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 […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 2 Horseman Bryan Neubert is not only known for his skills in working with wild horses, but also for his talent as a maker of traditional western gear. Braiding rawhide or leather is a time-consuming process where the techniques have been handed down through the generations. Bryan guides […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 2 Learning how to rope? First you have to build a loop. Montana cowboy and owner of Buckaroo Business, Scott Grosskopf, is here to get you started. He demonstrates a simple technique for feeding out a loop slowly, which comes in handy during windy conditions or in thick […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 2 Stirrups aren’t just for decoration, they’re a useful tool for maintaining your balance and finding harmony with your horse. Wendy Murdoch explains why the stirrups on western saddles often need some adjustment in order to do the job. Stirrups that are not properly balanced can cause the […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 2 The traditional Spanish bridle horse is a beautiful sight to behold. Richard Caldwell offers his opinions on what a ‘true’ bridle horse is and is not. In the vaquero tradition, the bridle is used for communication, not control. In this style of horsemanship. it is important that […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 2 Creating a good cow horse is all about developing confidence. A confident cow horse wants to be right in the middle of the herd. Joe Wolter works cattle on a two-year-old filly and starts to teach her the game of offense and defense. This young horse learns […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 2 In part two of this series, Bryan Neubert continues his work handling two young horses on foot. He uses a cinch rope to teach them how to turn loose, not tighten up when they experience being touched under the belly. This step in preparation drastically reduces the […]
Excerpt from the Horseman’s Gazette Issue No. 2 Ground work can be a valuable tool for assessing a horse and teaching them to yield before getting in the saddle. Buck Brannaman demonstrates a half-circle exercise that he uses to free up the forequarters. This is more of a mental exercise than a physical one, so […]