28


You wanna do Ranch Riding? Ranch Riding Trainer Johnny Flores shares insight


by johnny flores H


ere are some key things to know so you can be successful in the fast- est-growing sport in the Western


industry! In this column in California Horsetrader


magazine, we’ll be going over “showing. The article continues in its entirety on horse- trader.com where we continue in more detail.


Frame and Movement Ranch Horse associations all have their


own mission statements, but the guiding force is a desire to preserve the natural movement and working ability of true ranch horses. Judges don’t want to see pleasure ponies with two-inch strides or dressage horses with unreal impulsion. Judges want to see a horse who can work comfortably and effectively over a long period of time in a wide variety of terrain and jobs.


Frame Usually, because Ranch Horse is an American sport, the ideal horse and frame is that of a Quarter Horse. A good rule of thumb is keep the head at or above the with- ers within three inches or so. Anything high- er tends to be on the high-headed side of things which can be tricky to deal with and to show effectively. Anything lower will start to resemble a reiner, which is an easy way to get writen off the scorecards. These horses need to be on a ranch — troting around for hours at a time, working catle, and roping in between. If their head is in the air they’ll hollow their back, get sore, and miss their cow. If their head is too low, their face will be yanked into the ground when they go to rope a stubborn cow. Ranch Horse seeks a realistic, natural headset that can handle all these jobs relatively well — and that’s at, or slightly above, the withers.


Consistency Ranch Horse is big on transitions, and


showing the horse as an effective means of transportation to, from, and through jobs. In these maneuvers, a consistent frame is a wonderful thing to show off for the judges. If


your horse is stunning at the walk and trot but lopes like a super-caffeinated llama, that is not good. If they can carry a nice, natural frame for the whole run, rarely picking up their head besides naturally elevating shoul- ders, then the judge will be giving beter scores.


This consistency also translates to how


the horse pays atention to the cues and demonstrates their soſtness. When pulled, the Ranch Horse should give with his nose. If the horse is pulled and backs up with a soſt body but a stiff jaw, he is not earning as much credit on the scorecard as the horse who willingly gives his head and backs up slightly slower. Ranch Horse judging focuses on the horse, not the rider — use this to your advantage and set up your horse for success!


Realism Everything done in the Ranch Riding or


Trail course should be done in a way that the horse could easily do 30 times a day without geting hurt. Spins should be done swiſtly and calmly, but engaged enough to get the job done in a timely manner. Stops are always done at most from a lope, never a rundown like reining. Long slides are not as well-liked as a short, engaged stop. Back-ups should be fast, but the horse is not rewarded if he scrambles his feet. There is a difference between haste and speed. Transitions are not opportunities to cut up the dirt; they are transitions between the gaits — understand that! A judge will reward a calm, easy — but quick — transition from one gait to the next. A judge will not reward the transition that kicks up a cloud with the horse’s but puck- ering at the rider’s vocal cue. On a real ranch, with there is a wide variety of ground quality (all subpar to that of an arena) that horse would be lame on Day 1.


Show & Dress Even though Ranch Horse is a realistic


sport that aims to keep true to tradition, its still a show. Good equitation, though not important on paper, will help immensely in the cueing and showing of the horse. A judge


is not immune to seeing something they think is prety, and good equitation always looks prety. Nobody likes to see a monkey on a donkey.


When selecting tack, stay away from over-


ly showy tack. Silver in the case of a spade bit or some conchos on the saddle is fine, but do not adorn the horse. Ranch Horse does not look kindly on saddles with silver on the skirt or pommel. Good leather tooling and braidwork is what you “show off” — not silver and gold. Dress and ride in accordance with tradi- tionally “western” norms. Do not try to ride with cartoonish batwing chaps looking like a looney toons drawing or a humongous char- ro hat. Ranch Horse celebrates the different cowboys in America, but a good western hat with a five-inch or shorter brim, and shotgun chaps or armitas/chinks, are just fine. Furthermore, understand your body type and what may need slimming. What is “handsome” or “sexy” to show off, and how does the legwear fit you? Generally, armitas and shotgun chaps look great on men while chinks look great on women. Know how best to dress and how best to get the horse ready. Judges are human. so they are not


immune to liking a good picture. Dress and tack up the horse in a way that is pleasant to look at as a whole.


–Johnny


P.S. — I hope you enjoy this column in the magazine. On Horsetrader.com, you will find additional details on showing, preparation, and some general “good advice” I have to offer!





Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36