Horseman’s Corner Radio

Debate Over the Snaffle Bit

Listen in for a few different perspectives on the old Snaffle Bit.

Backing Your Horse with Van Hargis

Good morning everybody, this is Van Hargis with Van Hargis Horsemanship and welcome to the Ranch Road.

"For years I've earned a reputation of getting horses to be good stoppers at a fairly young age and people have always asked, well how do you get those little young horses to stop so big? And number one, I don't really work on it in particular, I just work on the basic fundamentals. Number one, I want every horse to understand first and foremost why they're going. It's less of all, you used to say all the time, you make them going and let them whoa. So I don't really force a horse or ask a horse to stop, I just simply let them. And number two, I really believe in what I refer to as my three steps to stopping, which is number one, quit making them go. Number two, the magic word, whoa. And then lastly, we support with our hands to reinforce what the first two things indicated. And then every time I back a horse up, I actually say whoa, and then I draw them backwards. Whoa, and then I draw them backwards. After about 30 rides or so, what whoa means to the horses back up. So now let's move forward to say you're loping them out. And then you say the magic word, whoa. Now what is a horse thinking? Not whoa, not stop, but they're thinking back up. But what have they got to do before they back up? They've got to stop. So to me, just working a lot of backing a horse up, working a lot on getting a horse very come about backing, both on the ground and in the saddle, and then reinforcing the word whoa when we go to back them up. And they stop thinking about what it is we're asking to do next, which is in this case, to back. Appreciate you guys. Until next time, this is Van Hargis with Van Hargis Horsemanship."

 

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Managing Risk with Van Hargis

It's time to check in with Van Hargis and Van Hargis Horsemanship in Victoria, Texas. Van has a program called The Ranch Road. Here's an example.

 

"Would you consider yourself a good risk manager? I think about that every time that I work with a horse at any level. I don't care if I'm just tying one up to the hitching rail or if I'm putting one on the horse walker, if I'm about to step up in the saddle for the first time. Any time that I do anything with a horse in my mind, I'm managing risk.

 

A few years ago, I was asked, you know, what was one of the most proudest moments of my Horsemanship career. When I was asked that question, I thought for a moment and I thought, yeah, I went 43 years without a time loss injury. And what I mean by that is, oh, I've been bucked off. I've been stepped on, all that stuff, but nothing really stopped me from doing my job. And so everybody said, well, what led to that? I can only answer good risk management. In other words, I always thought about what I was doing. I was very deliberate, very intentional. I'm very aware of the horse being bigger, stronger than faster than me. And I just mainly just took precaution. And I don't mean I was scared, paranoid or worried. I just took precaution. In other words, I managed my risk. I thought about what I was doing, made sure it was safe for me and then made sure it was safe for my horse. And as a result, 43 years without a time loss injury. Ask yourself, are you a good risk manager?"

 

Victoria, Texas Horseman, Van Hargis. For more great interviews and podcasts like this one, be sure to visit equinepodcastsearch.com made possible by Van Hargis Horsemanship.

Wild Cayuse Cinches

The Horseman's Corner is brought to you by Mantz Creek Horses. That's M-A-N-T-Z Creek Horses . com.

 

More from that conversation with New Mexico custom cinch maker Tray Pelster.

 

Well, the custom cinch work that you're doing, is it unique?

"I will say I've been to quite a few trade shows in my life.  I have not seen very many if at all custom cinch booths just that are strictly custom cinches, colored cinches. I have seen a few just generic cinches that people make on the loom in front of the trade show people, but they're very basic cinches. We've read ourselves in giving people what they want. They can go to the trade show and shop off the shelf for these wonderful, cool, colorful or just more classy cinches that are not what people have seen before. We get quite a bit of business because I have not seen people who do that kind of thing in a trade show. We are wild kyu cinches. Go to my website. It's just wildcayusecinches.com. Pick out color, your size, your buckles, your beads and pick out a design or message me with a design idea. Put it in the comments. Put it in the notes. I will get in contact with you. Confirm your order and we will get that made for you."

 

That website featuring Tray Pelster's work will be available soon at wildcayusecinches.com. Website by Hale Multimedia.

 

Find this interview as well as longer extended versions of our program on horsemanscorner.com.

People Over Profit Margins

Many farmers and ranchers, especially their wives, have second jobs or businesses that they run from their ranch. One such individual is Tray Pelster, a New Mexico horsewoman and entrepreneur who is creating customized cinches for your horse. Let's rejoin that conversation and learn more about Tray Pelster and Wild Cayuse Cinches.

 

It must be difficult to keep that balance of top quality with competitive pricing.

 

"I really shoot for that. I really try. We have had to raise our prices recently because mohair, I mean everything inflation has just been outrageous. But we tried to keep it minimal. It's enough to keep us alive but it's not enough to completely drown the consumer. I haven't had anyone really say much to me about it. I do have a lot of people who approach me saying you need to charge more for this. I just say why? We're making it just fine. We're doing okay. It's people like you who make that happen. So I don't worry about the profit margins. I worry about the people. And that's important to me."

 

I understand you're going to have a website put together. Can you go ahead and give us that domain name please?

 

"It'll be wildcayusecinches.com and my dream come true is to have our own website and to be big enough to be able to run and maintain a website and have people use our website. It is absolutely wonderful."

 

Tray Pelster, New Mexico Horsewoman. 

Training at an Early Age

Tray Pelster began training horses at an early age. Learn more about the New Mexico horsewoman who also operates her own business from the ranch!

LISTEN IN!

 

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Injured Calf Roper Shares His Story

Calf-Roper Tim Malm has big dreams. His goal is to once again compete horseback in the arena in the sport he grew up loving and excelling at.

 

Here is Tim's Story from his website at www.stronger413.com

Hi! I am Tim Malm!

"Welcome to my website. I was a 3x qualifier to the National High School Finals Rodeo and the 2009 National High School Reserve Champion Calf Roper. I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury in 2010 and am working hard to make a full recovery back to roping. I have made so much progress, but I am still working hard each and every day to reach that goal. My Stronger line comes from my favorite Bible verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens Me" (Philippians 4:13). I want to thank you in advance for taking time to look at my website and new clothing merchandise, along with the continued prayers!"

 

Tim has found a unique way to share his story of God's amazing grace through the sale of his coffee line.

 

We look forward to having Tim on our radio program one day.