Summer plans?

[Pocket_Pony]

As a spinoff from a topic on the dressage forum, what are your summer plans with your horse(s)? Any specific goals, fun trips, interesting clinics? Anything you are working on?

For me, I’m doing a Bryan Neubert clinic with my pony. I actually ride her in a jumping saddle and don’t necessarily have western plans for her (might bring my western saddle, just in case, though!), but I want to get her out and about and learning new things, so off we go! I’m hoping we might get to move some cows while we’re there . . . so far she seems to like to put her head down and go after a dog that might come near her, so maybe she’ll be a bit cowy, too!

I’ve decided to be brave and sign up for a Buck Brannaman clinic with my mustang. We’ll be doing the H2 class, which is supposed to involve some roping. And I’ve never roped. So I’m going to take some lessons, starting tomorrow! This will be my third BB clinic with this horse, and he’s in the hackamore now (we’ve done the Foundation and H1 classes), so this seemed like a good progression. I suppose if I’m out of my element Buck will tell me to go down to the other class?

Other plans are to just get my pony out and about, getting out on the trails, hauling to other barns or play dates or schooling shows or whatever. She’ll be four in two weeks and she’s had a light start since October (with the winter off), so we’ll be ramping it up just a little bit. Got to find out what she likes and what job she wants to do. I’m game for anything!

[Foxglove]

Wow! I think you are amazing! I’m in a bit of a horse-lull. Daughter moved her show horse to a far away barn near where she is working now --so he’s off my list of horses to care for. Granddaughter’s show horse is off to the (real) trainer’s tomorrow for a month of tune up --the horse is at such a level that while I can maintain him, I can’t improve him --just lack the knowledge. That leaves me with my QH, who is now 17 and “done.” He does what I ask, when I ask. He’s rock solid on the trails or hunt field. Last summer we did a cross-Michigan ride (250 miles in 11 days) --long enough for us to decide we never want to do that again! So the only plans we have (my horse and me) is to explore every local horseman’s park within two hours of us – day trips. There are six parks --so perhaps one every couple of weeks. We may go with friends, or by ourselves. Then in August, daughter and I are riding on a pack trip in the Rocky Mountains for a week --but my horse can’t go.

And once granddaughter is home from school (she lives with me in the summer) we’ll do 4-5 local horse shows --she goes to shows more to see her friends than to really compete, but because her horse is so good (10 years of hard work!) they place well enough to keep her interested.

Foxglove

[cloudy18]

I would love to do a Buck Brannaman clinic! Some day, hopefully. I just plan on working on my 7 year old that I got last spring. She basically had 90 days of training at some point, and a handful of rides with previous owner. We will be doing lots of trail rides and some lessons. We did take lessons through winter, but I had foot surgery in March and am just getting back into riding. I’d like to work on things by myself for a bit before I start up with lessons again.

I wouldn’t mind attending a clinic, but I’d be pretty picky about who I went to. A friend is interested in Western Dressage and I might attempt it, but I’m not sure if I would try that this year or not. I only have so much time!

Oh, and I try to go on a few camping trips, one with the rescue I adopted my horse from. Last year I think that was the only one I did, but maybe I can do a couple more this year. It would be good for Miss Mare to hang out on a high line.

Have fun at your clinics. I’m jealous.

[Fillabeana]

Excellent, PP!
I really like Bryan Neubert.

I will see you at the Buck clinic, I am riding my colt. She’s actually 5 now…started her at two and put 10 rides in her, took her to a Buck clinic that had other just-started colts in it. She went home and got turned out, and then her 3 year old year I was too sick to get her going again
Got her going again last summer at 4, we trailed cattle some, put a few wet saddle blankets on her. She’ll be getting shoes tomorrow for the first time.
Anyway, she’s not hard to find in a group, she’s a black and white paint. (Kind of hurt my eyes for the first year or two I had her, I like a nice brown or sorrel- she’s the epitome of Horse Bling. But she was a gift horse…and she’s likely to make a really, really nice ranch horse. And the Paint thing is growing on me.) We’ll be riding in the morning class.

As for the H2, with your mustang…I think that as long as you are paying attention and have done some roping homework, and are engaged and trying, you’ll be fine.
There are a couple of exceptional guys in Central Oregon that can help you with not only the roping/rope preparedness but with most of what Buck is doing. I can tell you that Buck is not impressed with someone who can handle a rope well but who does it at the expense of the horse.
Charley Snell works out of Sisters, he is REALLY good. If you want more info, pm me.
Clint Surplus works out of Terrebonne, he is excellent as well.
Both of these gentlemen know how to make a bridle horse, both are great to have at a branding or to handle cattle. Both are good teachers, either for the horse or the person.

