The Whoa Podcast

About Horses and Horsemanship

Listen to the Podcast NOW

Support the Show. Become a Patron!

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • My Favorite Podcasts – Audio Only
  • Every Podcast
  • YouTube Videos
  • Support the Whoa Podcast
  • Horse Tips
Home » competing

Joanne Galbraith Telling Horse Stories at 82

February 23, 2021 by John Leave a Comment

Horse Stories with Joanne Galbraith

Joanne GalbraithJoanne Galbraith is still going strong at age 82. Of course, you would guess that’s she has been around horses all her life. She worked at feedlots and ranches and held her own with men. She passed along a love of horses to her kids. And she loves competing. Joanne rides in Gymkana events on her good horse, Ricky.

I first met Joanne several years ago when I was looking for a horse. While I didn’t purchase a horse from her, I could tell she had a trained eye for horseflesh. Her End of the Road Ranch hosted an Obstacle/Trail Trial Playdays. When I need an arena to train my mustang, Scratch, Joanne offered hers. There I met her husband, Dale, an excellent horseman and an even better storyteller. On a couple of visits, Dale told me stories of working on ranches as a young boy after his parents died in a house fire. Sadly, I never got to interview Dale for the podcast.

Return to End of The Road

Last year I competed in several Ranch Riding shows at the End of the Road Ranch and rekindled my friendship with Joanne Galbraith. Her energy is endless. Her enthusiasm for horses and competing never fades. She possesses a lifetime of stories working in the horse industry, and I wanted to record a few. Joanne sat down with Ranae and me on a picnic table on the edge of the ranch’s trail course.

Joanne Galbraith Trailer Sales and Horse Hotel

Equipped with several covered stalls, Joanne’s ranch is a pleasant spot for overnight travelers. It’s out in the country enough to be quiet, but close enough to the two major highways through town. Joanne also handles horse trailer sales and can help you find the perfect trailer for your needs.

Google info on Galbraith Trailers and Horse Hotel

Galbraith Trailers on Facebook

 

Join Us on this Journey

We want you to be a part of the show. Tell us about your horse. Share your challenges, triumphs, or just everyday items that make horse ownership unique. Create an audio file using the memo app on your phone. Or contact me and we’ll set up a time to talk by Skype or phone. Perhaps what you have to share can help someone in THEIR horse journey.

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

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #182

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

Checkout My John Harrer & Horses YouTube Channel

https://chtbl.com/track/F6B1G5/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/duhpodcast/EP_182_Joanne_Galbraith_Podcast.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: competing, Entertainment, Fun Stuff, horseback riding, Horsemanship, Inspiration

We’re Taking a COVID Hiatus

May 12, 2020 by John Leave a Comment

We’re Taking a COVID Hiatus

COVID HiatusHi everyone.  I hope you are doing well.  This COVID pandemic has really turned everyone’s world upside down.  Somehow, I think horse people take these things a little better.  When you sit on a 1,000 lb animal, sometimes things go wrong.  It’s you and the horse and you learn to deal with them.  We get manure under our fingernails and horse slobber on our shirts.  We clean water troughs brimming with algae.  We know the smell of Numotizine, Furacin, and that purple stuff you spray on cuts and wounds.  We hear the COVID is tough.  I sure wouldn’t want to mess with it, but I’m still thinking my immune system is ready.

It’s been challenging getting guests booked during the last two months.  I’ve produced podcasts through it all so far, but now I need to take a little COVID Hiatus.  I have commitments from two really cool people in the horse industry.  I hope to get those interviews done, edited and posted.  I just don’t know when.  If you want to keep in touch, hit the subscribe button wherever you get our show.  They will notify you when I release a new episode.

I hope to produce shows when I find a good topic and a cooperative guest.  Meanwhile, all 200+ episodes are right here for you to enjoy.  I hope you have a listen.  If you have an idea for a show or just want to say “HI”, email John@whoapodcast.com.  Thanks for all your support.

 

Check out the Shoulder Relief Cinch    Total Saddle Fit

Join Us on this Journey

We want you to be a part of the show.  Tell us about your horse.  Share your challenges, triumphs, or just everyday items that make horse ownership unique.  Create an audio file using the memo app on your phone.  Or contact me and we’ll set up a time to talk by Skype or phone.  Perhaps what you have to share can help someone in THEIR horse journey.

