MNR Horsemanship

05/01/2024

What An Honest Attempt at Critical Thinking is all about.

05/01/2024

04/01/2024

“Shooter”, 2018 AQHA gelding
coming available in February

03/01/2024

Type controversies within a breed, whether of horses or dogs, are not new. So many humans think that they KNOW what a Quarter Horse, a Shetland Sheepdog, a Morgan, a Connemara OUGHT to look like, and they are swift on both the attack and on the defense to push or to defend THEIR version of what is right or wrong.

This is the famous painting of what is called in the Quarter Horse world, “The Mixer Horse.” It is the artist’s rendition of what he considered an ideal type. Other breeds may have similar paintings. Some agree, no doubt, that this is ideal while others may not in terms of particulars and specifics.

Now I do believe that there ARE rights and wrongs, Any traits that lead to a loss of functional athleticism or of intrinsic soundness are wrong, period, end of sentence.

But to state in some inflexible way that THIS horse is a “real” (fill in the breed) and that horse is not fails to take into account that horses of certain breeds, while expected to follow general patterns of recognizable breed type, can be asked to perform in widely different ways.

I have a friend who is highly knowledgeable about Morgans. He feels that one of the most negative traps that a breed can get caught in is to create a visual depiction of what someone considers the “perfect” (fill in the breed).

Because once that “perfect type” gets hung out there, it starts type wars, because humans LOVE to fight and bicker, as we well know by reading the headlines every day of the year.

Fighting within a breed, called “internecine warfare,” (Google it) can be highly destructive because it so thoroughly turns off outsiders who might otherwise become converts to a breed, and it makes for so many flat out unpleasant discussions.

Take a breed that we all know a little bit about, the Thoroughbred. Get hold of a Blood Horse stallion issue and study the photos of the top sires in the world. While there will be some type consistency, there will also be big variation, from 15.1 hands to 17.1, from crested necks to skinny necks, massive ones, lighter ones. Because PERFORMANCE not type pushes the enterprise.

Now that doesn’t mean that an Arab should not look like an Arab, nor a Morgan like a Morgan, but they can do that in varying ways, within a range. The spinning, sliding cow working Morgan will not have the exact same type as the park saddle show ring performer, but they are still both Morgans.

Type wars hurt the breeds. I will say it again in a different way—Go love YOUR type, and let others love THEIR types, and maybe don’t be so convinced that you and you alone know what your breed has to look exactly like.

Overall type, sure, but start with the “big 3” sound, sane and athletic in ANY breed, then add on type without sacrificing what really matters.

02/01/2024

01/01/2024

This is fundamental advice regardless of the discipline in which you ride, I have built my method and career around all of this, if you
Study the greatest horsemen in the world you will see all of the points in action. This was said by one of the best modern horsemen bill steinkrause.

“No. 1. Get your tack and equipment just right, and then forget about it and concentrate on the horse.

No. 2. The horse is bigger than you are, and it should carry you. The quieter you sit, the easier this will be for the horse.

No. 3. The horse's engine is in the rear. Thus, you must ride your horse from behind, and not focus on the forehand simply because you can see it.

No. 4. It takes two to pull. Don't pull. Push.

No. 5. For your horse to be keen but submissive, it must be calm, straight and forward.

No. 6. When the horse isn`t straight, the hollow side is the difficult side.

No. 7. The inside rein controls the bending, the outside rein controls the speed.

No. 8. Never rest your hands on the horse's mouth. You make a contract with it: "You carry your head and I'll carry my hands."

No. 10. Once you've used an aid, put it back.

No. 11. You can exaggerate every virtue into a defect.

No. 12. Always carry a stick, then you will seldom need it.

No. 13. If you`ve given something a fair trial, and it still doesn't work, try something else—even the opposite.

No. 14. Know when to start and when to stop. Know when to resist and when to reward.

No. 15. If you're going to have a fight, you pick the time and place.

