Katherine Licence
Katherine is an undergrad student studying Behavioral Psychology at the University of Montana. She recently became the executive director at a therapeutic riding facility where children with alternative needs experience connection and growth through working with horses. Recreationally, Katherine is passionate about the outdoors; Trail rides, hiking, competitive shooting, and snowboarding keep her busy year round. She has been riding since she was a young child, but only recently began her journey and relentless pursuit to find “a better way”.
Katherine is an undergrad student studying Behavioral Psychology at the University of Montana. She recently became the executive director at a therapeutic riding facility where children with alternative needs experience connection and growth through working with horses. Recreationally, Katherine is passionate about the outdoors; Trail rides, hiking, competitive shooting, and snowboarding keep her busy year round. She has been riding since she was a young child, but only recently began her journey and relentless pursuit to find “a better way”.
Katherine Licence
December 21, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
Going into this scholarship, I had a preconceived idea about what skills I was going to be building. I expected to focus more on the physical aspect of horsemanship, but was surprised at how much I learned about the philosophy of horsemanship and how much that carries over into interpersonal communications between people. I have become more aware of how a person's body language changes as their intentions change and how their perception of their own actions may be inconsistent with how they are being interpreted by others. I am as guilty of this as anyone. Concerning interactions with horses or people, I often feel that I am hardly doing anything, but may in fact be doing far too much. Fine-tuning my own sensitivity to the people and horses around me has been difficult but has paid huge dividends.
The last day of my scholarship I was riding a new horse that had just arrived at the barn. She was a 1200 lb. pushy mare that had no softness or balance. While Dave and I rode, a lady and her young daughter came to watch and see what this horsemanship was all about. They sat on the bleachers for about two hours watching and were enthusiastic about what they saw. Afterward, we chatted for a bit and they noted that the young girl had a mare named June that she was having trouble with. June had bucked with her a few times and would try and roll when the little girl rode her. The mother was obviously distraught and came to Dave seeking help. After seeing what we had accomplished with the mare I was riding in such a short time, the mother asked if I had any available time to ride her daughter’s horse. She said she’d pay me for it and wanted to start right away. To be honest, I was a little shocked that she had asked me because I feel I’ve only broken the surface of horsemanship and still have so much to learn, but with Dave’s help I was pretty confident that I could make a difference. As a way to pay it forward and say thank you for all the opportunity I’ve received in the last year, I decided to ride the horse at no cost to the owner. I can imagine myself in that little girl’s shoes at 9 years old. It would be absolute torture to have a horse that you unconditionally love but are terrified to ride. If I can help her feel confident in her horse so she can ride with no fear, I’m all about that.
On the first day working with June, Dave did about an hour of groundwork. I had never seen a horse take over as much as this little mare did. She refused to move her feet, so when Dave would get after her it was a fight to get her to move off his body’s energy. When backing her up you could see that she didn’t know how to move her feet without tripping herself. It was as if all backwards movement stopped behind the cinch area and she would raise her head to try and avoid the pressure. She would persistently resist until finally her feet would break loose and Dave would quit. It took hundreds of repetitions until her expression changed and all of the sudden she got the idea and started moving off of pressure. It was apparent that she had never been shown boundaries or been given any instruction that meant something to her before that day.
My time with June ended up being a huge learning experience for me. When I rode June for the first time, I could not only feel but physically see how out of balance she was. Her neck had these odd divots behind her jawline, and near her poll was a large dip in her muscle line. Dave said it was a real shame that this horse had lived like this for so long. I have ridden horses that are out of balance on one side or the other, but this horse felt equally out of whack on both her right and left side. I’m sure if I was further along in my horsemanship I would be able to tell which side was better, but all I knew is that she felt like she was going to fall over when I asked for a turn. She was dripping wet from her ground work, so I rode her lightly until she was dry, asking for flexion and balance between my legs and reins. It was a good start.
The next day when I rode, it was astounding how much better she felt. She still obviously needed a lot of work, but I was shocked how much she had changed in one ride. She was starting to get her feet under her but was dull to my leg and took over when you asked her to move out. I got her going at a fast trot and worked in big circles all over the arena with a loose rein. There were moments when she found her center and she felt pretty good, but other times I couldn’t trot her in a straight line. Dave told me to keep her going and lope her around a few times and get her moving. When I got her going at a good trot, I asked for a lope in the corner where she felt balanced to take the left lead, but being as dull as she was and since my timing isn’t precise enough yet, I was late and she went to bucking. I held onto the night latch to stay on, but I wasn’t prepared for her to buck so my hands weren’t ready to bend her like they should have been. I let go in an attempt to correct my hands to bend her, but I fell and hit the dirt. Man, I made it all the way through my scholarship without getting dumped and I was pretty disappointed in myself when that happened. I felt like I had failed that little horse and should have been better prepared. Dave rushed over and asked if I was ok, I said “yeah” and situated myself to get back on. He asked me if I knew why she bucked. I definitely did. I explained that since I wasn’t precise enough when she was ready to take the left lead, her mind went to the right and she took the wrong lead and being as out of balance as she was, she went to bucking. He was pretty happy that even though it happened, I was able to feel it and understand why it happened. He said, “Now you know what that feels like and if you pay attention and learn from it, that’ll never happen again.” I appreciated how he explained that to me. It changed my perspective and turned a failure into a lesson. As soon as we finished our discussion, I immediately got back on and was able to lope her on both sides without her bucking. This made the disappointment of coming off my horse fade away as it was replaced by a sense of accomplishment.
