Here is the start of where we will be and what we are doing this summer. I hope you will drop by!

April 20 - 22
Midwest Horse Fair
Madison, WI
OM33

May 5 - 6
Horse a Rama
Manitowoc, WI
D3 WHC booth

June 2
Trail horse clinic
North Star Gaited Horse Club
Cecil, WI
(Private)

June 30
BEAMING Open House (Horses for Hero’s) Vets day
Round pen and horse handling demo
KK Qtr Horses
2692 Cty Rd. GG
Neenaha, WI 54956

July 21 tentative planning
Inner City Slickers, Kids Clinic
Longmont, CO

Sep 22
Groundwork, and Problem Solving Clinic
N 1480p Lynn Rd.
Adell, WI 53001
Patty Potvin
262-689-7383
irispatty@sbcglobal.net

If you are interested in sponsoring a clinic or volunteering your facility to help set up an Inner City Slickers program in Wisconsin or else where please contact me at smokie.brannaman@yahoo.com

Enjoy the spring, stay safe and “Just Ride”!

Smokie

I hope your new year is starting off great  I wanted to talk a little this morning about making comparisons…When you make comparisons, whether it is between  one horse or another, or one person and another it has the potential to come round a bite you when you least expect it.. Making a general assumption about a horse without checking him out to figure out his individual abilities or personality will probably lead to something happening that might have been avoided had you applied your knowledge with a little more regard for being an individual and respecting that when you step into the round pen. Some horses will learn and progress differently and some will surprise you with something you have never ran up against in any other horse. Like Bill D said… It’s remarkable just how much you think you might know, can all change with the very next horse..

Same goes for the people you think you know… It seems that lately a lot of folks have made the assumption that just because I happen to be related to a famous horseman, I am suppose to mimic his methods, be just as good, or my videos or books should be like his.. Well let me tell ya… What I do, how I do it, and whether you think it’s good or not is completely different from how Buck or John or Pat does things.. I don’t claim to be the all knowing horse guru.. I’m different, just like every horse is different.. You might not like it but that’s the way it is, sorry. I suppose you are thinking why this rant? Well I’ll tell you. In the last couple of months I’ve had a couple of negative comments put up  on amazon on Whisper This, and this month on my round pen video.. The very first one on the round pen vid after being out there for about 5 years now.. And even longer for the book. It’s not that I am going to loose a lot of sleep at night because a couple of  people think my stuff is not that good, or perhaps not like some of Bucks stuff or Montys or Pats. But for those of you that drop by here or on FB from time to time I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your comments on what I do or don’t do and if you all want to chime in feel free.. Taking what I try  to teach and using it for what it is worth to you or not, is what it is all about. Using the individual tips, methods or philosophies that works for you… Just like using something a little different that might work better on the next horse you step into the round pen with. But if you are coming here thinking your going to get a carbon copy of someone else or your next horse will be able to learn and be trained in exactly the same way as the last one.. Then you’re on the wrong site. Thanks for letting me vent a little this morning.

Smokie

Well there’s a bit of snow this morning but nothing that will last till Christmas. That’s good and bad I suppose depending on how you look at it.  It’s been and up and down year for us here at the spread.  Horse prices are low, folks are not splurging on training or gear. But keeping the bills paid and your horses fed are more important then adding a new mouth to feed, or a new saddle in the tack room. But being thankful for the things in life that cost nothing, like friendship, family, life, and looking forward to a better tomorrow will get us by. I hope that your year has been good and you get everything you want from the holiday season and the coming new year! Vickie and I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May all your rides be safe, your horses stay sound and your life be filled with riches!

Here’s a bit from my book Equiknowlogy 101… Which I hope brings you some enjoyment during this holiday season.. Merry Christmas! Smokie and Vickie

Equiknowlogy 101… The MES Program…

  Way to go my young (well by now maybe not so young…) students of Equiknowlogy! You have arrived at the top of your class (I hope) and are now ready to start your studies for your MES! Aha to become that Master of Equine Studies… Just think of it. Being that wise horseman or woman that can make most all the right choices and has the knowledge and experienced gained from a lifetime of learning about our equine partners and the people that own and enjoy them. To be able to help those less fortunate to learn from our mistakes and teach others a new way to look into the realm of getting that reliable equine partner and enjoying the ride!

