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 » Entertainment » Page 2

Ride Your Horse on Planet Vasquez Rocks

July 31, 2020 by John Leave a Comment

Vasquez Rocks ~ Ride Your Horse On Another Planet 

Vasquez RocksTucked away in the little city of Agua Dulce, just off the 14 freeway in Southern California, are Vasquez Rocks.  Vasquez Rocks got its name from the bandit Tiburcio Vasquez.  Some have characterized Vasquez as a Robin Hood, while others have made him out as a womanizer.  Most agree he lived outside the law.  When he allegedly killed some men near Hollister, California, his gang rode to Southern Cal to escape capture.  For a time he hid in the area that now bears his name.  He eluded capture by using the rock formations and caves to hide.

In the 1930’s, a movie director suggested Vasquez Rocks as a shooting location for Tibet.  This was the beginning of a new relationship with Hollywood.  Og course it was a favorite setting for Westerns.  The Texas Ranger (1931) and the Gambler (1939) used the rocky back drop to simulate the Old West.

When television arrived, Vasquez Rocks’ popularity grew.  The Lone Ranger, Cheyenne, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Big Valley, The Wild Wild West, and Hondo used the rocks at least once.

In 1967, Vasquez Rocks got its big break in Hollywood.  The crew of the Enterprise landed right in its backyard.  It was used to fight the Gorns.  They also used the rocks in the movie production of Star Trek IV as the planet Vulcan.

Our Ride to Vasquez Rocks

It has shortened the park hours because of COVID.  But, because the Pacific Crest Trail runs through the park, you can get in through those entrances.  There’s parking on Escondido Canyon Road.  They charge no admission to get into the park.

Pertinent Information

Vasquez Rocks Website

10700 West Escondido Canyon Road
Agua Dulce, CA 9139

Park Telephone: (661) 268-0840

If you go in the summer, it can get warm so leave early.  It wouldn’t hurt to take water and a light snack.  There are some trail maps to follow.  For most of our ride you could often see the 14 Fwy. on one side or the houses on the other.  It really helped with orientation.  The terrain can be rock in places.  If your horse has tender feet, I would suggest boots.

Enjoy!

Join me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whoa_podcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Whoapodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhoaPodcast/

Website: https://WhoaPodcast.com

My Non-horse YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3fziIJV

Listen to the Whoa Podcast about Horses: https://apple.co/3hDDA4J

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

Filed Under: The Podcast, YouTube Tagged With: adventure, Entertainment, Fun Stuff, horseback riding, Inspiration, trail riding, video

Hansen Dam Group Ride ~ VIDEO

July 24, 2020 by John Leave a Comment

Hansen DamWorking on my Video Channel

I’ve had a YouTube Channel for 12 years now.  Back in 2008, I began shooting experiences with my mare Jessie.  The very first video was of us working cows.  A lesson my wife bought us for my birthday.

Through the years, I’ve chronicled many of our rides and adventures.  Video editing software was difficult to use back then.  I wasn’t very good at either shooting or editing.  Over the last two years, I’ve studied video editing and production.  I’ll admit, it’s still scary in front of the camera.  But I have a desire to share our knowledge and experiences, and this is the best way.

My goal is to shoot quality videos of trail rides, travel, horse training, and things-you-should-know.  As difficult as it is to be behind the camera and on top of a horse, I’m trying it.  I hope you’ll subscribe to my channel and offer feedback and suggestions.

Hansen Dam Trail Ride

Several years ago we did an ETI Trail Trial at Hansen Dam Recreational Area in Lakeview Terrace, California.  It was my first experience with an ETI trial and we had a lot of fun.  Hansen Dam is easy to get to.  Just off the 210 Freeway near Sylmar, there is ample parking for a group of trailers.

Gabrielino Equestrian Park is located there.  A warm-up arena with good footing is next to the parking lot.

Different sections of the area offer different trail rides.  In one section there is thick growth with many creek crossings.  In other areas there is rocky, almost desert -like terrain.  Our ride took us through both areas.  We had an experienced guide, but if you’re good with directions, it would be difficult to get lost.  The 210 freeway is visible from almost anywhere, and we use it as a landmark.

