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Spring Creek Basin Mustangs ~ TJ Holmes

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Spring Creek Basin Mustangs with TJ Holmes

Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Cinch leads Corazon and Twister along a bench east of the county road in Spring Creek Basin on Oct. 20, 2007.

TJ Holmes has been visiting the Spring Creek Basin Mustangs since 2002.  In 2007, she began documenting the herd.  She is essentially the herd’s historian.  She keeps track of births, deaths, band structure and so much more.  If something happens in the Spring Creek Basin Mustang herd, TJ Holmes has probably documented it.

Working as a volunteer for the BLM, TJ Holmes acts as an advocate for the Spring Creek Basin Mustangs.  Because she knows the horses so well and on an individual basis, she is an integral part of the herd management.  TJ implements the herd’s PZP program on the Spring Creek Basin Mustangs.  PZP is a birth control protocol that has kept the Mustang levels at a manageable level. Much of the PZP methods used on Mustangs was taught to TJ by her mentor, Jay Kirkpatrick of the Science and Conservation Center.

Wild Horse Organizations and Resources

Friends of the Mustangs

Mustang Heritage Foundation

Horses of the Little Book Cliffs

Become a BLM Volunteer

TJ Holmes Photography

As an accomplished photographer, TJ chronicles the progress of the Spring Creek Basin mustangs on her blog, SpringCreekBasinMustangs.

Best Horse Practices Summit

Horse SummitRanae and I are headed to Durango in October for the Best Horse Practices Summit.  This intimate horse expo brings together experts from all aspects of horse behavior and is sure to add to our horse knowledge.  The BHP Summit is limiting attendance to 200 people ensuring everyone gets the focus and attention they need.  We are looking to take away valuable horsemanship tools from the Summit and hope to meet you there.  You can register here.

 

Tell Us Your Problems

Have a problem with your horse?  Do you have a favorite trainer you would like to hear from?  Send us your question and the name of your favorite trainer and we’ll see if we can contact them and get you an answer.  Email John@whoapodcast.com or call on our message line (661) 368-5530 (toll charges may apply).

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Get Free Helpful Horse Tips

There is a “Join Our Email” list at the top of this page.  Signup.  Occasionally, I’ll send you something useful you can use to build a better relationship with your horse. Thanks!

Contact Us

We have well over 100 episodes up now and you can find them all for free on iTunes, with our Android App in the Amazon store, and now Stitcher, or wherever podcasts are distributed.  Get the Stitcher app and tell us how it works.  We are on Google Play too!  You can also find every episode and more about the show at whoapodcast.com.  Please take a moment and join our email list. Get in on the conversation with Facebook and Twitter and Instagram– just look for WhoaPodcast.

You are a big part of why we do this podcast.  We really love getting your feedback.  Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show.  You can email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #116

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Sacramento Wild Horse Program with Joe Misner

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Joe MisnerSacramento Wild Horse Program with Joe Misner

Joe Misner has competed in 13 Extreme Mustang Makeovers.  He placed in the top ten in 9 of those competitions.  And, Joe Misner loves teaching what he has learned about wild horses.  Joe is dedicated to helping America’s wild horses and prisoners looking to change the path of their life.

Joe Misner is the manager of the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center Wild Horse Program.  He has developed a horsemanship program for inmates of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department.  The prisoners learn to train wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management.  The horses are auctioned off and the proceeds go to the Mustang Heritage Foundation.  It’s a win-win situation for both the inmates, wild mustangs, and Joe Misner.

The Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center’s next adoption sale is October 14 at 9 am.  Find out all the information at Friends of R3C dot com.

Best Horse Practices Summit

Horse SummitRanae and I are headed to Durango in October for the Best Horse Practices Summit.  This intimate horse expo brings together experts from all aspects of horse behavior and is sure to add to our horse knowledge.  The BHP Summit is limiting attendance to 200 people ensuring everyone gets the focus and attention they need.  We are looking to take away valuable horsemanship tools from the Summit and hope to meet you there.  You can register here.

Tell Us Your Problems

Have a problem with your horse?  Do you have a favorite trainer you would like to hear from?  Send us your question and the name of your favorite trainer and we’ll see if we can contact them and get you an answer.  Email John@whoapodcast.com or call on our message line (661) 368-5530 (toll charges may apply).

Become a Patron!

Get Free Helpful Horse Tips

There is a “Join Our Email” list at the top of this page.  Signup.  Occasionally, I’ll send you something useful you can use to build a better relationship with your horse. Thanks!

Contact Us

We have well over 100 episodes up now and you can find them all for free on iTunes, with our Android App in the Amazon store, and now Stitcher, or wherever podcasts are distributed.  Get the Stitcher app and tell us how it works.  We are on Google Play too!  You can also find every episode and more about the show at whoapodcast.com.  Please take a moment and join our email list. Get in on the conversation with Facebook and Twitter and Instagram– just look for WhoaPodcast.

You are a big part of why we do this podcast.  We really love getting your feedback.  Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show.  You can email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #114

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Tom Hagwood More Than Mustang Millionaire

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Tom Hagwood More Than Mustang Millionaire

Tom HagwoodMost people know Tom Hagwood because he won three straight events in Fort Worth including the Mustang Million.  But, what many people may not know about Tom is how he came to his first BLM mustang.  It was out of necessity.  It was 2008 and the economy was in the dump.  People weren’t paying to have their horses trained.  Tom Hagwood needed to work, but didn’t have a horse.  He picked up a little mustang from the BLM.  After thirteen rides, he put the horse to work.  

The horse not only impressed Tom, but he impressed others as well.  When one of Tom’s friends suggested he enter a mustang competition, Tom scoffed.  But friends convinced him he was good enough to make some money at it and Tom gave it a try.  In a classic story of rags to riches, Tom Hagwood won the Mustang Million on a horse named Merv.

