Three year old Dixie learning to rein.
Left:Elwin first gets Soda Pop Sissy used to weight in the stirrup.
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| Craig never badmouths a horse, but we noticed that he kept choosing to ride JA stud, Tipsome Gin. | Ground work remains important. Kendale Hamlin works his horse. |
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Three year old Dixie learning to rein.
Left:Elwin first gets Soda Pop Sissy used to weight in the stirrup.
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Jason rides Viagra through her turns. |
Craig started the clinic with a couple of fresh two year olds. This approach is consistent, for as he started addressing problems with horses, he took them back to the basics, reinforcing the positive behaviors and making them the easiest avenue for the horses.
After working with the fresh two year olds, most of the work the first day was with reining with one rein. Craig worked on the concept of bumping the horse with one rein and immediately releasing when the horse responded. He emphasized the need to have a loose outside rein and put your hand down on the inside rein. He also had the cowboys turn, not spin.
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Once Tipsome bends, Crain releases pressure and rewards him. |
John with his hand down teaches Rib I to turn. Craig reached even further toward the head with his right hand. |
1/4
inch is the correct distance.
Craig worked with the cowboys on not jobbing the horses with their spurs. Body movement signaled direction and instructions. He also addressed safety telling of how one of his mentors had once ask him the most importance distance around a horse. When Craig asked him the answer, he said, "A quarter inch. You always want to be at least a quarter inch further away from the horse's kick."
Day two moved to the big round pen with exercises reinforcing the lessons of using one rein to stop and turn. Cowboys worked reining their horses through cones and did fence work.
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| Phil McKnight works on technique. | Ninia works Senor Sunset on the fence. |
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| Note that Rhett's inside hand in down. | Doug brought a problem horse and he was. |
After the reining work, Craig did some exercises for fun and to get people comfortable with their broncs. No one ever dreamt that they would be taking jumps on horses on the second saddle or on their problem horses.
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| Tipsome never hesitated and jumped like a pro. |
Part of the jump exercise was learning to trust the horse. |
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| Julie Gates rode Sally on the second day. |
Elwin trusting Smoky Pine Viva. |
Links: O'Brien Remuda, JA Remuda, First Cameron Horse Clinic
