from turnarounds to the sidepass and lead changes.” Simper explains. “When the horse yields to the pressure it will start to turn, crossing over in front, and then stepping forward out of the turn like it will do in a turnaround.”

LEFT: As Simper brings the rope around the horse’s body, it starts to yield to the pressure, giving through the face, rib cage and hip. RIGHT: As the horse softens, he crosses over with his front leg, which is the foundation for a turnaround.

It also prepares a horse for dragging a log and eventually roping a cow or steer. “Keep things soft and easy, and don’t get in a hurry,” Simper advises. “You don’t want to force the horse—you want to build its confidence. The horse doesn’t associate the pressure with the rider and starts learning to soften through its body. “Every time you get on a horse it should learn something,” Simper adds. “Anyone can get on a horse and ride around, but a horseman helps the horse learn.” JENNIFER DENISON is senior editor of

Western Horseman. Send comments on this story to edit@westernhorseman.com.

MEET OUR EXPERT

GROWING UP IN ELKO, NEVADA, Marty Simper was shaped by rodeo, buckaroos, bridle horses and all-around events. He cowboyed on ranches in the Great Basin, started colts, and showed horses in American Quarter Horse Association all-around events and in bridle-horse classes at the Elko County Fair. In his 20s, Simper started working for respected trainers such as Mike Dunn, Larry Larsen, Clark Parker and Bret Stone. In 2001, he started his own business, specializing in allaround and ranch versatility horses and riders. Citing professionalism and education as part of his mantra, Simper has won an AQHA world championship, as well as an American Paint Horse Association reserve world title and futurity championship. He serves as an AQHA national director, is currently president of the Utah Quarter Horse Association, and is listed as an AQHA Professional Horseman. He also judges several association horse shows. He and his wife, Jody, and their two children are based in Tremonton, Utah. 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 7 9

C A N A D I A N P H O T O G R A P H E R K I M TAY L O R C A P T U R E S T H E

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R I C H D E TA I L S F O U N D I N G E N U I N E S L I C E S O F R A N C H L I F E .

THE REAL PICTURE STORY BY RICHARD MCCARTY P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y K I M T AY L O R

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A B O V E : Don DePaoli, Buffalo Head Ranch, Longview, Alberta “I was invited to photograph trailing these 400-plus yearlings under a dark sky,” recalls Kim Taylor. “ I was grateful for my slicker and plastic cover I always carry for my camera, as we didn’t make it back to the trailers before the clouds opened up and the heavy rains hustled us back.”

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FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, PHOTOGRAPHER KIM TAYLOR has derived inspiration from the varied landscape of her native Canadian hinterland and the ranching families who make their living there. Identifying herself as “a voice for the rancher,” the southern Alberta photographer’s empathy and understanding of her subjects are evident in the realistic mosaic of her honest, accurate images. Traveling from sagebrush to pines, plains and the high country of western Canada, or even ranches in Hawaii, she finds beauty. Years of documenting the life she loves and knows so well have earned her subjects’ trust, with the ranchers opening their gates to her art-

istry and faithful depiction of their lifestyle. Preserving the soul of ranchers and their lifestyle through her photographs has become her way of life. “My work hinges around a solitary figure—the cowboy—and his connections to his horse, life and the land,” she explains. Taylor’s quest for preserving ranching traditions provides insight into contemporary cowboy culture and the values it represents. Sharing the Western lifestyle through her lens bridges reality and what others only dream about. “My intent each year is for you to reflect upon your own value of integrity and

OPENING SPREAD: Mike

Jasper and Cuyler Huffman, Cotton Ranch, Riske Creek, British Columbia In early October on the Cotton Ranch in Riske Creek, British Columbia, Mike Jasper and Cuyler Huffman check for strays in the vast mountain grasslands of the Chilcotin country. “I feel blessed to live where I can experience the four seasons,” says Taylor. “Although seasons dictate when and how our work gets done, each brings forth its own beauty and challenges.”

