# Any One Like Reining?



## Dix (Jan 21, 2010)

If so, an almost perfect run.

The roll backs are awesome !!

Click on the left video first. His name is Gunnatrashya. I've put him on Dixie's "Beau List"  ;-) 

http://nrhafuturity.com/

If deemed inappropriate, 'tis OK.


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## daveswoodhauler (Jan 21, 2010)

Pretty cool


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## Dix (Jan 22, 2010)

Freakin' awesome  :coolsmile: 

And he's only 3 !!


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## fossil (Jan 22, 2010)

Everything I know about horseback riding I learned from Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the Lone Ranger.  But that right there looks to me like a _very _well trained horse and a_ very _highly skilled rider.  I don't know what, exactly, they were trying to demonstrate (dunno the "rules", and never even heard of "Reining" in the context of a competitive event), but whatever it was, I expect they did it right good.  Rick


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## Dix (Jan 22, 2010)

That horse is going to be *SUPERSTAR*.

Reining is a western event, and takes time and patience to learn. Plus your horse must be suited to it. 

Being built like Dixie is a high criteria. Color or no. It's usually Quarter horses & Paints. They run set patterns and are judged on straightness, slides, stops and a seemingly effortless partnership. If a horse can feel a fly, they can easily feel a foot or a rein for pressure & guidance (left/right, whoa, back, 1st gear/walk, 2nd gear/jog or trot, 3rd gear/lope or canter, and 4th gear/gallop,  etc.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reining

The rider, Shawn Flarida, is one of the top riders/trainers in the country. I wish I could spend a few weeks there. 

http://www.thegreenshirt.com/

That run, on that horse, earned $125,000 US. The horse is owned by an Italian ranch based in Texas.


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## Flatbedford (Jan 22, 2010)

That is pretty awesome. I am not much of a horse person, but my wife and I (she's the horse person) spent some time with cutting horses about 10 years ago. That video reminds me of the way a cutting horse moves. I'll have to show this to Mrs. Flatbedford.


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## Dix (Jan 22, 2010)

Very close, Steve, very close.

Can't wait to "see" Bonnie 

Port Jeff ain't that far from me. Always looking to snag in another "coven" member


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## Bobbin (Jan 22, 2010)

Dixie, I meant to comment on this yesterday.  It never ceases to amaze me what you can train an animal to do when you consider aptitude and toss in patience and practice.  I learned to ride Park Seat and then switched to Hunt Seat.  But the biggest thing that strikes me is that ALL horsemanship is based on the same principles:  oneness of the rider with his mount and cues and aids given almost invisibly.  The rider strives to become simply an extension of the animal's spine (helpful if you're going to remain in the saddle on a cutting horse, lol).  The saddle or bridle used doesn't matter in the big picture.  

I was thinking, watching the roll backs and the flying lead changes, of the Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria.  Few people know that the "ballet" of the "airs above ground" are actually war moves that were required by the cavalries and the manoevres trace their origin to a treatise written by Xenophon over 2600 yrs. ago.  And that the same moves are trained into the horses used in bullfights in Spain.   Amazes me that someone watched natural behavior in horses so many years ago and thought about how to gentle them and train them to perform those behaviors on cue.  

I live in the land of 3 day eventing (so do you, I bet!) and frankly find it sort of tiresome.  I have a friend who turns up her nose at Stock Seat events and Park Seat events, but only because she doesn't understand what's required to excel in either.  Ditto for driving... was shocked when I told her the Lipizzaners are trained to drive first, as are Park horses... best way to teach the elements of collection without injuring immature legs.  

Thanks for linking to such an intersting event.  I can't believe the horse is only 3!


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## Flatbedford (Jan 22, 2010)

Do you ever travel up around Westchester County for events? I know there is a huge horse community in Northern Westchester County, but I don't know if you are part of that crowd.


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## Dix (Jan 23, 2010)

You got it, Bobbin !! I love the trend towards a more "natural" horsemanship, more thinking about "what does the horse think of this"  instead of "let's BREAK her". One of the reasons I look forward to going to Equine Affair  The clinics are awesome. I picked up some Mark Rashid dvd's up there. I was impressed with his clinics, and even got to talk to him about some things. Pretty cool.

Park Seat & Hunt Seat is pretty intimidating to me, probably because I don't understand, yet, alot of what's going on. That said Matisse (avatar), the rescue mare, is gaited, and it's lovely to watch. Boy, can she cover some ground !! She's a challenge, for sure, with her issues.

The biggest discipline here is English, complete with the Mommy cocktail table ribbons  :coolsmirk: 

Steve, I usually travel to Paint shows in MA, CT, & NJ. This year, we'll be staying close to home, just riding, and maybe hit a local show or two. Spend the rest of the time riding at home. It'll be good for the soul   

I've passed along this clip to some of the "girl friends". They are all drooling over Gunnatrashya. I can't wait to follow his career.


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## Bobbin (Jan 23, 2010)

So the horse you use as your avatar is a gaited horse??  is she an American Saddlebred?  I'd love to hear more about her and her sorry history.  

I learned to ride Park Seat, but on Morgans, not Saddlebreds, so I've never ridden a 5 gaited horse, but they really are amazing animals and the fact that the slow gait and the fast rack are trained and NOT natural blows my mind.  As I said, I find the whole 3 Day Event crowd a little hard to take, too.  

I haven't ridden in years (can't afford to get hurt with a high insurance deductible) but would love to be able to get back into horses some day.   Would love to move into driving; I dream of a nice, old-fashioned, "heavy" Lippett Morgan, not the show ring type you see most often, but the sort you can hitch for light draft work and saddle up if you prefer.  A "working" horse, the sort of Morgan that used to define the breed but now is largely out of favor.  Or maybe larger draft ponies.


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## Flatbedford (Jan 23, 2010)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
			
		

> Can't wait to "see" Bonnie
> 
> Port Jeff ain't that far from me. Always looking to snag in another "coven" member



Huh? Port Jeff?


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## Dix (Jan 23, 2010)

Flatbedford said:
			
		

> Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



LOL !! Sorry, for some reason I had you in Connecticut, and was thinking of the ferry.


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## Flatbedford (Jan 24, 2010)

I think I figured this out. You and my wife talked horse back in the women that burn thread. The Port Jeff thing threw me.


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## Dix (Jan 24, 2010)

Yep, Steve !!

Bonnie is a lucky woman


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## Dix (Jan 24, 2010)

Bobbin, I don't know if it's "forum correct" to post Matisse's story here.

That "it's about me" thing in the forum rules.

Let me ask the higher powers, then I'll get back to you.


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## Flatbedford (Jan 24, 2010)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
			
		

> Bonnie is a lucky woman



Just curious. Why do you think so?


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## Dix (Jan 24, 2010)

Because you remembered this



> I think I figured this out. You and my wife talked horse back in the women that burn thread. The Port Jeff thing threw me.



That's why.

Run with it !!


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