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The Natural Horseman – How to be the best leader for your horse

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By Steve Stevens

Do you think General Lee ever looked at the ground when he rode Traveller into battle?

Looking where you are going when you ride horses might be the most important thing you can ever learn to do when riding.

If General Lee was looking down at the ground while leading his troops into battle, would Traveller and his soldiers have followed? I don’t think so.

Good leadership to me is the number one thing we must learn if we want to be good horsemen and horsewomen. And that starts with looking where you are going when you are riding. For that matter, this is true when you’re walking or driving. Go for a walk and look down at the ground and see how straight of a line you make. It is the same thing for riding horses. When we look up, our body position becomes more correct and it helps to keep the horse between our hands and legs. When we look down, our shoulders slump over and in turn, puts more weight on the front end instead of the back. That makes it harder for the horse to travel correctly. Down the road this can help lead to injuries on the front end.

Amanda and Ovie. (Photo by Steve Stevens)

Amanda and Ovie. (Photo by Steve Stevens)

If you don’t know where you are going, it isn’t really fair to ask your horse to know.

Try this little test at home- tie some ribbons or flags around your arena. Start at one spot and ride across the arena to the next and see how far you can go without taking your eyes off of the flag. Practice keeping your eyes on them at all times. It is harder than you think.

Dana and Chip. (Photo courtesy of Steve Stevens)

Dana and Chip. (Photo courtesy of Steve Stevens)

Another fun one is to get out your piggy bank and have a friend watch you ride around the arena at all three gaits and every time you look down you get buzzed and have to give them a quarter.

Be careful cause that can add up pretty quick.

Don’t cheat, some people will learn to keep their head up like they are looking up but have their eyeballs looking down. I really believe the looking down stems from fear and when we are nervous riding horses we feel safer looking down at our horse as if they are going to look back and tell you that it will be ok.

Remember we have to be the leader, so we have to find in ourselves the courage to look up, to know where we are going and to have faith our horse will follow.

My mentor, Kenny would always say, “ just look where you are going and your body and horse will follow.”

If you are trying to go somewhere over an obstacle or down a road and your horse gets stuck, make sure to ask yourself if you are looking where you are going before you get frustrated with your horse. You would be amazed how many times if you just look up, a horse that seems completely stuck will just go forward like magic.

One of my favorite songs is by the great Chris LeDoux. “The Ride.”
He sings,
“Sit tall in the saddle,
Hold your head up high
keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky.
And live like you ain’t afraid to die
And don’t be scared, just enjoy your ride”

Great horsemanship starts with humility.
Have safe rides.

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Farm and Ranch Injuries

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By Barry Whitworth, DVM

In January, I attended the Oklahoma Veterinary Conference. While waiting for one of the sessions to start, a classmate of mine commented how many of the attendees walk with a limp, used a cane, and/or have damaged hands. We all agreed that working with animals is hard on the body. In general, anything associated with farming and ranching is dangerous.

Most farmers and ranchers know that agriculture is a dangerous occupation. According to United States Bureau of Statistics, workers involved in agriculture, forestry, and fishing had the highest occupational fatality rate in 2022. The fatality rate of 23.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers for this group is much higher when compared to the overall occupation fatality rate of 3.7 per 100,000 FTE. Most of the agriculture-related fatalities are associated with transportation, such as tractor overturns, and vehicle crashes, but a fair number involve livestock.

To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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Jesses Jewelz

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By Jesse Kader

Comfy and keep it western. That’s the name of the game this month. It’s hot and who wants clingy clothing? This jumpsuit is perfectly comfortable and relaxed without forfeiting the fashion. Dress it up or keep it casual. See this and more at www.jessesjewelz.com.

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Noble Research Institute Expands New Program Offering Farmers and Ranchers the Essentials of Regenerative Ranch Management 

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The educational program has been expanded to three new locations, empowering ranchers and farmers to monitor and improve the health of their land, livestock and livelihood through regenerative principles.

ARDMORE, OK–September 12, 2023 – Noble Research Institute announced the expansion of Essentials of Regenerative Ranching, a new educational program designed to help ranchers enhance and restore the land, making it more resilient and reaching livestock grazing goals through regenerative management. Essentials of Regenerative Ranching provides producers with practical tools, hands-on experience and guidance to make data-driven decisions to decrease costs and improve profit.

The Essentials of Regenerative Ranching course has been expanded to three new locations in Texas and Oklahoma. Registration is open now at www.noble.org/essentials. Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended.

Texas A&M

College Station, Texas

October 17 – 18

O.D. Butler, Jr. Animal Science Complex

Noble Research Institute

Ardmore, Oklahoma

October 31 – November 1

Pavilion Center

Texas A&M

Kingsville, Texas

November 7-8

Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Center

“Program participants gain working knowledge and experience of monitoring and improving the health of their soil, grazing livestock more strategically and making informed financial decisions,” said Hugh Aljoe, Noble Research Institute’s director of ranches, outreach and partnerships. “We use a mix of classroom and field work to send producers home with the tools they need to begin making changes on their ranch.”

Farmers and ranchers navigate uncertainty from weather, fluctuating market prices and escalating costs of inputs. Many producers are seeking new tools that offer greater control and reduce their operational uncertainty. Through this course, ranchers and farmers will calculate their financial situations, determine initial stocking rates, carrying capacity and grazing goals.

“The course is well-suited for ranchers of all experience levels and all types and sizes of operations,” Aljoe added. “No matter your situation, this program will transform the way you think about your ranch.”

The Essentials of Regenerative Ranching program allows producers to overcome obstacles, become more informed problem-solvers and increase the productivity of their grazing lands.  By participating in this program, ranchers join a community of like-minded producers who are shaping the future of ranching and leaving a lasting impact on their land and families. “If I had known what I learned in this course when I started my regenerative journey, I could have avoided some key mistakes,” said Tana McCarter, a rancher, and Essentials attendee. “I left with the tools I needed to monitor my soil health and financial progress. I’ll now have the right data to make informed decisions on how to meet my regenerative goals.”

Noble Research Institute is an independent nonprofit agricultural research organization dedicated to guiding farmers and ranchers in applying regenerative principles that yield healthier soil, more productive grazing land, and business success.

At Noble, researchers, facilitators and ranch staff work together to share with farmers and ranchers the skills and tools to regenerate the land in a profitable manner. Noble is focused on the regenerative management of the nation’s grazing acres, which directly impacts pasture and range environments, wildlife, pecan production, and livestock production. Regenerative management recognizes that each decision made on the ranch impacts the interactions of the soil, plants, water, animals, economics and people. Noble’s 14,000 acres of working ranch lands provide a living laboratory on which to demonstrate and practice regenerative principles and ideas to deliver value to farmers and ranchers across the U.S.

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