Honoring horsemen of the past and helping horses of the present and future.

Reata Brannaman reassures her colt during the Legacy of Legends clinic this past weekend in Las Vegas. Scroll to the slideshow below for lots more photos and descriptive captions. Journal photo.

Among the things Vegas is known for is the endless buffets, the all-you-can-eat offerings of just about any kind of food you can imagine.  But February 3-5, there was an even better smorgasbord … of knowledge. The Legacy of Legends clinic brought together students of Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt to share their teachings with the next generation.

The demonstrations, of course, focus on education — to give spectators some nuggets of wisdom they can take home and apply. The clinic also served as a fundraiser for scholarships given to young men and women who never got the chance to study with Tom or Ray before their passings. The scholarship recipients receive funding so that they can study with some Dorrance or Hunt proteges, sending the knowledge into the next generation.  

There was way too much information from the clinic for just one blog, and too many clinicians to do them all justice. So, for this first post, let’s take just a few pointers from the colt-starters: Buck Brannaman and his daughter, Reata; Peter Campbell and his niece Megan; and Martin Black and his son Wade. The younger generation did most of the hands-on work, with Buck, Peter and Martin helping as necessary and providing commentary.

Buck, on doing groundwork with a horsemanship flag and the difference between using the flag to get the horse used to the sensation and using it to ask him to move out:

“The deal is, if your leading hand is offering for him to go, well then, that’s when that flag ought to have that kind of meaning. If your leading hand is in neutral, then he ought to understand how to separate that out and realize that you’re just kind of waving that flag around.

“Try to be a little careless with it. Try to find some place to touch him with it that he doesn’t like it. Get that worked out. With the flag, you can be a lot handier, you can get to places that you might not be able to get to with your hand or with your saddle blanket. Really work that cinch area; get him where he can stand that. Now ask him to move his feet. You’ve got to keep going back to the cinch area when he’s moving his feet.

“The way you move that flag toward him, it ought to be easy for him to separate between you just waving it around and you needing him to go. It ought to look different to him.”

Peter on bending and the relief a colt finds in getting straight:

“When you bend this colt’s head, it puts his body in a bind. When I tip his nose, his hindquarters need to step over. And then he gets relief by getting straight. So when you’re saddling those colts, if he goes to move, Megan will draw on his head to get his hindquarters to move, but then when he gets straight, there’s a split second in there where she’s giving him relief, and there’s an opportunity to stop.

“When you’re working a young horse, there’s a moment in there where he gets straight. You better give him just a split second, and if you’re careful, if your feel is right on, he’ll stand. But if you’re not, he’ll start moving again.”

Martin on getting a colt to move out under saddle:

“Kicking, in itself, is a pretty backwards cue if you stop and think about it. If somebody comes up and pokes you in the ribs, you don’t throw your arms up and stretch out, you’re going to tighten your ribs and shorten up. If you can make some noise like Wade’s doing, or I see these girls slapping their rope (against the saddle and their chinks) … get the horse ready, then bring your legs in. You can spank one on the butt (with the end of the mecate’s lead rope) or you can get some life with some noise. And once the horse understands his job (which is to go forward), then start doing more with your legs. It’s handy for us to use our legs, but it’s kind of backwards for the horse.”

And it’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words. So learn more with the slideshow below, and click on the photos to read the captions. Also, make sure that your AQHA membership is current so you won’t miss the full story in a future issue of America’s Horse magazine, which is an exclusive member benefit.

Happy riding!

Holly Clanahan
Editor, America's Horse magazine

Who would you rather meet: a famous name or an incredible horseman?

Here, Bill Van Norman takes his horse down a hill, something he said helped a horse learn to naturally get his hindquarters up underneath himself. Journal photo.

I’ve been asked a few times: Who’s the coolest person you’ve ever interviewed?

And I’m sure the people expected me to rattle off some celebrity’s name, because I’ve interviewed a few famous names (all very gracious people).

But reflecting on it, the person I usually name is Bill Van Norman. He wasn’t a household name but probably should have been. He came from a long line of horsemen, and he married into another one, becoming Ray Hunt’s son-in-law. I only got to visit with him a couple of times, but what impressed me most was the way his horses acted around him. As he trained them in the vaquero tradition, they relaxed in his hands and seemed to draw confidence from him, as if they knew they were in the presence of someone who spoke their language. (That, my friends, is way, way more impressive than someone who can memorize lines for a camera!)

