Horse Tales from the LOPE Ranch

LOPE is Beneficiary at AAEP Kate Tweedy Book Event

LOPE would like to thank Kate Tweedy (author of Secretariat's Meadow) and Macleod Pharmaceuticals for their support during the AAEP Annual Convention. Ms. Tweedy (daughter of Secretariat's owner, Penny Chenery) had a hugely popular book signing at the convention -- and she donated a generous share of the proceeds to LOPE. Macleod Pharmaceuticals sponsored the book event and also gave LOPE space at their booth. LOPE sold out of its inventory of Beyond the Homestretch at the event too! Thanks to Ms. Tweedy and Macleod Pharmaceuticals, nearly $1800 was raised for the LOPE horses (and their winter hay fund). We appreciate their support tremendously (as well as the help of the LOPE volunteers at the event: Suzanne, Judy, Jenn, Gina and Loretta).

Pictured: Kate Tweedy (on left) with LOPE Volunteer, Judy Marchman.

Interview with Horseman and Stockman, Tom Curtin

Tom Curtin grew up in Montana and has had a long career working with some of the most famous ranches in the US (King Ranch, The Four Sixes, Johnson Ranch and 7D Ranch). He counts such horsemanship legends as Buster Welch and Ray and Carolyn Hunt as his mentors.

He has helped the LOPE horses tremendously over the past few years. I’ve learned a great deal from riding in his clinics and attending his winter camp in Florida. Tom also is the star of LOPE’s DVD on Retraining Racehorses and we appreciate his affinity for ex-racehorses very much.

Tom will be coming to the Austin area on Nov 4-6 for Colt Starting and Horsemanship classes at Hy Court Farm. If you are in the area, please don’t miss the opportunity to ride in or audit the clinic — Tom is a terrific teacher!

You worked closely with Ray Hunt and knew him well. Can you tell us one or two of your favorite stories about Ray and why he was so important to you as a horseman?

Ray gave so much of himself to my family and I. I had the opportunity to show Ray how to make rope halters. It took some days for Ray to master these halter knots. At one point, he called and asked me for my help with some specific knots. I made him a simple diagram with a small piece of string stapled to a piece of cardboard. Years later, I found this same cardboard and string example that had traveled with him for ages, still in his halter gear bag. Being able to give back a small piece of what he gave us was an opportunity few have had — to give something to Ray, as he’s given to so many.

Ray also really enjoyed driving a team of horses. One time, he asked if I would come to Texas and start a couple of teams of his horses driving. It was really special to see him so excited to see these teams come together. And we then rebuilt a wagon to suit his needs. That two-week period in my life was so special to me — because I was able to give something to Ray, who gave so much to me.

As a teacher, you see so many horses and riders every year in your clinics and winter camp. Can you describe one or two of your favorite teaching moments (when a horse and rider achieved a special breakthrough or when you felt best as a teacher)?

This is a really difficult question. As a clinician, I have been blessed with the opportunity and the ability to teach what I have learned from many great stockmen. Each day of my life that I work with horses and people, I have great moments.

Recently I had the opportunity to conduct a horsemanship class of about 20 participants. Most of them had ridden with me previously. It was a pleasure to watch the harmony these people have achieved with their horses, to observe the changes that have taken place. I had the pleasure of watching the feel, timing and balance these riders had with their horses for the full three hours of the class.

As a human, it is hard to take credit for these changes — yet I am constantly reminded of how I have helped these horses and their riders achieve a higher level of respect, trust and understanding.

On your website, you are described as a stockman as well as a horseman. What does that term mean to you and why do so few people earn the right to be called that?

To me the term stockman defines a person who has a very good understanding of all livestock. A stockman has the ability to take one form of livestock and use it to teach another form of livestock.

To be able to move a cow with a horse, allowing the cow to teach the horse what he needs to learn and the horse needs to teach the cow what the cow needs to learn. When livestock learns the relationship between each another and the human, the job of the stockman is working harmoniously with all animals. This becomes fluid when done in a quality manner.

Seldom do people have the opportunity to work with the variety of livestock that I have had. My life has been filled with excellent horsemen and cattlemen. It is rare to find one person who could balance all talent — to set the stage, for each animal to be productive. I’ve been fortunate to work with good horses, cattle, dogs, mules and various other livestock. Being able to incorporate the human with various livestock in a harmonious manner makes a stockman — as has been defined by my peers and respected clients.

