Whoa Podcast About Horses Horsemanship

VHTC Update on Scratch As you know, I'm working with a Wild Horse of Oak Creek for the upcoming Vaquero Heritage Trainers Challenge October 9-11, in Tehachapi, Ca.  My horse is Scratch and we've had some ups and downs in the eight weeks we've been together.  We have also accomplished many things.  Scratch trailers well.  Scratch has had a veterinary checkup thanks to Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital.  He has been saddle and ridden.  We are up to about our 17th ride. This show is a VHTC update on Scratch and I talk about some of the ups and downs of this experience and how we keep working toward our goal of having a safe and trusted saddle horse.  We will be competing against seven other very competent trainers.  One of the more challenging aspects of this experience is to try and put those feelings aside and concentrate on the horse I have and what I can teach him. Links on the show Sponsors Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital Matt Sheridan Performance Horses Supporters Rancho Rio Stables Sean McRoberts Horses

Making some changes for the summer Scratch Producing a weekly show as a one man project is a big task.  I've done it for over 100 episodes now.  Recently, I acquired a horse to train for the summer.  Instead of chasing guests, setting up interviews, editing, posting, and other marketing chores, there are changes for the summer. I invite you along to follow my training progress of Scratch, a gelding from the Oak Creek Wild Horse herd.  I have Scratch until October.  We are competing in the Vaquero Heritage Trainers Challenge.  You might remember the shows I produced from last year's event (listen to them Here and Here).  Scratch was in the wild on June 13th.  I picked him up the 14th.  It's my goal to have him broke and gentled so anyone can ride him anywhere.  This is the first horse I've started.  I'll be using much of the techniques I learned watching my Downunder Horsemanship DVD's.  While I'm not sure how Scratch and I will fair - there are a lot of great trainers in the competition - it won't be from lac

Equine Dentistry with Dr. Tolley As part of a recent client education series Dr. John Tolley of Bakersfield large Animal Veterinary Hospital gave a talk on equine dentistry.  There was a slide presentation by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) that went along with the talk.  While the slides did enhance the talk, the information on equine dentistry is still valuable as stand alone audio.  One thing I've learned over the years is that we pick up information a little at a time.  There is a lot of info contained in this talk to enhance your knowledge of what is going on in your horse's mouth.  The basics are covered.  Equine dentistry can be confusing, but Dr. Tolley offers very clear explanations of teeth growth, problems, and preventive measures.  Dr. Tolley also describes signs you can look for to know if your horse is in need of equine dentistry. About Us Welcome to the Whoa Podcast about Horses and Horsemanship.   I am your host  John Harrer.  Along with my wife, Ranae, each week on th

Science and Horse Sense with Maddy Butcher Gray Maddy Butcher Gray knows learning about horses and horsemanship is really a lifelong pursuit.  Maddy Butcher Gray is the owner and founder of NickerNews and BestHorsePractices, websites dedicated to horses and horse owners.  She is a free-lance journalist, having written for the Boston Globe and The Wall Street Journal.  She has covered sports, travel, and breaking news.  Now, Maddy Butcher Gray has compiled a book,  A Rider's Reader:  Exploring Horse Sense, Science, & Sentiment.  It is a collection of articles, blog posts, and new writing designed to help the horse and its owner.  Along the way you learn about Maddy Butcher Gray's life and her horses.  Maddy writes about training issues with Jolene, her mule.  She writes about moving to Iowa, then Utah.  She writes about the trainers and horsemen she has met along her journey. A Rider's Reader is filled with anecdotes and bits of wisdom from many of the preeminent horsemen and women of our time.  The tribut

Meetup with the Downunder Brumbies at the Bar SZ It was a meetup with the Downunder Brumbies at the Bar SZ Ranch in San Benito, California.  This was our second time with the meetup group of Downunder Horsemanship Brumbies.  A meetup group is just a lot of horse owners who share and interest and love of Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship Method.  About 40 people gathered for this meetup over Memorial Day weekend at the Bar SZ Ranch.  As a special treat, Certified Downunder Horsemanship Clinician Jeff Davis came out to California to help us with our horses. The Whoa Podcast has done shows with the Brumbies and also on the Bar SZ.  (We've even done a video).  This year I worked less and enjoyed my wife, horse, and dog a little more.  Yes, we took Buster.  He had a great time.  On this show I'll give you my impressions of the meetup and how things went with my horse Jessie.  The event was a great success and the Brumbies are already planning the 2016 Bar SZ meetup.  You can check out things at http://2016