I wish I’d gotten to know him better, but he died much too young in 2006. It saddens me to see the list of esteemed horsemen shrinking. Ray died in 2009, and I had always meant to get to one of his clinics. I missed my chance.

But as with anything in life, you can’t go back and ask for a re-do; you only learn your lessons and keep moving forward. In this case, I’m trying not to miss any more chances. One such chance comes this weekend, with A Legacy of Legends clinic, which is a tribute to Ray and his mentor, Tom Dorrance. Ray’s wife, Carolyn, together with Buck Brannaman and Martin Black, wanted to honor the men and keep their training methods alive.

Both Buck and Martin will be doing presentations, as well as Peter Campbell, dressage rider Betty Staley, show jumper Melanie Smith-Taylor and the Hunts’ grandson Jaton Lord — all horsemen and women who studied with Ray and/or Tom and who continue the tradition of finding a better deal for the horse. Proceeds from the event go toward scholarships for serious students to spend time with some of Ray and Tom’s proteges.

To me, people like these presenters — down to earth, real-deal horsemen and women — are better than rock stars. Hands down, I’ll take a seat at a Buck Brannaman clinic over any concert you could name!

Watch America’s Horse Daily for an online report from the clinic, and stay tuned to America’s Horse for stories with some of the clinicians. The chances — for all of us horse people — are limited, constrained by time, finances and the competing demands we all have to juggle. But I hope to share my opportunities with you, so that all of our horses can benefit. And I’d love it if you did the same. Use the comments below to let us know about the best clinic you’ve ever been to and how it helped you in your horsemanship journey.

Happy riding!

Holly Clanahan
Editor, America's Horse magazine

Meet some members of our Quarter Horse community in the December America’s Horse.

Ralph Shebester at the head of Bugs Alive In 75. Journal photo.

I remember, as a kid, thumbing through The American Quarter Horse Journal and being awestruck by the trainers and horses I saw there. Shebester Stallion Station, with its beautiful interstate-frontage paddocks, was the stuff of more dreams for me  — it was, as the sign out front proclaimed, home to Bugs Alive In 75, winner of the 1975 All American Futurity.

One day, worn down by my begging, my parents stopped in at the Wynnewood, Oklahoma, farm and asked if we could meet the famous stallion. Someone — maybe the farm manager? — ushered us right in. Talk about a dream come true.

Now, lo many years later, it was my privilege to write a story about some barrel-horse breeders in Oklahoma who were using the “Bugs Alive” bloodline in their program. One of their foals, Yeah Hes Firen, was named the co-barrel horse of the year by AQHA and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Phyllis Wells and her husband, Tommy, had been in the business since the 1960s.

As we talked about their history, Tommy revealed that he had been manager of Shebester Stallion Station and was, most likely, the courteous gentleman who gave us the grand tour. Cue the music to “It’s a Small World After All …”

Read more about our encounter — and the Wellses’ breeding program — in the December issue of America’s Horse magazine, which goes exclusively to AQHA members.

Of course, we also profiled all of the AQHA-PRCA horses of the year. One of them — a luminary from both the rodeo and show arenas — graces the America’s Horse cover. Eighteen-year-old Eightys Sport, a two-time AQHA world champion and previous horse of the year, is this year’s tie-down roping honoree. The winners hail from Texas, Oklahoma, Washington, Colorado and Arizona. Get acquainted with them as a great lead-in to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, where many of them will compete beginning December 1.

Another great article in the December America’s Horse comes from horseman and clinician Joe Wolter, who has advice on how to catch the correct lead when the conventional wisdom fails. Joe sees students overthinking their cues, instead of thinking like a horse — which is really the key to success.

Also in the magazine:

• An invitation to the 2012 AQHA convention in March
• An introduction to two endurance-riding American Quarter Horses who are still going strong
• A behind-the-scenes look at the movie “Seven Days in Utopia,” which had Robert Duvall taking the reins on an American Quarter Horse stallion owned by L.A. Waters Quarter Horses
• And, as always, lots of great tips and AQHA news that will help you enjoy your American Quarter Horses even more.