ABOVE: Dustin

Gonnet, C5 Ranch, Nanton, Alberta Dustin Gonnet of Gonnet Performance Horses escapes for a day away from his daily routine. “The C5 Ranch, nestled against the Livingston Range south and west of Nanton, Alberta, is one of my favorite places to photograph,” Taylor says. “The light always seems magical and the backdrop never fails me. I hold great respect for Dustin, his roping, his horses and his dogs; he is a true stockman.”

LEFT: Lynnie Blades, Home Place Ranch, Nanton, Alberta “With Saddle Mount as a backdrop, I went along while trailing this herd to summer pasture in the crown land of a local forestry reserve,” recalls Taylor.

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B E L O W : Cowboy on the Milk River, Pinhorn Grazing Association, Manyberries, Alberta Recorded on 35mm slide film, this photo is often referred to as Taylor’s “Charlie Russell rendition.” “The Milk River winds through the middle of the badlands of the Pinhorn Grazing Association, one of the more rugged community pastures located south of Manyberries,” she says. “We trailed the pairs across the river to a 22-section summer field, to which I came back in the fall to help gather and photograph.”

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help maintain the precious grasslands of our world, showing appreciation for the ranchers who endure the climatic and economic conditions that will carry their ranches through to the next generation.” Growing up on the grasslands of southwest Saskatchewan provided the foundation for Taylor’s creativity and taught her to look deep to find the hidden beauty of the raw prairies. “As a self-employed photographer, the freedom I have to do what I love and love what I do has always been high on the bar and the most important element of my career,” she says. “Horses and riding were a part of my younger life; the photography emerged later in my motherhood days. I was fortunate to combine my two passions and often ask myself if I am working or playing!” While raising her family, Taylor acquired her first 35mm camera and lenses, and began to develop the body of work and style

for which she has become known. Mentors John McQuarrie and the late Ian McMurchie were a great source of support and encouragement in her early years. Documenting the Western Stock Growers Centennial Cattle Drive alongside McQuarrie in 1996 kickstarted her career and led to her first published work: a historical book with a collection of images from the event. That opportunity allowed her to get to know many of the ranchers who later became her individual subjects. Like any successful artist, Taylor’s style is shown in her collection of work. The three major qualities of realism, honesty and spontaneity present in her images prove her allied role as a full participant in the life and scenes she vibrantly brings to life. Often helping with moving cattle and branding, she handles a rope or a camera with equal capability. “Photography and riding out on a borrowed horse at 5 a.m. to get the perfect

Mark Elliott, Alkali Lake Ranch, British Columbia “Mark Elliott is the Alkali Lake Ranch cowboss and one of the finest ranch hands and horsemen on the range,” Taylor says.

ABOVE:

Racquel Russell, Keely Durrell and Ricky Seelhof, Riske Creek, British Columbia. “They raise them right in the rugged grasslands of Riske Creek, BC,” Taylor says.

L E F T:

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L E F T: Laureen Kress, Butcher Grazing Association, Pincher Creek, Alberta “I remember being indecisive about packing my camera, since it was a hard ride back up to the lake,” recalls. Taylor. “However, when I topped the plateau and saw the beauty of [Blue Lake] ahead of me I was sure grateful I had packed it. I hung back while the others went down to water, ready for an opportunity to capture the beauty of the lake.”

shot each hold an equal feeling in my heart,” she notes. Taylor’s mastery of light, foreground and depth of field result in photographs rich in authentic detail and brimming with the active honesty and realism of the culture she portrays. Cattle, horses, riders and gear are carefully shown in real life, placed on a palette dictated by attention to detail and illuminated by optimal use of light. Her ability to take photos from horseback while being a part of the day’s ranch work contributes spontaneity to her style. Her images never feel staged; they draw the viewer into the dust, the smoke and swirl of action. “I seldom set up a shot, preferring to shoot from my heart and capture what I feel in the moment,” she says. “The use of a Cotton Carrier [camera carrying system] while on horseback allows me to carry my digital camera and lens in a safe manner and ready for action. It also keeps my camera safe when I need to put it away and help with the task at hand.” Taylor’s unique body of ranch photography is appreciated and eagerly awaited by many viewers around the world. Her work has graced the pages of several publications, including Western Horseman, Canadian Cowboy and Western Horse Review. She also showcases her work in a wall calendar, day planner and address book she creates and sells annually. Her background, inspiration, goals and style combine to provide a window into the ranching world. Together, these elements of the lush visual panoramas of the range make for a true vision of ranching in the Canadian West. “I am blessed and grateful to have had the opportunity to ride in the most pristine grasslands of western Canada with a heartfelt thanks to all the ranch gates I have been privileged to ride through. I have met so many genuine, good folks,” she says. RICHARD MCCARTY is a college

professor and writer based in Alberta, Canada. Send comments on this article to edit@westernhorseman.com. 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 8 7