Catching Up with Mary Kitzmiller Mary Kitzmiller has learned from some of the best trainers in the horse industry.  After getting a good foundation from a number of great trainers, she began to develop her own style of horsemanship.  Mary Kitzmiller started training and competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeovers and found the challenges of training mustangs really refined her horsemanship.  Mary competed in five Mustang Makeovers and in 2013 competed in the Mustang Million and came in 3rd winning $50,000 making her the top women in earnings in the Mustang programs. In 2013, 2014, and 2015 Mary Kitzmiller competed in the wild card division of Road to the Horse and place in the top three all three years.  She co-hosts a monthly segment on the Horse Radio Network.  Mary Kitzmiller is currently working on creating a comprehensive multi-media learning system and teaching clinics throughout the country.  Mary has taught or is scheduled to teach in Mexico, Poland, Netherlands, and Germany.  She is scheduled to parti

Horse Emergencies Preparation Do you know what to do with the wide range of horse emergencies?  We know that if you own a horse there are going to be horse emergencies.  How do you clean a wound?  What is the proper way to take your horse's heart rate?  What should every equine first aid kit contain?  These are the type of questions you need the answers to handle all sorts of horse emergencies. Our local veterinary hospital, Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital, occasionally holds client seminars.  We were invited to the most recent one held at a banquet room here locally.  The topic was handling horse emergencies and the guest speaker was Dr. Jeff Hall, DVM.  Dr. Hall works for Zoetis Pharmaceutical, a veterinary medical supply company.  In his systematic approach, Dr. Hall offers some great advice when you are faced with an emergency situation.  Dr. Hall also tells us about a new product we should consider including in our horse emergencies kit.  Dormosadan® gel is a mild sedative that can be very useful to re

The Lost Tommie Turvey Interview Last year I booked Tommie Turvey for an interview.  I was excited.  Tommie is a big name in the horse industry.  We had a wonderful, hour-long interview.  Tommie described his life with horses an his experiences do everything from Medievel Times to Euro Disney to Movies and TV.  Once the interview was posted however, you could not hear my side of the interview.  Now, I know what you are thinking, "What could be better than an interview where you can't hear John?".  Yeah, me too!  But, the show didn't flow.  The pauses where I was asking questions were just too annoying. To make a really long story a little shorter, I kept working on the audio.  Yes, it's been a year, but I'm tenacious and I know you would want to hear this show.  I finally found the problem and I'm re-posting the show.  I've edited out most of the comments that had dates back in 2014.  Those have all passed.  Don't sign up for them.  Tommie Turvey won't know what you are talking about them.  Anyway, I hope I e

Skills of the Early Californios Rancho The more I learn about the Early Californios the more I am impressed with their horsemanship.  There is a show coming up in Santa Barbara that, if you are anywhere close, you will surely want to see.  The Early Californio Skills of the Rancho Show is taking place June 5th-7th at the Earl Warren Showgrounds and admission for spectators is FREE!  On today's show we have  Bruce Sandifer who has been a student of the Early Californios for some time.  Bruce explains some of the origins of this unique style of horsemanship. The Early Californios evolved a little differently than the cowboy horsemanship that was going on in other parts of the country.  The traditions and equipment they use are kept alive by the California Bridlehorse Association. The event in Santa Barbara will him in conjunction with a working equitation show organized by the USWEA.  What is really cool about this show is that the equitation judges will grade the Early Californio tradition riders in their equi

Custom Saddles and Leather Care Tips from Granite Station Saddlery Wouldn't it be cool to have a custom made saddle?  But, what would it involve?  What's the difference between a custom saddle and a production saddle?  You know me.  When I want answers I go to the experts.  On this week's show I head over to Granite Station Saddlery.  When I arrived, Granite Station Saddlery was a beehive of activity.  The owner and saddle maker, Jack Smith managed to find some time to squeeze me into his busy schedule.   We sat down in his office and talked about custom saddles and how you can better take care of all your tack. Granite Station Saddlery is located right here in Bakersfield.  They have made over 1400 custom saddles.  After the interview I got a tour of the place.  There were some spur straps being oiled on the counter.  I asked Jack about them.  I thought he just made saddles.  As it turns out, they make all kinds of leather products.  He showed me the careful attention he and his craftsmen put into their work

