Johnny Flores Horses

12/03/2025

I'll be giving TWO Ranch Horse 101 Clinics! Perfect for those wanting to get into the sport or brush up on the their skills! SIGNS UPS ARE OFFICIALLY OPEN NOW!

⭐️ The Ranch Horse Challenge Clinic Day is Saturday, March 29th, at Green Acres Ranch. Jando Guerra will be teaching clinics on Ranch Trail, Ranch Riding and Ranch Pleasure while Johnny Flores will be teaching two Ranch Horse 101 clinics. Brush up on your skills before showing on Sunday!⭐️

Register for clinics here: https://form.jotform.com/250700961100139

(Clinic and show registration end Sunday, March 23rd. Show entry coming soon.)

🪵This event aims to provide exhibitors with more experience with the “ranchier” elements of the ranch classes including roping, dragging a feed bunk, working with cattle, and common ranch tasks. Members will also be introduced to the “ranch pleasure” class, where exhibitors follow instructions on signs to exhibit different gaits instead of gaits being called as in a traditional ranch rail class. 🪵

West Coast Ranch Horse

11/03/2025

ISO 6 Horse Stock Trailer!

10/03/2025

Summer Solstice Chee's (Poppy) first Ranch Horse show and she wins Reserve High Point in the W/T Open! Thank you Tracy Smith for the opportunity to show your young and talented filly! Congratulations to Stacey O'Hara on your multiple ribbon placings and first places!! It's so awesome to see you and Bobby Ray getting out there and doing so good!
And Lucia also brought home some blue ribbons , including the Open High Point award.

Thank you Route 101/ETI Corral 101 for a fantastic show day!

05/03/2025

Training Horses is like writing. Write what you know, train what you know.
Outsource the rest...

04/03/2025

I am honored to have received my judge's card today for the World Ranch Horse Association ! Thank you WRHA for preserving and promoting the legacy of the American Ranch Horse!!

04/03/2025

𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗝𝗙𝗛 𝗩𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀!
🌟 $𝟏𝟎𝟎 ($𝟖𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬)

✨ Add your name for $5.00

𝘗𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨!

Sizes XS,S,M,L,XL,XXL

PM to order. These are embroidered by my mom!

03/03/2025

🔺🔻🔺🔻𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞🔻🔺🔻🔺
💥How does one accomplish a good lead change in the pattern?
💥How do I earn credit?
💥How should I cue it?
💥Where Should I place it?
💥Should I do a simple lead change?
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
The Lead change can be a daunting maneuver for the ranch classes, especially when in a tight Trail course, or unpredictable Ranch Riding pattern. In this article we’ll dive into how someone would earn credit in the lead change, cueing options and strategy, as well as the debate of simple or flying lead changes.

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 (𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞)
Lead changes are hard. If you can do it on one plane, with no anticipation, delay, disruption of frame, gaped mouth, change in speed, or spearing of the ground…that is worthy of credit.

💥Many horses shoot forward after the lead change, if your horse remains the same speed before and after the change, you may be awarded credit.

💥It's common to see counter cantering and cross-firing, if your horse actually changes leads in one stride without spearing the ground, he’ll likely get credit.

💥Often, horses anticipate and disrupt their frame, if the horse waits on your cues and remains balanced with quality movement the whole time…you’ll likely get credit.

💥Lots of horses duck into the lead change and forget to engage their hindquarters, if your horse remains straight before, during, and after the lead change…you’ll may be credited.

💥In the case of simple lead changes, it's common to see horses fall out of frame and take well over 3 steps. Simple lead changes must be done within 3 trot steps at the most. If you can keep the horse in frame and change within 1 or 2 strides, there may be credit.

A nice lead change is one that demonstrates control of the horse. A nice lead change also demonstrates that the horse waits patiently on their rider’s cues. If at any point the judge has to question whose idea that maneuver was… you will miss out on credit. Think about a real ranch setting, do you want your horse making executive decisions? The answer is probably no.

𝐂𝐮𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞
There are some strategies to cueing, neither is more right than the other. Cues are important because they are invitations for dialogue with the horse. It would be wise to find the most appropriate tone, wouldn't you agree? There are a few ways to go about cueing, in the next section we’ll explore the hows and whys of each:

𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗽
A school of thought says that lead changes are nothing more than a midair lead departure. Lead departures, at least in most western riding, come from haunches in aka two-track. Haunches-in is basically just pushing the hip to the inside. To cue in this fashion, the rider will push the horse’s inside hip over, thus changing leads. It's quite effective and what most people are taught initially, though it lacks some nuance.