No. 16. What you can't accomplish in an hour should usually be put off until tomorrow.

No. 17. You can think your way out of many problems faster than you can ride your way out of them.

No. 18. When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around.

No. 19. Don`t let over-jumping or dull routine erode the horse's desire to jump cleanly. It's hard to jump clear rounds if the horse isn't trying.

No. 20. Never give up until the rail hits the ground.

No. 21. Young horses are like children—give them a lot of love, but don't let them get away with anything.

No. 22. In practice, do things as perfectly as you can; in competition, do what you have to do.

No. 23. Never fight the oats.

No. 24. The harder you work, the luckier you get."

~Bill Steinkraus

01/01/2024

When a galloping horse suffers a catastrophic breakdown, so often people will try to salve their conscience by saying things like---“He just took a bad step. It was just an accident. Could have happened running in his pasture.”

The study here found just the opposite, that many smaller injuries contributed to what seemed like a sudden injury---

Read this if you have ever drunk the “just a bad step” Kool-Aid. It may open your eyes.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/111180/ky-necropsy-program-disproves-bad-step-myth

30/12/2023

Searching for something...

That feels like this.

The more I practice this art, the more the desire of schooling "display skills" fades away. The focus is pointing towards the potent quality those skills bring out. The gift they bring to the horse, used in the right way at the right time.

That is my thought this morning 🌱

30/12/2023

30/12/2023

Learning balance off the horse is important too… I love teaching these two— lots of natural talent! 🐎

29/12/2023

If you can drop the nose, but you can’t lift the poll, your horse WILL get heavy.

That’s the bare minimum we need to know from a training standpoint, but yeah, it is helpful to understand the biomechanical issues with habitual riding behind the vertical, as well.

With this mare, being able to interrupt her chronic poll bracing and bring awareness to the base of her neck is a conversation often scattered with moments behind the vertical.

That’s ok, as long as I understand, like with any compensation, how unsustainable it is.

And yeah, 90% of what I’m doing with this mare is happening from the hind and body, but it manifests in a visual that’s easy to observe in the head and neck.

I’m so glad to see others willing to open up these discussions, because they definitely open up a can of worms that is very emotionally charged for a lot of people, but they are discussions the horse needs us to have.

I’d love to see us get in the habit of having observations rather than arguments.

I like Lockie Phillips’ quote that there are no wrong postures except the ones we get stuck in.

A moment in time during movement exploration or rehab isn’t the end of the world, but it’s definitely input, especially if those ‘moments in time’ become a pattern.

For instance, when a horse attempts a forelimb protraction they don’t yet have the strength and coordination for, they will lose equilibrium between the topline extensors and the underline flexors.

The brachiocephalicus is the main forelimb protractor, and ideally, a horse is able to stabilize through the poll extensors and activate the forelimb back to front, preserving the integrity of the atlanto-axial junction.

But if a horse lacks strength, they will often attempt to activate it front to back by proxy by going into hollow extension, or actively by curling into flexion.

That’s why you see these two extremes so much in Spanish Walk.

When it comes to curling up behind the vertical, we can see it as a bypass, with the understanding that the axis vertebrae is not designed to act as a pulley, that a pattern that treats it as such is the equivalent of navicular in the neck.

When we understand it as a bypass, we recognize the necessity of building structure that is sustainable.

Of course, as a trainer, I see more reasons than lack of coordination and strength for a horse coming behind the vertical; trained overflexion and untrained chronic poll bracing, for instance.

Those are definitely instances where the process is not going to look like the end goal.

The key is not to get stuck there.

29/12/2023

The Chronically Spooky Horse💥🐴

Ever wondered why you can lead a horse around an arena and they are fine but when you get in the saddle they spooks at everything?

There are a number of reasons for this but I want to highlight one that is not well understood.

To understand this you need to be aware of the horse's visual field. In the attached graphic, I have shown the differences in visual field between humans and horses.

