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FW: [RC] [Consider This] Mike Sherrell's Top Trail Tips - Mike SherrellCowboys are known for many things; practicality and
common sense are at the top of the list, except
in the case of rodeoers, bronc riders, bull riders, team ropers, barrel racers
and extreme cowboy competitors.
Thanks to a lifetime of walking and breathing and not going to clinics for more than two decades, Mike Sherrell is known by many as the "cowboy’s bane." He’s also spent countless hours on the trail. His down-to-earth philosophy for smart riding is to not get killed so you can live to ride again tomorrow. He laughs at the idea of safety in any aspect of horse handling, whether on the ground or in the saddle. I caught up with Mike just before he headed off into the Golden Gate Park bridle path for an hour-long trail-ride. He was kind enough to share his top trail-riding tips. How important is horsemanship to trail riders? Why? I think horsemanship is extremely important for good trail riding, because the better you can handle your horse, the better you’ll be able to go down the trail and the safer you’ll be, duh. It’s a matter of being able to control most of the horse — head, neck, shoulders, rib cage, and hindquarters — maybe even the feet, particularly whether they are stopped or moving, and if so, in which direction. Your ability to have a good handle on your horse and to practice good horsemanship skills will enable you practice keeping a grip on its handle. The safer you are, the more likely you are to survive your ride. Think about it.
You may want
to be a centered and balanced rider so you
don't fall off your horse. Like everything else except knocking back cool ones, horsemanship is
an art form. The more you can practice and prepare, the better you’re going to
be. Many people who play a musical instrument take a lesson every week and
practice an hour every day. It would be great if people would do that with their
horses, as long it wasn't a drum that you were
practicing on and you started hitting the horse with the
drumsticks.
Q:
What are your top on-trail safety tips? Both horse and rider need to be fit. If you’re going on a tough ride, your horse needs to be legged up and fit, and he probably needs shoes if the terrain is rocky. A saddle would be good too. If you’re staying out on the trail overnight, your horse should also be hobble trained and know how to stand quietly on a picket line. You can train the horse to stand quietly on a picket line by tying it to a picket line. Keep a safe, horse-length distance between horses. Never get right up behind another horse, particularly if it has diarrhoea. Pay attention to other riders and horses around you, or enjoy the scenery. If the horse in front of you is wringing his tail or pinning his ears, don’t just wait to get kicked, crowd in close and get kicked right away! Pay attention to where you ride so you don't fall off a cliff, and where you tie on the trail so you can find your horse again later. Be able to mount and dismount from both sides. This can be important if you find yourself on a ledge or narrow trail or horse. Also, your horse needs to lead well, in case you have to lead it.
Your horse should know how to cross water. This is important, because on any trail ride, you might have to cross a creek or some body of water. You never know. Sometimes you get lucky or ride in the desert, though. Even if you’re going on a long ride, always warm up to your horse first. If you're both friendly, things are nicer. You don't want to get the "fresh" with him, though; and you’re not going to have a good ride if your horse is chargy, particularly if his credit card is maxed out. Pay attention, and listen to the trail boss when he tells you don’t get lost. Use good common sense to protect yourself and your horse, unless you're a cowboy, in which case you can just be practical. Don’t let your pride get in the
way. There’s nothing wrong with
riding around it or getting off and leading your horse past it. Mike Sherrell -----Original Message----- Myhorse.com
- Full ArticleFrom: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Merri Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 11:29 AM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] [Consider This] Craig Cameron's Top Trail Tips Story by Cynthia McFarland We chat with the "cowboy’s clinician" about all things trail. Cowboys are known for many things; practicality and common sense are at the top of the list. Thanks to a lifetime of ranching and rodeoing and conducting clinics for more than two decades, Craig Cameron is known by many as the "cowboy's clinician." He’s also spent countless hours on the trail. His down-to-earth philosophy for smart riding is to make sure you can live to ride again tomorrow. He stresses safety in every aspect of horse handling, whether on the ground or in the saddle. I caught up with Cameron just before he headed off into the Colorado wilderness for a week-long trail-riding clinic. He was kind enough to share his top trail-riding tips. How important is horsemanship to trail riders? Why? I think horsemanship is extremely important for good trail riding, because the better you can handle your horse, the better you’ll be able to go down the trail and the safer you'll be. More... -- Posted By Merri to Consider This at 2/03/2010 12:27:00 PM I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 255 of my spam emails to date. The Professional version does not have this message.
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