Hipshot Horsemanship Inc.

12/04/2023

Shipped out our dry cows this morning. Used Ghost, a young client horse to push them up the alley and as anyone knows, that can get a little crazy with cows doubling back and knocking into him in the loading tub. He handled it GREAT. Such a good minded c**t. Gathered pairs to ship out at another location this afternoon. Pretty good day

10/02/2023

I've seen packing mules. I've seen mules that ride. But I haven't seen a mule that'll eat a peach until today

09/20/2023

Something that's been weighing on my mind lately. Ok, the last 2yrs.

I picked up what I thought was a pretty cool horse. Turns out....he's pretty green and not all that broke. Gentle for sure, but not broke. Ok no biggie, I train, I can manage him. 😬😏

Turns out, Spencer, you're gonna have to do more. Do it different. He's not a 4yo BLM horse. He's not a 3yo fire breathing Arabian. He's not a 3yo QH Draft puppy. But yet, he isn't good. You have to find another angle here.

That realization came when I took him to a ranch roping expecting him to be ok. Not great, but ok. Well, turns out he's NOT ok being roped on. Like at all. We had runaways left, right, up down forward back left right again....all over the damn place in the roping pen. FreakingEMBARRASSING it was. Other guys paid too and I let them down on an unbroke horse.

Well, as they say in Letter Kenny, "figure it out." 2 years later, we're still working on it. I've taken him to tag calves in a pasture. He's good. Then on the 3rd one, as I throw my rope he bolts left and runs off. Context here, I'm not needing him to be a team roping horse. Just a pasture roping, ranch roping horse.

Anyway blah blah....what I'm getting at here is this. I thought I was a pretty solid hand. But not with him. With him, I've had to reach new lengths in my abilities. And those lengths have been consistent with, going backwards. Dragging logs. Dragging tarps. Roping his feet. Everything. Basic s**t. I'd drug logs on him before, but I didn't drag them like you drag a calf to the fire. You can do it entirely different.

Most of all he's taught me? Patience. Now...I'm the most tolerable, patient man you'll likely ever meet. Well with horses anyway lol. Just not myself.

Well, this horse has taught me, there's a whole new level of patience. A level I didn't know existed. And I'm glad, even at the age of 39, I found it.

So with all that BS being said, thank you Ash. Thank you for showing me after all these years, I in fact DO NOT have it figured out and that I need to help you more. Even if it means going back to a few basics. You're making me better with you, and with other horses. I have no shame admitting that.

As Ray Hunt would say, "It takes a lifetime to learn a lifetime."

09/07/2023

This is a 5yo registered thoroughbred mare we have in on consignment. She is very good mannered with a sweet demeanor. I've ridden her out on a ranch and moved cattle. She goes away from other horses by herself with no protests. Stands for farrier. Loads. She's quiet on the trails and confident with dogs, horses and vehicles going by her. She has the mind to go in any direction someone wants to take her whether it be just as a trail horse or to start her with basic jumping or dressage. We have videos upon request. Message for more details!

08/17/2023

Took my horse Ash and a client horse out today to help on a ranch. We moved some pairs out to a new pasture then roped and tagged some calves. Zia, the client horse, is a 5yo TB mare and I'm pretty sure this was her first time seeing cattle and being in open country. She did AMAZING. Didn't bo**er at the cattle once and was confident leaving the other horses to go off by ourselves. Zia is also for sale very soon. Keep an eye open for a future post about her!

Ash did good tracking up and catching calves as well. He's certainly improving quite a bit!

08/05/2023

Ghost's first ride. He's been really quiet minded and easy to start. Had our friend Buster Spinks out for a visit. He rode my mare Charlie to help us get moving out and Ghost's feet free'd up. Sure appreciate his help and for Shelby for getting good pics of us

07/20/2023

This is Ghost! A 2yo gelding we have in to get started. We've put in a couple weeks of prep work. Getting him responsive to the flag, softened on the lead, comfortable moving around me and changing directions as well as desensitized. All of it has paid off as his first saddling yesterday went great!

