Vaughn Knudsen

06/28/2024

06/20/2024

NRHA is delighted to announce Ride Guess, an exciting, interactive game that will put reining fans in the judge’s seat at the Level 4 Open Finals of the 2024 6666 Ranch NRHA Derby presented by Markel Horse! Powered by Spooks Gotta Whiz, Ride Guess allows you to test your horsemanship IQ by predicting the scores of each run.

👉 nrha.com/rideguess

🔥Compete, Challenge, and Win!

Whether you have an eye for a winning run or simply want to have fun by making predictions, Ride Guess gives you a chance to be part of the finals whether you are in OKC or tuning in via live feed. Ride Guess lets you go head-to-head with other fans, showcasing your reining knowledge and competing for incredible prizes. Rack up points throughout the Level 4 Open Finals, and the top three players will be crowned champions at the end of the evening!

🔥Grand Prize Glory Awaits!

The ultimate bragging rights come with the Ride Guess grand prize – a dream package to the 2024 NRHA Futurity! Immerse yourself in the heart of the action with a two-night hotel stay in Oklahoma City, VIP badges granting exclusive access, and box seat tickets to both the Non Pro and Open Finals. You’ll also receive a parking pass for your convenience and stylish event jackets to commemorate the experience.

🔥Additional Prizes to Spur You On!

Second place is not left out! Take home a handsome $200 gift certificate to NRHA Corporate Partner Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, allowing you to upgrade your wardrobe. And third place will score a fantastic combo from another NRHA Corporate Partner– a pair of comfortable CINCH jeans and a classic CINCH shirt, perfect for showing your reining spirit.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of the Level 4 Open Finals action! Visit nrha.com/rideguess to learn how to play Ride Guess and get ready to match your skills or luck against the best.

06/11/2024

Two free webinars on trailer safety. You have to look for the links in the article, but they are there. Link to article in comments.

05/31/2024

Sam, the big white stud horse saved the day.

In the spring of the year, we were hauling used railroad ties using the hay wagon. The railroad would let us have the ties if we would haul them away. My father Andrew Knudsen was riding on the wagon with my uncle Clair Knudsen driving the team. I was a Senior in high school at the time, and my brother Carlyle Knudsen was a Junior. The two of us were riding our saddle horses, which we had been using to tow the heavy ties to the wagon.

On the way back to uncle Clair's ranch, we had to cross the railroad track. There was a steep incline on each side of the track and it was near a place where the train track disappeared around a bend. As the horses nearly made it to the top of the incline, a train suddenly appeared around the bend.

Clair urged the horses forward, shouting to the team and flicking the reins. Suddenly the brown horse lost his footing, going to his knees. Carlyle and I crossed over the tracks on our horses along the side of the wagon and team, trying to get to where we could help.

The big white stud horse named Sam sensed the urgency of the situation and lunged forward, hooking his huge hooves over the first rail and giving a mighty heave forward.

The brown horse and the wagon were pulled forward and Sam lunged again, hooking his feet across the next rail and pulling both his scrambling team mate and the heavily loaded wagon over the top and down the other side just in time. The train crossed just behind the back end of the wagon.

As the train rushed by, Clair shouted, "Whew! That was a close one!"

05/27/2024

Didi Engler is back in the show pen and in the buckles at age 86 after a lifetime of loving the sport because of a rule change allowing non pro riders age 65-plus to hold the horn.

Read more in this month's edition of the Reiner at reini.ng/StillRiding.

05/22/2024

There's always so much more to learn!

05/15/2024

Is your horsemanship at a plateau?
Want to take your horse to the next level?
Here's a map to guide you!
Link in comments

05/01/2024

Tom Dorrance once said, 'You can learn anything with these three words – observe, remember, and compare.'

05/01/2024

05/01/2024

04/24/2024

🙌🏼🙏🏼

04/07/2024

Do what it takes to improve!

03/27/2024

03/21/2024

With a father in the beef industry, Feist grew up on a cattle ranch before going to Oklahoma State University. There, he went from being an agriculture major to hotel and restaurant management.

03/20/2024

03/15/2024

Remove the “I want you to like me” sticker from your forehead and place it on the mirror, where it belongs. - Susan Jeffers

📸: Max & Maxwell: Equestrian Photography

03/10/2024

Heads up Quarter Horse fans! This needs to be shared so I borrowed it from a friend:

Horse people.....did you know??? AQHA is moving to a digital only registration in 2025??

From the 2025 foal crop forward, you will no longer receive your AQHA certificates in hardcopy. They will be online. Horses will transfer online. Horses will need to be in YOUR name to sell them as AQHA and horses will be transferred into your name when you buy them.

YOU no longer have a choice and YOU no longer have your AQHA papers in hand.

WHOA. The AQHA convention begins next week. It is an item on the agenda to discuss this impending rule. We have one week to let OUR voice be heard.

EMAIL them. Tell them you want to keep your hardcopy registration papers. Not all of our customer base has access to computers, much less internet. We already sell thousands of grade horses.

And we've all been on AQHA's forever hold when we call. Yes, you can have your papers on your phone, on your computer, but NOT IN YOUR HAND.

Let them know. Cut and paste and email them today!!

[email protected]
AQHA CEO

[email protected]
AQHA Registrar

(Photo to help get attention to this)

03/08/2024

Thursday throwback- Deseret News article about my horse training methods from May 18 1998. The year "The Horse Whisperer" movie came out.

03/08/2024

For the young ladies who ride in Utah! Here's a scholarship opportunity:

CALLING ALL cowgirls 19-25! Apply to join the Utah cowgirl collective!
Want more information?

1. Check out and follow Utah Cowgirl Collective on instagram!
2. Go to https://www.utahcowgirlcollective.com/
3. Comment with questions!
This is an amazing opportunity to support the western and rodeo community by representing
One of the largest rodeos and a the ONLY gold medal rodeo! We do tons of community service and many events!
The $10, 000 scholarship EACH of the six girls will receive at the end of the 1 year term can be used right away or kept to the side to use for your kids or really anyone! The best part is it can be used for ANY type of school!!!!

03/05/2024

How I met Jim Dorrance. A friend and teacher who had a huge effect on my horse training and my life. Thank you to Steve Dorrance for allowing me to use this family photo.

I made a trade with my uncle Clair to get a palomino gelding who was about four years old. He was a good-looking horse, and I was excited to train him into the horse I imagined he could become.

02/29/2024

Happy Leap Day everyone! Enjoy the extra day!

02/28/2024

Proudly presenting my redesigned website, compasshorsetraining.com. Check it out and let me know what you think! via

Mindful Horsemanship and horse training methods and equipment designed in harmony with the horse by Vaughn Knudsen. From foundation to finished show horse.