Bonus Episode! There are a lot of podcasts out there for you to listen to on a weekly basis.  It's sometimes hard to pick a good one.  Last year I met a fellow horse podcaster and we struck up a friendship.  Alyssa Barnes, the host and producer of the Earn Your Spurs Podcast, has a goal to help you unleash your Inner Cowboy.  I thought as a special bonus, we could share our shows to each others' audience.  I know you will enjoy Earn Your Spurs.   Alyssa's guest on this episode is Kaila Mussel, the first woman to earn a PRCA card in Saddle Bronc riding.  Kaila talks about the challenges she has faced competing a sport dominated by men. Alyssa is also producing a unique online experience, The Cowboys Champions Summit.  She is gathering a group of trainers, rodeo stars, and just down right great horsemen to share motivation, inspiration, and insights to the horse world.  Check out the Cowboy Champions Summit by clicking the photo to the right or this link: Cowboy Champion Summit Link. Enjoy the Earn Your Spurs s

Celebrating a 100 Podcasts with Clinton Anderson When we started the podcast back in January 2012 it was a way of sharing the knowledge about horsemanship Ranae and I have learned from Downunder Horsemanship.  One hundred episodes later, I asked Clinton Anderson to come on the show.  He agreed.  Now, I've listened to easily a thousand hours of Clinton Anderson's voice through the TV show, DVD's, and in person at the Walkabout Tours.  It could also be said that I've had more than a thousand conversations with Clinton Anderson.  Every time I've ridden or done groundwork with a horse, Clinton has be in my ear telling me to "Slide, Stab, Step", "Move his feet", "Heart attacks are free!".  I'll be honest with you, it seemed a bit weird to have him to actually talk to in real life.  By the way, I'm much more eloquent in my imaginary conversations ;>). When I found out I had scored the Clinton interview, I had no way of knowing ahead of time which direction the conversation would go.  I've heard him casually talk ab

Extreme Mustang Makeovers and the Mustang Heritage Foundation   We done a number of shows on mustangs.  We talked to Alan Day about his book The Horse Lover.  We previewed the documentary about mustangs, Unbranded.  And, we spoken with trainers who have successfully worked mustangs like Matt Sheridan.  But, I really didn't know too much about mustangs and their plight in the U.S.  It was easy to get a hold of the Mustang Heritage Foundation for information. The Mustang Heritage Foundation was formed to foster adoptions of BLM mustangs in holding pens.  It is estimated that there are 50,000 horses being cared for by the BLM.  I contacted Kyla Hogan, promotion director of the Mustang Heritage Foundation, to get more information about their adoption programs.  We also get some great information about the Extreme Mustang Makeover events around the country.  The Extreme Mustang Makeover is a wonderful showcase to highlight the great qualities of these amazing horses. Madison Shambaugh Kyla told me about an excelle

Doug Williamson Champion Trainer  Reined cow horse and working cow horses have always been a big mystery to me.  I've watched a couple of competitions, even photographed a few.  The things these cowboys have their horses do are amazing.  In Bakersfield, where this podcast is based, we have a very special trainer.  Doug Williamson is 73.  He has been around horses and cows his entire life.  From riding Thoroughbred racehorses at age 10 to winning the Snaffle Bit Futurity TWICE!  Doug Williamson is an AQHA Professional Horseman having trained 42 AQHA Champions.  Doug has also won a million dollars in National Reined Cow Horse and is a Hall of Fame Rider.  Although Doug Williamson specializes in Reined Cow Horses now, he has done just about everything you can imagine from the back of a horse.  He was a pretty good team roper for quite some time. When I called Doug Williamson to ask for an interview, he graciously agreed and invited me to his ranch just south of town.  Doug has a great facility and a lot of horse

Horse Health with Dr. Tolley Owning a horse is a great experience.  The beauty and majesty of a healthy horse is a great to behold.  But how do maintain horse health?  As a new horse owner what costs are associated with horse health?  We wanted to answer these questions and more.  We needed a reliable source of information and we enlisted the help of our local expert on horse health, our veterinarian Dr. John Tolley.  Dr. Tolley is a partner at Bakersfield large Animal veterinary Hospital.  He is a very experienced veterinarian and a horse owner.  We talk about horse feed requirements.  We talk about supplementation.  We talk about vaccinations and worming protocols.  We talk about dentistry.  Just about everything concerning horse health is covered in a general conversation. Dr. Tolley says he will come back and share more thoughts on horse health.  If you have a topic you would like to see us cover, please shoot me an email. About Dr. Tolley Dr. Tolley joined Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital's large animal p

