Horses Used and Performers Practiced
Buddy with Jennifer and Bec
Cisco with Bec
Cochise with Spencer
Taos with Jennifer
Willie with Aly
Life Lessons Learned on Horseback
Today was a very productive day for Riata Ranch, not only in riding and roping, but in team building and chemistry as well. We started promptly at 8 this morning, catching Cisco, Buddy, Cochise, Willie and Taos for some hard work after a long weekend off. After saddling our partners and having a quick warm up, executive director Jennifer have the team a great life lesson learned on horseback. Jennifer explained to the group that not only are we out in the 109 degree weather to ride the horses and get better at trick riding, we are there for a purpose; to give our lives meaning, a reason to wake up and want to work hard. Not only do we come out here to work on our horses and make them better, we work on ourselves better through acknowledging our weaknesses and defeating them.
Overview of Trick Riding Practice
The team started work feeling invigorated and motivated, to say the least. To prepare for our next show, Santa Rosa, California, we used the straight away pattern. It had been Cochise's first time attempting straight away and Spencer did a great job coaching him through. By the end of practice she was able to do her around-the-horn vaults with ease and confidence, which Cochise picked up on, allowing him to run cool, calm and collected.
Jennifer saddled with Taos, one of Riata's newest trick riding prospects. Taos is very well schooled, but just needs a little time to get used to the commotion of the trick riding ring. Jennifer did beautiful patterns with Taos, and lead the group.
Bec, our Australian intern, partnered up with Cisco for this practice. Bec's trick riding grows in leaps and bounds, and today was no exception. She gained her footing with a warm up of run besides and single vaults at a trot, and progressed to parallel fender drags and a suicide drag that was, well, to die for! Her calm demeanor and excellent horsemanship skills shine in the arena, whether schooling herself or her horse. Cisco responded so well to Bec's gentle guidance and ran a great pattern, even though straight away isn't always his favorite.
Aly, also an intern, from Canada, joined up with Willie for this practice. Previously she had been partnered with Buddy, and before that Cisco. Today she progressed from run besides and single vaults to parallel fender drags, suicide drags and stroud layout on Willie at a gallop. The biggest adjustment was the speed and intensity Willie provided that Buddy and Cisco did not, and by the end of practice, Aly's confidence was back up.
Jennifer and Bec have been working on some trick horse with Buddy, and today was an exceptional day for him. He laid down with little to no hesitation, and hardly batted an eye as Jennifer rode Cisco bridle less around him. Bec has been an amazing attribute to the team this summer, and we are all sorry to see her go in August, she will be sorely missed.
Overall, today was a success. The team really gelled together and got some work done, helped each other with tricks, and in the end pitched in to feed, water and care for our guys. Also, our life lessons can be used not only in the saddle, but outside of the ring. Coming prepared, well informed and with a purpose to any interview will always be emblazoned in our minds, thanks to the tutelage of Riata Ranch.
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