Natural Remuda Equine Learning Center 
NEWSLETTER JANUARY, 2010

CATHY’S CORNER - Your Natural Horsemanship Journey

Do you have a plan for you and your horse? Most people buy a horse with the DREAM of galloping along the beach or in the mountains with their hair flowing in the wind. The reality is that most people buy a horse who is unmanageable. He walks on them, pushes them, steps on them and has no respect for their space. After the new owner gets a broken foot or dislocated shoulder, they decide either they have to sell their horse, or get help. So, they hear about the “trainer” down the road and go to him. This “trainer” is no better or worse than a lot of trainers we see every day. Some things he does work on your horse and some don’t. Some make the horse blow up, but you bite the bullet on both the blowing up and the cost of the training. You still have the DREAM.

You take your horse home after 30 or 60 days and he is really good for a couple of days, sometimes a week, and then suddenly he is back to pushing you and walking on you again. And then one day on a trail ride, for no good reason, he blows up and you get thrown off. So you quit riding and now have a “Pasture Ornament”, costing big bucks in hay and grain.

But you still have the DREAM! Then one day it happens. You are flipping through the channels and come on RFD-TV, or you get dragged to a Natural Horseman’s seminar. And the light comes on!! In a little while, you are hooked on this stuff. You see these horses who are crazy and wild in the morning, turn into calmer, braver, and smarter horses in the afternoon. What is going on here? You have got to have some of this stuff!

You buy the tools and as many of the CD’s as you can afford. You go home and start your journey to make a relationship with your horse! For a while it works well. You are figuring out the horses language and making a good relationship with your horse. He wants to do things with you. You think you have found your DREAM!!

But then problems start to creep in. First of all, life intervenes and you aren’t spending much time with your horse. He doesn’t come to the gate when you call him. You get frustrated. What is wrong? Why doesn’t this work like it did in the beginning?

Some people are talented enough or have enough experience to learn Natural Horsemanship without anyone helping them. They can figure it out after watching a video. But most of us are not that lucky. We have to have help. So, you find a Natural Horsemanship Person and get lessons or a clinic from them. They tell you that you need to spend more time with your horse, get more help at clinics, and maybe even take some lessons.

Here is what happens to people who get into horses after about a year.

For 25% of you, the journey is open ended. You know you will study this stuff for the rest of your life, getting better and better. You know the elephant is eaten one bite at a time and you will get busy eating!! And eventually, you will be riding with no saddle or bridle with your hair blowing in the wind. The DREAM will be yours!

Another 25% of you will get the basics and go on to have fun with your horse, but you won’t go at it in depth. You will trail ride and find other horse things to do, that are fun for you. You will have improved your horsemanship, but you will still have a few problems that you can’t solve. You will have the small DREAM.

The other 50% of you will quit horses in about 2 years. You will go on to other things and sell your horse. You will have lost your DREAM, at least with horses. Maybe you will buy a bike or a boat!

There is nothing wrong with any of you for getting out of horses or whatever you do. Do what you like to do! But for those of you who keep your horse, you must develop a feel for what is good for the horse in order to have your DREAM. Your horse is a feeling, thinking, creature, just like you are, and you have to take the responsibility of caring for him in the best way.

So, back to the question. If you are going to have horses, what is your plan? What do you want to do with them. If you do want to have horses ...

Get yourself into “learning mode”. Don’t be close minded. Open yourself to new things. Just because horses have been trained a certain way for thousands of years, doesn’t mean that we need to train them that way today. If your surgeon said, “well, I still do things like they did them in the 1600’s“, would you let him do your surgery?!! Open up and learn some new things!! Then you will be living your DREAM!!

UPCOMING EVENTS

REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR COGGINS PAPER FOR YOUR HORSE WHEN YOU COME TO A CLINIC! THE COGGINS LASTS ONE YEAR.

Feb 6 - Ground Skills Clinic, Natural Remuda Equine Learning Center, Utopia, TX. 10 a.m to 4 p.m. You will learn the Ground Skills, which are the basics of riding. Bring your Natural Halter, 12 foot lead line and a sack lunch.

Feb 13 - How to Show Your Horse Clinic, Natural Remuda Equine Learning Center, Utopia, TX, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Are you getting proficient in your riding skills? Are you thinking about showing a little, but are intimidated by the idea of a show? This is the clinic for you!! Subjects covered will be, What To Wear, Your Hat, What Your Horse Should Wear, How to Enter, Ring Etiquette, Rules for the Classes and much more. Bring the clothes you will wear and what your horse will wear. E-mail jdmcjohnson@swtexas.net for more information.

Feb 27 - Riding Clinic - Natural Remuda Equine Learning Center, Utopia, TX, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This clinic will only cover riding. We will perfect the basics and go on to intermediate moves.

NEW NEWS

Apprentice Program - Our apprentice program is in full swing now. We have 4 two and three year old colts, plus two mini-horses and two problem horses for later. We will also be having a shorter spring program for apprentices. We don’t have the details worked out yet, but it will be less time and less money. If you are considering this program, please call or e-mail me at …. 830-966-6119 or jdmcjohnson@swtexas.net

March 15 thru 19 - Kids Camp #1 We are going to have a kids camp this year during Spring Break. This is for kids 7 to 14 years of age. It will be by pre-registration. Horses will be provided or you can bring your own. Participants will learn how to catch, bridle, groom, saddle, and ride their horse. We will also teach how to unsaddle properly and turn the horse loose. This camp will be ½ day, in the morning. The emphasis will be on safety and fun and we will work to the child’s experience.

March 20 - AAYHA show in Seguin We will be showing at the AAYHA show in Seguin. This is an open show, with both English and Western events. Several people would like to show and go together as a team. And Jereny’s team will be joining us from the Burnet area. If you are interested in this, we will also be having a Clinic on how to show your horse, on February 13. Please call us for information.

March 27 - Trail Clinic with Jereny Johnson at Utopia, TX. This clinic will cover Showing Trail at open and breed shows in a professional manner. Jereny shows on the APHA circuit in Texas and has won many awards and points with her horses. You will learn the ins and outs of showing with the pro’s.

April 10 & 11 - Walter Zettle at Kerrville! We don’t have details yet, but Walter Zettle, the famous Dressage Master, will be in Kerrville on April 10 and 11 for a clinic. We are planning to go on April 11th. Walter Zettle is the Natural Horsemanship advocate and is working closely with the Parelli’s to develop more Natural Dressage training for Dressage horses. We encourage you to broaden your horizons and go see him. More about time and place in the March issue.

JERE’S CORNER

Disengagement

What it is……….
Disengagement is used when a horse is reacting instead of thinking. It takes the power away from hind end. It interrupts his pattern causing him to stop and think.

The way to do it is……….
1. With the horse moving forward, Look at the hip.
2. Put pressure on horses hip.
This causes the horse to step one hind leg over the other.

If he doesn’t step over……..
1. Gently pull the horse’s head towards you.
2. Take a step towards the horse’s hip, And this will drive his hip away.

Disengagement is one of the first things you should teach your horse.

Jere