You’ll want to have the ‘dry work’ of the roping done with Mac…so he’s OK with the rope on his feet, around his butt, up in his flank, being swung, thrown and recoiled. And having done some work dragging a log will help a lot, too, so you know how to dally and slip rope.
I don’t think you’ll get ‘sent home’ from the H2 with Mac, Buck generally will not get novice ropers into a situation over their heads.

My older gelding, we have been branding a few times. The first time out, he was Not OK. With a little more work, he’s been much better. If he’s feeling the whole Post Traumatic Racehorse thing, he isn’t polite company to bring to somebody’s branding…but last Sunday he was really good. He was Old Broke Brownie the Kid’s Horse, doing his job with the rope and filling in and generally behaving like a very helpful and useful gentleman. He’s just getting to where I can pretty much steer him with my feet while I rope, so I don’t have to touch him with a spur or pull on a rein so much while I’m handling the rope.

I still want to get him into the bridle…but I keep having other things to do. Maybe by the time he’s 15, he’ll be in the bridle…this spring I will be catching my colt to ride, any time I can get the work done with her, so he’ll go on the back burner for a while.

And I am a Lousy Shot…so I’ll be practicing with everyone at the clinic who is roping (on foot, with the dummy).

[beau159]

My plans would have been to continue to get my young horse Shotgun better on the barrels, get him going good over low jumps for hunter classes, and start working on his flying lead changes for reining. Just a better overall handle on him. Probably hit up a few barrel racing clinics with him, and maybe reining clinics.

Plans for Red would have been to keep him feeling good this year, and hopefully start winning some amateur rodeo money. Don’t want to buy my pro permit until he can consistently win at the amateur level.

… BUT those plans won’t be happening this year since I’ll be popping out a baby in about 6 weeks. Oh well, there is always next year! They will pretty much just get to be fat and happy, down at my folk’s place the entire year.

[Pocket_Pony]

[QUOTE=Foxglove;8638496]
Wow! I think you are amazing! I’m in a bit of a horse-lull. Daughter moved her show horse to a far away barn near where she is working now --so he’s off my list of horses to care for. Granddaughter’s show horse is off to the (real) trainer’s tomorrow for a month of tune up --the horse is at such a level that while I can maintain him, I can’t improve him --just lack the knowledge. That leaves me with my QH, who is now 17 and “done.” He does what I ask, when I ask. He’s rock solid on the trails or hunt field. Last summer we did a cross-Michigan ride (250 miles in 11 days) --long enough for us to decide we never want to do that again!

Wow, that is quite a ride! Sounds exhausting and fun.

So the only plans we have (my horse and me) is to explore every local horseman’s park within two hours of us – day trips. There are six parks --so perhaps one every couple of weeks. We may go with friends, or by ourselves.

That sounds fun, too! You must have a lot of parks near you.

Then in August, daughter and I are riding on a pack trip in the Rocky Mountains for a week --but my horse can’t go.

And once granddaughter is home from school (she lives with me in the summer) we’ll do 4-5 local horse shows --she goes to shows more to see her friends than to really compete, but because her horse is so good (10 years of hard work!) they place well enough to keep her interested.

Foxglove[/QUOTE]

Enjoy your summer! :yes:

[Pocket_Pony]

[QUOTE=cloudy18;8638592]
I would love to do a Buck Brannaman clinic! Some day, hopefully. I just plan on working on my 7 year old that I got last spring. She basically had 90 days of training at some point, and a handful of rides with previous owner. We will be doing lots of trail rides and some lessons. We did take lessons through winter, but I had foot surgery in March and am just getting back into riding. I’d like to work on things by myself for a bit before I start up with lessons again.

I wouldn’t mind attending a clinic, but I’d be pretty picky about who I went to. A friend is interested in Western Dressage and I might attempt it, but I’m not sure if I would try that this year or not. I only have so much time!

Oh, and I try to go on a few camping trips, one with the rescue I adopted my horse from. Last year I think that was the only one I did, but maybe I can do a couple more this year. It would be good for Miss Mare to hang out on a high line.

Have fun at your clinics. I’m jealous. :)[/QUOTE]

If he ever goes to your area, I recommend going . . . at least to watch and learn, if not to ride.

[Pocket_Pony]

[QUOTE=Fillabeana;8638607]
Excellent, PP!
I really like Bryan Neubert.