There are just a few more advanced studies for you to absorb and put in to that tool box of newly acquired knowledge from WTC! So saddle up and “Just Ride” through these last few chapters of knowledge and we will see you at graduation! After you pass the finals of course!

The MES (Master of Equine Studies) Curriculum…

Courses Include:

·       Proper landings from crashes in life and horses…

·       It does not take a good rider to SIT on a horse that is playing up; it takes a good rider to not let them play up in the first place.

·       Recognizing myth and myth information…(That requires some thought don’t it)

·       Learning “The 3S principle of horses and people…” Having a horse that is SAFE, SOUND and SANE…And hoping you and others stay that way too!

·       Living to learn and learning to teach…(hopefully so your students might listen and actually learn)

·       Sometimes the best form of criticism is showing someone a better way to do it…

·       Learning the ability to say… “I don’t know” but I’m always willing to learn!

·       The good time spent with your horse yesterday will help prevent the bad time today and tomorrow.

·       The horse has been around longer than any method of teaching him how to do something… So learn a bit from him. Along with all those great new ideas for training.

·       What is new now is probably old news to someone else. So never think you will know it all.

·       Practice is the price you pay to acquire perfection…And perfection comes when you’re dead…Because only then you can’t screw things up anymore.

·       Hoof prints are better left on the road rather than your back.

·       Leave the human emotions at the gate when you work with your horse. And don’t try and figure them out and fix it in humans ether because this course does not qualify you to do it. (Only perhaps understand it a bit).

·       Fixing a horse’s problems is much different than fixing the humans.

·       You can’t listen when you’re talking and you can’t whisper when you’re yelling.

·       Horse language takes a long time to learn and it’s not in this or any other book…It’s in the horse.

·       Have you come to understand that obtaining your Masters takes a little time?  Like a life time… (Just seeing if you are still paying attention!)

·        Eating humble pie is tastier than crow or your foot…Or dirt…

Perhaps by now you have learned enough to figure out that studying for your MES involves not only the sum of acquired knowledge but the ability to reason, think independently and perhaps not be so judgmental when a barrier to your beliefs or ways of doing things presents itself and be able learn from it rather than rejecting that knowledge out of hand… This, my friends is the sum of becoming a true Equiknowlogist.

Best Wishes to you and yours and we will see you back at the round pen next year! Smokie

Sometime back I sent a letter and a copy of my book to our new President… (Well it was right after the election but who’s counting the days).  I  just wanted to encourage him and the new congress to perhaps use a little common sense and stop all the Bulls#it that seems to have taken over our government. Like I have tried to encourage horse folks to do in my books. Well today I got a note back! I do don’t know for sure that he read it or even wrote the note, but hey, it’s got his name on it so I thought I’d pass it along! It is attached below for your reading enjoyment along with a note I received from the wife of a fellow “Coastie” today. Since Veterans Day is on Friday, I thought you might like to see something from our military horse folks. Have a good one! Smokie

November 7, 2011

Dear Smokie:

Thank you for your kind note and your book Whisper This.  Your thoughtful words join a chorus of millions of Americans who are eager to lead our Nation towards a brighter tomorrow.

Each day, I am inspired by the encouraging messages of hope and determination I have received from people across the country.  With the magnitude of challenges we face, we will only overcome them if our imagination is joined to common purpose.  

The future we leave to our children and grandchildren will be determined by our willingness to shoulder each other’s burdens, take great risks, and move forward as one people and one Nation.  With your help, we will build on what we have already achieved and lay a new foundation for real and lasting progress.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Smokie,

It’s great to know that there is life after the Coast Guard. My husband is set to retire in two more years.He is a DCC on the USCGC Waesche WMSL-751 in Alameda, Ca (now in port), We have both had horses our whole lives being raised out in the “sticks” but obviously, being at sea prevents an old sailor from riding anything other than waves. He will have the chance again once he retires.

He is very tired of sea duty and I pointed you out to him, to let him know that there are things salty sailors could do after they get out. We share the love of horses as well and have scars to prove it!

