What's New

Hey baby, it’s cold outside…

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Jim Hutchins
snowday2

Photo courtesy of Karen Wegehenkel Photography

This week in Seattle we have gotten a taste of the weather many of you, from Florida to the Yukon Territories, have been experiencing.  Although we do not have a bunch of snow here in the lowlands, it has been bitterly cold and windy.  For us coastal weenies, it has been quite the shock.

For our wooly horses it seems to be a minor inconvenience and a reason to spend more time eating hay.  Thank god for the sunny days though, as the horses are soaking up the radiant heat as they lounge in the sunshine.

Of course, we all look like Mr. Stay Puft  from Ghostbusters with our down jackets, three layers, mukluks  and mittens.  It is quite the sight seeing us work with our horses.  We are pretty limited in what we can do as we do not want to get the horses sweaty and want to help them conserve energy, but we are getting some training done, as best we can.

For those of you trying to get your entry videos completed for the American Horsewoman’s Challenge, we want the welfare of your horse to come first.  If you do not have the luxury of a heated space, do not push too hard. If everything is not going perfectly, do not worry about it.  We all know horses.  And those mittens make our rope and rein handling technique a bit sloppy. Keep in mind, in your entry video, we want to see the connection with your horse and your abilities, not perfection. We certainly do not want your horse to suffer.

Take your time, accomplish what you can and do not worry t0o much about running a few minutes over on your video or what you look like.  Good luck!

Hutch

 

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Oh Canada…

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Jim Hutchins

Canadian-Flag-300x224We have been getting so many inquires from our friends in Canada about the Challenge that we have agreed there should be no reason to exclude our fellow North American sisters from the competition.  Effective immediately, if you are a citizen or full-time resident of Canada, you are welcome to join in.  This should prove to be a fun rivalry…eh?

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Ya, but…

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Jim Hutchins

Horse ButtsIt is good to see so many horsewomen interested in the American Horsewoman’s Challenge and the exciting array of talented trainers who are entering.  However, I still hear, “I’d really like to enter, but…”  But for this.  But for that.  If you really would like to be a part of this exciting movement, get your “buts” in gear.

Here are some of the most common “Ya, buts” we’ve heard and a doers guide to making it happen:

Ya, but…I don’t have a horse.
There are allot of horses out there that need adoption, love and training.  Just look at Dream Horse, the BLM and the hundreds of horse rescues and adoption programs around the country.  You can get a horse for free or you can make a deal with a friend or breeder to train their horse for the competition and then return it to them or share in the proceeds of a sale.

Ya, but…I cannot afford to feed another horse.
I would love it if a talented horsewoman would train one of my horses for me!   Look to a friend, benefactor or breeder who might like their horse trained and offer to do it for the Challenge.  They pay the expenses, you get the glory, they get a well-trained horse.

Ya, but…Oklahoma is so far away.
It could have been Seattle!  That’s where the “head office” is.  We chose to have the first Finals competition in Oklahoma because of it’s proximity to the whole country.  It is also the crossroads of many a horse transport company.  We are working to make the travel more affordable by partnering with hotels and transport companies so you can get discounted services.  Also, do not forget your students, training clients and friends.  They are vested and interested in your success.  Don’t be like a guy and go it alone.  Ask your girlfriends for financial, not just moral, support.

Ya, but…The horse I use for my entry video can’t do that.
Horse can’t or you won’t?  You do not know until you try.  The preliminary judges are looking for the attempt and the connection with the horse.  Not perfection.  If something doesn’t work so hot, let it go.  You have plenty of other places in the entry where you and your horse can shine.  Also keep in mind that there is another entrant out there who is not going to be so good with something you are great at.  Don’t worry, we are not going to post the Challenge’s Funniest Entry Videos on Facebook.

Ya, but…I am pregnant.
Oh well. Not much we can change there.  Remember though, The Horsewoman’s Challenge is not just about the competition, it is about the celebration of women’s contribution to the horse world.  Maybe you cannot be in the competition this year, but you can certainly encourage and support a friend who could be (see above).  You can join us at the Finals celebration in October to cheer on your equestrian sisters.  You can encourage your favorite equestrian products companies to show their support for horsewomen and get involved as a sponsor.  You can offer your talents to the organizing committee and volunteer at the Finals.

A year and half ago, when I dreamed up this cockamamie idea of the American Horsewoman’s Challenge, I had allot of “ya, buts.”  With the support and encouragement of friends and a deep feeling it was the right thing to do, I “pulled up my big girl panties” and said, “I must.”  Good luck with your journey.  And if we do not see you in this year’s competition, we will see you at the Finals.

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“Liberty…oh my god!”

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Jim Hutchins

It seems that the scariest part about the Horsewoman’s Challenge is the Liberty.  We have received more questions about that then any other part.  Just take a deep breath, relax and try.

Most people do not make Liberty a regular part of their training routine because they do not trust their horse.  Translation: they do not trust themselves.  Liberty requires the true connection between horse and human and a willing partnership.  Many of the top Liberty trainers around he world do not believe we should even start a horse in a halter and lead rope.  They believe that, like the foal and mare, Liberty is innate in the horse and humans can quite easily build that untethered connection.

