Buck Brannaman 2019

[Mule]

Is the idea behind being able to move each leg individually that it makes the riders aids more accurate?

 

[DabDab]

Wow, sounds like you've had your fair share of setbacks with chip already 😯

Fingers crossed on finding the perfect yard for the winter - look forward to reading your updates in the spring!

 

[Ambers Echo]

Is the idea behind being able to move each leg individually that it makes the riders aids more accurate?

I'm no expert - I've only done the 1 clinic - but from what I understand he said that this ensures you are both mentally connected to the horse and physically in control of the horse. His legs should feel like your arms and legs. It should feel like the reins are hooked to his front feet to you can simply lift and place each feet.

Accuracy was more a state of mind - there was little teaching of technique - it was all about being very particular about what you wanted and making sure you got it. There are also a million more rewards in this style of riding. Mini breaks of say 5-10 seconds after the horse has been accurate where you drop the rein and sit there quietly to say 'yes well done'. Amber could not cope with that at first -- she had no concept of standing still. But now she enjoys her mini breaks and rests a leg, sighs, licks. whatever. Buck's view is a lot of UK horses don't enjoy these respite periods because they never normally get them and fret that they are supposed to be doing something.

There are a series of exercises that you go through that require you to move each foot back, forward and laterally. Also to control the rib-cage so it flexes in the direction you want, to control the head and neck so he is carrying himself in balance etc. And for all this to happen with no bracing and with immediate responses to feather light cues. In walk to start with then all gaits. Once you can do that you have control of the whole horse both mentally and physically and the horse can then go on and be trained in whatever specific discipline you want. But this 'foundation' is 'put on' all young horses no matter what their eventual job. So Buck has put the same foundation on high goal polo ponies, olympic show-jumpers, and ranch horses.

The thing I have never worked out (hoping to be enlightened...) is how to marry this work with dressage schooling. I have a brilliant dressage instructor and Amber is going really well. Much more connected and engaged. But we get that with a firm/secure rein contact. It feels heavy to me but she assures me that I am not remotely heavy in the hand and Amber needs me to be secure in the contact. Buck's way of riding involves a very long and light rein. At the moment I just ride both ways on different days! Amber seems not to be too confused by that.

 

[eahotson]

I'm no expert - I've only done the 1 clinic - but from what I understand he said that this ensures you are both mentally connected to the horse and physically in control of the horse. His legs should feel like your arms and legs. It should feel like the reins are hooked to his front feet to you can simply lift and place each feet.

Accuracy was more a state of mind - there was little teaching of technique - it was all about being very particular about what you wanted and making sure you got it. There are also a million more rewards in this style of riding. Mini breaks of say 5-10 seconds after the horse has been accurate where you drop the rein and sit there quietly to say 'yes well done'. Amber could not cope with that at first -- she had no concept of standing still. But now she enjoys her mini breaks and rests a leg, sighs, licks. whatever. Buck's view is a lot of UK horses don't enjoy these respite periods because they never normally get them and fret that they are supposed to be doing something.

There are a series of exercises that you go through that require you to move each foot back, forward and laterally. Also to control the rib-cage so it flexes in the direction you want, to control the head and neck so he is carrying himself in balance etc. And for all this to happen with no bracing and with immediate responses to feather light cues. In walk to start with then all gaits. Once you can do that you have control of the whole horse both mentally and physically and the horse can then go on and be trained in whatever specific discipline you want. But this 'foundation' is 'put on' all young horses no matter what their eventual job. So Buck has put the same foundation on high goal polo ponies, olympic show-jumpers, and ranch horses.

The thing I have never worked out (hoping to be enlightened...) is how to marry this work with dressage schooling. I have a brilliant dressage instructor and Amber is going really well. Much more connected and engaged. But we get that with a firm/secure rein contact. It feels heavy to me but she assures me that I am not remotely heavy in the hand and Amber needs me to be secure in the contact. Buck's way of riding involves a very long and light rein. At the moment I just ride both ways on different days! Amber seems not to be too confused by that.

I like the lighter western style riding better and am increasingly beginning to dislike the very firm contact that modern dressage seems to demand.Interestingly my trainer was initially trained by her father,an old cavalary man.She also likes a much lighter style of riding.

 

[eahotson]

The

I like the lighter western style riding better and am increasingly beginning to dislike the very firm contact that modern dressage seems to demand.Interestingly my trainer was initially trained by her father,an old cavalary man.She also likes a much lighter style of riding.