By looking at this you can see that horses have 4 x the amount of visual data they need to process and interpret. How they interpret it, will depend on how they are able to respond to their environment.

Therefore, all that visual field requires a lot of processing power! And that is not even considering all the other information coming from their senses they have to process as well!

When you are leading the horse around the arena and they are not worried about anything, they are showing you they able to roll through their visual processing easily and interpret they are safe.

They change when you get on their backs and start spooking because being ridden compromises their capacity to process. So, instead of being able to go through their processing sequence, it is being short cut and they start bouncing off the environment instead.

The most common things things that compromising the horses ability to efficiently process its environment include:

1. Confusion and conflict with the rider - when a horse is struggling to work out how to navigate what the rider is asking him or her to do.

2. Discomfort - When the horse is struggling to avoid discomfort created by the rider or from tack it is wearing eg. poor saddle fit or unbalanced rider.

3. Lameness - When a horse is lame it will adjust its gait or way of going and only a few types of lameness can be observe. Also, sometimes the weight of the rider can make certain problems worst such as back or stifle issues.

Therefore, many chronically spooky or shying horses stop being like this when their rider improves the way they ride and communicate; the source of the discomfort is removed; and lameness issues are resolved or managed.

Therefore, if you have a horse that is prone to being like this please consider these things. You might not have a "spooky horse", you might just have a horse that is uncomfortable or confused.

📚Thank you to both Kerry M Thomas and Janet Jones (Horse Brain Human Brain) for helping me see this connection.

29/12/2023

You don’t need to be sold another method, more exercises, another product, another cure -

Awareness and a dedication to good husbandry is the only thing that will ever create lasting change. This can’t be bought or sold: it can be taught but it cannot happen without lifestyle changes on your part.

It must be your fondest desire to get along, and to do what the horse needs to thrive, or no method will create real change.

28/12/2023

A complete warm up is arguably one of the most important things you can do for your horse. 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗴.

This is more than loping for 45 minutes.

This is more than making one sweat.

This is 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸.

Walk, walk & walk some more. In fact, the more the better.

Let’s briefly compare to the relevance with athletes — human athletes. A proper warm up is rarely an overlooked step in the pre-work routine. In fact, the warm up is not taken lightly. Our horses are no different.

The warm up, pre-competition or not, is a form of injury prevention. This is similar to gum. An unused piece of gum is firm, stiff, and easy to break. One wrong move and we snapped the piece of gum. However, after the piece is chewed for a few minutes mobility is added. Now, the gum is flexible and easily moveable. Our body is very comparable.

A horse’s frog plays a valuable role in the circulation of the entire limb, injury prevention, and preparing the body for work. This process of sending blood up through the leg is known as the pumping mechanism.

“Blood is pumped from the heart through arteries to the hoof and is assisted in its return through a ‘pumping mechanism’ in the hoof,” said Craig Wood, University of Kentucky. “This mechanism is necessary due to the position of the hoof in relation to the heart. There are no muscles in the lower leg or hoof to aid in the return of venous blood to the heart. Thus, the hoof has to pump venous blood back to the heart.”
https://horses.extension.org/blood-pumping-mechanism-of-the-hoof/

One of the major jobs of the frog is aiding as a “pump” to push blood out of the hoof and back up the limb. The frog makes contact with the ground activating the pump to send the blood from the hoof up the leg.

The healthier, wider frog sends the more blood flow through the limb and a develops a stronger hoof. Likewise, the smaller, more contracted frog results in decreased circulation through the leg. The legs that may tend to stock up easier.

