Chris Cox Wins #3

Chris Cox made history Sunday as the first horseman to win Road to the Horse three times. All things considered, this colt-starting contest between Cox, Clinton Anderson, and Pat Parelli was the hardest-fought of the eight held so far. Each of the three young horses, sired by different stallions and pasture raised on the famous 6666 ranch, tried hard to unseat his rider. Only Parelli’s horse was successful, and the buckoff in round one, although graceful, may have cost Parelli the win.

Once again, I had the pleasure of hosting the event. This time, two past RTTH winners, Stacy Westfall and Richard Winters, assisted with commentary from a perch high above the arena. Our running analysis aimed to make the action easier to understand for viewers in the stands and on the web. Judging from the comments I received, we were successful.

Road to the Horse just might be the most highly anticipated event of the year for American horse lovers. Although it is a celebration of the methods and philosophies of natural horsemanship, the competition does seem to fly in the face of one very important NH principle: Allowing the horse to set the pace for training. Fine trainers such as Cox, Anderson, and Parelli have the skill to negotiate those treacherous waters. Most of the rest of us don’t. Bottom line: Don’t try this at home, kids.

Congrats once again to Chris Cox.

More on touching

This is another “heads up” about a great radio interview. This week, my friend, mentor, and coauthor, Dr. Robert M. Miller, talks about his new book on handling the equine patient. Although originally written for veterinarians, vet students, and vet techs, the book is a treasure trove of useful tips for anyone who interacts with a horse for any reason. Pay special attention to our chat about touching the horse – the when, the how, and the why. Horse docs must regularly treat horses they don’t know, or worse, horses that have phobias about veterinary procedures. The approach and first touch that Bob describes is virtually the same as I use in my Two-Minute Introduction. Both reduce the horse’s natural uneasiness, pique his curiosity, and plant the seeds of trust. That’s a lot to accomplish in your first moments with a horse. Listen.

By the way, Bob celebrates his 84th birthday soon. If you feel like leaving him a birthday wish, you may do so at RobertMMiller.com.

Road to the Horse Webcast

Oh, boy. This time next week I’ll be hosting Road to the Horse, the granddaddy of colt-starting events. Billed as a meeting of legends (Pat Parelli, Chris Cox, and Clinton Anderson), this year promises to be more exciting, more educational, and more entertaining than ever before. Maybe I’ll see you there … if you are one of the 6,000 lucky souls who snagged a ticket before they sold out. If you were a bit slow with your mouse, don’t despair. For $29.99, you can watch the three-day webcast on your computer. Follow the link for complete details. One way or another, I hope to see you next week. Woo hoo!
More on Road to the Horse
More on RTTH webcast

Touching a horse

This week’s radio show features my interview with Sivia Gold, who describes a technique she calls the BIG Eraser. This is a way of touching a horse that triggers relaxation (my term) or erasing of negative memories at the cellular level (her term). In my opinion, this is one more example of the positive benefits that come from body-to-body contact with a horse done in a particular way. But let’s back up. Horses read your intentions and any potential threat you pose to them by reading your body language. When you touch them, they get an even stronger reading of you. The photo shown is one of Clinton Anderson using the Jeffrey Method in starting a young horse. After getting control of the horse’s feet and establishing a level of respect, Clinton lays across the horse’s topline and rubs its barrel, as did Australian Kell Jeffery in the past century. This calms a horse for reasons no one completely understands. My theory is that the more of your body a horse can feel, the quicker it learns to trust you and relax. Of course you need to be in the right mental state when you do this; if you are distracted or impatient, it may magnify the horse’s concern and make matters worse. There are a number of things we can do that nearly always help when we’re working with horses: Backing the horse, slowing down, lightening pressure, and increasing body-to-body contact. Even just touching the horse with your hand spread wide – “with your heart in your hand” as Pat Parelli might put it – nearly always helps. This is one of the easiest prescriptions for the horseman. After all, who doesn’t want to touch a horse? I can hardly keep my hands off of them. Listen to interview with Sivia Gold.

A Step Back - Leadership

I’ve written and talked many times about the importance of backing a horse. Now I have a series of five short online videos that get into the why and how. Here’s the first one: Backing and Leadership. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Who is this Guy?

I have many fond memories of my sixteen days at the 2011 World Equestrian Games, and getting to know Aussie superstar, Guy McLean, is one of the fondest. Guy was a late addition to the schedule at the Clinicians’ Corral, where I was hosting, and his part-riding/part-liberty/part-comedy act left me with the overwhelming desire to scream, “Who is this guy?” Then I heard him recite some of his original bush poetry, the Australian equivalent of our cowboy poetry. It actually moved me to tears, and again I found myself blubbering, “Who IS this guy?” Well, it turns out that this newcomer to America is exactly what he appears to be – a world-class horseman, a sharp-witted entertainer, a thoughtful poet – and then some. That extra something could very well be Guy’s work ethic; his act incorporates not just one or two horses, but FOUR of them, all of which know their names and do things you simply don’t expect to see horses do upon command. If that sounds a tad cryptic, good! I want you to watch the TV show. Enjoy, and remember. You saw him here first.

Michael Richardson Benefit

Yesterday I emceed the Michael Richardson Benefit in Fort Worth. It was a great example of why the horse industry is so special. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much information and inspiration packed into one day. And not a single person involved made a dime. Presenters included Tom and Trina Curtin, Allen Pogue, Pat Parelli with Lauren Barwick, Curt and Tammy Pate with Charlie Trayer and his cowdogs, Chris Cox, Lee Smith, Craig Cameron, and Buster McLaury. Peter Campbell shared the emceeing duties with me. More than 200 items were sold to the highest bidder in live and silent auctions. Some bids brought in thousands. Forecasts of snow kept the crowd small, but hearts were big and cash was flowing. I was proud to be part of it. Extra special thanks go to Bill and Susan Muncaster and countless volunteers for putting the event together.
About Michael: Confined to a wheelchair since a jeep accident in 1986, Michael is a talented horse trainer, clinician, and motivational speaker. Sadly, another accident recently did further damage and his recovery took a bizarre turn when a bite from a brown recluse spider went undetected, resulting in necrosis. Although now out of the hospital, Michael faces a long recovery and large medical bills.
Listen to my radio interview with Michael
Benefit Facebook Page
Michael's web site