The breaks are a very western thing.I went to the Deptfords and they were very into breaks.David says when he is preparing for a competition he might actually sit on his horse for 2 hours but only do about 30 to 40 minutes work,

 

[flying_high]

The

The breaks are a very western thing.I went to the Deptfords and they were very into breaks.David says when he is preparing for a competition he might actually sit on his horse for 2 hours but only do about 30 to 40 minutes work,

See I am struggling with this. And struggling with the reply further up the thread that said being sat on for three hours shouldn't be a problem for a working horse.

My understanding is horses weren't built to carry riders, and they need to have abdominals engaged and their backs lifted, else we are compressing their spine. I can see hacking or driving for three hours as okay. But sitting stationary on their backs for long periods doesn't typically sound very fair, or to promote horse learning to engage back muscles and carry rider. Especially a young horse.

 

[eahotson]

See I am struggling with this. And struggling with the reply further up the thread that said being sat on for three hours shouldn't be a problem for a working horse.

My understanding is horses weren't built to carry riders, and they need to have abdominals engaged and their backs lifted, else we are compressing their spine. I can see hacking or driving for three hours as okay. But sitting stationary on their backs for long periods doesn't typically sound very fair, or to promote horse learning to engage back muscles and carry rider. Especially a young horse.

Modern horses are a man made construct really and can carry weight on their backs.Left to themselves they can also find the best and most comfortable way of doing it,They are not stupid.Western riding when it is good, allows the horse a very natural frame.Compare and contrast to modern dressage.Watch David on youtube do a reining pattern.It is a sudden burst of energy,followed by a rest,followed by another sudden burst of energy.The rest is partly psychological.According to David a rest is the best reward you can give a horse, it also allows the muscles to recover.
My trainer is a big believer in developing the back muscles by stretching between exercises.We stretch a lot.It helps the back muscle which is very important,to develope.I can only say that Davids horses work and compete and stay sound for years.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Who is David?

I agree with rest being the best reward. Mark Rashid says the same. The release for the try is what builds confidence and willingness to please to you end up with a really light, responsive, calm horse who wants to please you.

 

[Mule]

I'm no expert - I've only done the 1 clinic - but from what I understand he said that this ensures you are both mentally connected to the horse and physically in control of the horse. His legs should feel like your arms and legs. It should feel like the reins are hooked to his front feet to you can simply lift and place each feet.

Accuracy was more a state of mind - there was little teaching of technique - it was all about being very particular about what you wanted and making sure you got it. There are also a million more rewards in this style of riding. Mini breaks of say 5-10 seconds after the horse has been accurate where you drop the rein and sit there quietly to say 'yes well done'. Amber could not cope with that at first -- she had no concept of standing still. But now she enjoys her mini breaks and rests a leg, sighs, licks. whatever. Buck's view is a lot of UK horses don't enjoy these respite periods because they never normally get them and fret that they are supposed to be doing something.

There are a series of exercises that you go through that require you to move each foot back, forward and laterally. Also to control the rib-cage so it flexes in the direction you want, to control the head and neck so he is carrying himself in balance etc. And for all this to happen with no bracing and with immediate responses to feather light cues. In walk to start with then all gaits. Once you can do that you have control of the whole horse both mentally and physically and the horse can then go on and be trained in whatever specific discipline you want. But this 'foundation' is 'put on' all young horses no matter what their eventual job. So Buck has put the same foundation on high goal polo ponies, olympic show-jumpers, and ranch horses.

The thing I have never worked out (hoping to be enlightened...) is how to marry this work with dressage schooling. I have a brilliant dressage instructor and Amber is going really well. Much more connected and engaged. But we get that with a firm/secure rein contact. It feels heavy to me but she assures me that I am not remotely heavy in the hand and Amber needs me to be secure in the contact. Buck's way of riding involves a very long and light rein. At the moment I just ride both ways on different days! Amber seems not to be too confused by that.

I like the idea of lots of rewards. I would imagine giving the horse breaks allows it to understand what we are asking if it.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Giving horses breaks as a reward is good horsemanship which is not exclusively a western practice. However I do not like the western tendency to use their horses as a parked mobile viewing platform for long periods of time - often with a rather large rider on a rather small horse. Long periods of immobility cause pressure points to form under the saddle and must be uncomfortable for the horse.