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲
This cue requires the rider’s outside leg to come off the horse, “opening the gate” for the horse’s hips to swing over. This cue is interesting because it's not the application of pressure that cues the horse, but rather the lack thereof. It can be very difficult to teach a horse to do this, but once they learn, it's quite effective and stylish.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟭,𝟮,𝟯
When approaching the lead change, the rider will use their outside leg and bounce their foot off the horse’s rib two times. This serves to straighten the horse from the natural arc created in each lead. Once straight, the horse is cued with the inside leg to change leads. This cue is predictable, for better or worse. It works nice for horses who constantly crossfire since this cue puts them in the shape of the next lead before actually changing…a step many forget.

𝗦𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻
For highly intelligent horses, this may be a way to smoothen out the cue. All that is required is to quickly cue with no prior preparation or “tells” for the horse. This cue lacks a lot of refinement, but it shines in its ability to make the rider focus so deeply on their movements. If you can successfully prevent the horse from anticiping and be aware of all your subtle body movements and “tells”... your cueing will get way better.

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬
The timing for the lead change should be when you’re “falling”. The lope has an up and down cadence. When “falling” the horse’s front feet are hitting the ground, this is the optimal time to cue as their back feet are in the air and can land in the new lead.

Factoring in human delay, it's best to cue just before falling. This way, the horse sets his front feet down, changes the hind as they are midair, and lands on the new lead.

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬
Due to the 3 stride rule with simple lead changes, they must be done quickly. Timing for the slowdown doesn’t really matter as long as they rate quickly. Rein rate cues risk the horse going out of frame due to anticipation. Vocal rate cues risk being degraded and the horse not listening the second time around. Body cues are by far the best for this maneuver. By teaching the horse to slow down off of your seat and a release of legs, the horse can easily be slowed down without going out of frame.

Once at the trot, cue the other lead asap when the outside front foot lands. If the desired lead was left, cue when the front right foot is falling to the ground. This almost always helps to make sure the other leg (left) shoots forwards and assumes the left lead.
This works for both sides.

𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞?
The main question in this debate is which one earns the most credit. That is usually the flying lead change. Some judges score both fairly, but there are many who put a figurative “cap” on how much credit a good simple lead change could get compared to a flying lead change.

The other question is when to do a simple lead change over a flying lead change. As a rule, I tend to do simple changes on schooling runs and with green horses. The reason for schooling runs is because simple changes have more “moving parts” to them and force the horse to focus on my cues and listen more intently than a flying lead change. With green horses, I’ll simple change because they are not educated enough to reliably perform a flying change. With each case, I keep in mind the end goal of my horse doing flying lead changes.

Simple changes should not be the final evolution, all Ranch Riding horse and rider teams should eventually know how to perform a solid flying lead change.

Ｃｌｏｓｉｎｇ
Try to do a flying lead change if you can, it's almost always regarded as the highest degree of difficulty when compared to simple lead changes.

Within the western world, if you’re doing a simple lead change…it's likely that you’re doing that because your flying lead change is not up to par. Whether or not that's true is irrelevant because now it's at risk of being called into question. Never leave your judge questioning…

This is not to say that you must do a flying lead change, YOU DON’T. If you’ve got a green horse who’s bad at changing leads, by all means perform a simple change. Its better than a crash and burn flying change.

Just keep in mind the end goal and work toward it.
Thank you for reading

Written by: AQHA Professional Horseman Johnny Flores


Ps...this section is an excerpt, stay tuned for more details 😉

02/03/2025

Congratulations to the first woman in history to win 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧® 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧

Erin Taormino and Hazardouz Material took home the title with a 884.5

23/02/2025

Great day giving a clinic at Shining Dream Ranch . This group was awesome. Really soaked up everything I through at them. Thank you Jennifer Sanchez and family for hosting me!

20/02/2025

💥𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠💥
🟠𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟎 𝐭𝐨 +𝟏 𝟏/𝟐 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭🟠

In this brief article we’ll be going over the Drag and how to knock it out of the park! Get ready to start receiving +1 ½ scores on your next drag.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗜𝘀
This obstacle is rather straightforward. The rider will usually approach a vertical that holds a coiled rope with a log on the end. Sometimes a jump standard is used, other times a gate with a hook may hold the rope for the rider. Once approached, the rider will stop and reach to grab the coiled rope. A few steps should be taken to create distance before the rope is dallied at least once completely around the horn. The rider will complete the designated path and return the log drag as if it were never moved.

𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
Credit is awarded when the horse is shown off as a useful tool, important to the job. A rider who does everything will be cheating themselves out of credit. Ranch scores the horse. Experienced Ranch competitors demonstrate to the judge that their horse was instrumental in the success of the job…that he could do it blindfolded, backwards and upside down!

The other way to earn credit is to create a nice picture. Some horses are 78 score horses…worth their weight in gold, but their rider is too green to actually capitalize. In a sense, the horse knows more than the rider. That is not good. Keen rope handling and sureness of movement on part of the rider can help to create a full picture. On paper, this is not graded…but in reality, it could have a large effect on the showmanship and how the judge views the horse. Nothing is too small.

🔻🔻𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀🔻🔻

🔻No tension
🔻Tangled rope
🔻Poor rein management, tangled reins
🔻Sloppy departure
🔻Sloppy approach

In the following section, we’ll be going over how to quickly elevate your log drag from a -½ to +1 ½ in only a few short paragraphs.

𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐄!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵
The approach should be very purposeful. People often know they’re going to stop and falter their last few steps as they close in for the drag. Look through your target and squeeze the last bit of juice out of the horse. Leave nothing untapped.

Rein handling should be strategic. Hackamores are usually ridden with a coil in the rider’s dominant hand, this coil should slowly be widened and ready to move into the left hand. Snaffle bit split reins should be ridden with slack in the left hand…similar to when reiners school their horses. This will make it so the rider can hold their rope and adopt the classic reining/pleasure handhold with the reins coming through the top of the hand and out the bottom. Romals should have the reins shortened (after stopping) and the romall placed in the left hand, usually on the other side of the neck. Do not wait and look like a hasty, unprepared d**k at the drag. This preparation keeps things flowing and flow is where the points are.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽
The stop should be quiet and short. A proper ranch stop is not one that bloodies hocks up, its reasonable, fast, and most importantly it is balanced. A good balanced stop is great for obstacles like this where the rider has to reach and lean shortly after the maneuver. An easy way to develop balanced stops is to follow up with backing, sidepasses, spins, doubling, rollbacks, trotting or walking out, and cattle turns. All will help the horse develop a stop that doesn’t require so much rebalancing.

If the horse is known to rebalance himself backward, similar to a modern reiner…the rider should slightly overshoot their stop. If the horse is known to rebalance forward, similar to old school reining horses, he should be stopped slightly premature. Keen showmen know how to adapt to the horse’s strengths and weaknesses.

𝗥𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴
Correctness first, be sure the stop is square and balanced. Once there, the rope should be grabbed right away. The judge doesn’t want their time wasted. Once the rope is grabbed, it should be moved to the left hand, with the tassel pointing toward the rider. The rider's wrist should twist to get the tassel on the left side of the horse’s neck. If it is on the right, the chance of getting tangled is high. From here, the rider's right hand should hold the slack in the rope leading to the log. Slack should be picked straight up with a bit of tension, failure to do so may result in getting a leg caught. Getting caught in a rope can be a wreck.

Dallying should be done with tension and at a distance. The rider should move away from the drag in a sideways and potentially forward motion. While moving away, the rider's left hand needs to remain loose and let coils out. The rider’s right hand needs to keep the slack up off the ground, but let it slide and create distance. Once the adequate distance is created, the rider should dally with their right hand, first over the horn to the left hip, and then toward the right hip. Dallies should be done counterclockwise when viewed from the rider’s perspective.

When dallying, not only is the right hand important…the left hand can ultimately dictate how good or bad the whole picture looks. The rider’s left hand should come up and forward, out of the way of their horn and right hand. I like to jokingly call this “separation of church and state”.