I caught up with Tom at his ranch in Powell, Wyoming with his wife Arianne, and daughter Tommi Jean.  We talked about the secrets to winning a mustang competition, horsemanship, and life in general.  He also tells me how to perfect his signature turnaround.

Links Mentioned on This Episode

Tom Hagwood Facebook Page

Tom Hagwood on YouTube

Get Free Helpful Horse Tips

There is a “Join Our Email” list at the top of this page.  Signup.  Each week I’ll send you something useful you can use to build a better relationship with your horse. Thanks!

Contact Us

We have well over 100 episodes up now and you can find them all for free on iTunes, with our Android App in the Amazon store, and now Stitcher, or wherever podcasts are distributed.  Get the Stitcher app and tell us how it works.  We are on Google Play too!  You can also find every episode and more about the show at whoapodcast.com.  Please take a moment and join our email list. Get in on the conversation with Facebook and Twitter – just look for WhoaPodcast.

You are a big part of why we do this podcast.  We really love getting your feedback.  Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show.  You can email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Become a Patron!

Episode #92

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Routine Groundwork Session

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Groundwork

A lot of people have asked about groundwork.  What do we do?  How long do you work? Does it get boring?

All good questions.  I use groundwork to build my relationship with Scratch.  Being able to move him around on the ground builds respect. Groundwork also gives me confidence in a couple of ways.  First, I get to see how he moves.  Watching him move from the ground helps me see how he’s going to move under saddle.  Secondly, it’s a way of determining if he is paying attention.  Having him move off of my cues shows me he is paying attention.

The most difficult part of groundwork is deciding what to work on and in what order.  I try to place a few exercises that Scratch knows well at the beginning of the session.  Yielding the hindquarters and flexing work well for this.  These exercises are easy for him to do, he does them well, and he gets a reward (a kind word and a pet).  Then, I put in an exercise he knows but doesn’t like to do.  Backing up fits this category.  Scratch knows the backup, but it is a little more work and he can sometimes be resentful.  For an exercise of this type I try to get Scratch to do it off of a light cue and at the very first sign, I end the exercise.  So, if he backs up without resistance on the very first try, we are done with backing for the day.

groundworkOnce we’ve warmed up, I like to work on lunging.  Most of the time it is at the end of a lunge line.  What I work on here are transitions.   Getting Scratch to move from trot to walk, then walk to trot just off of my body language was a goal of one recent groundwork session.  Using my posture, upright with shoulders back to trot, relaxed and shoulders slumped for walk, Scratch was able to follow my cues.

Boredom

Usually, our sessions last no more than 30 minutes unless Scratch needs a little conditioning.  I try to vary the exercises enough so he doesn’t know what next.  And, I add a new exercise somewhere in the middle of the session to stimulate his brain.  The final exercise is something he does well and likes doing. For Scratch, that’s standing still while I swing the stick & string.  Scratch loves to stand still and watch me work for a change.

Have fun with your groundwork sessions!

The Life of Mustang Man Bobby Kerr

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Bobby Kerr, The Mustang Man

bobby kerr

We have a good story for you today.  Bobby Kerr, the Mustang Man lives his life.  Bobby came to town for the Tehachapi Mountain Rodeo, a PRCA event.  Since Bobby works with mustangs and has started many horses.  I’ve started one, my wild Oak Creek horse, Scratch.  My friend and rodeo announcer Dal Bunn knows I’m always looking to learn more and he invited Scratch and me to meet Bobby at the rodeo grounds.  I rode with Bobby in the morning.  He has smooth hands and works his horses with apparent ease.  Bobby was generous with his time and even rode Scratch.  He complimented us on the work we had done, then gave me some pointers to help us get better.

Performing over 100 times a year, Bobby travels across the country entertaining rodeo fans everywhere.  His act includes both dogs and horses, along with the props for his show.   I sat down with Bobby and talked about his journey through horsemanship.

From his first experience with the 4 B Wild West Show, how he ran away at age fourteen, and then how his friend and bit maker, Jeff Payne got him interested in the Mustang Makeover, Bobby Kerr tells the story of his life with horses.

Bobby Kerr makes horsemanship look easy.  His horses glide and go wherever he asks.  Listening to Bobby tell his story led me to believe there is no secret to his magic.  He wanted to be a cowboy and ride a horse since he was twelve.  A cowboy gets the job done, some way, some how, often with little money and a lot of imagination and ingenuity.  It’s fitting that he is now linked to the American Mustang.  The two have survived the harsh environment of the west by making magic together.

About Us

Welcome to the Whoa Podcast about Horses and Horsemanship.   I am your host  John Harrer.  Each week on the show we talk about some aspect of owning a horse.  From feeding or supplementation to bits and bridles, tack, or cowboy boots, we cover training problems, or competing in shows.  We talk about the Western/ Cowboy lifestyle in movies, books and magazine articles.  And, we travel to places we think you would like to take your horse.   That’s what the Whoa Podcast is all about.

Contact Us

We have well over 100 episodes up now and you can find them all for free on iTunes, with our Android App in the Amazon store, and now Stitcher, or wherever podcasts are distributed.  Get the Stitcher app and let us know how it works.  It’s Free.  We are on Google Play too!  You can also find every episode and more about the show at whoapodcast.com.  Please take a moment and join our email list. Get in on the conversation with Facebook and Twitter – just look for WhoaPodcast.

You are a big part of why we do this podcast.  We really love getting your feedback.  Please let us know your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for the show.  You can email us at: John@WhoaPodcast.com

I blog at TrainingJessie.blogspot.com  and if you want to know even more – and I can’t imagine why – it’s all at JohnHarrer.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #79

 

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