August 19 – 21, 2016 In the Historic Mission City of San Juan Bautista, California At St. Francis Retreat Center on Historic Rancho San Justo Journey back in time & celebrate California vaquero’s legacy amidst the rolling hills on historic land originally part of Old Mission San Juan Bautista where early vaqueros lived & tended […]
By Melanie Olmstead So Different – So Similar Martin Black and Donnette Hicks may come from different worlds, but ultimately they are united in the belief that,“good horsemanship is just good horsemanship.” Donnette Hicks was in her early twenties when Martin Black hired her as a cook on the Winecup Ranch. The first morning she showed up to the cook house, she stood like a deer in headlights, frozen by the lack of understanding how to feed a large crew of hungry men. Martin showed […]
by Dallas Sweat photos by Donnette Hicks This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.72 In the equine industry, it is rare for a man with a ranching background to join the ranks of the international dressage community; it is even more rare to do so while maintaining the integrity of his horsemanship and […]
Hindquarter control is important in every stage of horse development. Martin Black demonstrates how we might challenge ourselves by being more particular in this movement and improving our feel for the feet. A horse can pivot forwards or backwards around each foot. When starting this exercise for the first time, don’t be too critical of […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 19 In part 3 of this series Wendy Murdoch shows how you can use the leg yield at a trot to prepare you and your horse for a canter depart. Wendy works with a student both on and off her horse to develop the preparation for the movement […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 19 Bryan Neubert demonstrates a way to tie your mecate around your horses neck so that you can tie him up safely with the mecate on. He also shows a handy tip for modifying your mecate when you do your groundwork, which can be especially helpful for young […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 19 Whether you are wanting to trim your horse with clippers or not, the approach that Lee Smith uses to prepare a horse to be clipped can be applied to many other situations. Watch as a horse who has had some experience with evasion build confidence in what […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 19 We have all had the experience of riding a horse in a place where he is unsure, or encounter things during a ride that he might be afraid of. Trevor Carter demonstrates some useful strategies to help build your horse’s confidence and ways to monitor whether you […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No.18 Having a horse that wants to sneak a bite to eat when you’re on his back is a common problem. Bryan Neubert shows you a simple way that you can make it uncomfortable for him to reach for a bite, and kill his appetite for eating grass while […]
Excerpt from Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 18 Loading a horse in a trailer can bring to the surface many issues that we might miss in our daily groundwork or riding. Lee Smith helps a student who has had trouble loading a horse on her own. She works through the horse’s resistance and gives the student […]