Trade Secrets

Prepping a reined cow horse for a non-professional pilot alters how Brad Barkemeyer readies the horses in his program.

By Kate Bradley Byars

Brad Barkemeyer’s Scottsdale, Arizona, barn is full of Opencaliber horses in addition to those that he shows and shares with Non Pro level owners. For Barkemeyer, keeping a Non Pro horse in show shape and competing at the rider’s level is not new. He started his career training under Al Dunning’s guidance and preparing cutting horses.

Today, Barkemeyer’s clients hold their own in the Non Pro level classes at National Reined Cow Horse Association premier events. And when the trainer is in the saddle, he also takes his share of added-money checks home. For Barkemeyer, preparing a show horse for one of his Non Pro clients is a challenge that offers him a big reward.

“It’s one thing to be able to train and show a horse that needs to be disciplined for one rider, but to have him perform at his best with various riders’ abilities really highlights the horse’s trainability,” he said. “It’s a luxury to have Open-caliber horses to show in Open classes, but the importance of having the involvement of our Non Pro clients participating with success ensures that our industry will continue to grow and thrive.”

In order to have the caliber of horses to compete in the National Reined Cow Horse Association Open and that can also match his non-professional clients’

KATE BRADLEY BYARS

Rundowns are an area Brad Barkemeyer focuses on when prepping a horse he also shows for a Non Pro owner to ride in competition.

riding experience, Barkemeyer tests horses based on each client’s preferences on guiding and motivating a horse.

“One of the things I need to know as a trainer is how far a horse can be pushed or how many miscues it will tolerate while attempting to perform the basic maneuvers,” he said.

Aside from athletic ability, Barkemeyer focuses on riding his clients’ horses in a way that doesn’t depend on perfect timing. A Non Pro that has a full-time job or is in school doesn’t have the hours in the saddle an Open rider does when preparing for a horse show.

“If I am stopping, I might pull on the reins out of time and ask him to stop,” he said. “I want that horse to know they will have someone up there that won’t be perfect all of the time. They get used to specific cues, so I try to push different buttons.”

Rundowns are one maneuver that displays a rider’s weakness and how well the horse can tolerate imperfect timing.

“I often ask the horse to go a little faster and give them more freedom than most of my Non Pro riders. Non Pro riders are usually hesitant to utilize that additional speed, even though they know that is what they need to do it. And, the horse needs that freedom to do its job well,” said Barkemeyer.

“That goes back to having a horse that will tolerate having the button pushed the wrong way or tolerate being held back,” he continued. “The horse that tolerates going slower will be best suited for a Non Pro or Youth that wants a horse that only listens to them and doesn’t do their job on their own.”

An older bridle horse that enters Barkemeyer’s program could have experience with riders of all levels. However, when trainer and client share a younger horse that is aimed at limited aged events things can get sticky.

“You need a different kind of horse and you need a lot more patience as a trainer,” Barkemeyer said. “When a horse is young and impressionable, every day and every ride is important, whether at home or at a practice show. “The majority of the time we are riding two-handed in a snaffle or hackamore; I have to be careful not to overcollect a horse with too much frame. In that case, the Non Pro often can mimic that to where the horse feels comfortable. If I am really having that horse drive from behind, be collected and change speeds in a circle on a light rein, that is more difficult for Non Pros to do with the same confidence and feel. I have to be careful not to have the horse over-sensitive.”

Barkemeyer is aware of how important the client’s experience is at the horse show, and that feeds into how involved the client will stay in the reined cow horse industry.

The practice night before the show has a big impact on how he prepares horse and client for the show day.

“The main point [of a practice session] is to be positive and find the balance of what the horse and rider need to find the confidence in each other to perform their best,” explained Barkemeyer. “Let the rider deal with the issues at hand. I’ve never been the guy to just jump on a horse to fix it. I want that rider to work through the process of what it feels like when it is not working and figure out how to respond. It can end up in tears! It can mean we school again at 3 a.m. But those are defining moments where we can shed a little light on a bad situation and turn it into a positive learning experience if I do my job properly.”

CALLING ALL NON PRO MEMBERS

Join us at the Dom Conicelli Memorial Eastern Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™, July 10-17, in Cordova, Tennessee, for a special Non Pro focused show. It can be daunting to dip a toe into the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s premier events, but our Eastern Derby is just the place to jump right in!

The second annual premier event east of the Mississippi River will offer a full slate of horse show classes in addition to a Derby, but we are adding special events for our exhibitors. Time with our NRCHA professionals for questions—and answers—as well as social gatherings are in the works. Stay tuned to our event page for up-to-date information.

We want you to ride with NRCHA at the Eastern Derby! Visit www.nrcha.com/nrcha-eastern-derby/ to stay up to date.