You will be hosting a two-week colt starting clinic this winter at your winter camp in Florida. How will the two-week format help people and their colts get a better foundation? What type of mistakes do people sometimes make in starting their colts on their own?

The two-week format will give a person the idea of where to take their horse beyond a three-day clinic creating a more in depth foundation. It will allow the human to understand how to keep things interesting for the horse.

A three-day colt starting class gives you a foundation to start out with your horse. In two weeks both the human and the horse have the opportunity to make the foundation stronger — and to develop respect and trust in each other.

But I can’t say that anybody makes any specific mistakes with their horse. They just lack the understanding of how to support the horse (in order to carry him further building respect and trust).

While you were filming the DVD on Retraining Racehorses, we really noticed how much you seemed to enjoy working with the LOPE ex-racehorses (and how much they liked you back). Not all clinicians seem to have the same positive attitude towards ex-racehorses as you do. Why do you like ex-racehorses so much?

Early in life I had the opportunity to ride some racehorses on the track. More often than not, these horses weren’t comfortable with themselves or the people that handled them. They lacked a foundation — which would have allowed them to have a second chance (which I always felt they deserved). This is why I feel obligated and honored to be able to help the racehorse, an athlete, which I highly regard.

When the racehorse doesn’t make the cut or when his racing career is finished, often he has realistically no place to go in life. He has no respect, trust or foundation. I feel that every horse should have the opportunity to have this foundation.

If the young, not-yet-started racehorse or the older ex-racehorse can be helped to develop respect, trust and a foundation, this will allow them the opportunity to have a second chance in life.

Fire Update and Online Auction

As you may have heard, the fires in Bastrop came close to the LOPE Ranch on Monday, and we decided to evacuate all the horses. Thanks to a huge outpouring of trailer help and foster homes from the Texas horse community, all of the LOPE horses were relocated to safety within hours. We are very grateful for everyone's support -- and our thoughts and sympathy are with the other friends and families in Bastrop who lost so much in the fire.

We have returned to the ranch -- there was no damage to the property and we are gradually bringing the LOPE horses back (as the fire risk diminishes).

Benefit Horse Show Still Scheduled

Many people have asked what they can do to help LOPE, now that the immediate threat of fire has been reduced. We would like to hold our planned Benefit Horse Show and Silent Auction Fundraiser on 9/17 at Hy Court Farm as scheduled. The LOPE volunteers, Hy Court staff, show sponsors and class judges have all worked hard to create a terrific event for a good cause. And we would like to move forward with the event and begin the process of putting the fire behind us. The fire crisis was a good reminder to us of how suddenly many horses can be at risk -- and we want to raise hay and care funds for the LOPE Ranch (so that we can help more horses in the future).

If you can attend the show, please register online here or download and mail the entry form and enjoy a fun, laid back show. For folks who can't come to the show but would like to support the event, please consider donating a $15 "virtual" show registration entry to LOPE here.

2011 LOPE Benefit Show Online Auction Now Open

The silent auction is now open for online bidding -- please check out the terrific collection of items our volunteers gathered for the auction (including a custom designed Derby hat, a VIP tour of Three Chimneys Farm in KY and tickets/passes to the 2012 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering). The auction will culminate with live bidding at the Benefit Horse Show on 9/17.

Thank you so much for all of your support, prayers and good thoughts this week for the LOPE horses -- it made a huge difference and kept us safe.

Horsemanship Philosophy of Buck Brannaman Interview Series: Cindy Meehl, Director of Buck

I first saw Buck, the documentary about Buck Brannaman, at the SXSW film festival in February. Last month, LOPE hosted a special sneak previewing screening of Buck in Austin, too. The film depicts the horsemanship philosophy of Buck Brannaman, as well as his own compelling life story. It's beautifully shot and very thought provoking (in a good way). LOPE highly recommends Buck — and you don't have to be a horse person to appreciate its entertaining combination of classic cowboy lifestyle, rugged scenery, pretty horses and quiet humor.

Cindy Meehl, the director of Buck, has quite an interesting story herself. She first met Buck when she brought a troubled horse to one of his clinics. The experience (and Buck) made a deep impression on her and she decided to make a film about him. Cindy was a first-time director and had no traditional filmmaking experience — but her passion for the project and for Buck's horsemanship philosophy carried her through the long process of creating the documentary.