OP, gosh, you and your horse have been through the mill, haven't you. All the best for getting things back on track. Having a clinic or somesuch to aim for is always a good motivator, I find. I hope you get your 12 minutes of individual attention (I make it 3x2 hours of riding divided by 30 riders) and you find it worth it. As a fellow sciatica sufferer who had to miss riding for several weeks this summer while it was sorted, please can I advise that you don't skimp on your own back treatments while saving up for the course. We horsey types are known for ignoring our own aches and pains while getting our neds seen to asap .

 

[Alibear]

I'll chip in on the standing still and being under saddle for a long time parts.
1 Western saddles distribute weight differently to English saddles so comparing the two is perhaps not right.

Someone above mentioned engaging the abdominals. English riders are working on this to, this is how we get lift, round backs and collection. Equi-ami/belly bands seems to be the new in gadget for this.
Perhaps standing under saddle (with our without rider) for what we view as long periods of time, is a low stress, low impact way of helping the horse improve its abdominals and strengthen up?

Ranch horses can spend pretty much all day with a saddle on their backs and this is where a lot of these techniques came from.

That's my admittedly still very newbie way of understanding it, I've also seen it work. Note here this is not in anyway comparable to the old show pony strapping up in draw reins and saddle work. It standing sat quietly on your horse in a relaxed frame or tying horse up in a normal head collar at normal comfy head height not short, with a saddle on and cinched up.

As well as the muscling and abdominal effects you get horses that are happy with a riders weight and calm and relaxed at the halt whilst all manner of things are going on. Halt becomes their happy place, in my mind this helps with the lovely western Whoa which stops most western horses on a dime and they are instantly still happy and content despite what's going on around them.

It is truly awesome that if your its all going wrong you can just stop and breath and the pair of you relax together, calm down, re group and come up with a new better plan. I love it.

I agree its very different from the don't use your horse as an arm chair lessons some English instructors give but then I saw recently about a very good classical trainer saying he used to just stand still on his horse in its spooky spot and smoke a cigarette or read a book until the horse settled, spooky spot cured. So again its not purely a western technique.

Or what about hunt horses standing quietly and relaxed at the meet or waiting for the next draw?

Horses are smart and can learn the same thing despite us teaching it in may different ways, its a skill that perhaps we should aim for too

There's a good post on COTH about Bucks clinics, from that I got that he's not someone who instructs you as to what to do moment by moment, but rather gives you ideas and exercises to try out and gives you space to then work out which ones to use in your given situation. I can see that wouldn't work for everyone, I know I'm not there yet.

 

[JFTDWS]

See I am struggling with this. And struggling with the reply further up the thread that said being sat on for three hours shouldn't be a problem for a working horse.

My understanding is horses weren't built to carry riders, and they need to have abdominals engaged and their backs lifted, else we are compressing their spine. I can see hacking or driving for three hours as okay. But sitting stationary on their backs for long periods doesn't typically sound very fair, or to promote horse learning to engage back muscles and carry rider. Especially a young horse.

Actually, the biomechanics of a horse working in a loose, western frame are different to those trying to work in other senses - Gerd Heuschmann makes it very clear when he discusses the issue of engaging the abdominal muscles that what he says only applies to animals who are working in that sort of manner - that horses who move in their own balance (like Spanish working horses, western horses, polo horses) must be considered to be observing a different set of rules. That's not to say that there isn't overlap in the concerns, but I don't think a horse needs to engage its abdominal muscles in the same manner when stationary and left loose to find their own balance and posture under the rider (and to reposition themselves - though not fidget).

 

[GreyMane]

Wow this is a very interesting thread for me. Many thanks Ambers Echo for your detailed notes.

Feeling torn. I'm trying to decide whether to go as a spectator; I do have some misgivings about the clinic format anyway, but more so after reading the above. Not easy to balance horses' wellbeing against the understandable demand for lots of bums on seats/saddles.

I believe Mark Rashid's clinics tend to be smaller for this reason? I'd be there come hell or high water if MR visited....

You'd think - with all the emphasis in this sort of training on frequent and instant "release" - that the biggest "release" for the horse would be for us to dismount for a while during the talky sections, esp with a youngster ;-) ? Or would it just be potentially a bit too chaotic/distracting if 30 people got on and off randomly during the demos... ?

 

[Cortez]

I'm not a western rider, nor particularly interested in same, but there is much that can be learned from different disciplines (done well). I am a dressage rider first and foremost, but have learned from western trainers when I lived in the Sates, from Doma Vaquera in Spain, and so on. No one style of training has it "all". I was also thinking that if sitting on the horse for long periods bothers you (and it bothers me...), you can always get off.