“When the horse puts a foot down, this dissipates concussion and the blood squishes out of it with that impact and goes back up the leg,” said Tia Nelson, DVM, farrier and veterinarian with Valley Veterinary Hospital. “It’s a brilliant multipurpose structure. Thus, a horse with a healthy frog won’t be stocking up as much, and the feet and legs are healthier. It affects the whole body.”
https://thehorse.com/136542/equine-hoof-care-the-flourishing-frog/

Increased walking = Increased circulation through the limb (pumping mechanism) = Decreased likelihood of distal limb injury

Let’s circle back around to the physical warm up. Besides circulation up the leg, why is walking and a slow warm up so important?
1. 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥?
Walking without restriction for a 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘮 of 8-10 minutes. But, always keep in mind 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵. This goes back to the gum analogy. We are warming the body and increasing mobility preparing it to withstand the duties of work.

2. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝘅𝘆𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗱
When you first pull your horse out of their pen, the muscles are not fully supplied with appropriate amounts of oxygen and blood flow required for contraction-relaxation cycle of the muscle fibers. We have to spend the time and prepare the body — give the body the tools.
𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 15% 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥?
While in a parasympathetic state the body is going through “rest and digest.” So, the remaining circulatory blood is dedicated to the digestive system and organs. However, during work 85% of the circulatory blood is delivered to muscles. That critical time spent walking is where this transition from 15% to 85% occurs. This is when the body resupplies the body with the fuel necessary to work.

3. 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱
10 minutes of relaxed walking does more than physically prepare your horse for work. Allow the mind 10 minutes to have a break and release tension. Give your horse 10 minutes to themselves.

🌟Spend the extra time now, to increase the chances at a long-lasting career.🌟

Here’s your key to treating their bodies like the athletes they are. 🔑🤍

28/12/2023

“I never pictured a horse that could look that good,” said Sid Vail to Ed Ellinger for Western Horseman. “If there was ever a perfect horse, he was it. I couldn’t fault him anywhere.”

Three Bars was foaled on April 10th, 1940. He was by Percentage, a chestnut stallion by black-type stakes winner Midway and out of Gossip Avenue, by Bulse. Percentage won nineteen races including the Cincinnati Trophy and the Pontchartrain Handicap. He sired stakes winners Knee Deep and Three Percent. Perlette, a daughter of Percentage, set a new track record for 5 furlongs at Washington Park. She went on to produce My Recipe, the dam of Intentionally, who sired many great horses including In Reality, Ta Wee, Tentam and Aforethought.

Myrtle Dee, the dam of Three Bars, was bred by James W. Parrish in Midway, Kentucky. She was by Luke McLuke, winner of the 1914 Belmont Stakes, and out of Civil Maid, a granddaughter of Ben Brush. Myrtle Dee made fifteen official starts and set a track record for 5 ½ furlongs at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Ohio. Between 1932 and 1939, she had seven Kentucky-bred foals – Brilliant Dee, Grey Nose, Bohannon, The Whale, Myrica, Housewife and Players Doom. When Myrtle Dee was in foal to Percentage for the second time, she was purchased at a sale, along with a few other pregnant mares, by Jack Goode, Ned Brent, and Bill Talbot. Just days after the sale, she foaled a good-looking chestnut c**t. The owners thought they had hit the jackpot, so they named the c**t after the three bars in a slot machine. He was the last foal of Myrtle Dee on record.

Three Bars began race training as a two-year-old but struggled to stay sound. Strangely, his hind leg would turn ice cold during workouts. Goode took Three Bars to some of the best vets in Kentucky, but none of them were able to help. Although he was the fastest c**t they had ever bridled, Goode, Brent and Talbot decided to cut their losses. They gave Three Bars to Beckham Stivers with the stipulation that he would pay the men $300 if Three Bars won a race. The c**t was sold before he made a start on the track and they never got their money.

Three Bars broke his maiden as a three-year-old but was injured and spent the rest of the year recuperating. At four, he won three of four starts under multiple trainers and owners. In his final race of 1944, Three Bars was claimed for $2,000 by Cal Kennedy, Stan Snedigar and Toad Haggard. The men shipped Three Bars from Detroit to Phoenix with the intention of breeding him to Quarter Horse mares. Three Bars had not been in Arizona long when Sid Vail, a Quarter Horse owner and breeder, heard about him. Vail thought Three Bars was the best looking horse he had ever seen. He offered the partners $10,000 for the stallion and they accepted. Vail leased Three Bars to Melville Haskell for the 1945 breeding season. It was on Haskell’s ranch near Tucson that Three Bars sired Barred, a multiple track record setter. It was a promising first crop of foals.