The film has garnered much praise from critics and won the Sundance Film Festival's audience award. You can follow the latest news from the film and Cindy on Facebook, Twitter and the film website.

Please tell us about the mare you took to your first Buck clinic — you described her as troubled. How did Buck's clinic help you and her?

She was a Rocky Mountain Horse. I often ride alone and had heard that the Rocky Mountain Horses were good for trail riding. At the time, it didn't occur to me that the breed was less important than how the horse had been handled when it was young. My mare had been trained to be a flashy and extremely spirited show horse and she was quite troubled as a result. But I didn't take any of that into account — I guess you could say that I bought into the breed propaganda (laughs). Plus she was very pretty — which is another classic reason people buy the wrong horses.

My mare was very fearful and would bolt easily. She was challenging for me to handle and I knew I needed some help. I had heard about Buck and took her to his clinic. It was a very humbling experience. We all bring our own baggage and fears to the table at the clinics — and Buck is very clear about pointing that out. Instead of blaming the horse (or her early training), I had to learn to support her and give her what she needed to be less afraid. It was my responsibility and I had to own that fully.

The film especially captured the stoic, "no excuses" element of Buck's horsemanship philosophy. It reminded me of the saying, "there are no shortcuts to any place worth going." How did that aspect of Buck's horsemanship influence you as a filmmaker (particularly as a first-time director) and as an equestrian?

It influenced me very much, especially as a first-time director. Directing the film was the hardest thing I have ever done. Although I had strong visual skills (from my work in fashion and fine art) as well as a good sense of the importance of story structure, I didn't have any traditional film experience. I was driven by my pure passion for the subject and my desire to capture Buck's philosophy that I knew would help not only horses, but people, as well.

So many things that Buck teaches in the clinics translates to other areas of your life. For example, he often talks about having "presence" with a horse — where your sense of confidence and leadership is apparent to the horse. Because of my passion about the subject, I was able to project a certain presence that helped me "hold my own" with more seasoned filmmakers — I felt sure that I could make this film and that I had a compelling person at the heart of it. The film project soon attracted an incredible team, including Andrea Meditch (Man On Wire, Grizzly Man) and Julie Goldman (The Cove, In The Shadow of the Moon).

While working on the project (and particularly the editing phase), this incredible team of women came together in such a synergistic way. They really supported me and this film throughout every phase. As human beings, we often resist change and fear the unknown that it represents. But because of my experience with Buck's clinics, as well as the values my parents had instilled in me, I felt confident about making some of the tough choices in the filmmaking process. The film team was so talented and I am very grateful to them (and to Buck).

Riding with Buck makes you tougher in a good way — you learn to own your mistakes and figure out what your horse needs. Sometimes in today's culture, there is more of a tendency to evade, rather than take on, responsibility. I wanted to share Buck's approach with a larger audience through the film.

There must have been many good stories you had to cut from the 300 hours of original footage. What story do you wish could have stayed in the film (or was one of your favorite stories)?

We filmed Buck talking about his childhood pet, Sampson the bull. Buck loved Sampson and had even trained him to be ridden. One day, his father took him outside and told him he needed his help with a chore. He then shot Sampson between the eyes, right in front of Buck. I wanted to keep this in the film, as an example of his father's extreme cruelty — it was such a powerful moment, to see Buck relate this story. But we instead chose to include a story about Buck hiding from his father in the doghouse. The Sampson story showed his father's mental abuse of Buck and the story we kept in the film was more about his physical abuse. They are both heart-breaking stories.

I wanted to include another story about Buck. One day, during the filming, I asked him if he does clinics when he is sick or has the flu. He responded, "Of course I do. No one can take my place. When I was a kid and it was 20 below outside, I had to go feed the cows every morning. It didn't matter if I had the sniffles or wasn't feeling good. The cows still needed to be fed."

That was a special story for me and I think of it often. Now, whenever I'm not feeling well and still have to do something, I just tell myself, "hey, I gotta go feed the cows."

I've audited two of Buck's clinics and ridden in one. One thing I noticed right away was Buck's dry sense of humor — he made me laugh many times. What are some of your favorite examples of Buck's humor?

