Profile on Richard Shrake
The Master of Horsemanship
Why do some horse people succeed, while others fail? There are a number of reasons. Among them...the presence of someone you can model yourself after...a teacher whose professional capabilities and personal qualities are worthy of respect and a teacher who has already achieved and gives people the tools to succeed themselves. Unfortunately, role models are few and far between, that's why Richard Shrake fills all the needs of the goal oriented horse person. It is not hard to understand why Richard Shrake is such a phenomenal success. Shrake is considered by his peers as the "Trainer's Trainer," and shares his extensive knowledge and humane training techniques to all who know him. The Richard Shrake method of teaching allows all who follow his riding and training methods to gain the greatest possible insight into their horse's minds and their riding ability. His gift of being able to break down each problem into a very solvable situation is what makes his teaching far above all other trainer's methods. As you can see, if you want to excel in your riding and training skills, you've got to have a mastery of fundamentals and be aware of your talents and have the teacher who has the credentials to take you to the level you want to go. Richard Shrake has devoted his life to training horses and instruct people to reach their top goals, and he did this by reaching the top in the horse business himself. By using his flawless teaching techniques you can see why he has earned the title "The Master of Horsemanship."
For information on the Richard Shrake products & upcoming programs, write: A Winning Way, Ltd. P.O. Box 4490, Sunriver, OR 97707. Call 1-800-635-8861. Visit us at http://www.empnet.com/rshrake/ & e-mail us at rshrake@empnet.com
Richard Shrake Schedule
Graduate - Masters - Apprentice Programs
Sept 9-12 Massillon, OH
Sept 15-18 Madison, WI
Sept 23-26 Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 2-5 Ocala, FL
1998
Jan 6-9 Wickenburg, AZ
Jan 27-30 Las Vegas, NV
Feb 9-12 Columbia, MO
Feb 23-26 Greenwood, MS
Mar 10-13 West Palm Beach, FL
Weekend Clinics for Riders & Spectators
Sept 20-21 Fort Collins, CO
Sept 27-28 Porterville, CA
Oct 10-11 El Centre, CA
Oct 25-26 Ione, CA
Dec 6-7 Raleigh, NC
Expos and Horse Fairs where Richard Shrake is conducting demonstrations & lectures
Oct 19-20 Quarter Horse Congress Columbus, OH
Using "Doubling" Exercises
What do all great horses have in common? This is one of the questions I ask during the evaluation of my student's horses during each Graduate Program. To be successful as a trainer, breeder or a show rider in the horse industry, it definitely takes great horses. The more you educate yourself as to what to look for when selecting the horse that represents you, the more successful you will become.
One of the things that all great horses have, no matter what breed or discipline, is the ability to use their hindquarters and hocks correctly. When your horse has impulsion and drive from the rear, he is giving you 110%. Just watch your horse jog or canter; the first beat of the gait is always started from the rear legs. All the great reining horses have to be able to use their haunches and hocks with a combination of strength, balance and agility. Two of the superior reining horses that I showed had this ability. One was one of the longest stoppers I have ever ridden.
Judging has helped me further develop my ability to discern which horses are able to use themselves so that they can really perform at whatever discipline their rider chooses. While I was judging the AQHA World Show, one of my co-judges shared with me a simple way of determining if a horse is using his hindquarters correctly. He said to imagine the hip area of the horse being round like a lollipop. The lower hind leg would then be the stick or handle. As the lower hind leg is making a stride it should move evenly back and forth like a pendulum on a clock. When it moves equally from the front to back in balance under the quarters, the horse moves fluidly. If the hock moves out behind the horse his back becomes hollow and the head and frame change out of balance. At the same show, another judge talked about the horse that won the World in cutting. He said that he was able to get his hocks so low to the ground that he was looking up at the cattle.
There are some training exercises in Resistance Free Training that enable a horse to learn to use his haunches in a more correct manner. You can use the initial exercises to improve any horse for any discipline. Continue the more advanced maneuvers to develop and improve your reining or cutting horse. Doubling teaches a horse to engage his hocks. Doubling gives you instant control and communication. The young horse that tends to be awkward is benefited by this. It helps connect him from back to front, thereby balancing him.
When you are doubling a horse you are "pulling" them back over their hocks, sometimes with the benefit of a barrier such as a rail or bushes. In doubling an inattentive horse, take a direct rein in a moderately strong, secure pull, turning in the direction in which you want to go. Take care not to hurt his mouth; you can use a combination side pull and snaffle bit at first. Support the turn with an outside indirect rein, put the weight in the outside stirrup, and bring the horse back in toward the barrier until he starts to turn over his hocks. As the horse commits to the turn, give a big release to his face. You will feel him round his back and use his inside pivot foot underneath his body.
One of the main keys in doubling is not to over pull. Some riders may do it as a punishment. This is incorrect. If a horse is a little cold-backed, the rider may reach down with a direct rein and try to pull the horse's head right around the tail. The rider is picking a fight with his horse. Doubling should not be done in this manner. Done properly, it teaches the horse balance and correctness. If it is attempted with force it will start to build up resistance in the horse. Resistance leads to tenseness in the horse's mind and body and remember, a tense horse will not learn in a lasting, Resistance Free manner.
Start work in the round corral. Stop, tactfully pull his nose into the rail with the direct rein and follow up with the outside rein. As the horse starts to make a turn and move his front end, slowly put a little weight in the outside stirrup. As he commits himself to the turn, release his head and bump him a little with your outside leg. This frees up the inside shoulder and front end and causes him to roll over his hocks. He'll use his forward motion. When done correctly it will feel a little like a rubber band being snapped. If a horse has a tendecy to be uncoordinated and hollow backed, you use that outside leg with a little more "pop". Hurry the horse and trot him right out of that turn and into the wall. The horse will start to really plant his feet underneath himself.
If the horse is starting to turn on his forehand or perform a "belly button turn" (turning around his middle), the rider is usually using too much direct pull. This is a red light situation. Go back to just starting his nose, and when he moves his shoulder follow up with the indirect rein. Don't pull so hard. The horse may "red light" by poking his shoulder out and just turning his head with the motion going through his shoulder. To correct this, take up on the indirect rein. This will keep the shoulder in, as you double the horse around.
If the horse jams up and doesn't double, the "red light" is usually cause by you using your leg first, rather than moving the shoulder first. I find that on the Western horse this is one of the few times when your leg is secondary. The front end has to move with direct pressure. Then apply the leg after the horse is committed. If the leg is used first the horse will use the motion to go forward with your hand, thereby ruining the exercise.
It is fun to take a horse and keep him between your hand and leg and, as you are trotting around in the open, to double off natural barriers. The more exercised and drill used when training the horse, the stronger his foundation becomes. Doubling not only helps your horse, but it helps the rider with timing. If you have been riding around in boring circles, make the change in your training program and start learning how to double your horse. The development in the horse's mental and physical ability will make this exercise well worth while.
May you always ride a good horse, Richard Shrake
