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| 4 weeks training, no tack needed in pasture |
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| The absolute most intelligent horse I have ever known! |
| Wicahpi Sinte Ton (Comet) |
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| Sinte is the first born son of solid (CPO) bay mare above |
Gillette pics, 2008-10::
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| my wrangler |
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| one girl got blue in the County Fair, the other one at State |
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| a very nervous gelding |
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| can't keep my kids off the green horses |
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| 2 of my favorites from 2008 |
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| this gelding was spoiled when he came, but incredible when he left |
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| she was a natural |
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| this one was incredibly easy to start |
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| his first gate opening |
| both of my sons fell in love with this gelding |
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| two years later, my son owns this horse |
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| Skipper & Feisty's introduction to ponying |
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| luckily, this filly went home to someone who knew how to continue what I started |
| unfortunately, this one did not |
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It's crucial to understand that a foundation on a green colt/filly is just that, a FOUNDATION,
& nothing more. Nearly everyone who buys a baby horse, thinking that will be easy, really needs a 20 year old dead-broke
gelding. If you must start with a green -young- horse though, you really need to do exactly as I say once you get your immature,
inexperienced, baby home!
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| my kids understand green horses; most grown-ups nowaday don't, including many life-long horse people |
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| she was abused by trainers at LCCC, but we turned this gorgeous gray filly around |
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| baby sister on Mecate's horse |
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| on the way to the Fair |
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| our horses are soft & trusting |
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| this gelding was a scary (& very scared) cowkicker |
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| he was never abused, but just extremely nervous |
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| this horse came to my boy extremely wolfey - scared of everything!! |
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| in spite of the colt's owners constantly pestering him, my boy took his time & did everything right |
My son was only 15 at this time, but he had already been on more green colts than both of
this one's owners (& they are both older than me). Yet, they constantly annoyed him with instructions on what he needed
to do! He ignored them though, & focused on the horse. (I suggested he go to their workplace & tell them how to
do their job!) At any rate, in time, he opened the door for this very, very scared horse to gain some trust & self-confidence.
And, as you can see below, the colt became rideable in about 5 weeks. Over a year before bringing the horse to my son, the
couple took him to another so-called horse trainer who suppossedly put 90 days on him, but never took him out of her indoor
arena. The owners were too scared to climb aboard this wreck, so they brought it to my son. He fixed their horse, in spite
of them, then Dan & Julie Fordett ripped him off! Now we're putting a contract together, & will utilize
a receipt book as well. If you don't pay, you don't pick up your horse. If you don't pick up your horse, it goes to Sherrif's
auction. * (What kind of low-life rips off a teenager??)
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| you really need to know what you're doing when you start a horse, or attempt to fix a ruined one |
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| this one started off electrified, then settled right down in a manner of days - I like this colt |
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| this one was very stubborn, it took her a bit longer to settle-down, but she is one sweet filly now |
| this is a filly I started a year earlier |
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| her owners did not follow my instructions after getting her home |
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| luckily, it didn't take my oldest son long to get her back on track |
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| a horse should enjoy its time with you |
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| this filly's owners attempted to break her on their own, one ended up on crutches |
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| another one of these so-called horse trainers around Gillette damn-near ruined this colt too |
A local guy had this flashy gelding for 5 weeks; the owner
had already gotten the colt started good, but just didn't have time to get him where he needed to be. This so-called bronc
stomper said he was a hand, & would do the job. This so-called trainer is scared to death of horses though,
& doesn't know the first thing about starting a colt. The horse was a nervous wreck when his owner picked him up; then
brought him to my son to fix him. Most people don't realize that, when working with a horse that has "issues", you gotta start
in the hole... you have to go backwards before you can move ahead. And, such horses are potentially very dangerous!
I always prefer working with horses that have never been touched. You must remember too, A HORSE NEVER
FORGETS ANYTHING IT EXPERIENCES! We can usually turn a horse around, given sufficient time, but there's no guarentee
that it won't ever explode on you in the future. START HORSES RIGHT, THEN KEEP THEM GOING RIGHT!!