Off Farm Income Matt Brechwald of the Off Farm Income Podcast with his family on the farm. Matt Brechwald, host and producer of the Off Farm Income podcast, wanted to own a farm. That would place him the 2% of the US population that feeds this country.  Like many farmers, Matt would have to find another source of income outside the farm to supplement his operation.  I didn't realize it, but 90% of the farmers in this country have Off Farm Income to supplement their farms and families.  Matt tells us exactly what Off Farm Income is and how some people solve this challenge. There are a lot of farmers who have to find ways to make money outside the farm.  That's where Matt comes in.  His Off Farm Income podcast investigates the many entrepreneurial ventures to make money.  Matt talks to people who have found unique and creative ways to bring in off farm income.  And, Matt knows about off farm income as well as anyone.  He lives it every day.  His 25 acre Idaho farm is a success because of the efforts of Matt and

Working Equitation Training We take the show on the road for some Working Equitation Training.  The Working Equitation International Association of USA (WEIAUSA) held a Working Equitation training event in Mira Loma, California.  The group invited Portuguese world-class trainer Nuno Matos to help in the working equitation training.  Six trainers spent five full days learning about the sport. From an earlier Whoa Podcast on Working Equitation we spoke with Tarrin Warren (See episode #42).  From that meeting we contacted the organizers to ask if we could participate in the schooling show and experience for ourselves and our audience what working equitation was all about.  They did us one better by inviting us to arrive a day earlier and get some working equitation training. We took our recorder and produced a variety of interviews from organizers, trainers, and even the judge of the schooling show.  There is a wide variety great horsemanship information in this show. After spending a day getting some working eq

Riding Behind the Padre with Richard Collins Riding Behind the Padre is a story that bridges three centuries.  The Padre in this case is Father Francisco Kino, a Jesuit priest sent to the New World to convert the natives to the Catholic Church.  In his time, Kino was a respected horseman and he rode the Arizona-Sonoran area befriending and helping the native people. Richard Collins is a rancher, horseman, and an author.  He ranches on 13,000 acres near the Mexican Border. Riding Behind the Padre comes from Richard's experience re-enacting the trips of Father Kino with a group including riders from Mexico's middle-class.  The rides, or cabalgatas, as they are called are done every year to bring attention to the impact Father Kino made on this area.  Richard has made many of the rides and tells us about his experience riding between Mexico and the United States on horseback.  He also shares his inspiration for his book, Riding Behind the Padre. Links mentioned on the show: Richard Collins Website Richard Collin

Ben Masters Produce r of Unbranded the Film Unbranded the Film is a documentary about a horseback ride.  But this is not just any horseback ride, it is a ride that follows the Continental Divide, nearly 3,000 miles.  Ben Masters was a sophomore at Texas A&M studying wildlife biology.  Over the summer break he and a couple of friends thought it would be a great adventure to ride from Texas to Canada.  They needed a few more horses, but didn't have much money.  Their solution was to acquire a few mustangs from the BLM.  That ride was in 2010.  The group rode for four months, but they did not make it to Canada. After Ben got home he thought about the ride and how well the mustangs had performed.  They had actually out performed their good horses.  He also kept thinking about the untamed beauty he saw crossing this great country.  This is where the inspiration for Unbranded the Film was born. If Ben thought crossing the peaks of the Divide at 11,000 feet was difficult, he had no idea what he was getting into

Saddle My Good Horse Sam Finden has had many jobs in his young life.  Originally from Minnesota, after college Sam found his way into a life that included horses and has never looked back.  He has always enjoyed writing and, with the horses, now he had many stories to tell.  Sam's new novel, Saddle My Good Horse, is a western tale that involves horses, rodeos, and pretty girls.  The book is a fun easy read.  Sam is great at weaving a tale and involving horses.  I really liked how he developed strong, healthy relationships between the main characters.  Saddle My Good Horse is at it's heart a story of friendship and young love. I always enjoy the stories on how people get to where they are.  Sam has some great stories.  He has worked on dude ranches.  He helped train horses.  He even tried to make a TV show around his love for hunting.  He's developed many good friends along the way.  Friendships he weaves into Saddle My Good Horse. Sam enjoys life now in Montana.  He owns two horses, is a fan of Downunder Hors