Monday, January 31, 2011

Horsemen you have learned from....

This post Buck, the Jurga report. Made me think about this.

What horseman or woman, has influenced you in your journey with your horse?

I have a lot of books, I have been to a couple of reining clinics, participated in 4-H horses, took a few riding lessons as a kid. Lately I have been learning from Pat Parellis' teachings, he has given me some tools and understanding that I havnt gotten elsewhere.

I absolutely adore Tom Dorance, had a chance years ago to go and see him live, didnt go, still kicking myself. Bill was great too, but Tom was extra special! Sad that they are gone now, and I do have both of their books.

I have bought and read Buck Brannamans books, great story, good reads both of them, other than the Horse Whisperer, and from his books I havnt studied him very much. The movie will probably be really good though.

I went to a Pat Weise clinic with a friend, learned a lot, bought his book and a video tape of me in the clinic. Learned a few more tools from him, one of them being the "drop to trot" lead change, a great precursor to teaching your horse the flying lead change. Pat influenced me in what curb bit I use on my horses.

An old friend of the family has influenced me too. A quiet unassuming man, who has raised good horses, and competed in Cutting, and given riding lessons to children. This man I first met when I was around 8 years old, when my Dad shod his horses. We would go with Dad and watch. This man is Dick Osborn.
He isnt famous, he hasnt won copious awards, although he probably has a few trophies and ribbons under his belt. He has shown patience and compassion, with a ready smile, even now at, I believe, very close to 80 years old, he is a good hand with a horse. He has an 80 plus horse boarding stable.

Those are a few of the people that have influenced me with horses.
I hope that there will be more, as I figure out and continue my journey with my horses.

How about some of your favorit horse people?

10 comments:

  1. I think my mom would sure count on this list. Love you mom!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've gotten a lot from books about Harry Whitney, and I've learned an immense amount from Mark Rashid - both his clinics and books. I really like Tom Widdicombe's book. And Alois Podhajsky's books are masterpieces and show a great appreciation for the individuality and feelings of the horse, and great humility.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you Sara :o) (that would be my oldest daughter) (((Hugs)))

    I have heard of Rashid, Kate, I will have to look the others up! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. You sure do have a life full of equine experiences and learning in your life. How lucky you are to have been influenced by serious horse people, especially the family friend.

    I've read a lot, too. But don't have much in the way of hands-on experience until after I bought my first horse about 3 years ago.
    I think I've learned the most from Mark Rashid, Ray Hunt and Clinton Anderson along with some bits and pieces of Parelli (via the horse rescue where I volunteer).

    Most of all, I think it's important to never stop learning when working with horses.

    Thanks for sharing,
    ~Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm looking forward to the Brannaman movie. The clip I saw was very interesting.

    For me, the first was John Lyons. I got a great foundation from him. I've read Tom Dorrance. Wish I could have met him. There are a lot of other s I've read too, can't even remember them all. I've seen Monty Roberts, Richard Shrake, Mark Rashid and Clinton Anderson. An old cowboy I spent some time with taught me a lot. I posted about him on my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks Lisa, Horses have been a part of my life since my Mom got her first horse when I was 2 years old, um that makes it 42 years of being around horses!

    Rising Rainbow, I have read some of John Lyons and seen him in Demos at the Equine Affair in Oregon. The last Demo I went to see him do, he got hurt really bad, I think he broke his ankle, so we didnt get to see him. One of his students did the demo.
    I have met Richard Schrake and been to his barn, a long time ago, with a friend that was taking lessons from him. He always reminds me of a Texan LOL big hat and presence and cowboy boots LOL He used to be a bit reserved, but I have ran into him at the Equine Affair a couple times and he was really nice.
    I really have to do some reading on Mark Rashid. Clinton Anderson doesnt do anything for me, I have watched his demos a couple times, I just dont like his style. But, always each to their own!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. My husband and I, just kids then, met at a Ray Hunt Clinic, Pat Wiese before that, we both took clinics from him. I didn't know about the Dorrances really, till I knew about Branaman. I'm like you, lots of unfamous people that I've learned from. And lots of folks I've learned how not to do it too. But I think I've learned most from the horses themselves. If I listen, they tell me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh CCC Ray Hunt is someone I would love to spend some time with. He is another of the greats!!!
    Yes I agree with you, if you listen, they tell you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I was fortunate enough to have participated in a Tom Dorrance clinic...back in the mid 1980's...but the unfortunate thing about the whole thing was that my mind wasn't ready for what he was trying to teach me...I couldn't grasp anything he was saying. I wish I knew then what I know now and could re-live those two days...

    ReplyDelete
  10. gtyyup, yes, some of Toms concepts are hard to get your mind around. I have read and reread his book True Unity at least 3 times. I think I get it, and then something else occurs to me LOL It is very deep and you must understand the "feel"! I bet he was something in person, quiet, unassuming man, I would think.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting my bubblebath of life! Come back soon!