Thank you for being proof that there is life after the Coast Guard and for serving our country. In addition, I’m loving your training methods on starting colts ( I wish I’d seen it before) . It would be safe to say that it beats cowboyin’ the old way.

Semper Paratus!

Lara Wiard

Well fall is just around the corner and I can feel the chill in the air.. Seems like this age thing creeps into the joints more and more every year.. I’d like to thank all of you that have allowed me to help you with your horses this summer and I hope that you have had a great time with your equine partners this year.. And to all the new folks that registered for my blog, thanks! And I hope you stick around and drop us a comment now and then..  We are patiently waiting for news and the results of the Writers Digest self published book awards contest of my newest book, Equiknowlogy 101… It should be out some time in October.. We also received the final results from the judges of the Independent Publishers award contest the other day. We were lucky enough to place in the top 15 over all in our category!  So I’m pretty happy that my latest bit of drivel just might be pretty good after all!  For anyone that might be interested, Equiknowlogy 101… is now available as an e book from amazon and has a new price of $6.95 as well. Well I better get out and ride my last horse for the summer before we move to our winter quarters. So with that I will leave you with a quote from one of our mentors…

You need to practice only three things, patience, observation and humility..

There is no mysticism, no magic, in this, only the recognition of kinship with horses.

The more a horseman says he has learned, the less likely he is to have learned anything at all.

Plenty of people have come across and borrowed an insight or two, and some have made a lot of money by popularizing what they seemed to think he knew. But what he knew will never be popular, nor did he ever make much money from it. You cannot sell modesty or undying curiosity. It is hard to put a price on accepting that everything you think you know about horses may change with the very next horse.

 Bill Dorance

(Excerpt from his obituary in the New York Times)

Have a great fall and we will see you at the winter quarters real soon!
Best Wishes and “Just Ride”!
Smokie

Well I and a bunch of my friends went to see “Buck” in  Milwaukee on the 23rd and I gotta say, It’s a pretty good flick!  Since a lot of people are asking about what happened to me and I had a reporter from Pasadena CA  ask me to comment for her article, I thought I’d post it for you. Here you go!

http://pasadenaartbeat.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/buck-teachs-hard-learned-lessons/

Straight from the school of hard-knocks, comes Buck Brannaman. As the youngest son of “Ace” and Carol Brannaman, he first came to national attention as a shy boy, who, with his older brother, had a talent for rope tricks. They were on national cereal commercials, but you might know Buck best as the horse whisperer–the man who inspired a book and later worked with Robert Redford on the movie by the same name, “The Horse Whisperer.” Director Cindy Meehl’s “Buck” is a picturesque documentary that tells a hopeful story about redemption through hard work and humility.

Novelist Nicholas Evans’ 1995 novel was a romance about how the horse whisperer, Tom Booker, helps a young rider and her horse recover psychologically after a tragic accident. Booker was based on Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt as well as Brannaman. Brannaman had studied under both Dorrance and Hunt although initially being skeptical of their methods.

Brannaman not only was the lead consultant for the 1998 movie version that Robert Redford starred and directed, he also was Redford’s double.  The movie introduced the term “whisperer” into popular usage to mean someone with special communication skills and this movie, “Buck,” Meehl shows exactly what Buck Brannaman is, how he does it, what people think of him (only in the positive sense) and the limitations of his work.

Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Daniel M. “Buck” Brannaman grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Later the family moved to Whitehall. His father had a saddle and repair shop and his mother was a waitress. It was those hours that his mother was away, that Brannaman found unbearable as his father often resorted to whips and belts to keep his boys in line. And when his mother died of diabetes, things only got worse.

What saved the boys was a concerned football coach who saw Buck’s bruised and welted back in the showers and the local lawman, Madison County Deputy Sheriff Johnny France. France took the boys to the foster parents who had raised him: Forrest and Betsy Shirley. Betsy appears in the documentary Forrest died in 1984. Brannaman’s own father, Ace, died in 1992.

Through his clinics, Buck Brannaman did meet former Ford model Mary Bower and married her. They have children, but we only see his youngest, Reata. Reata travels with her father, bringing along a friend for a summer vacation of traveling.