Sometimes when I'd be watching the film footage from one of the clinics, I would just crack up at something Buck said. At the clinics, I would always be the person laughing the loudest. My favorite moments are when he gently mocks someone who is being overly solicitous about their horse — as in, "Oh, poor Fluffy is sweating! Poor baby."

If you are a wimp about riding, Buck might tease you in the clinics. Buck spends 8 hours a day teaching from the saddle. Many of the clinic riders might only ride their horses for 20 or 30 minutes at a time — which is barely a warm-up for Buck.

Buck's humor often helps people who are nervous in the clinics. While he rarely singles out someone specifically (unless something unusual is happening), he often will make humorous remarks about certain types of riders in general. I've found it's best to assume he is talking about me and adjust my riding accordingly (laughs).

A few months ago, I was invited to give a talk at a juvenile detention facility here in Texas. I was surprised at how much the boys related to my work with the ex-racehorses at LOPE. They especially seemed to identify with the ex-racehorses (who are often viewed as "pitbulls" in the horse world: damaged, aggressive and unwanted). I can only imagine how deeply they would respond to Buck and your film. Are there any plans to use the film as a teaching tool in juvenile or other types of detention facilities?

I would love to see the film become a teaching tool in prison and other institutions (for substance abuse, mental illness and so on). A professor who was teaching a philosophy class wrote to me and asked if he could show the film to a class he taught at a prison. My response was, "Hey, let's screen the film for the whole prison, not just one class."

One of the reasons I did this film was to give people a sense of hope. As a culture, sometimes I think we have lost sight of what is important. There are certain basic principles in life that can't be ignored or avoided — such as integrity, hard work and purpose — no matter who you are or where you come from. You might think you are fooling people or that you have a shortcut — but in the end, you are only hurting yourself.

I'm 54 — and at my age, I hope I have some wisdom and perspective to share. I wanted the film to touch people, to uplift and inspire them.

Horsemanship Philosophy of Buck Brannaman Interview Series: Jeannie Choate

This is the second in a series of interviews about the horsemanship of Buck Brannaman — as well as the newly released film (Buck) that focuses on his work with horses. LOPE hosted a sneak preview screening of Buck in June — Jeannie was one of our speakers at the Q&A after the event.

I first rode with Jeannie at Buck’s clinic in Texas earlier this year. Jeannie has organized Buck’s clinic in Texas for many, many years. The clinic wouldn’t be possible without her hard work and dedication. As Jeannie put it to me, hosting a clinic is a true labor of love — so if you audit or ride in the Texas clinic, please be sure to thank Jeannie.

Jeannie also writes the Buckaroo Texas Blog, which chronicles her adventures in horsemanship.

What was your first experience like riding with Buck? What did you and your horse learn together?

My first experience riding with Buck was in Pearce, AZ. As I watched the morning class I got a terrible case of stage fright and a churning stomach (very unusual for me). As I watched this man and listened to him, I realized that this was the phenomenal teacher who I had hoped all my life that I could ride with and learn from.

Under Buck’s tutelage, my horse and I got a lot accomplished over the four days of the clinic. We survived riding near the loudspeaker, in a crowd of bothered horses (which in turn bothered both me and my horse). There were several horses having people problems — and Buck asked his assistant, Kip, to ride some of them. Buck called Kip to ride my horse, but then he turned to another horse and said, "No, ride that one instead."

I guess Buck saw something in my eye that said to just let me suffer through it, and he knew my horse and I would be ok. From this clinic, I started to get the importance of having a plan when you ride, for the horse knows when you know and he knows when you don’t know — and when you don’t know, it bothers the horse. I started learning about feeling of the horse — so she could feel of me.

Buck has us observe what he did. He encouraged us to remember what we were seeing and to compare what we had going on with the horse now, at the end of the clinic, as opposed to when we started the clinic. These are things that I am still striving to get better and better about. It takes work and dedication to really get these good — but once I become aware, it doesn’t take too long to get things working for me and my horse.

With a big grin on my face and tears in my eyes, I told Buck at the end of the clinic that I had just spent the last four days in horse heaven. He broke out in a loud laugh — that he then cut short, realizing that I was serious. But the smile on my face let him know, that yes, it was funny and such a wonderful feeling to have.

What is your favorite story about Buck?