Not a member? We can fix that for you. Join AQHA and start receiving America’s Horse as one of your member benefits. You’ll also enjoy great corporate partner discounts from companies like Ford, John Deere and more. And you’ll be joining forces with the world’s largest breed association, helping promote what we think is the world’s best breed!

Happy riding (and reading)!

Holly Clanahan
Editor, America's Horse magazine

Two horses, one 500-hour award in the Horseback Riding Program.

Marilyn Wegweiser and Blazin Bitzy. Photo by Holly Clanahan

It was 2005 when I first met Marilyn Wegweiser, and we hit it off immediately. Of course, riding through Yellowstone National Park and later the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming, there couldn’t have been a better, more relaxing setting for a bond to form over our common love of horses.

Marilyn navigated those trails on Blazin Bitzy, a beautiful chestnut cutting mare she had bought just the year before. “Bitzy” was 18 then and in fine form to help Marilyn as she hosted that AQHA trail ride in Yellowstone.

As Marilyn and I kept in touch after that ride, I loved living vicariously through her as she went on frequent wilderness rides through the mountains. The pictures she’d send showed vast panoramas that made me itch to go back to Wyoming. Of course, it was a natural for Marilyn to enroll in AQHA’s Horseback Riding Program, and she and Bitzy racked up hours and hours of saddle time.

If you’re not familiar with the Horseback Riding Program, it’s a pretty simple concept. Once you’re enrolled, you just log the hours spent riding, whether you’re trail riding, showing or training. If you prefer to drive your horse, those hours in a cart count, too. Awards start piling in at the 25-hour mark. AQHA also has an all-breeds Horseback Riding Program, and Marilyn has taken advantage of that, too.

To learn more about AQHA’s Horseback Riding Program and a special promotion geared to trail riders, visit www.aqha.com/trailriders.

In 2006, Bitzy traded her job as Marilyn’s go-anywhere, do-anything horse for a stint as a mother, giving birth to Bitzolena, whom Marilyn fondly calls “Lil Bitz.” The filly was a stunner – a chestnut with rabicano markings, short in height but long on personality.

Marilyn and I enjoyed trading filly stories, as I had one the same age who was also vertically challenged. Short horses were good, we decided.

But her emails and phone calls became colored with concern, and then sorrow, as Bitzy’s health increasingly began to fail. It’s so heart-wrenching to watch something like that unfold, knowing there’s nothing you can do to help. Not even Marilyn could help her beloved mare, and she had to say goodbye in January 2010.

As anyone with horses knows, there are both incredible highs and terrible lows. The bad times are tough to weather, but you have to know that better times are ahead. So it was with Lil Bitz.

Marilyn and Lil Bitz along Corral Creek near Crandall, Wyoming, in Shoshone National Forest. Photo by Linda Leon

When the time came, Marilyn sent her to a well-regarded reining trainer to be started under saddle. The mare had talent. When she came home from the trainer, Lil Bitz began new ventures, going on back-country rides with Marilyn – first being ponied from another, more experienced horse and then being ridden on her own.

Those hours, too, were logged in the Horseback Riding Program, and Marilyn recently reached the 500-hour level. What she had started on Blazin Bitzy, she was now continuing on her daughter.
That’s a pretty cool multi-generational milestone, and Marilyn agreed to talk about how much it meant to her:

“It means a lot. I’m getting older. I appreciate God’s gift of being able to ride. I wonder how so many people have reached 5,000 hours and think that I never will. Or maybe I’ll have the distinction of being the oldest living AQHA member to get there.

“I think about all the cool times I had riding Bitzy into places that scared me and how she always got us out in one piece. I think about how opinionated she was and how she always stopped at the top edge of a steep ‘down spot’ to indicate that maybe I should get off and lead her down. I did that enough that she would stop at all steep downs so I’d get off and lead. It was good for my waistline.

