On Wednesday, March 19, 2014, I had the great pleasure of going to Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas. I got there late on Wednesday evening after being asked to come down and work with their ranch horse team and hold a benefit clinic and schooling show to help raise money for the team. On Thursday, I got the opportunity to teach a beginning horsemanship class for Dr. Elliott. It was a great group of students that were willing to learn what they could about riding and horsemanship. There were a lot of good questions and good participation.
Following the horsemanship class I got to meet and work with the team for the first time. What a great group of young people riding some really nice young horses!!!!! We discussed groundwork to compliment mounted work. The team was really interested in becoming better and adding to their already advanced skills.
On Friday, I got to gather cattle at the Means Ranch, in Valentine, Texas, to use that evening for practice as well as in the Sunday clinic. What a pleasure to get to go out on a historic, generational ranch with a true-to-life working cowboy, Bode Means! We gathered the cattle without many issues, loaded them, and headed back to Alpine. When we returned, we all met at the arena. The team got the opportunity to work some cattle, i.e. boxing, driving, and fence work.
The Sunday working cow horse clinic was a great success. There were many interested participants wanting to learn more about horsemanship and helping raise money for the team. Dry work or reining was the concentration of the morning. Groundwork and mounted work allowed the class to learn how to decipher the needs of their horses.
After a great lunch at the Reata Restaurant, we got the opportunity to work a few head of cattle. Learning where to position your horse on a cow and how to control that cow was the order for the afternoon. I got the opportunity to score a schooling show for each of the riders after the clinic. Man, what a day! Even through the weather was cold, overcast, and windy, everyone seemed to enjoy the day and maybe even learn something!
I have a big list of "Thank You's" to send out for a great week of horsemanship! First, I would like to thank Dr. Elliott and Dr. Housewright for letting me invade their world for a few days and work with the team and horsemanship class. Next, I would like to thank all the team for their participation and wish them good luck this year as they show! I would like to thank Bode Means and the Means Ranch for providing cattle for the clinic. Also, a big shout goes out to R3 Cattle Company and Shelly Hall for the use of their horses that week. To Dana Jones, thank you so much for the photos of the events, they are awesome! Thanks to my family for allowing me to be gone for a few days and taking care of my cattle, horses, and dogs while away! Lastly, thanks to God for the safe travel and the passion He has given me for horses and people!
I would like to say to everyone I met in Alpine that I learn way more about horses, people, and myself than you will ever learn in one of my clinics, and for that, thank you! Be patient and work hard and your efforts will pay off! If something is worth doing it is worth our best effort! I am a better person for knowing each of you and calling you my friends!
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