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.  Email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #170

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/duhpodcast/solo_mixdown.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: competing, Fun Stuff, Whoa Podcast 2.0

Setting Goals for 2020

January 21, 2020 by John Leave a Comment

Setting Goals for 2020

goalsHere it is 2020 and since it’s January, let’s talk about goals. As I look over the outline of what I want to talk about, it sounds like I’m complaining. That’s the thing with goals. There are stumbling blocks one has to get over completing them. I’m simply letting you know what mine were.  Now I wasn’t going to even set horsemanship goals this year.  had set no horsemanship goals until I got an email from a listener, “Hey John, what projects are you working on?”

And it really got me thinking about what I wanted to do with the horses this year.

Over the course of my horse ownership years, I have competed little in the show ring. If you’ve listened awhile you know this, but if you’re new to the show, it’s important you know I didn’t grow up around horses, I came to them in my 50s.

The reason I haven’t competed with horses is #1 because it’s expensive. I think if you grow up around horses you get used to their cost over the years. It becomes another expense. When you get your first horse at 51, and you have to build the pens, get the feed, the supplements, the tack, the vet bills, and all the other minutiae that goes along with it at once, it’s a bit intimidating. Then, I spent the first couple of years learning about horsemanship, and how to ride, and competing wasn’t in the picture because I wasn’t competent to compete in anything.

Then, we – that’s Ranae and I – got a little bolder and tried a trail trial, then a trail class. Those weren’t bad. We looked into some other show stuff Working Equitation, Reining, cow work and three things popped up. The cost of entry was higher. The level of performance was higher. And the rule books were thicker. Me and rulebooks don’t get along. They make my hair hurt. My eyes glaze over, my memory takes a hike, I get lost.

We began doing ETI trail Trials a few years back. One, they are relatively inexpensive. Two, they occur over the course of a 1-2 hour trail ride so we ride along for a quarter of a mile, do an obstacle, then ride along for another ¼ mile. And three, the rules are simple. Yeah, I blew some points for not knowing to call out cinch check before going up or down a hill, but you learn those things quickly and they get easier.

Okay. Goals for this year. The last two years at a Mule and Horse Show, I competed in the Ranch Riding classes with my mustang Scratch at a show in Tehachapi. I did it mainly because Scratch was born in the Tehachapi mountains and roam the area as a wild horse for 9 years and the show invited us to take part. In the show ring, Scratch loses all sense of speed control and direction. He gets a little amped up with the other horses around, and we lose our connection.

Goals Change The Older One Gets

At this stage in my life with horses, competing isn’t about the placement. I need to measure how I’m doing with Scratch. Am I helping him? Can he do this? Not every horse can. What do I have to do to help him feel comfortable? I know he can live out his life just riding along the trail, and maybe it’s hubris but I think he can be better. He’s a tough little horse who is smart, and I’d like to see if I am the person who can develop that toughness and smartness. And, along the way, I learn more about horses and horsemanship and that’s gotta be a good thing.

So what are your goals? What do you plan to do with your horse this year? I remember one year, early on in my horsemanship, I logged all the time I spent in the saddle. I had a GPS wrist watch and an Excel spreadsheet and wanted to reach 150 hours that year. Just having that goal, got me up early to spend time on my horse. It’s those little things that can keep you motivated. Set some goals.

And, I have goals for the podcast too.  I’ve reached out to Backcountry Horsemen and ETI.  I hope Ken McKnabb will come on to talk about laying down a horse. I’ve always wondered about this and recently noticed Ken has a video on it. I’m trying to get some experts in horse transportation on the show to talk about getting your horse from one place to another. Trainer TJ Clibborn has verbally committed to come on and talk about training mustangs and his life as a trainer.  One other guest I am hoping to have on the show is Arien Aguilar, who is an extraordinary trainer with some unique ideas and methods. And, I would love to find some stories to illustrate sonically like the episode I did last year on Comanche.

Join Us on this Journey

We want you to be a part of the show.  Tell us about your horse.  Share your challenges, triumphs, or just everyday items that make horse ownership unique.  Create an audio file using the memo app on your phone.  Or, contact me and we’ll set up a time to talk by Skype or phone.  Perhaps what you have to share can help someone in THEIR horse journey.