I have so many stories, it is hard to pick out a favorite. At a colt starting clinic in San Angelo, Texas, I had a little sorrel filly entered in this class. I had spent the previous six weeks halter breaking three thoroughbred colts to earn money for the class. The little filly I planned to ride hurt her right front leg before the clinic. It was touch and go for a while if she would be sound for the clinic — so I did not get to do the homework with her I had planned.

On the first day of the clinic, Kip and I were in the round pen together with our colts getting them saddled. Kip’s colt was very touchy, and my filly was so nervous that I was trying to saddle her while she moved around some. It was cold, my latigo was sticky and I was having trouble getting her cinched smoothly. Buck saw that Kip’s horse was about to explode. So, he quickly walked to me and my filly, then said, "Here, lets get that cinch tightened." As he pulled it up smooth in a quick firm motion, he then said “Try to hang on to her,” — just as both colts exploded.

No saddles came off or slid sideways on either of the colts, which was important. It all happened so fast, I was in the wrong place to get the angle on my filly’s lead rope — and she got away. Buck said, "That’s alright we can catch her in a minute."

The next day as we saddled our colts and turned them loose in the arena, my filly took a few steps and then burst into a rodeo bronco exhibition. Buck was standing right next to me, turned his microphone off, and said, "Jeannie, I think you could score in the 70’s on her!" And with a chuckle, I said, "That’s if I could ride her, I would score in the 70’s."

Buck then turned and started walking toward the other colts and the stand. He turned his microphone back on and said, "Now if any of you are thinking you need some help with this first ride, you better go to asking." Upon hearing those words, I fell in behind him at a fast walk and said, "Buck, I’m asking!"

Buster McLaury was in the stands and Buck had him come ride that first ride on my colt. By the fourth day of the clinic, I ended up riding my filly her snaffle bit, loping around the round pen and even out in the arena. I still remember the feel of that filly, confident and happy. Great start for my filly, thanks to Buck.

How has this type of horsemanship changed you as a rider and as a person?

One of the main points of horsemanship I have learned is not to impose my will on a horse or another person — but at the same time not let a person or horse impose their will on me. I have learned to be more assertive in my everyday dealings and this has helped me to not be a victim. I have learned to really trust my intuition and to develop my emotional sensitivity as I develop a bond with each horse I work with. Not all humans I am around care to make a bond with me — and that’s fine too.

Another top point that I work on is being able to change on a moment’s notice. The tough part is letting go of my fifteen or more years of riding habits before Buck. This has been a challenge, but the understanding and ongoing study of this horsemanship has helped me change and adapt in my personal life (sometimes even to the extreme, if needed).

I am the better for it, striving to be the best I and my horses can be. My ongoing study and dedication to this style of horsemanship has led me on a path of adventure I didn’t think I would ever be on. And I have made friends from the very first clinic I attended (who are still close friends) and I continue to make more really terrific friends each year. You kind of bond before you even speak. It’s a happy trail I am on ☺

What are your horsemanship goals this year for you and your horse(s)?

I don’t really set firm goals each year, other than to study and go see and ride with Buck in a clinic. I try to always observe, remember and compare with humility. I strive to just keep raising the bar, so to speak, and expecting more of myself — but sometimes I have to back up and change to make a basic thing (that I thought was working) better, so I can raise the bar.

Most of the time, raising the bar is doing less. A goal that I am always refining is to be consistent with each horse and work exactly where that horse is at the moment. And always being aware of the balance and mind of each horse before I ask anything of that horse — working, building and refining, all the time, the basics.

Hopefully I will have my older horse in the two-rein next spring and I plan on showing a few times in Ranch Horse Versatility Competition too!

Horsemanship Philosophy of Buck Brannaman Interview Series: Karen Miller

This is the first in a series of interviews about the horsemanship philosophy of Buck Brannaman and the newly released film (Buck) about his work with horses. LOPE hosted a sneak preview screening of Buck in June — Karen was one of our speakers at the Q&A after the event. Since then, we have had several inquiries from people who wanted to learn more about the film, Buck and horsemanship.

I first met Karen riding in a Tom Curtin clinic at Hy Court Farm. She was so friendly and easy to approach — I was nervous riding in the clinic and Karen went out of her way to put me at ease. Karen has ridden with Buck for over ten years and hosts the clinic dinner at his Belton, TX clinic each year. I rode in that clinic for the first time this year — and heard Buck say of Karen that she "has the most heart and try of anyone."

