The Basics of My Training

What will you get if I train your horse?  That’s a fair question.  And, I think it’s the first one you should ask me or any trainer.
 
The short answer is a “Well-Broke Horse.” But, what exactly is a Well-Broke Horse?

For me, a Well-Broke Horse is flexible and pliable. His rider can put him in the best position for a specific maneuver…sort cows, jump barriers, run around barrels, etc.  In human terms, you might compare the horse to a gymnast, an athlete with great body control. 

If you have a Well-Broke Horse, you can control all his body parts.  That's it.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.   In barrel racing, it’s common for a horse to drop its inside shoulder when going around a barrel.

That dropped shoulder pushes the outside shoulder away from the barrel.  The horse is really going in two directions at the same time. 

The head, neck, and hips are arcing around the barrel.  Those body parts are positioned correctly. But, the outside shoulder and rib cage are going away from the barrel.  They are in the wrong place. If they could break free, they would go someplace where the work is a little easier. 

The horse, of course, is going to get around the barrel.  He may even do it in record time.  But he could do it better and faster if he is balanced with all his body parts lined up. 

You can get a feel for what I am talking about if walk a small circle.  Start with good balance and posture.  Then drop your inside shoulder.  You will immediately feel out of balance.  Some of your energy is bleeding away from the direction you want to go.  This is bio-mechanics.  This is what I concentrate on in my training. This is not to say a Well-Broke horse won’t drop a shoulder or get out of alignment when you are riding.  But if he does, and he is Well-Broke, you can easily get him back in balance. 

I don’t train horses to run faster or jump higher.  I train horses to have body control so that they can run faster and jump higher...or be ridden without saddle and bridle like Princess, shown in the picture at right.
 
If this sounds like what you are looking for, call me.  I’d like to learn what you want to accomplish. If you have a particular problem that is giving you fits, I may be able to give you solution on the phone. Here’s my phone--406-490-3670. 
 
 

Dean teaching Bobby Joe to cut cattle

Princess, we raised and trained her. Today she can be ridden as you see here. This is an example of what our training can do for you.