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| When horses are started wrong, they can become very dangerous! |
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| another gelding brought to me to rehabilitate, same gelding shown above |
| Paddys Irish Whiskey grandson |
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| another colt that was started by someone else, but still had a hump in his back |
Below is another horse we got to work with after
a previous owner had abused it, then, after being sold, she was allowed to sit for a long time before being touched. This
particular mare has a very gentle disposition & a willing attitude - however, she still has flash-backs & panics.
People need to understand, spoiled or abused horses, even those that act like your favorite puppy dog, are potentially very
dangerous.
I feel like I really, really need to harp on this point here... People, PLEASE, get it into
your head - you are NOT doing an abused horse a favor by buying it, with the thought that you will love it up for
a few months, or years, then start riding it!! It could work out, but it probably will not! And, do you really want to
risk your, or your children's health - over a silly warm fuzzy feeling??
I am very affectionate with my horses, & I love them, & raise them, just like I do
my children... I am not against fussing over kids or animals. However, I understand horses, & I know that my horses are
treated right from day one (not only with love & respect, but with discipline too), & they deserve my affection! I'll
show an abused horse affection, but I will never forget what that horse is. And, I sure as hell will not buy some unknown,
abused horse, then let my young children take it for a ride. I'm a fairly sensitive & sentimental kinda guy
(not as bad as Alan Alda, but I am an old softy); even I won't let my love & compassion for horses endanger my children
though!
A spoiled horse may get mad if it doesn't get it's way with you easily, & throw a fit.
An abused horse may throw a fit because it is so scared, or because the fight response automatically kicks-in, instead of
the flight response. Imagine a spoiled little brat of a kid throwing a coniption fit (fun, huh??)... keep that picture
in mind, then turn that spolied little brat into a 1,200 pound horse - it's much bigger, much stronger, much faster than you
- and you are on it's back!! How does that story end?? Are you beginning to understand? Sure, that spoiled, or abused
horse may be a big ol sweet puppy dog when you're on the ground petting it & feeding it treats... that horse may not intend
to hurt you - but, neither does that spolied little brat kid that you REALLY should have spanked before! That kid probably
won't hurt you (or, maybe so); but that horse probably will! Or, a slightly different scenario, slightly... the flight
response could kick-in, & that could get your neck broke just as easily! You might even gentle that spoiled or abused
horse down enough where you can start riding it... Maybe you ride it without incident for a year, or more, then, one day,
the horse gets a flash-back... & you wake up in the hospital, or, maybe you don't...
Am I gettin through?? Maybe you get one hell of a deal in a sale barn (where I never buy horses)
or someone's back yard - but what might that $50 horse cost you in medical bills? A junk horse eats typically around 20
pounds of hay per day, a good horse eats typically around 20 pounds of hay per day. A good horse will probably cost you
at least a grand, easy... &, very easily, quite a bit more too. But, you get what you pay for. People need
to start using common sense when it comes to horses. Junk is junk! Junk can get your loved one dead. Do you really
want a horse? If so, then get a good one!
Closing down the horse slaughter houses is absolutely the worst, most stupid thing
these damn brainless politicians have EVER done to the horse! In trying to help horses, they have actually done the most harm
since the U.S. Army systematically rounded-up Indian horse herds to slaughter them with gatlin guns. The horse industry has
been crippled as a result, & now, new horse owners are unknowingly buying worthless horses - which could eventually
get their owners injured, & probably turn them against all horses forever.
Don't waste your time, or money, with junk!
I don't always have time to offer riding lessons, if you can't sit a jog bareback on your horse with no
tack, you might want to consider it though. Learning to ride balanced is beneficial for both the horse & the rider.
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| riding lessons |
Want to get in touch? You can send me e-mail at:
Lakota_Horseman@yahoo.com
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