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Enter the Horse Workforce WANT A CAREER WORKING WITH HORSES? THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WITH THESE JOBS—AND THE SCHOOLS TO HELP GET YOU THERE. If you want to spend your working life in the equine or ranching industry, specialized education can be helpful. Both classroom and hands-on experiences are key to getting a foundational level of knowledge before stepping into the workforce. If you’re curious about what kinds of jobs are available in the horse world, we’ve listed just 25 of the most well-known careers below. If you’re looking for a ranching or equine educational course or degree, we’ve also highlighted several that can help you start your career journey.

Twenty-Five Popular Horse Jobs: 1. Guest ranch host: Welcomes visitors to an equine vacation destination and ensures their experience is smooth and enjoyable. 2. X-ray technician: A medical position specializing in taking equine radiographs. 3. Riding instructor: Gives students guidance on horsemanship techniques and proper horse care. 4. Photographer: A professional photographer specializing in capturing images of horses or equine events. 5. Author: A writer specializing in creating books geared toward horse enthusiasts to either inform or entertain.

8. Farrier: A farrier cares for equine hooves by assessing, trimming, shoeing and doing other maintenance. 9. Marketing director: Marketing is a communications career focused on promoting horse associations, businesses or events. 10. Veterinary technician: Works directly with an equine veterinarian, providing skilled assistance in handling the horse during procedures, examinations and follow-up care. 11. Farm manager: Responsible for running a farm or ranch operation, including care of fields, hay, livestock and horses. 12. Event coordinator: Produces equine events, rodeos, clinics and other activities.

6. Massage therapist: A professional skilled in aiding equine health and wellness with massage techniques.

13. Nutritionist: Works with feed companies or training programs to improve the diet offered to horses.

7. Association youth director: Connects children and teens with an equine enthusiast community though events and other campaigns.

14. Mounted police officer: Police officer working in a specialty unit riding horses to deter crime or provide crowd control.

15. Sales representative: A sales position focused on equine products, feed, advertising, pharmaceuticals or insurance policies. 16. Geneticist: A scientist that specializes in the study of equine genetics. 17. Auctioneer: Plays an integral part in the equine sale process. 18. Horse show judge: Evaluates horses in competition against breed or association standards. 19. Equine journalist: A communications expert covering topics that affect the horse world for print, web, social media or other mediums. 20. Extension agent: Offers science-based information to the public and horse owners to help them care for their animals. 21. Stallion/breeding manager: An expert on safely and successfully breeding horses and caring for mares and stallions at every step of the reproductive process. 22. Veterinarian: A licensed animal medical professional specializing in equine health care. 23. Association executive director: Leads the direction and operation of equine-focused organizations. 24. Trainer: A horse trainer is skilled at starting, training and showing horses, and some trainers also coach riders. 25. Cowboy: Helps with horseback ranching operations, including gathering, doctoring, feeding and managing cattle, and not excluding the repair of fences and equipment. 03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 8 9

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Graham School For University of Livestock Men and Women Montana Western

TCU Ranch Management

GARNETT, KANSAS

DILLON, MONTANA

FORT WORTH, TEXAS

For 113 years, Graham School for Livestock Men and Women has provided hands-on experience and education on managing cattle to ranchers, future ranchers, dairymen and veterinary students. Once a month, the school’s five-day program teaches through classroom sessions and on-the-ranch learning with animals. Topics include pregnancy testing, artificial insemination, ultrasound, calf delivery, vaccinating and more. grahamschoolforcattlemen.com

