Hi- I’m super interested in trying my hand at learning more things Western. The problem is I have no idea where to go for quality training in my neck of the woods or if it even exists. I would love to learn practical ranch skills - roping, gates, checking fences, sorting cows (eventually!) I have ridden for probably close to 30 years and am getting very over every aspect of the overpriced A show scene and want to have more fun and learn things in a more practical way. I’m currently at a top show barn in the heart of horse country and just have no idea where to look for what I’m looking for. Safety and good care of the horses is very important to me. Thanks!
If you don’t find the the actual american western style ranch lessons, take a look at the sport called Working Equitation. It’s technically ranch-horse skills as practiced in Spain. Can be done in either eastern or western tack. They use poles for sorting cattle there, so in the sport a pole is carried on horseback, put through a ring, carried to an empty barrel where it and the pole are deposited, there’s equivalent of side passing over ground poles, other agility-type skills, going through slalom poles, and more. It’s been gaining popularity in eastern U.S. (midwest too I think).
I see there’s a group for northern Virginia might give you some leads for where to get lessons.
Northern Virginia Working Equitation
I see postings for clinics in my FB feed, and there’s actually a training barn near me now (sw VA) that trains only Working Equitation.