 

[TPO]

I've still not got to grips with quotes never mind multi quotes so...

In reply to the 3hr thing. When I worked on cattle stations, if we weren't tailing cattle out from the yards, we'd load horses around 4am and drive 1-2hrs usually out to.the start point for mustering. We'd ride a good 10hrs. Usually this was in walk and we'd have some time standing still "holding" the mob while the chopper brought more cattle in. There would be a few occasions of fast one if the mob burst or one made a run for it (or a stirry one turned and chased the horses!). We'd travel even further as a lot of it was walking up and down the "wings" of the mob to keep it tight as it travelled. We'd have a break of around 30-60 mins when we came.to a good stopping point (ie found water) and horses got a drink then cattle...We'd take.it in turns to get off, rest horses, eat and drink while the others held the mob.

Nothing died from over work! The horses would be brought in on cycles, worked for a few weeks then swapped out. They were out in 10000 acre paddocks so covered plenty ground grazing. As for grazing I was in Katherine, northern territory...there is red dust, termite mounds, cactus and dry grasses. The horses all looked well and when in work got nose bags of Copra and Lucerne chaff.

Reply to something else...No horses aren't designed to carry weight. They are a suspension bridge structure and not meant to have big weights on their backs. Developing abdominal muscles is a must. Just like how us with bad backs have to strengthen our core to compensate and release some of the strain.

 

[Landcruiser]

Is the idea behind being able to move each leg individually that it makes the riders aids more accurate?

I used to be in a western riding group and we used to have a lot of fun with this during training sessions. It's stuck with me and is part of my everyday riding - it just makes everything so much easier for rider and horse. When I recently taught my son to ride (on my trained western horse), I soon had him ( a non rider) walking over a pole literally one foot at a time with a break between steps. It was brilliant for teaching him feel and subtle aids and quietness.
I remember in one clinic years ago we had a session where the rider was blindfolded (and someone was on the ground by the horse's head for safety, but following, not touching the horse. Rider had to direct the horse through a pole obstacle purely by feeling where the feet were. It was a bizzare feeling! But boy, it focussed the mind.
But in a day to day context, it's an important skill for gates, standing up to junctions, mounting and dismounting, etc etc - because it's as much about the pause where the horse waits for the next direction, so the horse is fully engaged and waiting for the next thing and not fidgeting and fussing.

 

[debserofe]

No-one took their horse out when I was there. I would not have dared! But then again I'm a bit pathetic. Ask the organisers first and see what they say.

I can't remember what colour horses Buck was riding - there were 2 and I am thinking of the darker one. Bay or brown.

That would be my boy - I had only had him a couple of months and was having a lot of issues, his previous owner referred to him as being 'Tricky'! His feet were not just sticky but stuck, no forward, just back and up! If you put your leg on him, he would stop and bite his chest - if you persisted or got bigger, he would bunny hop, backup and rear!

I had ridden with Buck the time before and it was amazing (with my big Grey horse who I sadly lost) - I loved every minute of it, even the scary minutes! If you really listen and watch Buck enough times, the nuances of the work creep in - the short serpentine (not circles) have saved my life on numerous occasions, getting to my horses feet when he has been losing his mind, settling the mind - its about directing and changing direction not just going round in circles! The repetition is until something is smooth and then moving on - he tells folks not to drill on their horses - there is a big difference in doing something with quality and then moving on and not just repeating the same exercise, even when you have got something good, just because you think you should do 10 reps of it; or people quit before it gets smooth because they thing that they have done enough repetitions (it comes down to the feel of something, not mechanics).

Soft feel comes from the inside, lightness is on the outside.

It amazes me that people go and then question when Buck asks them to do something - if your Vet tells you that you shouldn't be doing certain things with your horse, why would you sign up to a 3 day clinic!!

As for the size of clinic, it has nothing to do with Buck getting too big, he travels all other the world and regularly holds small clinics - he only comes over once every two years to the UK and tries to help as many horses as possible.

I will be going again next year and, transport allowing, will be riding the Bay - who is a lot more forward these days and a tad bigger, thanks to Buck!

 

[debserofe]

Whilst I get that it's not really my point and I understand I should have maybe made that clearer.

My point is that the work you will need to do and that the trainer, on this occasion Buck, will be looking for is something you can and should practise in advance.