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.  Email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #162

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

 

http://traffic.libsyn.com/duhpodcast/Ep_162_Goals_for_2020_podcast.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: competing, Education, Entertainment, Fun Stuff, Inspiration, Training

Teach Judge Compete with Your Horse

November 12, 2019 by John Leave a Comment

Teach Judge Compete with Your Horse

teach It’s been an interesting couple of months for me.  In 8 weeks I’ve taught some horse owners basic horsemanship, competed in a trail trial, and then judged others competing.

As I went through this unplanned process, I got to see the three phases of competing from several points of view.  There are three components in competition (without a cow), there’s you the rider, the horse, and the judge. To score well, you all have to be in sync.

Our local stable was holding a Halloween arena trail trial.  They would like to see their boarders become more involved with their horses.  Naturally, if the horse owners work and build a better connection with their horses, they’ll enjoy them more, and the result, they will be happier customers for the stables.  It’s interesting and a little sad, how many people who have horses at stables, that lose interest in them.

Anyway, they asked for my help with the trail trial – which it thrilled me to do – and as part of this program, stable management had set up an afternoon of easy horsemanship training class for the people who board their horses.  We were to teach some basic ground maneuvers – side-passing, backup, sending – so the owners could take part in the in-hand portion of the trail trial.

A dozen people showed up with their horses and with three instructors, we broke them up into groups of four.  I was teaching the sending exercise, and we went through the process. There are a lot of ways to teach horses to do different things and I will not go into my technique here.  The fascinating part is how the owners interact with their horse. While there were some very good horsemen out there, there were also quite a variety of techniques. Some people were constantly talking to their horse.  Some were a little timid in how they directed their horse. Some asked their horse to move forward while they stood in front of the horse. It got me to thinking about how I interact with my horses.

It’s hard to remember where I started from.  I think in the beginning I was a little too demanding of my horse.  I wanted to establish dominance and get that horse to do what I wanted.  I hope this has slowly evolved into more of a partnership. One where I can get the horse to think it was his idea to do this and I can get out of his way and let him do it.  I want my horse to be responsible for his own feet and I also want him to know it’s his responsibility to take care of me while I’m in the saddle. I steer him into only places I know are safe and won’t tolerate and bucking, kicking up or spooking.  I don’t talk too much to my horse j- usually two or three-word phrases in a soothing tone. I’m under the impression that the less I say the more he’ll listen when I do say something. Unless it’s singing along with the songs on my iPod while riding, which I never do…. kinda. 

teachTwo weeks after this training session, Ranae and I headed south for an ETI trail trial at Hansen Dam in southern California.  We love these trail trials because they aren’t very expensive; they are usually a good 2-3 hour trail ride through some very fun and interesting trails, and the people are fun to be around.  We realize it’s less about where we place in the group and more about how we compare it to our past rides. Scratch usually starts off a little on the muscle walking fast and on alert even though we got there early to have an extended warm-up in the arena.  Dusty has some issues crossing a tarp or bridge right off the bat. He eventually does it, it the discussion that precedes that costs him points. Having Ranae along is a wonderful asset. We talk about our respective problems and what might work best. Scratch doesn’t want to stand still while waiting his turn for an obstacle, so in between two obstacles that were about half a mile apart we stopped and “simulated” an obstacle.  When he moved from our imaginary staging area, I worked him then asked him to stand quietly. Two or three repetitions and he understood. Ranae worked on keeping her eyes up and across the bridge instead of looking down at Dusty and he improved. It was a beautiful day for a ride in Southern California. Thankfully this was before the fires in late October. BTW, I’ve been wanting to do a story on some of those horses and owners, but I’m not sure how to approach it.  We did a show on emergency preparedness, but I’m certain nothing compares to fear and panic many of those people experienced. I love to tell their story without feeling like I’m intruding on their tragedy. If you have ideas, I’d love to hear them.

So anyway, the third part of the trilogy was acting as a scribe and judge for the Halloween trail trial at the stables.  We attended two judges meetings and learned the criteria. Then I scribed for Ranae. She judged the first half of the in-hand course.  Next, I judged the first five obstacles of the Novice/Youth division, and finally, scribed for another judge in the Open division. 

