The Vaquero

There is much we can learn from studying horsemen of the past, and the first thing to note is that there is a context for everything. For example, the vaqueros of colonial California lived in a time when getting a job done with a horse was essential. Some of the techniques used were crude and heavy handed by modern standards. Others were sophisticated and light, perfectly in tune with the highest principles of natural horsemanship. This is why the vaquero will get special attention next week at the Light Hands Horsemanship clinic in Santa Ynez, California.

In attendance will be the last of the genuine working vaqueros, artist Ernie Morris. His grandfather and mentor, Jesse Wilkinson, is pictured. Also joining us this year will be Arabian horse icon, Sheila Varian. Returning presenters include Dr. Bob Miller, Eitan Beth-Halachmy, Jon Ensign, Lester Buckley, Jack Brainard, and Richard Winters. I’ll be emceeing as usual and will kick off the event with the TV episode I did years back on the vaquero.

I hope you can join us for a truly unique and intimate event in a breathtakingly beautiful setting, where just a few decades ago, vaqueros perfected their system of cattle-based horsemanship. Special thanks to sponsor Spalding Laboratories and host facility Intrepid Farms.

To learn more about the event: Lighthandshorsemanship.com
To learn more about Ernie Morris: ElVaquero.com

Party at Monty's

Hi everyone,

I'm new to blogging so I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to do. I guess just share thoughts with my friends. Anyway, that's how I'm approaching this. Somebody please tell me if that's not right!

Diana and I spent last weekend in and around Solvang, California. It's an absolutely beautiful area north and a bit inland from Santa Barbara. Great horse area. We were invited to Monty and Pat Roberts's annual party at their home, Flag is Up Farm. Wow! Even in winter, it was stunning. Clinician Richard Winters was given the "Equitarian Award" and reining trainer Sandy Collier was given a lifetime achievement award. There was a band and great food. Frankly, I was talking to folks the whole time, so I hardly ate. We shot a TV segment with Dr. Miller the next day at the farm, up against a very cool stone building.

Now before anybody skewers me for socializing with Monty Roberts, let me say this. Monty has always been a real gentleman toward me and Diana. In fact, his whole family is just as nice as can be. Plus, he's an outstanding horseman who has contributed and is still contributing hugely to the revolution in horsemanship. I don't know what is true and isn't true in the whole family feud thing and I don't really care. I learn from Monty every time I talk to him or see him work. That's good enough for me.

We've traveled to that part of California three times in the past couple months. You may have seen the TV episode on the vaquero and another on the Thacher School. Those were shot in that area.

Hope you are all enjoying the TV show. We just love doing it. We just finished our third season of 13 original shows, so we've now done 39 episodes. Hard to believe. The last 13 will rerun, then we hit the ground running again with 13 more new ones. The show is on three times a week on RFD-TV and three different times each week on RFD-HD. Has anyone checked out the HD channel?

Better go. Errands to run.

Rick