Karen used to ride English and take dressage lessons, but eventually switched over to riding western in the vaquero style. She rides her mare, Mimi, in the clinics and has been working with her new colt, Tuco.

What was your first experience like riding with Buck? What did you and your horse learn together?

My first experience riding with Buck was very emotional, powerful and exhausting — all wrapped up together over the 4-day clinic. After I left his clinic, I just wanted to go home right away — so I could really starting changing the way I looked at and rode my horse.

At the clinic, the first thing my horse and I both learned was how to bend and try to follow a feel. Even though he was an experienced riding horse, I rode my 10-year-old gelding in Buck's colt class — because I wanted to understand where it all began with starting a horse the right way.

What is your favorite story about Buck?

One of my many memorable stories about Buck is one that came after we had just finished up with the 4-day clinic here in Belton, Texas. We had all just clapped and began saying our goodbyes before we left from the arena. One lady there was riding a horse that was buddy sour with her husband's horse. She had just finished telling Buck good-bye when suddenly her horse bolted — because the husband’s horse had moved away from her — and she came off her horse.

Buck knew and could see the problem with the horse — so he rounded up a more seasoned rider and had him mount the lady’s horse. Buck then began instructing him how to help the horse. They worked with that horse for over an hour until it could accept being separated from his buddy.

Buck could have just helped the lady up off the ground and moved on — it had been a long day already for him. But he chose not to — instead, he stayed to help the horse.

How has this type of horsemanship changed you as a rider and as a person?

It changed my whole life! It has made me a better, more confident person — and I am more devoted and understanding to my horse.

What are your horsemanship goals this year for you and your horse(s)?

My main goal this year is to be a better rider than I was the year before — especially in riding with only my seat and legs. And to ride with a better feel for the whole horse, to remember to ride every stride and to support him.

MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® Joins LOPE Texas for Annual Benefit Horse Show

MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® is teaming up with LOPE on September 17th for a very special silent auction fundraiser. MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® is committed to racehorse welfare and milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® has created a one-of-a-kind couture Derby hat for the silent auction with 100% of the proceeds to benefit LOPE (similar designs have sold for over $1,600).

The unique Derby hat auction will open for online bidding on September 5, 2011 and then culminate with live bidding at LOPE’s Benefit Horse Show at Hy Court Farm on Sept 17, 2011. It will feature a custom Derby hat design that has been created by Sally Faith Steinmann to honor the beauty and spirit of Wooden Phone, the most famous horse at LOPE. Wooden Phone is best known in the racing world as the horse who defeated the great Hall of Famer and Horse of the Year Tiznow in the 2001 $500,000 Strub Stakes.

Reardon describes Wooden Phone as "a truly classic racehorse — he loved to run and had a competitive heart so much bigger than his pedigree or conformation would have predicted."

"LOPE is thrilled to offer such a beautiful and elegant tribute to Wooden Phone as part of our silent auction event this year," said Reardon. "We are so grateful for the assistance of generous donors like MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® and Sally Faith Steinmann. With their support, we are raising both funds for and public awareness of these magnificent equine athletes!"

To learn more about this unique event that supports the horses of LOPE, please visit the LOPE website. For more information regarding the hat itself, please read the description here — which outlines the hat's construction and artistic meaning.

To book an interview, receive additional photos of the hat or, or request additional information, contact Lynn Reardon. To receive more information about the design, sizing or other details about the hat, please contact Sally Faith Steinmann.

LOPE Benefit Clinic with Jack Brainard

October 7-9 / 9:00 AM each day

"If the horse industry ever created a renaissance man, Jack Brainard would be it." — Western Horseman

LOPE will be hosting a benefit clinic with master horseman, Jack Brainard on October 7-9, 2011 at Hy Court Farm (near Austin, TX).

Download a Western Horseman article here to learn more about Jack.

The clinic will focus on riding with softness and lightness in western tack. It will be helpful for all types of western riding horses (trail, reining, cutting, etc). Jack will work with each horse/rider team to understand footfall, feel and timing. The clinic will help the horses become more responsive and physically balanced in their movement (which will enhance performance in any discipline).

The clinic will be limited to 10-12 riders so that Jack can give each horse/rider team plenty of individual instruction. Cost will be $500, with $150 non-refundable deposit required to hold a spot in the clinic.