“Lil Bitz has her mother in her in all that matter-of-factness about the world. She is utterly fearless once introduced to something. She now crosses creeks, boggy spots, big rocks, dead trees, etc., without much more than a look to make sure it isn’t going to eat her. With time and miles, she’ll learn ‘hurry’ is not always the way to go up or down steep places! She has no idea she’s a small Quarter Horse (just the right size to get on easily) – because in her mind isn’t she as big as everyone else?

“I wish she’d be more curious about big game, as her mom didn’t miss a flutter of a camouflaged human at 1,000 yards and often showed me right where the people (or animals) were. We’ve seen some pretty amazing things, and two big mule deer bucks silhouetted in moonlight Friday night didn’t even faze Lil Bitz.

“Lil Bitz gets there fast, and I keep telling her we don’t have to hurry, but she sure walks on like no other horse I have ever had. I could get used to it, I guess. Maybe that will get us to the 1,000-hour mark sooner!”

Enjoy the journey, Marilyn … and congratulations.

Holly Clanahan
Editor, America's Horse magazine

How donating to the American Quarter Horse Foundation can heal yourself and others.

April 19, 1995, was a day that so many — myself included — remember as the day of the Murrah Building bombing in Oklahoma City. It was also the day Lark It Or Leave It, a little steel-gray colt, made his entrance into the world, born in Wichita Falls, Texas, with me and my husband at his side.

He became my best friend, the one whose shoulder I could always lean on, and who bookended my days — no matter how busy the day had been, morning and night feedings were always paused, just for a few minutes, while ”Junior” got some personal attention. He was a great ride: light, responsive and just opinionated enough to keep things interesting. And as flighty as he could be with me on occasion, when he filled his role as a little girl’s therapy horse, he became a solid rock, again offering a steady shoulder on which to lean and a magical back on which to fly.

You can imagine that we were all more than a little lost when he left us February 28, 2011, after a short fight against enteritis and colitis. Hopes and prayers and the best veterinary care we could find couldn’t kick-start a digestive system that simply quit working. Read the rest of this entry »

Praying for rain, preparing for drought.

Abandoned Oklahoma farm in the Dust Bowl era. Photo by Arthur Rothstein, part of the Library of Congress collection.

I remember the photos of apocalyptic dust clouds, iconic and frightening images of the Dust Bowl that overtook parts of western Oklahoma in the 1930s. What wasn’t covered by those clouds was still stricken with severe drought. My dad, born in 1926, remembered neighbors lining up arms’ lengths apart to walk through pastures, shooting the jackrabbits that were thriving in the desert climate. They were eliminating varmits and feeding their hungry families. My grandmother talked about putting wet towels around her windowsills and still having to sweep out piles of dirt. The crops, the cattle … none of it fared well. To say it was tough times is hardly enough. And to say the people who endured it were tough … that’s also an understatement.

The Oklahoma soil, originally covered by shortgrass prairies, had been cultivated to death. Robbed of its protective cover and subjected to a harsh drought and howling winds, the topsoil picked up and left. Some of it, quite literally, landed in Chicago. Some of the people, too, picked up and left, and many of them landed in California where they became migrant farm workers. John Steinbeck wrote about the emigrant ”Okies” in his book “The Grapes of Wrath.”

We stayed. My grandfathers on both sides of my family were known for their stubborn streaks (a highly heritable trait, in case anybody’s wondering), and I can only imagine them setting their jaws and figuring out how to make things work in the more hostile environment. My maternal grandfather, whom I never knew, was famous for saying that during the Great Depression, when his neighbors were struggling mightily, he had everything he wanted on top of the hill where he lived. Of course, there was a catch: He just didn’t want anything. A sense of humor helps.

We adapted. The government taught better farming methods in hopes of preventing further erosion. President Roosevelt’s “New Deal” administration had Civilian Conservation Corps planting tree rows as wind blocks that would hold the soil in place. A line of beau d’arc trees borders our homestead now to the east, and many more are not far from us. (If I let him, Ocho will eat the horse apples off those trees.)

Occasionally, though, you’ll see bulldozers taking some of the trees down, reclaiming a scant acre of cropland here and there, and I wonder if we’ve forgotten the lessons of a generation ago. It’s probably time to start remembering them.

