Rafter S Bar Performance Horses

07/26/2024

Well, the Fastest Horse in Dickinson County award at the fair actually ended up coming home with our mare Daisy who was jockeyed through the events by our daughter Addison Anderson! They make such a great team! We are so proud of both of them! It was a very close competition and could have gone multiple ways on Sunday! We have a great group of talented kids and horses in Dickinson County! We will definitely do this award again next year! Congratulations Addison and Daisy!

07/18/2024

Rafter S Bar Performance Horses decided this year we wanted to donate to our county 4H program and present an award. Since we specialize in raising and training barrel and performance horses and many of our lesson students have barrel racing aspirations we decided to present an award for the fastest horse and rider duo in Dickinson County. This will be awarded to the horse and rider with the fastest average time from all the speed events on show day. Rockin' King Customs knocked it out of the park with this gorgeous buckle and I can't wait to present it to the winner on Sunday! There are some very talented hard working kids in the horse project in Dickinson County!!!

04/25/2024

I'm getting a late start on things this year due to some life circumstances and other commitments but we're gearing up to get our summer riding lesson program started for 2024! Right now I am looking at holding lessons on Monday and Tuesday nights. If I have more interest I will look at opening up an additional night during the week. Hour private lessons are $50 per week and half hour private lessons are $30 per week. There is a possibility of a group lesson depending on rider ages and abilities. If you're interested in getting on the schedule send me a message or text me and let's talk!

04/29/2023

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

*thank you to whoever wrote this! Not my words, but certainly a shared sentiment!

04/24/2023

Looking forward to another great year in Dayton!

Here are the official flyers for 2023 Match of the Broncs Series! We will be having cowboy church each weekend on Sunday mornings! We are looking forward to another great year! Can't wait for our first rodeo in 2 weeks!

02/15/2023

I searched for the definition of horsemanship today and was disappointed in the result. The result continually stated it was a skill in riding and handling a horse.

I believe that horsemanship is more an art of communication. Horsemanship is understanding and being able to communicate with the horse through body language. It’s common sense and reading a situation. It is understanding how they think and how to help them understand what you are trying to teach them. Every horse is different and their level of sensitivity changes the way we need to communicate with them.

What is your definition of horsemanship?

—Joy

www.betweenthereins.us



📸: Bee Silva Photography

09/12/2022

Congratulations to Lane and his team for taking first and bringing home the champion buckle from the clay county fair ranch rodeo! Team Smith Livestock team members were Steve Hinrichs, Kevan Smith, Tanner Hinrichs, and Lane Sether.

09/08/2022

This Sunday we are holding our annual Ranch Rodeo at the Clay County Fair. Entries are open now through Sunday. Buckles will be awarded to the winners of the average.

08/30/2022

“One should never force the horse, but allow the horse a choice. It is not right to say “you must” to the horse, but to request and allow the horse to act on free will.” - Monty Roberts

04/19/2022

04/11/2022

With the sun and warm temperatures today we're thinking it might finally be spring! We're ready to start our lesson and training programs for 2022!

For training we offer c**t starting, as well as tune ups, and help with behavioral issues in older horses.

For lessons we offer private lessons beginner to advanced in Western disciplines and beginner in English disciplines.

Send us a message or give us a call if you're interested in more information!

01/22/2022

Winter is the perfect time to work on ground work with the young ones.

11/29/2021

This pretty girl is here with us for a month of refresher training. I love getting to work with different breeds and styles of horses!

11/11/2021

What a difference one year can make! Last November 11 I had just brought this mare home. She had never been touched. One year ago today I touched her and haltered her for the first time in her life now a year later she's turned out to be a great horse. She rides well and we're working on fine tuning. Can't wait to see what her future holds!

09/25/2021

We currently have an opening for one horse. If you have a horse you want started or a tuned up before winter gets here give us a call.

09/02/2021

Got the first ride put on this pretty boy last night. I think he's going to make a nice horse!

08/28/2021

It's a couple weeks old but I had to post this video. I love this mare! She can walk through the barrel pattern with a young kid then go on to win the open with me in the same rodeo. She something special and maybe we'll be lucky enough to get a baby out of her to continue her legacy!

08/27/2021

Got our new roundpen installed last weekend!