Let me share with you an experience we had just last week here at the Northwest Natural Horsemanship Center, outside Seattle, that brought myself and our head instructor almost to tears.  They were tears of joy and pride for a 12-year-old student.  We’ll call her Diane.

Diane has been taking lessons here at the Center for a little over a year.  During which time, she took a spill and had to rebuild her confidence (who hasn’t done that one).  As part of that confidence-building process, she expressed an interest, about a month ago, in doing some Liberty with her current equine partner, Jet.  Well, Jet is one of those horses that asks for allot of leadership from his human and would much rather head off to his buddies in the pasture than have a human push him around.  We told Diane that we could help her learn Liberty, but she would have to learn to trust and be trusted.  She also needed to learn to be confident and be acutely aware of her body and energy.  Not an easy task for an unconfident, oftentimes awkward, young lady with trust issues of her own.

Diane found that Jet loved Liberty and that she had a real talent for it. In only three lessons she was sending that horse around cones in a Figure Eight with no connection but her energy and focus and without Jet “checking out.”  When that third lesson was done, we suggested that she not put the halter and lead rope back on Jet and walk him back to the pasture shoulder-to-shoulder; a distance of about 300 yards, between two pastures of curious horses.  Of course her first comments were, ‘What! Jet’ll do this. Jet’ll do that.  I can’t do that.”  We told her to visualize what she wanted to do and trust herself and her horse.

Admittedly, it was not just Diane who had to overcome the “yah, buts” and trust, but so did her instructor and I who suggested this hair-brained idea.

As we watched breathlessly from afar, this young lady walked the three hundred yards, shoulder-to-shoulder, past the horses running up to the fence, past the temptation of the long, lush grass, and all the way to the gate!

If an unconfident, inexperienced 12-year-old girl can demonstrate that kind of trust in herself and in her horse after just three lessons, so can you.  For your Liberty portion of the Entry video, we are not looking for Liberty perfection, we are looking for the try.  If it doesn’t work so hot, “who cares?”  The Horsewoman’s Challenge is not just about training a horse, but training ourselves to be better, smarter and more connected with the horses in our lives.

You go girl!

P.S.  For your entry videos, you can have a “safety control device” such as a neck string or halter on your horse to bring it back, and you can use a treat as a reward for a job well done.  Fair warning though, there will be a much higher standard demonstrated and expected at the Finals.

 

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Q&A

Posted on January 12, 2014 by admin

Here are a few of the most common questions folks have been asking about the competition.  If you do not see yours here, feel free to send it along.  We will be adding more as they come up.

Q:  Do I use the same horse in my entry video as I do for the competition?
A:  No.  Your competition horse needs to start at 3 – 6 years old with no more than 10 rides.

Q:  Can I use more than one horse in my entry video?
A:  Absolutely!  As long as it is a horse you primarily trained.  The judges are looking for your skills, not perfection.

Q:  How do you enforce the ten rides rule?
A:  Trust and Honesty.  Lying is a sin against Man (and Woman), against your family, and yourself.  Plus, all competitors have to sign an affidavit.  If you cheat, you’re disqualified and disgraced.  Is it really worth it?

Q:  Do I get my entry fee back if I do not make it into the competition?
A:  No.  The entry fee helps pay the preliminary judges, covers administrative costs, and supports the other women who make it into the competition.  Entrants are welcome to ask friends, students and family to “make a donation to the cause” to show their support of your talents.

Q: What’s the entry deadline?
A:  February 28, 2014

Q:  Can we use whips for the Liberty?
A:  You can use whatever humane aids you need for your entry video and to train your horse.  Be sure it is as a guide, not as a punishment device.  You will be scored higher for the use of no physical aids and the softness of your “ask.”  Do what you need for the entry video and to train a young horse humanely.  For the competition you will want to work towards smaller aids or none at all; other than your body, energy, and connection with your horse.

Q:  Can we use treats for Liberty?
A:  Treats as a reward are okay as a training tool, but they do not demonstrate a willing connection with your horse. In your entry video, you do not want to walk around, with a carrot in your hand, having the horse follow you.  A treat for a job well done is okay.  Fair warning though…in the Finals, competitors will be scored higher for no treats. Willingness is the true test of partnership.  Appreciation is the most lasting reward.

Q:  Can you use a halter or rope for your Liberty?
A:  In your entry video, if you need a “security device” to keep your horse from running off, that’s okay.  No lead rope though, unless it is thrown over the horse’s back during the task. A string tied around the neck is also an option.   You will be scored higher in the Entry judging and the Finals for no security devices.

Q:  Do you have to do all the tasks in your entry video without edits ?
A:  The rules say that each task within a category can’t be edited. This means you can film each task separately, but we would like to see a task in its entirety, without edit.  If you can do all tasks in succession, without edits, wonderful, but it is not required.

Q:  Can we use a mule for the competition?
A:  Absolutely!  Any equid is welcome to show their talents (as long as you can ride it).

Q:  I am running longer than 15 minutes on my video, is that okay?
A:  That’s okay.  We want to see what you can do not how fast you can do it. What horse ever does something as fast as you want it to? Just do not go too much longer as we have allot of videos to review.

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