FAQ # 1

This is the first in a series of answers to Frequently Asked Questions here at TRUHORSEMANSHIP.

Actually, this first answer is really an answer to two related questions:

“Does Clint take horses in for training?”

And, probably more frequently asked,

“I’d like to bring my horse for a few months of training with Clint.  I can bring him Tuesday; what’s a good time?”

The answer is both simple and unpopular: Yes, Clint takes in horses for training; no, he cannot take your horse in Tuesday.

Several years ago Clint switched to an application process for determining which horses to take into training.  One of the things that I not only greatly admire about Clint but that I also believe sets him apart as a horse trainer is that he has greatly limited the number of horses he takes in.  If you know Clint at all you know that he believes, strongly, in the importance of giving a horse what he needs – regardless of how long he’s already been working with the horse, how soon his next appointment is, the fact that lunch was ready an hour ago…  But I digress.  Clint knows that if he takes on any and all horses someone, and likely everyone, will get shortchanged.  Clint prides himself in the horses he helps to turn out here at TRUHORSEMANSHIP Ranch and spends a great deal of time helping you and your horse get to the place you’d like to be.  Even on the occasions when Clint has had an apprentice to assist him, he always personally oversees every aspect of a horse’s training while they are here at the ranch.  Obviously, these decisions mean that he cannot take every horse that comes his way and he had to find a way to best serve the horses, his business, his clients and his family.  Thus was born the application process.

Throughout the year Clint accepts applications for the next training season (May through October).  In the winter Clint sits down with all of his applications and determines which horses and clients are the best fit for his program.  Applications received by November 1st receive first priority.  Clint looks for a number of things as he’s sifting through applications: desired length of training, desired months of training; desired type of training; a client’s intended use of the horse…  All of these factor in as Clint decides which horses are best suited to his program.

Obviously, this type of a system precludes the horse whose owner wants to bring him next Tuesday.  While we realize that the process is lengthier than the “can I bring him Tuesday” approach, we believe this process and the thought and planning it requires, is truly better for all involved.  So, if you’d like an application for the 2013 season, please let us know and we’ll get you one as soon as they’re available.

Here is a little glimpse into the beginning of Horse Training Season, 2011

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

If you’d like to submit a question for the FAQ series, please let us know!

The Wreck

Clint's Pre-Wreck Ear

Hopefully there are many times in a woman’s life when she thinks how blessed she is to have a husband.  Last October brought me one of those days. If Clint were writing this you’d get quite a story I have no doubt, but you have Shawnele.  While my story won’t be nearly as entertaining (and will lack many details), at least it will be true.

The real story is that while Clint was working with a young horse last fall, it fell on him, kicking him in the head and back a number of times. This woman still thanks God that, considering how serious the accident was, the injuries were minor compared to what they could have been. No one who knows Clint will be surprised to hear that he wouldn’t let the horse’s owner bring him into the house immediately after the accident because he didn’t want to scare the children or me. If you know Clint you won’t be surprised, either, to learn that he did all of his medical care himself (earning the approval, later, of our family physician as well as our wonderful neighboring MD) – including taping the lobe of his ear back to his head with electrical tape. (Next time you see him, see if you can figure out which ear it was.)

Let me tell you that that was the first time in our married life I was grateful for that hard Surplus head!

While Clint’s brain is still adjusting to the changes that took place – giving him a lingering bout of vertigo – Clint has healed up very nicely. I have been surprised at how good he has been to protect his head and to not take on horses that may not be a good fit for his present condition. I know that has been disappointing to some clients who were really hoping to have Clint work with their young horses or horses that were having some other challenges that aren’t a good fit for a rider with vertigo, but I also know that everyone who knows about his situation – including disappointed clients – is glad that he’s taking good care of his head.

So, there you have it: the boring but true story of what happened to Clint last fall. You’d think with as long as we made you wait for the story it would have been more interesting than that!

Training Horses, May 2011

Some pictures of what’s going on this week on the training agenda…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hackamore Horse, the series

Pictures from the first class:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

‘Tis the Season

The horses are here! The long-awaited time of year is upon us. Here’s a closer look at May’s horses:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I Wonder…

Maudie - one of the "new beginnings" here on the ranch.

Is two years too long between blog posts?

Well, Spring is the time of new beginnings, so shall we try again?

As always, “The Horses” come in May.  May is the month we spend January through April preparing for.  Clint’s in-house training season runs from May through October so this month will be filled with contract remodel; any repair work that might need be done on corrals, arena or pen; and general spruce up around the place.  This, of course, is in addition to the farming/ranching/family to-do list.  You may have noticed that Clint’s “hired help” is a very short list (although it is growing all of the time): Shawnele, Seth, Kasen, Mesa and Sadie for overall moral support.  (If you’ve been blessed to see Sadie’s grin you know what I’m talking about.)  We are blessed to be able to work together as a family – which affords us each the opportunity to get to know you all better!

This coming training season what would YOU like to see on this blog?

New Digs at the Ranch

Through our business, we have been blessed to come to know some truly wonderful people. If you have yet to meet Troy and Kim Meeder of Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, you really must. These are wonderful people on a wonderful mission. Last summer, Troy called me and told me that he, Kim, and the staff at Crystal Peaks had a baby gift for Mesa – but they wanted to surprise Clint.  Imagine his surprise upon returning from a day trip, he found his old arena with a new face!  Many thanks to Troy, Kim, the staff at Crystal Peaks, and so many others of Clint’s friends and clients who helped to make this happen!

If you have yet to visit TRUHORSEMANSHIP Ranch, feel free to drop by and see us!

Punctuality-Challenged

sepia-clint-blog1

Ever wondered why Clint is sometimes late? Being perennially late myself, I don’t wonder so much, but you might. (Actually once, before we were married, we had a competition based on our New Year’s Resolutions. Clint was resolved to be on time and I was resolved to quit Mt. Dew. If you’ve noticed either of our records on those scores, it won’t surprise you that we’ve resolved to quit making resolutions!) I have always considered that Clint’s punctuality-challenged personality had to do with trying to do as much as possible in whatever time he has and, to be honest, that is a great deal of it…but over time I’ve learned that there’s more to it.

If you’ve ever watched Clint work a horse then you know that he is a firm believer that there are times when you just cannot leave a horse where he’s at. To do so, in many situations, would be detrimental to the overall goal of progressing the horse. For instance, I have seen Clint work a horse into a positive place for stopping  beyond the time that he needed to be somewhere else – or well past the time his supper was cold on the table.

It’s not always (okay, it’s rarely) convenient to work with our horses (or our children, our spouses, our friends for that matter) on their timetable, but it is always worth it.  I don’t get to watch Clint work horses as often as I’d like, but one thing I know is that he is doggedly consistent about is not quitting a project until the time is right.  If he is loading a horse, or encouraging one encountering a  new obstacle, he never leaves the job while the horse is still adamantly refusing.  He may not have the time to take a horse all the way to the end goal during this session, but he doesn’t stop until the horse is giving a try at it.

So, the next time Clint’s late meeting you trust me, it’s not because he doesn’t value your time – he just wants to give each horse his best possible opportunity to get along.