I mentioned in previously thrown loops about goals. People have many different goals when riding a horse. What I am discussing is what I think the best horsemanship for handling cattle that goes with the least amount of stress possible, but getting the results required for modern day beef production.

Western horsemanship evolved from cattle work. The western style tack we use evolved from the needs of a person working cattle.

The skills it takes to handle cattle, such as sorting, roping, trailing and penning, as well as the horsemanship skills needed for these tasks have all been made into contests. That has made a great industry all coming from the skills of the cowboy and the cowhorse. The thing that is important to realize is when you create competition, the dynamics are to win the competition, and the top competitors are the most extreme and the best at the competition. This creates its own style over time and could take the skill to an extreme level and not as it was when it started. This is called progress, and it is amazing how roping, cutting, reining, cowhorse, and team penning have gotten so good and changed so much in the last fifty years.

So now I feel the very thing that influenced and started these events, the events with time, points, judges and money influencing them, are now the model that creates horses and horsemanship for cattlehandling. So the very thing that influences and started western performance horses, ranching, is now being influenced by western performance horses.

The challenge with it is that when you add time and competition it becomes a forceful or hurried situation, and a contest between the horse/human and the critter in the contest.

The cattle in the competition are being forced to do something. This is alright for the competition, as it has rules and time limits and the goal is not animal production, but performance of horse and rider. The bovine is simply a tool to show the performance skills of the competitors.

A horse show is to prove who did the best job at home preparing the horse to preform the way it is to be judged. It is amazing to me how handy horses have become. They put many hours into getting the horse ready, and work constantly to keep em good. Most ranchers don’t have the time and skill to prepare the horse in this manner.

Cattle used in competition are prepared for the competition, the arena is flat and free from obstructions, usually on very good footing so the competitor has the advantage. They can run and turn and stop without much chance of falling. A fence keeps the critter within a distance to be worked fairly. No brush, creeks, manure piles or ponds or tanks to escape to.

As we look at modern beef production, there have been many changes since the 1800’s when the industry was really taking off. But really the main thing we wanted to do then and now is to keep beef animals gaining weight and reproducing. The horse has been a big part in moving cattle from point A to point B to get better production from our beef animals.

If we let the western performance horse world determine and influence how we work our cattle and prepare our horses to work them, we may be hampering the ability of the cattle we raise from gaining weight and reproducing to the full genetic potential. The reason is because we are working on defense and force, rather than on pressuring the animal just enough to change their mind and make what you want seem to be their idea.

This requires a horse to be very precise. The speed of movement and the direction of movement is what creates proper pressure. If we are ahead of the action these are usually small movements, and if we are late it takes bigger movements.

Horsemanship like cattlehandling is a real personal thing. How you get your horse handy at creating pressure is up to you. You can buy a well trained horse or make one yourself. The important thing is to be effective for your goal. Don’t be influenced by things that won’t help you get there.

For me personally, I get lots of pleasure at getting animals to willingly decide to do what I need them to do. That’s a positive. When I have to force an animal to do something it makes me feel bad, and disappointed in my skills. That’s a negative. I take responsibility for my abilities. When I make mistakes, I try to learn from them. To do this I need to look at things how they really are, not how I want them to be, or how the popular crowd is doing things.

It’s your deal, but make sure it’s your deal, and your not doing what everyone else is doing because that’s what everyone else is doing. Do what works for you.

Very seldom do I get to do a demo on my own horse. Three in the last two years to be exact.
I enjoy getting on other peoples horses and fitting the situation to get the work done. But when I use my own horse, it tells the real story of my horsemanship abilitys.

I did a demo in Big Timber Montana, for the Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers and got to ride my horse “Odie”. I really enjoy riding him and think he is just right for how I want my horse to operate under me.

This is a video from the demo. If you are interested in the horsemanship side of Stockmanship, you may enjoy watching how our horses work and how the cattle work but stay calm and learn to work better with each experience.

This is not a cutting horse style of working, but being able to put your horse where you need him to create proper pressure.

I tell folks the best way to learn is by watching a video of yourself working. After watching this, I am real happy with my horse. He was always in balance to move whatever foot he needed to move, waited for as long as I needed him to wait, and moved immediately at the velocity I asked for. He never swished his tail once. Tammy’s horse was the same.

Hope you enjoy the video and the great music. Watch as much as you can stand and analyze without me telling anything.

On Friday I’m going to share some thought on horsemanship for stockmanship, and why I ride the way I ride and what I think makes Odie such a good horse for effective stockmanship.

I spent New Years in Yuma Arizona visiting. My Mother lives in one park and my Father and Step-mother live in another, so I got to meet lots of retired folks. I would recommend going and spending some time with retired folks. As a matter of fact I think it would be a good idea for all adult ages to observe and understand the needs of life about 15 years in the future. It would be a good way to prepare for life ahead of time.

I joke about these folks working all their life to be successful at the chosen job or profession, and when it’s all done they figure out that being trailer park trash is what makes you enjoy life the most.

I am not sure what the appeal is, but it seems that friends that you can share with daily, and comfortable climate, and no icy roads.

Happy hour is a big deal. Chairs and your favorite beverage is the thing that happens everyday.
As you listen, there is a lot of laughter, lots of talking, a little music. Inexpensive entertainment that really is enjoyed.

The two main things my visit taught me that really are important are health and finances.

Everyone is in all different states of health, and you can see those that have a healthy body and mind and kept them healthy(maybe through luck, maybe through skill) have the best quality of life. Fit active people have no limits on activities, and can participate in things that keep them healthy. It’s like compound interest, the more you can do, the more you can do.

I also see that money does not make you happy, but living within your means does. Everyone is created equal in the retirement park. Time has no prejudice. You can have a huge new motor home or an old small van and before long everyone knows if you are living within your means. Many are content with the lifestyle they live and have everything they need. Others are under the stress of not having enough money to live on. You can just tell the ones that have peace of mind, and they just are real at peace with life, and can really enjoy it.

So my lessons to share are:

1)Take care of your health and enjoy your physical abilities while you have them.
Smoking and dietary habits are two things I see that really effect you as you age.

2)learn to live within your means.
Get in the habit of saving money for the future. You will enjoy the habit, and I never heard one person complains about having to much money while I was there.

3) if your happy and you live a good life when you are young, when you get old it will be a hard
habit to break.

I don’t think happy should be the goal. Happy is just one part of a quality life. ” Content ”
Is the combination of the things that creat a high quality of life.

It’s the same with humans as with animals. Contentment creates a good life. We humans are responsible for our quality of life, as well as the animals we are in control of.

Think and plan ahead. The thing I say more when working livestock than any other thing is “your late”. If your late riding a horse or working a cow it’s pretty easy to fix and start over. In life, the older you get, the more important it is not to be late.