University of Montana Western equine studies students can pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in natural horsemanship, with option areas in management, science, psychology and instruction. UMW also offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in natural horsemanship or equine studies. UMW equine studies courses are offered in a block schedule: one course at a time for three hours a day, for 18 days. A sales prep course is also available. umwestern.edu/department/equine-studies

Texas Christian University’s Ranch Management Program teaches students to manage a wide range of resources anywhere in the world on an economic and ecological basis. Focused on the business of ranching and beef cattle production, concepts taught can easily be applied to the horse industry. Graduates have gone on to careers in ranch management, ag lending, natural resource management, ag real estate and ag pharmaceuticals. ranch.tcu.edu

9 0 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

Feather River College QUINCY, CALIFORNIA Offering an equine and ranch management bachelor’s degree, an equine studies associate degree and certificates in horse training, ranch skills, pack skills and rodeo techniques, Feather River College prepares students for a variety of careers in the equine world. Students can be involved at all levels of young horse development, from foaling broodmares to halter breaking weanlings, groundwork with yearlings, starting 2-year-olds under saddle and sale prep. FRC also has a ranch versatility show team and a rodeo team. frc.edu

Wyoming School of Horseshoeing

Lamar Community College

CHEYENNE, WYOMING

LAMAR, COLORADO

Located on a working bison ranch, Wyoming School of Horseshoeing instructors teach students the horseshoeing trade, as well as how to conduct and run their businesses successfully. Choose from two-, four- and eight-week full-time courses. During down times, students can take a train ride, go on a trail ride or just take in the views. Courses include food and lodging. wyomingschoolofhorseshoeing.com

Lamar Community College is nationally recognized for associate degrees in equine business management and horse training and management. Students ride every day and take courses including equine anatomy, reproduction, sales and management. Students’ last semester is a full-time internship. Graduates often pursue careers in cow horse, reining, roping and barrel training; equine veterinary care; rehabilitation; nutrition; reproduction; and instruction. The college has a successful rodeo team. lamarcc.edu

TAKE THE

THE NEXT GENERATION OF RANCHING.

For more than half a century, TCU’s renowned Ranch Management program has given students an edge in agricultural resource success. This unique nine-month intensive program equips graduates with real-world strategies as producers and land stewards in changing times.

Space is limited. Visit ranch.tcu.edu or call 817-257-7145.

RANCH MANAGEMENT

03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 9 1

S P E C I A L A D V E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

"YOU CAN HAVE GOOD TEACHERS, GOOD WORK ETHIC AND BE A STUDENT OF [HORSEMANSHIP], AND IT’S STILL GOING TO BE HARD AND TAKE YOUR LIFETIME. BUT IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU’RE DOING, WHO CARES HOW LONG IT TAKES? IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU LIKE IT." —BUCK BRANNAMAN

Horse Training & Management Equine Business Management Schedule your riding interview

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CLASSIFIED ADS ALL CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PAYABLE IN ADVANCE. RATES: $5.50 per word for 1 to 5 insertions; $5.00 per word for 6 to 11 insertions; $4.50 per word for 12 insertions. 10 word minimum. MasterCard, VISA, AMEX and Discover accepted. DEADLINE for classified advertising is two months prior to publication date. For unspecified designation or doubtful cases, decision of publisher will prevail. Words in name and address must be included when figuring the number of words. Publisher reserves right to edit all copy. To place your order contact: Nancy Hughes, Classified Ad Manager; 817-569-7107, nancy.hughes@cowboypublishing.com BOOKS/MAGAZINES/VIDEO WWW.COWBOYBOOKWORM.COM - Hank the Cowdog, children's, cookbooks, Old West History, Instructional, DVDs and more. 817-344-7036. "SECONDHAND COWBOYS" by Pete Hammert. A young German immigrant makes his way to Oklahoma and builds a successful business starting with one Jersey bull. Available at Amazon.com ”ADVENTURES OF A RANCHER MY JOURNEY OF FAITH” – Available on Amazon. E D U C AT I O N /S C HOOLS OKLAHOMA HORSESHOEING SCHOOL: Licensed by OBPVS and Approved by the SAA for VA Benefits. Scholarships, Tribal Funding and Voc Rehab Accepted. Grants and Student loans available for those who qualify. Call 405-288-6085 or 800-538-1383. Write: Oklahoma Horseshoeing School, 16446 Horseshoe Circle, Purcell, OK 73080. Website: www.horseshoes.net; "Like" us on Facebook. OKLAHOMA STATE HORSESHOEING School - AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier Instructor, 6-week fundamental Farrier Course, Training on live feet only. Housing Provided. Approved by the SAA for VA, Post 9/11, and Vocational Rehabilitation. Scholarships accepted. Grants and student loans available to those who qualify. Licensed by OBPVS. www.oklahomastatehorseshoeingschool.com; contact us at 1-800-634-2811 or email at oshs@cableone.net, 4802 Dogwood Rd., Ardmore, OK 73401. EXCELLENCE IN FARRIER EDUCATION - Minnesota School of Horseshoeing; Comprehensive program covering balance, conformation, anatomy, lameness, diseases, and forge work. www.mnschoolofhorseshoeing.com; 1-800-257-5850. IMPROVE YOUR FARRIER BUSINESS. Call Far Hills Forge. Extend your forging skills. 908-797-4432.

