| A new association started here in the South in the | | | | trees in a line which we had to serpentine |
| spring 0f 2007 called the SE Buckaroo Association. | | | | through--backwards. The last obstacle was some |
| They believe in the vaquero method of training which | | | | scaffolding that had big tarps hung on each side to |
| is a slow, steady process that turns out very | | | | create a tunnel that we had to ride through. |
| responsive, well trained working ranch type horses. | | | | The next workshop was on cattle sorting, and it was |
| They don't have a place for gimmicks or crutches like | | | | one of the hottest days during the summer with |
| tiedowns or martingales in their training, and the horses | | | | temperatures over 100. It sounded like too much fun to |
| are ridden and trained in snaffles and hackamores for | | | | miss though, so my husband and I loaded up two |
| years before moving into the curb or spade bit and | | | | horses and went.. The Buckaroo Association believes |
| becoming real bridle horses. Competitions require ranch | | | | in getting the job done with the least amount of stress |
| type saddles and tack and period dress for the riders, | | | | on cattle, horse, and rider, so speed was NOT the |
| but the workshops are casual and any breed of horse | | | | object, nor were tiedowns and other gimmicks allowed. |
| can participate. The only restrictions are no tiedowns | | | | There were five calves with numbers on their sides |
| or headsetting devices. | | | | located in a pen at one end of the arena. Two riders |
| At my age, I have no aspirations of becoming a | | | | comprising a team had the task of opening the gate to |
| vaquero rider, a ranch rodeo rider, or even competing | | | | the pen from horseback and sorting the calves out in |
| in any of the events the association is planning to put | | | | order, starting with whatever number was given them. |
| on, but I still want a light, responsive, and well trained | | | | Since on our team, my gelding has the most |
| horse, and the group is very open to everyone who | | | | experience out in the world and has been around |
| wants to learn good horsemanship. When the | | | | cows a little bit, he was the designated gate opener |
| Buckaroo Association recently held a ranch/trail | | | | and calf sorter. My husband and his young gelding |
| obstacle workshop, so I took one of my fox trotters to | | | | stayed near the gate to turn back any calf coming out |
| join in the fun and learning. Quarter Horses are the | | | | that might be out of sequence. |
| predominant breed being used, but there were also | | | | Once we had the calves all out of the pen and in the |
| some Arabians, Thoroughbreds and a couple of Fox | | | | big arena and the gate shut, Gregg and Stripe flatfoot |
| Trotters. | | | | walked to the other end and got that gate open, and |
| It started off with the mounting. Most everyone | | | | then we drifted the group down to the new pen and |
| demonstrated that their horse would stand still while | | | | into it. We had seven minutes to get the job done but |
| they mounted from the ground. Being short and not | | | | finished in 5 minutes, 24 seconds. |
| wanting to struggle to get on, I chose to sit on top of a | | | | While we were riding, there were two judges scoring |
| fence panel and have my horse step sideways for | | | | both of us as to how well we were accomplishing the |
| me to slide on. It was a lot more graceful and even got | | | | tasks. They were looking for Cattle Handling skills such |
| a good comment from one of the judges. | | | | as reading cattle, efficiency, fluidity/teamwork, |
| Next we had to ride into a box and demonstrate | | | | quietness, and the number of cows moved |
| turning the forequarters and turning the hindquarters | | | | successfully and also Horsemanship skills including |
| and then walk out of the box and pick up a canter | | | | quietness of horse, responsiveness of horse, stopping, |
| through a trail in the woods. At the end of that short | | | | backing, and rollback. |
| trail, we had to stop and throw a lariet at a sawhorse | | | | Each skill was worth 10 points, and with the grace of a |
| "cow". My rope throwing skills are pretty weak, and | | | | cooperative group of calves and laid back horses, we |
| instead of getting the rope over the head, I hit the | | | | earned respectable scores from both of the judges on |
| "shoulder". The points for that exercise were based on | | | | our first go round. We had the opportunity to ride again, |
| the horse's reaction, not the rider's skill. If the horse | | | | but with the heat, we elected to sit in the shade, |
| was ok with fumbling with the rope, building and | | | | watch, and rehydrate instead. |
| swinging a loop, and throwing it, that was what | | | | It was lots of fun to do and to have our horses hold |
| counted. Then we were on to pulling a log to a certain | | | | their own and better against a breed that is more |
| point, riding to a tree where there was a slicker | | | | typically used with cattle these days. I still doubt we will |
| hanging and put it on, ride to a fence and remove the | | | | end up competing in any ranch rodeos because rope |
| slicker, and over to a dropdown that the horses had to | | | | throwing is beyond us, not the horses, but us! It also |
| jump about 2 1/2 feet down. The course then took us | | | | involves getting different tack and clothes. It's a lot of |
| at a trot (foxtrot in my case) through some more | | | | fun to have a purpose for all the moves we've |
| woods and over a wooden bridge, back to the | | | | practiced while training using natural horsemanship skills. |
| dropdown that was now a jump up, through two | | | | Who knows, maybe one of these days, we'll see |
| barrels that were on top of a big blue tarp and over to | | | | some real cowboys using foxtrotters in their ranch |
| another clump of woods where there were several | | | | rodeo competitions. |