Today was another exciting day at the Buck Brannaman Clinic. The progress that most of the people are making is wonderful to see. Many of the horses are looking and acting better in their foundation work.
In the first class, Foundation Horsemanship, Buck went over hobbles again and took questions from the riders and audience about them. He explained that the most important piece of the hobble more than anything else is that is prepares them for when they are tangled up in anything. He then went on to talk about shaping the horse for changing leads. He said the most important exercise that would help with it were leg yields. Working cows is also another way to prep them for lead changes. It’s all about moving the hind end to one side or the other, depending on which lead you want. One of the most important things Buck said that stood out to me today was that if your horse is not bending, it is your hand’s fault; if your horse is not reaching, it is your leg’s fault. Every day he has mentioned reaching and bending more times that I can even count, making them the most important aspects of the clinic so far.
In the second class, Horsemanship 2, the most important thing that stood out to me was that when you reach for your horse to bend, he should be reaching for you. He should be able to anticipate what you want him to do, because it means the same thing every time. You should also fit with your horse. This goes hand-in-hand with timing up with his feet. Without having the right timing, bending him around and getting him to move his front or hind quarters will never be as smooth as it should be.
Buck also stressed today that the one rein stop should always be a comfort to the horse. It should never be used as a reprimand or a punishment. It should be used as a way to bring them back when they are lost. When a horse is going faster than desired, bringing them down into a one rein stop can bring their mind and feet back to you. It also helps with the whole bending idea that Buck talks about every day. Today he talked about the four different ways that you can move your hind end. Jenn has already gone over them with me, and I know I posted about them last week, but I’m going to reiterate them since they are so important. The first: one rein and one light leg with flexion. The second: soft feel using light leg gently. The third: leg only dropped back slightly. The fourth: hand only in position 1 (out, back, and in slightly to near the saddle horn) and wait. These four exercises can never be overstressed or overused. They are great for when you are just sitting on your horse and not working on anything else.
Today was yet another step toward my goals. I learned a lot more than what is on this page, and it astounds me every day. This amazing opportunity I have is opening so many doors of knowledge I never even knew existed.
After the clinic was over for today, Melissa and I cleaned out Dino’s stall and fed him some grain. We then went out to dinner with Jenn to Texas Roadhouse. I had country fried chicken with corn and a Caesar salad. It was as good as they raved it was.
Tomorrow is the last day of the clinic, and then it’s time to head back to the ranch. Hopefully the road isn’t too bad going in, otherwise we are going to be sleeping on the side of the road somewhere.
In the first class, Foundation Horsemanship, Buck went over hobbles again and took questions from the riders and audience about them. He explained that the most important piece of the hobble more than anything else is that is prepares them for when they are tangled up in anything. He then went on to talk about shaping the horse for changing leads. He said the most important exercise that would help with it were leg yields. Working cows is also another way to prep them for lead changes. It’s all about moving the hind end to one side or the other, depending on which lead you want. One of the most important things Buck said that stood out to me today was that if your horse is not bending, it is your hand’s fault; if your horse is not reaching, it is your leg’s fault. Every day he has mentioned reaching and bending more times that I can even count, making them the most important aspects of the clinic so far.
In the second class, Horsemanship 2, the most important thing that stood out to me was that when you reach for your horse to bend, he should be reaching for you. He should be able to anticipate what you want him to do, because it means the same thing every time. You should also fit with your horse. This goes hand-in-hand with timing up with his feet. Without having the right timing, bending him around and getting him to move his front or hind quarters will never be as smooth as it should be.
Buck also stressed today that the one rein stop should always be a comfort to the horse. It should never be used as a reprimand or a punishment. It should be used as a way to bring them back when they are lost. When a horse is going faster than desired, bringing them down into a one rein stop can bring their mind and feet back to you. It also helps with the whole bending idea that Buck talks about every day. Today he talked about the four different ways that you can move your hind end. Jenn has already gone over them with me, and I know I posted about them last week, but I’m going to reiterate them since they are so important. The first: one rein and one light leg with flexion. The second: soft feel using light leg gently. The third: leg only dropped back slightly. The fourth: hand only in position 1 (out, back, and in slightly to near the saddle horn) and wait. These four exercises can never be overstressed or overused. They are great for when you are just sitting on your horse and not working on anything else.
Today was yet another step toward my goals. I learned a lot more than what is on this page, and it astounds me every day. This amazing opportunity I have is opening so many doors of knowledge I never even knew existed.
After the clinic was over for today, Melissa and I cleaned out Dino’s stall and fed him some grain. We then went out to dinner with Jenn to Texas Roadhouse. I had country fried chicken with corn and a Caesar salad. It was as good as they raved it was.
Tomorrow is the last day of the clinic, and then it’s time to head back to the ranch. Hopefully the road isn’t too bad going in, otherwise we are going to be sleeping on the side of the road somewhere.