By 1946, the condition that had troubled his hind leg was resolved. Apparently, bloodworms had clogged an artery and cut off circulation to the limb. With Three Bars completely sound, Vail wanted to prove him on the racetrack. He leased the stallion back to Kennedy, Snedigar and Haggard to campaign on tracks in the southwest. At six years old, Three Bars won eight races including the Speed Handicap at Agua Caliente. He also set a new track record at Phoenix for 5 furlongs in 0:57.30 seconds. Three Bars had blazing early speed and often tired when running typical Thoroughbred distances. His trainer tried to rate him by putting a bicycle chain across his nose, but the horse refused to be held back. With little chance of winning longer races and larger purses, Three Bars retired at the age of seven with an official record of 28 starts, twelve wins, and $20,840 in earnings, which is equivalent of about $285,000 today.

After he left the track, Three Bars stood at Vail’s ranch near Douglas, Arizona. He covered very few mares, possibly because of the ranch’s remote location. Regardless, Three Bars sired an incredibly high percentage of stakes winners. In the five years following his final retirement from racing, he sired Tonto Bars Gill, the 1952 Champion Three-Year-Old C**t; Bardella, the 1952 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and 1953 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly; Miss Myrna Bar, the 1953 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly; and Josie’s Bar, the 1954 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, World Champion Mare and World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse. He also sired stakes winners Barjo, Gold Bar, Miss Wonder Bar and War Chant. Lightning Bar, Sugar Bars and Rocket Bar, were among his first foals to be inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame. These outstanding horses established his reputation as an important sire of racing and performance horses early on in his stud career.

In 1952, when Three Bars was twelve years old, Vail agreed to lease him to Walter Merrick, one of the greatest Quarter Horse breeders of all time. Merrick was looking for a Thoroughbred stallion to add reach and refinement to his Joe Hancock and Midnight Jr. mares. Three Bars had the bone structure and conformation that he needed. Amidst controversy regarding whether Thoroughbred offspring should be allowed to be registered with the AQHA, Merrick remained confident that the right kind of Thoroughbred could improve the breed. That is exactly what Three Bars did.

Merrick stood Three Bars for $300 at his ranch in Sayre, Oklahoma. He filled his book with 70 mares. One of the mares Merrick bred that year was Hot Heels, a daughter of Midnight Jr. The resulting foal, Bob’s Folly, won eighteen races including the Rocky Mountain QHA Futurity, RMQHA Stallion Stakes, Shue Fly Stakes, New Mexico State Fair Derby and Kansas QHA Derby. Bob’s Folly went on to become a leading sire of racing ROM-earners. Stakes winners Jayhawker Bar, Bar Three, Baldy Girl, Lux Bar, Dandy Bar and Bar Dust were also among that first Oklahoma foal crop. Additionally, Bar Bob, a chestnut stallion from that same crop of foals, became an AQHA Champion for his accomplishments on the track and in the arena.

Although Vail had agreed to lease Three Bars to Merrick for two seasons, he changed his mind and wanted him back for his own mares. Merrick could not afford to buy Three Bars, so the stallion was shipped back to Arizona. Merrick was determined to continue breeding his mares to Three Bars so he hauled them across the country. In 1953, one of the mares that Merrick hauled to Three Bars was Lena Valenti, a Thoroughbred mare that had earned an AQHA Racing Register of Merit. The resulting foal, Lena’s Bar, became one of the greatest Thoroughbreds to ever face Quarter Horse company. Her younger full sister, Little Lena Bars, could claim that title outright. The two Thoroughbred mares won multiple stakes races, set numerous track records, and defeated horses such as Go Man Go, Double Bid and Vandy’s Flash. Both mares died young, but Lena’s Bar was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame for her accomplishments, most notably producing Easy Jet, the 1969 World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse.