The format of the clinic is the thing you cant really plan for. You've got no idea what's going to happen and how it will be put across. Yes 30 horses is waaaay too much and something that most, if not all, people will struggle with.

I agree in the main except that I would suspect that if you cannot work in a group of horses, presumably you would never being going to any event in the UK, endurance, dressage comps, jumping, cross country, etc. Having been in a warm up arena and a Buck Brannaman clinic (I believe it was 25, and not 30, other horses) I was glad that my horse was used to working in a group of horses, with spectators moving around and clapping! Signing up to a clinic at Aintree is never going to be small or quiet.

You cannot teach the individual feel of things and if he was to teach one to one lessons, I am guessing they would be pretty much the same thing, 25 times, as every horses needed to do the same exercise to some extent - Buck checks out his horses everytime he rides them, moving on if it feels good or working some more on something (including the basics) if it doesn't feel good that day!

 

[debserofe]

Is the idea behind being able to move each leg individually that it makes the riders aids more accurate?

Yes and no - its about getting the feet to operate as if they were your feet - so you go together wherever. He uses reins with leg, reins without legs, legs without reins - so that everything is available to you at times when one or other (hands are occupied opening a gate for example and you need to guide a horse through and round the gate) are not accessible. On his bridle horses, he can see him forward, stop, back from his seat position; but on a green horse, he will offer the lightest cue and then back it up without ever is needed to get reaction and then go back to the lightest cue, pretty soon the horse is going off the lightest cue - but everyone will only see the 'big' cue. He has said use the least you can but the hardest (if) you have to = don't make it wishy washy for your horse, that will confuse him more.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The more I hear from folk who have been on or spectated at the Buck mass participant clinics, the more ghastly they sound .

 

[Ambers Echo]

That would be my boy - I had only had him a couple of months and was having a lot of issues, his previous owner referred to him as being 'Tricky'! His feet were not just sticky but stuck, no forward, just back and up! If you put your leg on him, he would stop and bite his chest - if you persisted or got bigger, he would bunny hop, backup and rear!

That;s interesting. If I am thinking of the same horse, I noticed him rear - just the once - which resulted in a 'with authority cue' forward. I guess the subtle invitation to not rear but move forward off the leg were ignored by the horse? I also noticed that Buck did a lot of halt-walk transitions with that horse and often said 'you're late' and spurred him on. It looked to me like a demonstration of 'soft as you can be, hard as you have to be'? Ie offering a 'good deal' but if the horse rejects it, stepping in with authority. It looks quite harsh from the outside looking in. From most people's point of view he did not look THAT late! But I guess if he does not move instantly off your leg without any arguing or resistance from halt to walk then you are just storing up problems for later in a horse who has already learnt to evade by going back and up? Conversely if you have him that responsive to all your cues you might never get to a situation where he is ignoring you and going backwards? Certainly within 30 minutes he looked a different horse! Soft, listening, willing, responsive.

Was that improved responsiveness maintained over time? Did it generalise to other riders? Or do his riders all need to be very particular about getting him and keeping him in front of the leg?

 

[eahotson]

Are you saying based on watching one DVD of him bridling a horse, you'd never let him touch a horse of yours, because of the way he bridled the horse in the DVD?

Not at all.That was brilliant.It was the rest.

 

[GreyMane]

I saw a very interesting groundworkclip of Buck online, and have been unable to find it again; is this familiar to anyone?
This was some time ago so details may vary a bit.
He was teaching someone's young horse, from the ground, acceptance of the bit; it was filmed close up in an outdoor school.
He was standing by the horse's shoulder (think it was a chestnut) demonstrating how to release as soon as the horse softened.

 

[Mari]

Thank you everyone for this interesting thread. I have heard of all the people (men) mentioned. Even seen some of their work on YouTube.

 

[Jnhuk]

Coming a bit late to this thread. I will be going along as a spectator in 2019 with a couple of friends. My advice as a specatator is just to watch Buck and ignore the others. You will gain so much more insight just watching him. I find it fascinating the difference in the horses he rides from first day to last day. You have better chance at seeing what he is doing on day 1 than the last day. I would wholeheartedly recommend going for the full clinic rather than just dipping a toe as you get to see the differences from beginning to end.

I have spectated at the last 2 BB clinics at Aintree and in 2017 I was lucky enough to know both the two owners & horses that Buck rode (Archie the grey & Spider the bay) so it was a special treat. I started on my horsemanship journey a few years ago and believe me this journey is not any quick fix but wow when you start to get it, it feels the most amazing feeling with your horse. I am personally not at the stage that I would wish to ride with Buck at Aintree and I get such a lot out of watching him but I know folks who get a HUGE amount out it the times they have ridden at Aintree before and they are keen to do so again.