As judges, we all saw things a bit differently.  When I was the scribe, I pretended to score the contestant, then compare my score with the judges.  It was interesting to see the differences. But the revelation was how much difference the judging can make.  The more one competes, the more important it is to know how severely your judge will score. What do they like to see?  What small detail will they ding you for? As this was a fun show, they gave us a certain criterion. But, if there was money or a buckle on the line, I’m sure the judging would have been a bit stiffer.

Have they have asked you to judge an event?  Did you like it? I love to hear how you felt about judging?

The important thing I learned from these three situations is that I got to see how other horses and their owners reacted.  It taught me a little more about horsemanship. Trying to help people learn how to do a basic maneuver forced me to look back on how I taught my horse something I now take for granted.  Learning to be a judge even at an informal event gave me a little empathy for judges at other types of competitions. It was all about gaining a little more knowledge about horses and horsemanship.

Join Us on this Journey

We want you to be a part of the show.  Tell us about your horse.  Share your challenges, triumphs, or just everyday items that make horse ownership unique.  Create an audio file using the memo app on your phone.  Or, contact me and we’ll set up a time to talk by Skype or phone.  Perhaps what you have to share can help someone in THEIR horse journey.

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.  Email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #159

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

 

 

http://traffic.libsyn.com/duhpodcast/Ep_159_Teach_compete_judge.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: competing, Education, Fun Stuff, horse, Horsemanship, Inspiration, Training

Horse Show Preparation – An Amateurs View

August 20, 2019 by John Leave a Comment

Horse Show Preparation

horse showWhat does it take to prepare for a horse show?  We’re not sure.  We’re amateurs at this.  But, what we can tell you is how we prepared for our horse show.

Ranae and I work together.  We each have our strengths.  Ranae is better at seeing my mistakes while riding.  She helps me with posture, where my hands are, and keeps me looking good while in the saddle.  I’m good at helping her with the cues she gives Dusty.  If she is clear and decisive with him, he works much better for her.  We have an agreement that whatever we say to each other while practicing stays out on the trail.

Some people are great at horse shows.  They read the rule book, talk to the judges, check their scorecard after every appearance.  I wish sometimes I were more like that.  Reading the rulebook is like reading a software license – it makes my hair hurt.  Judges intimidate me.  And, I always forget to go back and check my scorecard.

Horse Shows Are A Good way to Meet Friends

But, going to horse shows is a good way to meet friends and share good places to take our horses that don’t require filling out a horse show entry.  Are you a horse show person?  Do you like to compete?  If you have any tips or tricks, share them on the show.  I bet there are people out there that would love to hear your story.

Join Us on this Journey

We want you to be a part of the show.  Tell us about your horse.  Share your challenges, triumphs, or just everyday items that make horse ownership unique.  Create an audio file using the memo app on your phone.  Or, contact me and we’ll set up a time to talk by Skype or phone.  Perhaps what you have to share can help someone in THEIR horse journey.

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.  Email us at John@WhoaPodcast.com

Thanks for listening,

John & Ranae

Episode #153

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/duhpodcast/Ep_153_Horse_Show_prep.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: competing, horse, horseback riding, Horsemanship, Inspiration, Training

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 8
  • Next Page »

Search

Subscribe to the Whoa Podcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen On Google Music

Click To Amazon and Support Us!

Check out My YouTube

John Harrer & Horses Whoa Podcast Jana Goode
 

Tell Us About Your Horse

Email Us ~ John@WhoaPodcast.com

Our Occasional Newsletter

Stay in touch!
* = required field

powered by MailChimp!

Artwork For The Whoa Podcast Provided By Jana Goode
Whoa Podcast Jana Goode
 

This Week’s Featured Podcast

Joanne Galbraith

Joanne Galbraith Telling Horse Stories at 82

Horse Stories with Joanne Galbraith Joanne Galbraith is still going strong at age 82. Of course, you would guess that's she has been around horses all her life. She worked at feedlots and ranches and held her own with men. She passed along a love of horses to her kids. And she loves competing. Joanne rides in Gymkana events on her good horse, Ricky. I first met Joanne several years ago when I was looking for a horse. While I didn't … [Read More...]

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in