Vail eventually moved Three Bars to the aptly named Three Bars Ranch in Oakdale, California where his stud fee was set at $10,000. The steep fee was justified by his continued ability to sire champion runners including Mr Bar None, the 1957 Champion Two-Year-Old C**t, 1958 Champion Three-Year-Old C**t and 1958 World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse; Missile Bar, the 1958 Champion Two-Year-Old C**t and 1959 Champion Three-Year-Old C**t; Triple Lady, the 1959 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, 1959 World Champion Mare and 1960 World Champion Mare; Breeze Bar, the 1961 World Champion Horse; and First Call, the 1961 World Champion Mare. He also sired stakes winners Clabber Bar, Casbar, Don Bar, Bar Flirt, Galobar, Heavenly Flower, Bunny’s Bar Maid and Alamitos Bar. Three Percent, Jimmy Bars, Julio’s Bar, Wiggy Bar, Mighty Bars, Red Bars, Parker Bar, Rapid Bar, Magnolia Bar, Mr Three Bars, Three Chicks and Sleepy Bar were AQHA Champions that he sired during those years.

Pokey Bar, the highest earning Quarter Horse racehorse by Three Bars, was foaled in 1959. He was bred by Hugh Huntley. Pokey Bar won the 1961 All American Futurity and Kindergarten Futurity. He was the High Money Earning Horse and AQHA Racing Champion Two-Year-Old C**t that year. He also earned the title of Champion Three-Year-Old c**t after victories in the Ruidoso Derby, Los Alamitos Derby and Pacific Coast QHRA Derby. Pokey Bar also set a new track record at Los Alamitos for 440 yards in 0:21.500 seconds and a new world track record at Pompano Park for 350 yards in 0:18.340 seconds. He went on to sire a few racing Quarter Horses and Paints. Pokey Bar passed away in 1989 at the age of 30.

While in his twenties, Three Bars sired Little Chloe, the 1962 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, and Rapid Volley, the 1965 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. He also sired AQHA Hall of Fame inductees, The Ole Man and Zippo Pat Bars. AQHA Champions Chicado Chick, Bar Money, Bar’s Shady Lady, Fairbars, Bar Flower, Goldseeker Bars, Eyes of Texas, Kid Meyers, Little Bar Olene, Clip Bars, St Bar, Three Cookies, Three Storms and No Double were also sired by Three Bars in his later years.

Finally, in 1967, when Three Bars was 27 years old, Vail agreed to let Merrick take the horse again. Merrick hauled Three Bars and his companion, a blind mare named Fairy Adams, back to Oklahoma. According to Western Horseman, Merrick believed that Vail wanted him to take Three Bars because he couldn’t bear the thought of being with his beloved stallion when he passed. The stallion was still in good shape and able to cover a few dozen mares in his final years.

Throughout his 24 years at stud, Three Bars sired 575 registered Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals. They included 356 race winners, 354 ROM-earners, 66 stakes winners, 38 Superior Race Award earners, 29 AQHA Champions, 17 Racing Champions and 2 Racing World Champions. His offspring earned $3,612,991 on the track and 2,129.0 points in the arena. Not included in those statistics are his Appaloosa offspring, of which Three Bars Queen was inducted into the ApHC Hall of Fame and Miss Three Bars was a National Champion.

Quarter Horse daughters of Three Bars produced 2,055 foals that earned $7,021,235 on the track and 4,749.0 points in the arena. They included 865 ROM-earners, 808 race winners, 88 stakes winners, 66 Superior Race Award earners, 17 AQHA Champions and 2 World Champions. His grandget also earned $160,471.11 in the National Cutting Horse Association. Top performers out of daughters of Three Bars include the aforementioned Easy Jet, as well as Chantella, Three Deep, Anna Dial, Moolah Bar, Miss Top Flame, Duplicate Copy, Bar Request, Go Josie Go, Jet Smooth and Parker’s Trouble. His sons also sired greats such as Doc Bar, Impressive, Tonto Bars Hank, Aledo Bar, Lightning Rey, Rocket Wrangler, The Investor, Zippo Pine Bar and Zan Parr Bar.

