Last Monday I went out to the barn telling myself I would lope Laredo. We’ve been a bit slow to get there because we usually ride in such irregular, open spaces. For so long he had such a tendency to lock up on the bit and lean into pressure it didn’t seem there was anything… Read more »
Buck Brannaman
Changing Things Up
I shifted my work hours so we could get out to the barn today for an early morning ride. It was still hot, and quite humid, but it sure beat the 100+ degree temps that came later in the day. The horses were grazing in the low section of the big pasture. When we approached… Read more »
Hard Work
It was another really hot day out at the barn. We are having an unusually hot streak right now. I guess it makes sense, as I just read a headline somewhere that the past 12 months have been the hottest on record. Still, I’m hopeful for a nicer June. June is my favorite summer month.… Read more »
Hooked on a Feeling
Just like Robin mentioned, really working the soft feel to its full potential is something we have let slide in the past few months. I knew it was happening, but I couldn’t exactly figure out why. I guess week by week I got a little more lax about holding it and using it before a… Read more »
Reload
For the past 9 months Robin and I have been doing our best to apply the things we learned at the Buck Brannaman clinic in Decorah. It has been a fun and rewarding 9 months. We have both seen huge changes in softness, responsiveness, and how both our horses view us. We’ve still had some… Read more »
After Buck, Take II
We built an extra day into our vacation so we could get back home and spend many hours at the barn applying the new stuff we learned at the clinic. There were a few things I was surprised to figure out this time. For instance, I somehow forgot/got lazy about the concept that you should… Read more »
Buck in Colorado
Brian and I are just back from auditing our second Buck Brannaman clinic. This one was in Fort Collins. It was an 11 hour drive to get there, but it was well worth it. I was expecting to get a lot out of seeing everything from Horsemanship I again and thought the Foundation Horsemanship class… Read more »
A Pasture Ride
It is one of the strangest truths about horses that they need both consistency and variety to really flourish. While both people and horses are reassured by routine, falling into the habit of doing everything the same way for long periods can lead to dullness. Our barn doesn’t have much of an outdoor arena, and… Read more »
A Ride in the Trees
Wednesday was windy and a little cool. While tacking we noticed the stall horses were out in the big pasture, so access to the treed lot was clear of both equine obstacles and mud. We hadn’t ridden out there since last fall some time, and Brian and I both wanted to work on slow stuff,… Read more »
Venturing Forth
We had some rain last night and this morning, so footing on the strip was going to be mushy. Also, our boys have had a couple hard rides recently and they aren’t in super good shape. We don’t want to over-do it. But it’s spring break and the weather is fantastic, so while Brian and… Read more »