RICHARD SHRAKE
SCHEDULE 2002


EXPOS

January 12-13 Georgia Horse Fair. Perry, GA
February 13-17 Dixie Nationals. Jackson, MS
February 22-24 Equifest. Wichita, KS
March 08-10 Pennsylvania Horse Expo
Fort Washington, PA
April 06-07 Idaho Horse Expo. Boise, ID
April 19-21 Midwest Horse Fair. Madison, WI
April 26-27 Minnesota Horse Expo
Minneapolis, MN

OPEN TWO DAY CLINICS
Riders & Spectators

February 02 Lansing, MI
February 09-10 Enumclaw, WA
March 15-17 Poplarville, MS
March 23-24 Yakima, WA
April 13-14 Clinton, TN

FOUR DAY RIDING PROGRAMS
Level 1, 2, 3 Graduate Programs

March 19-22 Gainesville, GA
April 09-12 Nashville, TN
May 07-10 Lansing, MI
May 21-24 Springfield, MO

Richard:
I have started training a 2-yr. old stud colt. He is really progressing well in draw reins. He is very light & collected, & doesn't require much help on my part. As soon as I put him back in a regular bridle his head comes up & he won't stay in a frame & speeds up. When I start pulling back to slow him down he gets a bit nervous. He has a very good attitude & I don't think he is being stubborn. I use the same snaffle bit with both the draw reins & the direct reins. I have been riding him for almost 4 months. Any suggestions?

Laura Faust, Ada, MI

Dear Laura:

Congratulations on taking the challenge of training a two-year-old horse. You say that with draw reins your horse stays framed, light & collected. As soon as you take the draw reins off & try slow him down, he starts to speed up & get really nervous. This is not uncommon on a horse with only four months of training, because the draw reins give your horse a solid, exact balance point to work off of. When you take that away, he needs your hands & seat to do the same, but if you pull too hard with your hands when trying to gain control you end up pulling him on his forehand. Since this puts everything out of balance he will speed up. The solution is to make sure you are light & slow with your reins at a walk & jog. Slowly loosen your reins when your horse speeds up. Don't panic & over pull, just exhale & at the same time soften your back & seat until your horse walks. Then start over. What you are doing is letting your horse work on adjusting his center of gravity. This in turn gives him what we call "self-carriage". By keeping your training slow, you are keeping the mental pressure off of him & helping him to relax & gain confidence. A video that will help you is our Resistance Free™ Training #2. In it we use a two-year-old that has the same problems as your horse. Watch it over & over until you automatically make the right corrections on your horse without thinking about it. Most of all, your problem is going to take time & patience. The drill I told you about & the video I have recommended will be the key to you & your horse's success.

Dear Richard,
I have a 5-year-old Doc Bar/Mr. Gun Smoke horse. I have had him since he was 3. He had never been loaded in a trailer, shod, brushed, bathed, trimmed or handled much at all.
In almost 3 years he has come a long way. BUT he is a big baby; he doesn't like to be away from my other horses, so I tie him away from them as much as I can, even when I don't ride. He is doing a lot better with this issue. He also shys from a lot, crickets, woodpeckers, deer, not so much the blowing grasses any more, but when he jumps it is hard & fast. The people I got him from say all their horses are like this, that you have to hold on the saddle horn, which I have done in years. I have ridden him a lot, I feel like he should be over this shying problem, what do you think? I have sacked him out some; I do have a round pen.

Camellia Foster, Duncan, OK

Dear Camellia:

I am proud of you for taking the challenge of working with a young horse that has very little training. It sounds like you have done a lot with him over the past three years. The first thing you need to understand & accept is that you have a horse that is very well bred to be a top cutting horse or reining horse. The Doc Bar/Gun Smoke cross is hard to beat for these two disciplines. One of the main reasons for this is because they are extremely responsive & sensitive. If you have ever watched a good cattle dog work cattle, this is the same focus & sensitivity the Doc Bar/Gun Smoke cross will have. Yes, they will notice the crickets, woodpeckers & deer as you trail ride, but you must realize that response is what makes them sharp & competitive in cutting & reining. The solution to your problem is to accept your horse's mental alertness & start letting him work at what he is bred to do. That is working cattle & doing athletic, busy things. If you still just want to trail ride & he over reacts or is extra sensitive to obstacles on the trail. Don't punish him for it, but just reach down & give him an easy rub in front of the withers. This lets him know you appreciate him being alert, but he should still trust you. Otherwise, start looking for a trainer that can help you in the cutting & reining field. That way, you are going to enjoy 100% of your horse's talent.