Western Oklahoma, West Texas and much of the surrounding areas are in the throes of what the National Weather Service calls an exceptional drought. That’s the worst category there is, and it’s said to be comparable to the Dust Bowl days. It’s striking to hear news reports of flooding in other parts of the country. Is anybody having a “normal” year?

But this generation, too, is adapting. Hay has to be trucked in from eastern Oklahoma, where there has been plenty of rain. It’s not of the quality I’d like to feed my horses, but you have to factor in economics. Even the lesser-quality hay isn’t cheap. Most of my horses are wearing fly masks this year — not necessarily to keep flies out of their eyes, but to provide some measure of protection from the sand and debris that blows in our extraordinarily high winds (40 mph is not at all uncommon).  Our cattle’s faces are streaked with mud — tears topped by blowing dust. It’s about the only mud we see, as many farm ponds have dried up.

Unbelievably, we aren’t in a burn ban, and I’m very nervous about the approaching Independence Day. Fires are already a major problem in the drought area, and a few stray fireworks could be disastrous. I know my husband, a volunteer fire fighter, won’t be far from his radio that weekend, and I’ll be scanning the horizon myself. The horses will likely stay in the barn.

The good news? Forecasters are predicting an above-average Atlantic hurricane season, which could potentially send some rain our way. (Here’s hoping it doesn’t do damage to our coastal areas, though. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, even if it sent us some much-needed precipitation.)

And in the meantime, I’m not worrying a bit about grass founder. We don’t have enough green grass to cause any problems there. No worries about the ponies living in mud and developing nasty cases of thrush. And rain rot? Not an issue. I suppose there are silver linings to everything.

I came across this Associated Press report from 1935: “Three little words achingly familiar on the Western farmer’s tongue, rule life in the dust bowl of the continent – ‘if it rains.’”

Those are familiar words these days, too. And they bring to mind another saying of my hard-headed grandfather’s: “It’ll rain before it’s too late.” Hope — and stubbornness – spring eternal.

Praying for rain,

Holly Clanahan
Editor, America's Horse magazine

Not that horse lovers need an excuse to enjoy the great outdoors, but the U.S. Forest Service is giving us one.

Photo by Andrea Caudill

President Obama recently proclaimed June as the Great Outdoors Month and, in doing so, urged us all to get out and enjoy our country’s “stunning array of natural beauty — from sweeping rangelands and tranquil beaches, to forests stretching over rolling hills and rivers raging through stone-faced cliffs.”

Now, I don’t know about y’all … but when I picture those places in my mind’s eye (with the exception of raging rivers!), I’m thinking “trail ride!” A friend and I recently took our horses out to Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo, so that I could get some miles on my young mare. We encountered friendly hikers (one with a barking dog), lots of bikers, a water crossing, a small tent city and more. It was a great experience, and we may have to get in the spirit of Great Outdoors Month and go again!

 If you live near a national forest or grassland, you may have to do the same! The U.S. Forest Service is waiving day-use fees at many of its sites on June 11, which is National Get Outdoors Day. The Forest Service operates approximately 18,000 recreation sites nationwide, and many of them include trails and trailheads. Read the rest of this entry »

The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame celebrates strong spirits.

Isora Young ropes a calf. Photo courtesy of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

We’re working now on the July issue of America’s Horse, and it’s always easy to get excited about each new issue. Each one is full of interesting people and amazing horses. Case in point, I got the chance recently to interview three members of the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame — very strong, intelligent women. They work in different facets of the horse industry and seem to have very different personalities, but their foundations are the same — amazing work ethics, fierce independence and something that can only be summed up as that cowgirl spirit.

You won’t want to miss our July issue, when these women define what “cowgirl” means to them, talk about the biggest risks they’ve ever taken and more.

But for now, we’ll leave you with this story, sent to us by the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. It’s a look at another cowgirl hall of famer who has that same strength of character:

When Isora DeRacy Young saw her first day of life in 1904, it was without the fanfare that she has since experienced as an independent woman who developed a national reputation in the rodeo arena, as well as a rancher and business woman. Read the rest of this entry »

You’ll find trail-riding tips, scenic photography … and maybe some inspiration to go blaze your own trail!

A friend of mine and I recently hit the trails of Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo for a great ride, sharing the trail with hikers and bikers of all stripes. It was one of the best Saturday afternoons I’ve had in a long time … and it made me yearn to do more of it!