We learn that in the beginning when Brannaman gave clinics, he was painfully shy and had problems looking people in the eyes. Now he’s painfully frank. When a woman brings in a horse that is mean and possibly brain-damaged, he doesn’t try to work miracles for the camera. The three-year-old chestnut probably should have been gelded, but the owner, a woman with 18 studs, didn’t have the heart to do it.

This is where kindness and well-meant intentions won’t substitute for common sense. The horse bites the experienced trainer–hard and to the bone. While Buck feels that an earlier intervention could have made this horse into a useful, behaved creature, now he sees no easy answer. The owner, showing the scar from where the horse bit her previously declares she’ll have to put the animal down.

As Buck says earlier in the movie, “A lot of times, rather than helping people with horse problems, I’m helping horses with people problems.”

Buck Brannaman spends nine months out of the year, on the road, giving long-weekend clinics across the nation and even in foreign countries. Earlier this year, he was in Riverside.  Yet he’s not the only disciple of Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt. There are many other practitioners of what is called the Natural Horsemanship, including Monty Roberts who has a ranch and training center outside of Santa Barbara. Watching that troubled animal, one can’t help but recall something that Roberts wrote about in his 2008 “The Man Who Listens to Horses: The Story of a Real-Life Horse Whisperer.” (Brannaman also wrote a book, the 2001 “The Faraway Horses”). One wonders what Roberts might have said.

Meehl is telling Buck’s tale and it’s his side of the story we mostly hear. One wonders what other horse trainers who were mentored by Dorrance or Hunt might think, particularly in the case of the dangerous young 3-year-old.

On the personal side, perhaps digging up his first wife might have rounded things out as well.

Buck’s brother, nicknamed Smokie, is alive and well. Perhaps he could have added some objectivity and balance to the documentary.  Smokie is based in Wisconsin (Green Leaf). He also offers a book and DVD. Since 2004, he’s been in the horse business offering training. Contacted via email, Smokie wrote:

Cindy has done a nice job in putting together a film that will no doubt play well to a wide range of audiences. Filming is outstanding, and it follows a good storyline of Buck’s life as he remembers it and tells it. As in all films, especially stories re-told from memory after 35 years, there are parts I remember differently and perhaps some poetic license was used to make it play better to the audience but that’s Hollywood and just business. Over all… A pretty good flick!

So I hope folks enjoy it and take away from it what I think are the good messages about life and overcoming the hardships that sometime come along in your lives. And do the best you can do to help yourself and others in whatever you choose do.

Although Smokie ended up on the same train as his younger brother, he took a different path:

I wasn’t ask to be part of the movie. It’s about Buck and his accomplishments. And I’m ok with that, and I am very proud of him for what he’s done in his life.  I joined the military after high school and made a career of it for 23 years. I still had horses through it all when duties allowed and got back into horses full time in my own way to help folks that perhaps are not on the level of the folks that ride with Buck. I’m happy working in the shadows, got over the rough spots years ago, and  I have tried to do some good in the world just like a lot of other folks, not only in the horse world, but rest of society as well…  There’s no corner on the market, or reason for not getting out there and making things better. Not only for yourself, and your horses, but the rest of us bi-peds in the world too

According to his website, Smokie joined the U.S. Coast Guard and retired in 2000. He uses training methods of his brother Buck Brannaman, Jeff Griffith, Clint Anderson and others. His hobby is Civil War reenactments.  Looks like he might be the more gregarious of the two brothers.

His brother, Buck, seems more single-minded in his work with horses. Despite the lack of critical objectivity in “Buck,” Meehl’s documentary doesn’t fall into adulation. It does paint such a lovely portrait of hope that life gets better and patterns of violence do not have to be repeated. It shows  the rewards of following your passion, of good, hard work and of gentleness and respect for others–even if they aren’t human. All these things make this documentary well-worth seeing. This isn’t just a movie for horse lovers, but for animal lovers everywhere. I suspect you don’t have to be either to learn important life lessons from this movie.

I just finished a clinic for kids in Hilbert WI and we all had a great time! I think everyone learned a little something and no one graduated from “Buck Off U”! For those of you that were in the clinic or auditing please send me your comments and let me know what you thought..  You can also comment right on here if you like. Thanks for having me and have a great summer!

Smokie

Here’s a little something about how I look at fathers day.. Perhaps you will like it.