If you are going to Aintree, there will be 25 horses in each group. I would recommend that you go to some busy warm ups at competition venues and get your horse used to clapping etc... ahead of going to Aintree as although Buck usually asks the audience to restrain their claps until later in the clinic, in 2017 there was an incident right at the start when someone came off because their horse got upset at the audience reaction before Buck had started. There are a lot of folks who take their troubled horses to Buck but the audience don't get to know the back story and I only know due to friends who had horses there, tell me the background etc....

However, it takes time to understand what these guys are doing and sometime even their most simple sounding comment, comes back at you months (if not years done the line) and a light bulb goes when you really truly understand what the meant by their comment. There are so many layers to this stuff, that you just cannot comprehend it esp when just first starting! I thought I had a pretty good understanding of riding etc after 30 years! I will say I got quite frustrated in the beginning trying to get my head round things and that also acted as a barrier to my learning as it needs time and doing to gain the physical skills do this stuff well.

I have gone to clinics with Dave Stuart and Mike Bridges through Total Horsemanship and would thoroughly recommend them and anyone else who Tina brings across is well worth seeing or going to.

OP - PM me if you wish x

 

[Prunella52]

This is an interesting thread. I went to watch Buck the first year he came and one poor rider got bucked off in the first five minutes when they were just warming up and the music went on and everyone clapped. Poor woman the organisers and other riders didnt even notice for a second or too! My feeling was it was interesting to watch he makes quite sharp corrections if the horse doesn't respond quick enough and one person left in disgust when he had a horse in hand that couldnt cope with applause and fell over backwards with Buck handiling him.
If I was a participant I would have been disappointed in the lack of interaction with Buck as a lot was him demonstrtating and talking telling stories etc. Probably not a learning environment for horses that couldn't cope with the crowd noise and atmosphere. I prefer Mark Rashids quieter softer approach

 

[Ambers Echo]

This is an interesting thread. I went to watch Buck the first year he came and one poor rider got bucked off in the first five minutes when they were just warming up and the music went on and everyone clapped. Poor woman the organisers and other riders didnt even notice for a second or too! My feeling was it was interesting to watch he makes quite sharp corrections if the horse doesn't respond quick enough and one person left in disgust when he had a horse in hand that couldnt cope with applause and fell over backwards with Buck handiling him.
If I was a participant I would have been disappointed in the lack of interaction with Buck as a lot was him demonstrtating and talking telling stories etc. Probably not a learning environment for horses that couldn't cope with the crowd noise and atmosphere. I prefer Mark Rashids quieter softer approach

This thread is a blast from the past! Never saw this above reply. I think a lot of problems wth all these demos is the fact that people don't always fully understand what they are watching or the history/context. The bay who reared was spurred forward hard quite a few times in halt/walk transitions. I have no doubt he was given a soft cue first. BB always says 'soft as you can be, hard as you need to be'. But if you can't see the soft cue it just looks harsh. The pony who Buck put on the floor and people walked out was facing a bullet for rearing up at handlers. He reared up at B who defended himself (though was actually injured). It did not look that dramatic because B is very skilled and saw what was happening and defended himself very effectively and quickly. A lesser trainer might have ended up with the pony on the floor after a much more dramatic incident and no-one would have blamed him. Insterasd of 'oh poor pony' it would have been 'my god is Buck ok!'. B worked alone with that pony and owner outside of the sesisons. The context is relevant but was not shared as he was just dealing in the moment with the situation he was in.

I personally prefer Rashid's and Tik Maynard's clinics where there are far fewer riders a day all seen 1:1 or in small groups and where what is happening is clearly explained to both rider and spectators. But I think BB is a genius. Though not somneone I'd want to go for a beer with!

 

[Orangehorse]

I have been reading this old thread with interest. I went to a Mark Rashid clinic and enjoyed it greatly, and then later a much smaller one with his female assistant, which was also very good. As you say, Amber, it is all too easy in a clinic situation not to see the whole picture and take things out of context. Mark's assistant (can't remember her name) was helping with a horse that was walking all over its owner, and turned round and threw her arms up in the air when it got too close which made it leap backwards. This was quite dramatic, but by the end of the clinic the horse's manners had improved immensely, though not so much with its owner!