P R O F E S S I O N A L PA C K I N G S C H O O L : www.rockcreekpackstation.com, Craig London, DVM, 760-872-8331. EMPLOYMENT

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6 row stitch pattern, double ribbed steel shank, full double leather soles, 16" or 17" high, your choice of toes, heels, and spur ridge. Colors for foot in black, chocolate, or natural Heavy duty leather. Price $ 425 + $ 25 for postage and insurance. Send for free brochure and order blank.

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“Handmade Boots for Real Cowboys” Ask about our in-stock sale boots! 503 S. Cotton, El Paso, Texas 79901 915 309 3855 chacho1940@sbcglobal.net

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9 4 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2 westernhorseman-Feb-22.indd 1

12/8/2021 4:45:53 PM

Snap & Reride

KETCH PEN

By SHAWN WILLIAMS Illustration by TY SKIVER

The adventures of a highly trained cowboy fashion reporter. Hey, Reride, you‛d better get some more rosin and change into a pearl snap shirt if you want to keep that blonde.

PIDCOCK/COATES QUARTER HORSES GOOD LOOKIN’ GENTLE, WELL BRED, EASILY TRAINED, POWERFUL, FOUNDATION QUARTER HORSES AT REASONABLE PRICES. We also carry contracts.

Pictured, Described and Easily accessed on our website at: www.quarterhorsesbypidcockcoates.com “SALE BARN PAGE”

117408 King Tull Rd, Prosser, WA 99350 • 509-788-0972

Reride, your friend Snap is a really sharp dresser in those pearl snap shirts. Why do you wear button-ups?

I just love your pearl snap, Snap. What color is this one?

As soon as I win this bull riding, I‛ll buy the classiest pearl snap in Cowtown, darlin‛.

This shade of blue is called “royal denim kiss.”

03.22 WESTERN HORSEM AN 9 5 Untitled-9 1

3/16/20 2:10 PM

ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE

WESTERNHORSEMAN.COM

Best and Worst of Times It is the best of times. Calving at its finest. The calling of those chosen to tend God’s creatures. To take part in simple miracles. To alter the balance of life on earth by one small addition. It is the worst of times. Calving in the midst of a winter when one needs a depth finder to see the top of the market. When it is less worrisome to lose oneself in the task of daily responsibilities easing the burden of birth, than thinking about the price of next fall’s overcrowded weaner crop. A dilemma, some would say. But does knowing the decreased value of beef make a cowman think less of that heifer in trouble, or of that new calf layin’ in the straw? Does her dollar price somehow affect her value as a creation? As a work of art planned, worked on and created by a cowman, a cow and God? Does the price of a first-calf heifer affect a cowman’s responsibility to her well-being? Does his effort, concentration and skill decrease when she’s calving as the market price decreases? Does he try harder to get a live calf if she’s worth more at the sale? These questions are best answered not philosophically or hypothetically, but in reality. At 3 a.m. when you hook the chains to newborn feet and start to pull, does cost cross your mind? When you rub the calf down and push him under her flank, do you see dollar signs? When you gaze over the turnout field and watch cows grazing contentedly while calves chase each other around ’em, do you get a good 9 6 W E S T E R N H OR S EM AN 0 3 . 2 2