Once the dally is made, the rider's hand ought to remain with the thumb up and come back toward their hip. This will help to maintain aesthetically pleasing equitation. If the rider is using a horn wrapped with rubber, they must be careful to get the drag distance just right…not too long and not too short. If they use mule or elk hide like the Vaqueros…there is a margin of error that can be very subtly taken care of via sliding rope. And sliding rope always looks punchy…

When establishing the distance of the drag, the rider should be moving forward and laterally away from the log…but their head should be turned to observe it attentively! By looking at the drag, the distance can more accurately be determined…and the rider can show off their horse’s autopilot ability for the judge. Ranch is about the horse’s effectiveness getting through jobs isn’t it?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻
The pattern for the drag is usually a circle. Do what needs to be done in order for that LOG to make a circle. The judge does not care if your horse makes a perfect circle…you don't get a gold star. The judge wants to see the LOG make a perfect circle. That demonstrates control and really shows off the horse’s ability. Making a perfect circle with a log is not easy by any means…even for the Open riders. This is not to say that the horse makes a squiggly, but take advantage of leg yields, hip, and shoulder control to craft a nice ex*****on. These adjustments should remain subtle so as not to affect the action of the horse too much. Walking and trotting in the drag should still have good, quality movement.

𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
PUT. IT. BACK.
As you make your way back, return the log to its original position. This will usually place you and the horse 8 feet or so ahead of where you want to finish. Take advantage of this and show off a nice backup to return the rope. Take it a step further and recoil the rope as you backup, and look where you’re going. This way, when you’re all set to put it back…there is no wasted time.

Set the rope on the hook and go. Depending on the bridle being used, rein adjustment may be necessary. In any case it should be brief. You worked so hard to create a free flowing drag, don't ruin it by resetting your reins 10 times.

𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠
There are drills to work on better rope handling, stay tuned for articles on those topics! I hope this helps y'all understand how to perform one heck of a drag obstacle!

Written by AQHA Professional Horseman, Johnny Flores

18/02/2025

Feeling honored to serve on the International Advisory Panel (IAP) for the EXCA.
https://extremecowboyassociation.com/nab.htm

17/02/2025

Our 2025 Clinic and Show schedule! PM if you're interested in participating in any of these clinics or if you want to start preparing for any of these shows!

16/02/2025

Amazing clinic with Mr.Bud Lyon at the West Coast Ranch Horse Kick Off Event! Always striving to improve. I learned so much! Horses were pretty tired and ended the day with PEMF and Massage from Raquel Flores Cordova .

15/02/2025

One spot just opened up for my clinic next week in Lucerne Valley :)

UPDATE… FULL!

One spot has opened up for the clinic! Reach out ASAP to secure your spot!

14/02/2025

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! Don't forget to hug your horse! 🤗

12/02/2025

I was 9 years when I went to the expo and saw famous horsemen such as Craig Cameron of Cameron Horsemanship, Warwick Schiller, Clinton Anderson, and Richard Winters! Today, I am excited and honored to announced that I've been invited as a Clinician AND Mane Event Performer. I'll be giving 6 Ranch Horse Themed Clinics and Performing Saturday night. I am just so honored and thankful for this opportunity. I will also have a booth with my books, tack, and more. :) Praise Jesus! God is Good!

🌟2025 CLINICIAN ANNOUNCEMENT- JOHNNY FLORES 🌟

Johnny was barely 5 years old when he started riding and 9 years old when he started winning World Titles. His traditional Vaquero style of starting horses has turned his horses into champions, winning the Extreme Cowboy Association World Title (2020), AQHA VRH Top Ten (2023), WCRH Ranch Riding Freestyle Open (2024 & 2023) and Extreme Mustang Makeover Top 5 (2016).

As a AQHA Certified Professional Horseman, Clinician, and Horse Trainer, Johnny’s clinics are rising in demand. He’s devoted himself to developing his horses through the time-tested traditions of the old Vaquero ways. He’s started, worked with, and shown breeds such as Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, Gypsy Vanners, Arabians, and Mustangs.

Johnny finds a lot of joy in coaching riders to further develop their relationship with their horses. His Ranch Horse Clinics have taken Johnny around the nation helping many learn and improve in their Ranch Horse discipline. His educational content has reached global recognition! Johnny also gives international webinars and continues to help many equestrians with in-person and virtual lessons. He is always humbled to work with horses, to listen to their feedback, to gain their trust, and to develop them into confident partners.

Through various live performances and demonstrations, Johnny has educated many on the classical training techniques used by the Vaqueros, the Garrocha used by the Spanish Doma Vaquera Riders, as well as the modern American Ranch Horse we know and love today.

Johnny hopes to continue his reach by travelling the world, giving clinics, coaching riders, and helping equestrians understand their horses better. From his family ranch in Acton, California, he also offers C**t-Starting, Lessons, Clinics, and Showing.

www.johnnyfloreshorses.com

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