On one of our trail rides there, we rode under the freeway, up Little Tujunga Canyon, to a food truck is in the middle of a nursery.  It’s called the Hideaway Cafe Food Truck.  It serves good Mexican food and there is a place to tie up your horse.

Join me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whoa_podcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Whoapodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhoaPodcast/

Website: https://WhoaPodcast.com

My Non-horse YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3fziIJV

Listen to the Whoa Podcast about Horses: https://apple.co/3hDDA4J

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

 

Filed Under: The Podcast, YouTube Tagged With: adventure, Entertainment, Fun Stuff, horseback riding, Inspiration, trail riding, Travel, video

Yoga for Equestrians with Gabrielle Diakon

July 21, 2020 by John Leave a Comment

Yoga for Equestrians

yoga for equestriansI had been practicing yoga for about 5 years when I got my first horse at age 51.  The year was 2005.  My goal was to ride a lot and, although I considered myself fit, my body was feeling the aches and pains of daily horseback riding.  Changing my yoga routine to compensate for the muscles I was using as an equestrian really helped me get through the initial period of intense riding.

Yoga helped so much, I tried talking my yoga instructor into letting me develop a class specific to equestrians. She wasn’t into horses, and I didn’t know enough people with horses to inspire a special class.  My plans for a “Yoga for Equestrians” class fizzled out.  Recently I brought up in casual conversation among my horse friends that I was once a yoga instructor.   Then they asked if I would be interested in teaching a class.  That got me to thinking about yoga again.  

While I’m too busy to add a yoga class to my plate, I found a qualified horsewoman who has developed a “Yoga for Equestrians” program.  Gabrielle Diakon is a yoga instructor with a passion for horses.  Gabrielle has constructed yoga workout videos especially designed for those of us who ride.  Now, in these times of COVID quarantines, yoga online seems the perfect solution.

Discover Yoga for Equestrians

Check out Gabrielle’s website and Facebook page below to learn more.

GMD Training Website

Facebook

Instagram: GMDTraining

 

 

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 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 #173

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/duhpodcast/Ep_173_Yoga_for_Equestrians_with_Gabrielle_Diakonmp3.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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

TJ Clibborn Horseman, Trainer

February 4, 2020 by John 1 Comment

TJ Clibborn Horseman, All-Around Trainer, Mustang Makeover Competitor

TJ ClibbornI received an email from listener Mercedes Tucker who told me how much TJ Clibborn helped her with her mustang Bud.  She said he was a good guy, knew his stuff, and thought he would make a great guest. She was right.

TJ Clibborn has been working with horses for 40 years.  He lives in Wisconsin and operating his business called A True Partnership.  In 2009, he teamed up with the Mustang Heritage Foundation and since then has competed in 15 Extreme Mustang Makeover training challenges. He has trained 13 top ten finalists, one reserve champion and one grand champion. He has also trained champions in disciplines of jumping, cutting and western pleasure.

I caught up with TJ right after he finished with his horses on a snowy morning at his ranch in Deerfield.  Sometimes you can get a feel for a trainer by how easy and comfortable they are to talk to. TJ is one of those people generous with both his time and his knowledge.

We cover a Wide Variety of Topics

With four decades of experience, TJ Clibborn, can talk on any horse topic.  We cover the Jeffrey Method, a style of horse training from Australia.  TJ saw Kel Jeffrey gentle a horse when he was a boy and knew he wanted to train horses.

Most trainers will tell you they learn the most from their most difficult horses.  So, I asked TJ about his.  He went on at length describing the horse, his problems and things he would do different.  Then, we talk about trail trials and  training.  Lastly, TJ offers a bit of advice for our listeners.

Links For TJ Clibborn

TJ’s Facebook Page
A True Partnership Website

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 #163

Support the Whoa Podcast with this Amazon Link.

 

 

http://traffic.libsyn.com/duhpodcast/Ep_163_TJ_Clibborn_Podcast.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: Education, Entertainment, horse tips, Horsemanship, Inspiration, Training

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

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 13
  • 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