Lazy Oaks

10/20/2021

09/23/2020

02/07/2020

07/22/2019

She is coming along.....

10/01/2018

CRAIG PATTERSON HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC November 2nd & 3rd, 2018 (8am-5pm) Sponsored by Bucksnort Ranch Warner Springs, CA

06/14/2018

Philippe Karl's "School of Légèreté" or "School of Lightness" is now offered at three US locations with Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux. The school offers an understandable and reliable training method while staying true to the classical principles. Please enjoy our short video.

The dates for our Summer 2018 courses are:

IDAHO, July 12-15
CALIFORNIA, July 17-20
PENNSYLVANIA, July 22-25

For more information or to join us as a guest rider or auditor go to www.legerete-usa.com or contact Kit West at [email protected] 951-698-5958

06/11/2018

06/09/2018

Please let them know if you are attending

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow here at Wi******er Western Saddlery! "An Evening with Craig Patterson" Lecture/Demonstration/Open discussion--Bring your questions and problems. Saturday June 9th, 4-7pm . Stay for dinner by Cheflavor and Live music by Tim Apple. Here's the best part.....It's FREE! Check in on our Event Page.

04/26/2018

An Essay by A Reluctant Horseman

Are you a teacher or a passenger?

When I finished my last lesson of the day today Karen asked, well? How did it go? I think my reply went something like this “Jesus can take me home tonight. There is nothing left to see or hear”.

I had just given a lesson to a very young boy on an 18yr old pony. The lesson was arranged by the boys grandmother, the owner of the pony.

When I met my young student in the round-pen this afternoon I was immediately struck by their choice for a bit. It had long shanks with a curb chain as tight as can be. While looking at the bit I noticed there was baling twine tied from the saddle horn to the back of the head stall between the pony’s ears. Grandma explained that this pony was an outlaw. His favorite move was to drop his head to the ground and give a quick buck.

To counter this, someone in the family went to the ACME playbook of Wil E. Coyote himself and devised a state of the art anti-buck system. The twine was there to pull the pony’s head back into a permanent position. He could no longer lower his head.

Feeling both frustrated and angry I removed all of the restraints and went to the tack room to retrieve a simple snaffle bit. When I returned, Grandma took one look at the bit and commented that the mouthpiece was a bit curved. She proudly informed me that she had snaffle bits at home that were much straighter. When I explained that the curved mouth piece would be more comfortable she seemed incredulous. I further explained that the reason the pony was dropping his head was not because he was bad but because he was trying to find relief from the pain caused by the bit they were using. Again, little response.

I put the snaffle in the pony’s mouth then dropped to my knees directly in front of him. I wanted to teach him some flexions, that’s how tiny he was. Within a few minutes his mouth softened, as did his eyes. I taught my young student the flexions and explained why we use them. I put my student on his pony and watched as they went straight, right, left, stopped and backed up all by lifting his hands lightly. The pony’s mouth stayed active and his eyes bright and hopeful. He never dropped his head to buck.

I’ve encountered several people these past few months who rely on mechanical aids to ride their horses. I’ve done my best to explain how these devices degrade the horse. How using leverage (pain/discomfort/fear) to force a horse into an unbalanced, unnatural position is not safe. I’ve explained how the horse turns through the shoulders and needs to move its neck to balance itself. Even when faced with facts there are those unwilling to exchange the devices for knowledge. Fear can be a powerful motivator with humans. For those willing to listen and try, the work ALWAYS pays dividends. Just like with the pony today.

Today I am reminded of this quote, “You can never trust a horse that was educated by fear. There is always something he will fear more than you. But, when he trusts you, he will ask you what to do when he is afraid”.

Thank You for reading and considering.......

02/11/2018

An Essay by a Reluctant Horseman

The Art of Horsemanship VS the Sport

Webster’s defines Art as, skill acquired by experience, study, or observation.

Webster’s defines Sport as, to engage in sport.

Please take a moment and read those definitions again. As a teacher I struggle constantly with trying to teach and preserve the Art of Horsemanship. Daily, I am reminded of two quotes, “When Art and Sport compete, Art always loses”. And, “The Art of Horsemanship is to take that which is not naturally gifted and show it as if it were”.

I have no problem with Sport until it comes before Horsemanship. I always find it curious how so many that seek my help can tell me so much about their sport but so little about how a horse thinks, learns or moves. They have been taught to pull on the reins, squeeze with their legs and push with their spurs. Many horses that are used in this manner go along to get along, but those that require more are labeled as difficult or unsuited for the Sport. It seems that the horse is always to blame. In reality if more of us took the time to learn the Art of Horsemanship our tool boxes would be full. With a full toolbox we would be able to accept more responsibility for our horses education. In the end, because we understand the Art of Horsemanship we can relax, balance, and teach our horse to excel in our Sport.

Recently while scrolling through Facebook I came upon a post about the Ecole de Legerete of which I am a student. I read the post and then went to the comments. I’m always curious as to how information is digested. I found one of the comments particularly interesting. A gentleman commented how he finds the teaching of the school interesting. However he could not see how having a horse schooled in an arena would be helpful while trying to gallop across wide open spaces. I, on the other hand was at a loss. How could having a horse relaxed, thoughtful, balanced, and educated to the aids not help? Additionally, I found myself amused because I was scheduled to teach a clinic in the coming week at which all of the participants were endurance riders.

At the clinic I stressed time and again how Art must take precedence over Sport. I emphasized how with Art we excel at Sport. Many of you that have worked with me have heard me tell the story of watching a monkey ride a horse at the circus when I was young. For some reason I was fascinated but as I have aged I now know the monkey was merely a passenger. I pushed my students to be better than a monkey. Yes, I set the bar high at my clinics!

For all of the work at the clinic I did miss a valuable teaching moment. One of my students was telling me about how their horse only wanted to go, go, go. At the start of a race the horse is tense, unfocused and tuff to handle. I took note as my student was talking that the horse was not standing still. It was easily distracted, displayed a high head set, and was generally tense. I took the horse for a moment and began to do some flexions in-hand. I used my hands to relax and balance the horse. When I felt a change I released the bit and watched as the horse lowered its head and half closed its eyes. I commented to my student that the horse was asleep. My student looked and replied “ not all the way”.

Believing my student was making a joke or being a bit of a smart-ass I let the moment go. In retrospect it was a huge mistake on my part. You see, THE ART OF HORSEMANSHIP IS VERY SUBTLE. I should have used the moment to explain better all of the unsettling things I saw prior to handling the horse. I should have explained every intimate thing I was feeling when I was manipulating the bit in the horses mouth. I should have explained every little positive change I was experiencing. I should have explained how these positive changes were the result of a simple snaffle bit held in educated hands. No large curb bit, not tie down, no martingale, no side reins. Just an intimate conversation between my hands and the horses mouth.

I’m reminded once again of this quote, “the one that holds the whip is not the one that holds the power. It is the one that holds the knowledge”.