I will see you at the Buck clinic, I am riding my colt. She’s actually 5 now…started her at two and put 10 rides in her, took her to a Buck clinic that had other just-started colts in it. She went home and got turned out, and then her 3 year old year I was too sick to get her going again
Got her going again last summer at 4, we trailed cattle some, put a few wet saddle blankets on her. She’ll be getting shoes tomorrow for the first time.
Anyway, she’s not hard to find in a group, she’s a black and white paint. (Kind of hurt my eyes for the first year or two I had her, I like a nice brown or sorrel- she’s the epitome of Horse Bling. But she was a gift horse…and she’s likely to make a really, really nice ranch horse. And the Paint thing is growing on me.) We’ll be riding in the morning class.

I’ll keep my eyes out for you - sounds like you won’t be hard to miss. :winkgrin:

As for the H2, with your mustang…I think that as long as you are paying attention and have done some roping homework, and are engaged and trying, you’ll be fine.
There are a couple of exceptional guys in Central Oregon that can help you with not only the roping/rope preparedness but with most of what Buck is doing. I can tell you that Buck is not impressed with someone who can handle a rope well but who does it at the expense of the horse.
Charley Snell works out of Sisters, he is REALLY good. If you want more info, pm me.
Clint Surplus works out of Terrebonne, he is excellent as well.
Both of these gentlemen know how to make a bridle horse, both are great to have at a branding or to handle cattle. Both are good teachers, either for the horse or the person.

I’ve audited a couple of Clint’s clinics, and have called him to see if he’ll do some private lessons. Unfortunately, his clinic schedule (he does some series of fun stuff) doesn’t seem to be set up for the working person, which I am. Bummer. But maybe we can do some one-on-ones a few times, I hope so.

You’ll want to have the ‘dry work’ of the roping done with Mac…so he’s OK with the rope on his feet, around his butt, up in his flank, being swung, thrown and recoiled. And having done some work dragging a log will help a lot, too, so you know how to dally and slip rope.
I don’t think you’ll get ‘sent home’ from the H2 with Mac, Buck generally will not get novice ropers into a situation over their heads.

I have done some basic rope work with Mac. After the last clinic I did, I bought a rope and threw it all over him; lead him by a foot, the belly, the neck; got it around his flank, butt, legs, etc. I’ve also “thrown” (if you could call my remedial attempts such) the rope from him, roped a sage brush stump and pulled it out of the ground and then dragged it around. I’ve ponied my pony off of him, I’ve swung all sorts of stuff around him. He’s been fine with all of it. We’ve also done some basic cow work (just moving them around, separating one from the herd and moving it around, holding the herd while someone else cuts a cow, etc.) and he’s fine with cows.

My older gelding, we have been branding a few times. The first time out, he was Not OK. With a little more work, he’s been much better. If he’s feeling the whole Post Traumatic Racehorse thing, he isn’t polite company to bring to somebody’s branding…but last Sunday he was really good. He was Old Broke Brownie the Kid’s Horse, doing his job with the rope and filling in and generally behaving like a very helpful and useful gentleman. He’s just getting to where I can pretty much steer him with my feet while I rope, so I don’t have to touch him with a spur or pull on a rein so much while I’m handling the rope.

I still want to get him into the bridle…but I keep having other things to do. Maybe by the time he’s 15, he’ll be in the bridle…this spring I will be catching my colt to ride, any time I can get the work done with her, so he’ll go on the back burner for a while.

And I am a Lousy Shot…so I’ll be practicing with everyone at the clinic who is roping (on foot, with the dummy).[/QUOTE]

Looking forward to seeing you!:yes:

[Pocket_Pony]

[QUOTE=beau159;8638671]
My plans would have been to continue to get my young horse Shotgun better on the barrels, get him going good over low jumps for hunter classes, and start working on his flying lead changes for reining. Just a better overall handle on him. Probably hit up a few barrel racing clinics with him, and maybe reining clinics.

Plans for Red would have been to keep him feeling good this year, and hopefully start winning some amateur rodeo money. Don’t want to buy my pro permit until he can consistently win at the amateur level.

… BUT those plans won’t be happening this year since I’ll be popping out a baby in about 6 weeks. Oh well, there is always next year! They will pretty much just get to be fat and happy, down at my folk’s place the entire year.[/QUOTE]

Best wishes for a speedy delivery and healthy baby!

[kewpalace]

Pi and I will continue showing cowhorse with our local association and maybe so some with other associations. In June we will do the NRCHA Spectacular (NP Ltd) at the NRCH Derby. Should be fun. In between, we will continue our lessons. While we have improved, there is more to improve on and my goals is to score above where were consistently score now.

AND If I can swing it physically (just don’t have the same stamina as I used to have), I will do some obstacle shows/trail trials with Star. But there are other non-horse obligations which usually prevent that from happening.