07/20/2023

I've had this mare since she was 2 in 2016. Her registered name is Cibeque Christy. Well....I couldn't call her Christy. Just sounded wrong lol. So I went with "Charlie".

She has some of that old foundation heritage in her with Driftwood Ike on her papers. I havent ridden a lot of them, but the few Driftwood horses I've ridden in my life, they're ones I remember.

I started her myself from the ground up. All I've done with her is pony c**ts, trail ride, and all the while put a decent handle on her. It was only a few yrs ago I started roping on her. A few brandings here and there were the first, then a ranch roping here and there. The other day we had just our 3rd ranch roping. It sure comes natural to her. She's been nothing but a great, soft minded mare for me.

07/01/2023

A couple of the training kids we have in right now. Lilly is a 2yo Arab who has been here for a couple months to get lightly started and will return in the fall. Rayne is a 5yo mule mare who is being started and very, very green but has been making great strides lately with being caught and worked with a flag. Zia is a 6yo TB mare who rides good but needs lots of confidence on the flag and all those other "bo**ers" that pop out around her when ridden outside. We also have in an 11yo mare who's very unhandled and needs started. We'll have more updates on her this coming week!

06/24/2023

I will be working the trail course of this clinic. It's a great event and for a great cause! Message me for more details and/or questions.

06/19/2023

Knowledge builds a pattern. Patterns develop an ability to think through obstacles. Thinking through obstacles builds confidence. Confidence builds trust. Trust and confidence leads to a healthy relationship

https://fb.watch/lfxo4EK36_/?mibextid=l2pjGR

06/19/2023

06/07/2023

Hi everyone! We currently have a few openings for training horses and lessons. We are currently in Peyton, CO right next door to Latigo Trails Equestrian Center. We are keeping our training horses to a limit of 4 a month at the moment to focus more intently on each horse and rider. However the amount of lessons we are giving are endless whether they're here at our place or we travel to you.

Services offered are haul in lessons, c**t starting, problem solving with rider and horse, gaining confidence on trails, trailer loading, tune ups, as well as education on ranch horse versatility patterns (reining, trail, ranch riding) and upper level riding tuning/training.

Please feel free to message our page here or reach out through texts at 719-494-9799 for more details on pricing and scheduling.

10/09/2021

Helped out with Ranch Horse Roundup at Kit Carson Riding club in the trail class. Good to see so many people on nice horses enhancing their horsemanship. Was happy to be invited to be a part of this!
Thanks to Shelby for getting pics :)

10/02/2021

Shelby and I put a first ride on a 4yo Clydesdale this morning. He was great and stayed pretty confident throughout the ride. Shelby rode my horse Pancho to help flag us when we needed help stepping the hindquarters over and moving out. Shelby also put a ride on a 2yo and worked on having him soften on the bridle. They had a little c**t moment towards the end but they finished fine. Pretty good day of working youngsters and giving lessons!
Thanks to my mom Patty for getting video and pics of us :)

09/30/2021

Last Saturday riders and horses got together at Kit Carson riding club for a horsemanship & confidence building workshop. We worked on general handling/bridle work as well as obstacles and how to build horses confidence approaching & crossing them. Many thanks to the riders for coming and to Kit Karson riding club for hosting this!.

08/28/2021

Today we took a client, Barb, out for a ride on her mare that I've spent the last few months with.. This was their 3 ride together and they both did absolutely great! They're both going to do very well together.

08/18/2021

These are a couple of youngsters I just started for a couple just south of Fountain in the evenings after work. Shelby has been assisting me getting them going and I'm happy she's been up for it after working all day herself. She's been pretty great help 🙂

08/01/2021

I've started back with training horses the last few months after taking some significant time away. I take on just 1-3 horses a month. These are a few of the youngsters I've been working with lately.

If you're interested in sending a horse in for training this fall feel free to send me a message!