Three Bars died of an apparent heart attack just two days shy of his 28th birthday. His blind companion mare, Fairy Adams, gave birth to his last foal, named The Last Son, on March 1st, 1969. Fairy Adams died two years later at the age of 22. Tina Merrick, Walter Merrick’s wife, said that “the guardian angel of horses was knocking a hole between two stalls so Fairy Adams and Three Bars could be together again.”

It is impossible to summarize the influence that Three Bars had on the Quarter Horse breed. No other individual horse has ever impacted all aspects of the industry as deeply as Three Bars. Through his sons such as Barred, Bob’s Folly, Gay Bar King, Lightning Bar, Lucky Bar, Mr Bar None, Rocket Bar, Sugar Bars, Tonto Bars Gill and Zippo Pat Bars, he forever left his mark in halter, racing, cutting, barrel racing and other performance events. He was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 1989. If a higher honor could be given, the almighty Three Bars would be worthy.

28/12/2023

It’s never a bad thing to have and give respect, if you think of the people you admire most what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Respect. It is a healthy thing to have, but fear is NOT respect. A horse that only complies out of fear of consequences is not a horse that respects you. Respect is a two way street in a relationship, your horse should respect you as a leader and you must respect your horse partner.

28/12/2023

Does size matter???
There is a post going around asking if a 15 hand horse is big enough for a 225pound rider. 🤦‍♀️
Just like in humans, height has little to do with how much a horse can comfortably carry (actually, I saw where professional American power lifters average 2” shorter than the average height of average Americans)

What you really want is a wide loin. No other single conformation factor seems to make as profound of a difference as a wide loined area.

When you watch a larger rider on a horse, to se if the weight is a factor, have the Rider post the trot and change diagonals a few times. Watch the hind legs. If changing diagonals changes the horse’s gait, then that horse is probably struggling with the weight.

If you are searching for a Horse for a larger Rider, it seems like everyone suggests draft cross, but draft horses are not bred to carry weight at all- they are bred to push. Occasionally you can find one that has a wide loin and can carry heavy riders, but more often than not, that’s not the case. Often draft horses are tight in their top line and struggle with the requirements of riding.

I typically suggest looking at roping Horses. Horses that are built and bred for hoping have been genetically selected to be able to drag around a 400 pound steer.  They might not be the most supple horse you’ve ever sat on, but their backs are very strong!

Another option is Haflinger ponies. Historically their purpose was more geared towards being a pack animal, than it ever was driving, and they were specifically bred to carry large man and supplies through the mountains.

Newt (pictured) might be 14 hands barely- or maybe 13.3. He’s quite obviously capable of carrying a larger rider.

Of course, how fit a horse is and how balanced the rider is makes a HUGE difference.  I’ve definitely seen Horses do just fine with Davin (pictured) but yet a lighter less advanced student might make the same horse struggle a little. Imagine a child sitting on your shoulders- one that sits quietly centered is much easier to carry than one who is leaning to the left the whole time, or one who thrashes around.

And I’m sorry, but I think the 20% rule is pretty worthless.  If I a horse is overweight and out of shape, that doesn’t mean they can carry a heavier rider than they can if they trim down and get into shape!!! And that rule initially came from Cavalry practices were horses would be loaded with pack saddles and expected to do 25 miles a day on potentially rough terrain. So if I am teaching a student who is doing a 45 minute beginner lesson, I’m probably not gonna be too worried if we passed the 20%.
Likewise, if a horse is not totally sound, is old, or is really young and is just being started, I try to stay well below the 20%.