Although the clinic is full, auditors are welcome for just $20/day.

No registration is required for auditors — just pay whenever you arrive. Directions can be found on the Hy Court website.

Proceeds will benefit the LOPE horses. Please contact Lynn for more details.

LOPE in Cowboys and Indians Magazine

The July issue of Cowboys and Indians magazine includes an article about LOPE. We are especially excited because the story includes several photos of the horses and the ranch taken by Lynn's husband, Tom. The writer of this piece had read Beyond the Homestretch and liked the book so much she decided to approach Cowboys and Indians about us!

You can download the article here (PDF). As you can imagine, we are thrilled to see LOPE in Cowboys and Indians Magazine. Our article is just a few pages away from a story about Buck (the documentary about Buck Brannaman) -- so we feel quite honored to be in such terrific company in the July issue. The story also includes information about our DVD on Retraining Racehorses (with Tom Curtin). Tom is a master horseman and did wonderful work with LOPE horses in the DVD.

And if you’d like to read more about our work with the horses, please check out the book on Amazon, at your local bookstore or at Costco. Proceeds go to help the LOPE horses!

Schleese Saddle Helps Ex-Racehorse

As I wrote on my April 4th post, Schleese Saddlery Service recently became a LOPE sponsor. We were especially excited about their sponsorship because LOPE has been learning more and more about equine biomechanics, and the huge importance of proper saddle fit to horsemanship and horse health.

Lightening Ball, a 15-year-old TB gelding, raced until age 9. In new situations, he would often display tension under saddle and became very tight in both his body and emotional response. He would sometimes whirl and spook unexpectedly at these times. But within a few minutes of riding him in a borrowed Schleese saddle, Lightening Ball showed a large aptitude for dressage movement and relaxed tremendously in his demeanor.

Soon after, Schleese donated a saddle and custom fitting to LOPE for Lightening Ball. The first step in the process was carefully measuring him -- so that the donated saddle could be adjusted perfectly for his body. Kristen Vlietstra of Schleese did the fitting session -- we were all very impressed with her professionalism and knowledge of horse biomechanics. She carefully assessed Lightening Ball’s conformation and body measurements -- and even measured me (to make sure the saddle would be a proper match to my leg length).

A few weeks later, a beautiful Schleese saddle arrived for Lightening Ball. During his first ride in the saddle, he responded with great enthusiasm to its fit. He set off into a lovely, flowing trot, lifting his withers and moving with quiet elegance. We began riding together in his new saddle several times a week and took regular lessons at Hy Court Farm.

Lightening Ball learned how to use his body differently and seemed to be delighted to discover that his saddle was now a help to him (not a hindrance). And I learned how to ride more correctly, with my leg back and upper body straight (instead of perching anxiously over the reins). The Schleese saddle encouraged my leg to be more stable and my seat to settle further back.

Lightening Ball loves his new saddle! But I had no idea just how deep his feeling was until the day I rode him in his old hunter saddle. I wanted to see if I would notice a difference in him -- and I definitely did. Within minutes of starting the ride, Lightening Ball tensed his back, shook his head and began spooking mildly. Once the saddle was replaced with the Schleese, he immediately went back to his calm, happy demeanor.

After a few weeks, I decided to put Lightening Ball (and me) to the test. I signed up for a schooling show at Hy Court Farm. After reviewing the choices, I selected a riding class series that combined a trail/obstacle course and a group equitation ride. Lightening Ball and I had never competed in a riding class at a show before. It was our big debut into the show world.

My goal was to expose Lightening Ball to a supportive show environment. I assumed he would be nervous and a little tense. To my surprise, he took the show in stride -- he warmed up quietly, with a soft eye and calm attitude. He seemed to like the trail versatility course, looking with interest at each obstacle. His movement was especially light and flowing during the group equitation class, exuding confidence and relaxation. After the class, I went to check the results and wondered if we scored well enough for a ribbon. I was proud of Lightening Ball and was pleased that he had enjoyed his first show outing. A ribbon would be icing on the cake. And sure enough, we did earn a ribbon -- the blue one.

We won the class!

Thank you, Schleese Saddlery Service.

Note: The time between my first ride in the Schleese saddle on Lightening Ball and his show win was less than 4 weeks.