From Equiknowlogy 101…

Epilogue

My Mentor… And a true Master of Equiknowlogy and life…

One of my most important teachers and mentors is one very special horse woman. She is not a famous trainer or an all knowing horse guru. But she is one of the most knowledgeable people on this planet as far as I am concerned. She grew up in the city and moved to a ranch and knows her fair share about horses mind you but to become a true Master of Equiknowlogy it takes “Just a Bit More Knowledge” which she has in abundance.

  She has made her mark in life by always being the one… You could go to with questions or just have some fun… She knew about most things but didn’t try to impress. With carrot sticks or rings… or candy and bull and other neat little things. She seemed to always have an answer. Perhaps not the one you wanted, but it came from the heart…And she wouldn’t tell you you’re just not too smart…

  She’s raised a good family of fine horseman and women… To do the good things she taught them, to be good people, and friends, and life is worth livin… And the knowledge you have is not meant for savin, getting rich, or for fame, it’s just meant for givin… to help others down the road of life they are pavin.

  She’s taken in the strays that had no place to go…And no one to turn too or weed patch to hoe. And given her time, love, and mothering… With no expectations at all… But perhaps add to her family of critters and the kids pics on the wall.

  I never heard a bad word cross this woman’s lips… Except when the cat crapped in the tub or we came home one night after getting a little too friendly some guy named Schlitz… She truly lived and taught me to just say a good word, and don’t flip them idiots the one finger bird…

  Her memory and wisdom are like a steel trap. Always ready to snare the uneducated chap and teach a few things to another poor sap. A little something about life and how we should live it and how not to sweat all the other small crap…

  She has earned the respect of horses and men a lot tougher then she… But she can get pretty darn big, for just a bit more of less of just five foot, and three… She did it with compassion and knowledge and sometimes the whip. But never has she needed much more than her wit…

  She taught me to forgive and forget the people or problems and just do what you do and enjoy life for you and by all means don’t rob em…

  Yes I’ve learned a lot from this one woman you know, and it’s not from her books or her great TV show… It’s the lessons of life and how to behave, and just keep on learning most every day.

  Yes she is the master, the all knowing one, that can make a lot of good horseman and trainers just tremble and run…
And all that is needed is to rear up on her hinds and pet on my head…

 And say you’re grounded my son, now off to bed!

Thanks Ma!

I hope I can live up to your love, the things you have taught me and your wisdom…

Well it seems Bucks documentary is a great hit!  I’m looking forward to seeing it at a pre-screening in Milwaukee on the 23rd of June. I’m sure a lot of you have seen all the trailers, articles an what not but I thought this one is very good so I wanted to share it with you.. Enjoy! And get out there and…”Just Ride!” Smoke

http://www.saddleandbridle.com/issues/june11/BuckBrannaman.pdf

I’ve been pretty busy these last months starting colts and helping folks with their horses.  But occasionally things happen that makes things difficult and dangerous for those of us that work with other folks horses.. One such case is the horse I just sent home. This horse came in for a restart after he displayed a marked change in his attitude. with rearing up, bucking, not taking the bit etc. Most I thought was probably just bad manners and habits and not getting the proper start in the first place. However…. That was not the case. Turns out that this horse had numerous physical and mental problems associated with conditions the owner ether knowingly or not, left out when she described her horse. She did mention that this horse had Lyme disease and Anna Plasmosis last year which could contribute to his problems but the one she left out was that this horse had EPM before that.. Had I known that I probably wouldn’t have even gotten on this knot head in the first place, and explains a number of his physical and mental problems. Please folks, be honest with your trainers and tell them everything about your horse. We take a risk for you by just getting on your horse and trying to fix the problems your having or help make him better. We don’t want to unknowingly get on something that could very well be very dangerous for us and him based on his physical and mental problems. Sometimes horses just can’t be fixed and it’s to dangerous to try.. This was one of them, and I got busted up trying because his issues were from something that none of us could have fixed.  Luckily, I will heal up but its getting harder at my age to do it fast and when your charging 10 bucks a day to get on something the owner doesn’t want to get on, it aint worth the trouble.. Read my books and go get yourself a good horse and we will both be better off.