C OWB OY HU MO R IST BAXTER B L AC K , DV M , I S BAS E D IN B E NSO N, AR IZO NA

feeling? Smile, maybe, and relax for a moment, thankful all is well? Or are you too occupied with their price to appreciate what you’re seeing? The dilemma I’m presenting really isn’t much of a problem for most cow people I know. The calving barn is a long way in time and miles and thought from the auction ring. After all, we tend to our flocks in bad weather, hard times, illness, chapped hands, achin’ backs, mad patients and, yes, bad markets. I think when we lay down in the straw or mud behind a heifer needin’ help, the price per pound is the farthest thing from our minds. So, in spite of all the well-meaning (and correct) consultants who keep reminding us that what we do is a business, it is also, beyond any doubt, a way of life. illus tra tio n by K EV I N CORDTZ

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Fly Predators stop flies before they emerge and reproduce, so you’re not continuing to battle each subsequent and very prolific generation. They’re the easy-to-use natural alternative to spraying gallons of pesticides, only to have the flies keep coming back.

Our goal was to create the best fly repellent of any kind, but retain the benefits of Essential Oils. In the past, Essential Oils never kept up with synthetic chemicals. Now Bye Bye Insects does. Bye Bye Insects' active ingredients include Geraniol, Rosemary, Citronella, Peppermint and Lemongrass. All ingredients meet EPA’s 25(b) Minimum Risk requirements.

And flies will keep coming back because sprays (even ours), traps and bait only affect the adult fly stage, ignoring the other 85% yet to emerge. By comparison, Fly Predators stop those future flies, really fixing your fly problem. There’s no down side as Fly Predators do not bother people or animals.

Bye Bye Insects Smells Great Too

Besides great performance, Bye Bye Insects also smells and feels terrifi c. Pyrethroid fly “If my horse could talk he would No Pesticides, sprays warn against thank Spalding Fly Predators.” No Larvicides, No Worry — Hope Thompson WPRA World use on human skin Champion Breakaway Roper Using Fly Predators avoids any potential and few like the smell of side effects from pesticides or feed thru larvicides. Just them. By comparison, Bye Bye Insects has a pleasant reading a pesticide warning label is perhaps the best scent and can be used on yourself and your horses. advertisement for Horses Fly Predators Cost natural, organic Bye Bye Insects Is Also A Great Buy per Month Delivered Fly Predators. By + sales tax It’s a concentrate, so you can adjust its performance to 1-5 5,000 $ 24.95 contrast there is no what you need. You can use it 6-10 10,000 $ 37.95 warning label for full strength, but 65% of users 11-15 15,000 $ 48.95 Fly Predators. 16-20 20,000 $ 61.95 reporting said diluted, it worked

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21-25 25,000 $ 73.95 26-49 $2.83/head/mo.+shipping Doubled Up Bonus Shipment(s) Order 5 months get 1, 9 months get 2 Above 50 head... call for quote.

During warm months you’ll get a Fly Predator shipment every three to four weeks. Simply sprinkle them where flies reproduce, such as manure areas that are still moist. For further information go to: spalding-labs.com/g4a9s Easy-to-use. Just sprinkle Fly Predators near all manure areas. It just takes a few minutes and you’ve done your fly control for the month.

fine. After you use up your first quart spray bottle, don’t throw it away, instead refill it from our 3 quart pouch. Doing that and diluted by 50%, your cost per quart is only $9.99 delivered. Not recommended for use on white or grey hair due to yellowing. More Bye Bye Insects info: spalding-labs.com/au9hg

1 Quart Quart......... 24.99 $ 3 Quarts ...... 54.99 3 Oz. .............. $7.99 + tax, Delivered

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The Little Bugs That Do A BIG Job™

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1-888-282-8042 • ad code f55pe • spalding-labs.com/jqnsg Fly Predators, Bye Bye Insects and The Little Bugs That Do A Big Job are trademarks of Spalding Laboratories. Copyright© 2022 Spalding Laboratories PO Box 778000 Henderson NV 89077-8000 All rights reserved.