We’re hoping the May issue of America’s Horse magazine will inspire that same feeling in all of you. Spring’s here … saddle up! Our annual recreational riding-themed issue has certainly gotten me in the spirit.

Andrea Caudill, an editor of The American Quarter Horse Journal and my trail-riding buddy, has written a piece on preparing for a horse camping trip. She found lots of great tidbits about how to manage your horse at a campground, as well as safety advice we should all heed.

There’s also a feature story on folks who have logged 5,000 hours in the saddle in AQHA’s Horseback Riding Program. This is one of those great programs we can’t say enough about. It’s simple: Ride your horse. Log your hours. Earn rewards! To celebrate the program’s 20th anniversary, if you sign up for the Horseback Riding Program by May 15, you’ll receive 25 free hours and be entered in a great prize drawing! Here’s details. Read the rest of this entry »

Talk about a rude awakening … that could have been so much worse.

The leading edge of the fire.

About 11:30 Friday night, the doorbell rang. A couple of times, in fact, since I was soundly asleep on the couch, while Chad was in the back of the house, talking on the phone to his night-owl brother. Barely rousing, I heard Chad say, “It’s the neighbors” before he swung the door open. The next thing I heard — “Your field’s on fire” — shot enough adrenaline through me that I was out the back door before my feet hit the ground.

Three of our horses were in that field.

I grabbed halters and a bucket of grain with my heart in my throat. A line of fire was racing across the kindling-dry pasture, chased by wind gusts of more than 50 mph. It would hit the horses, then the barns and house next.

Thankfully, the horses were up near the gate and were calmer than I would’ve expected. We got them out in short order, taking them inside the horse barn, which was farther away from the fire and better protected. Chad, meanwhile, had called for help from the local police and the volunteer fire department. I couldn’t believe how quickly they responded. Read the rest of this entry »

Experience can be the best teacher, but it’s sometimes a painful one.

My good friend and mentor, Brent Graef, an AQHA Professional Horseman from Canyon, Texas, likes to say that horsemanship can be as deep — or as superficial — as you want it to be. Meaning that some folks get by just learning simple physical cues: stop, go, turn. Or you can delve deeper into horses’ psychology, learning as you do that there’s a lot of applicability to human psychology. There are lots of truths that are ripe for analogies, and some lessons learned on horseback even apply better to people than they do to horses.

Scars are a good example. It’s hard to go very far along in life without collecting at least a few scars – some that are visible signs of a physical wound, and others, of a more emotional nature, that are buried deeper inside. My good horse Ocho, who’s been here just more than a year, came with wire-cut scars on a hind leg. His previous owner said the cuts happened with the horse’s owner before him, so there’s not much way of knowing exactly what happened — there’s just the record left by hairless hash marks encircling that leg.

In humans, at least, it’s nice to think that we learn lessons from our scars. As children, we learn quickly what “hot” or “sharp” means, sometimes the hard way. And as adults, we still sometimes take our lumps – on jobs, health, relationships, finances — hoping that we come out the other side a little smarter. Those life lessons can be tough, but they do bring the kind of wisdom that only comes with experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Learn more about this emerging discipline that is in the pages of the March-April America’s Horse magazine.

Allison Lake of California rides her horse in a leg yield during a Jack Brainard clinic.

As featured in the March-April America’s Horse, western dressage is an emerging discipline that marries western traditions (such as tack, attire and smooth, supple stock horses) with the principles of classical dressage. The idea is to create a uniquely American horse strong, athletic and responsive enough to move any given body part this way or that — skills that are handy in working cattle, safely navigating trails or smoothly negotiating a dressage test.

It’s not a new idea, certainly, to have a western horse that handy. But western dressage ensures that training is done according to a centuries-old “training pyramid” that ensures a broad, sound foundation before any fancy, flashy moves are taught. And western dressage also provides a competitive framework, allowing for horses in western tack to perform dressage tests and be scored on their softness, manueverability and flexibility.

At a recent western dressage clinic put on by Jack Brainard (also featured in the March-April America’s Horse), we caught up with a few participants to find out their impressions. Read the rest of this entry »