With each ride she felt better and better. Each sticky spot we found she became more willing to try for me and I became more particular about what I was asking and quicker to release when she felt good. I think without learning what I did during my scholarship, I would not have been able to ride that horse with any quality. But I learned more from riding her then any of my other horses combined. I started to fully understand what riding with a purpose meant and my purpose for this horse was to teach her to be responsive and light so a nine year old could maneuver her with ease. This resonated in my mind regarding the lesson horses at the therapeutic riding center that I run. When I began working there, the lesson horses were dull and lifeless. They put up with a lot of commotion on their backs and numbed themselves to it for self-preservation and to endure walking in slow mindless circles for hours. Early on I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt that we were sacrificing the quality of life for one to improve the other, and being a part of an industry built around improving quality of life, it felt so contradictory.
Unfortunately, seeing the massive benefit theses kids received from riding, it was hard to disagree with the process. So with that in mind I had to make a decision: I could either find another occupation or find a way to change how adaptive riding horses were handled in order to benefit both horse and rider. This style of horsemanship I believe is the key to creating an environment that is beneficial to everyone involved. I have been diligently working with all our lessons horses since I began there, but working with June gave me a new perspective on the mentality I needed when riding a “kids” horse. What I have found most profound as I work with our lesson horses is how fast they are willing to change when you can offer something back to them, instead of constantly asking for more. By keeping the mind of the horse active and teaching them how to handle any situation, they become trusting and curious and enjoy what they do because it is always changing. One day I’ll be working cows, the next day we’ll go for a trail ride and the next they’ll be in a lesson for a child with alternative needs. All the while being out in the pasture with their herd. It’ll bring tears to your eyes to see these horses come alive and how that positively affects the kids that they work with.
I am unbelievably thankful for the Gamble family and for the Legacy’s scholarship program. I have taken away more than I ever thought I would from this experience. It has changed how I think, prepare, and act for my horses and how I go about my daily life and interactions with others. I could write a novel about all of the things I learned, but I’m thankful I get to share at least a little with these journal entries.
Thank you Carolyn Hunt and Buck Brannaman for creating this scholarship program and thank you for the opportunity to study with Dave Gamble. It has given me the foundation I needed so badly and has opened many doors of opportunity for me. The Legacy of Legends program has helped me improve the lives of my horses, which in turn has improved the experiences of so many children at our therapeutic riding center.
Thank you!!
December 21, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
Going into this scholarship, I had a preconceived idea about what skills I was going to be building. I expected to focus more on the physical aspect of horsemanship, but was surprised at how much I learned about the philosophy of horsemanship and how much that carries over into interpersonal communications between people. I have become more aware of how a person's body language changes as their intentions change and how their perception of their own actions may be inconsistent with how they are being interpreted by others. I am as guilty of this as anyone. Concerning interactions with horses or people, I often feel that I am hardly doing anything, but may in fact be doing far too much. Fine-tuning my own sensitivity to the people and horses around me has been difficult but has paid huge dividends.
The last day of my scholarship I was riding a new horse that had just arrived at the barn. She was a 1200 lb. pushy mare that had no softness or balance. While Dave and I rode, a lady and her young daughter came to watch and see what this horsemanship was all about. They sat on the bleachers for about two hours watching and were enthusiastic about what they saw. Afterward, we chatted for a bit and they noted that the young girl had a mare named June that she was having trouble with. June had bucked with her a few times and would try and roll when the little girl rode her. The mother was obviously distraught and came to Dave seeking help. After seeing what we had accomplished with the mare I was riding in such a short time, the mother asked if I had any available time to ride her daughter’s horse. She said she’d pay me for it and wanted to start right away. To be honest, I was a little shocked that she had asked me because I feel I’ve only broken the surface of horsemanship and still have so much to learn, but with Dave’s help I was pretty confident that I could make a difference. As a way to pay it forward and say thank you for all the opportunity I’ve received in the last year, I decided to ride the horse at no cost to the owner. I can imagine myself in that little girl’s shoes at 9 years old. It would be absolute torture to have a horse that you unconditionally love but are terrified to ride. If I can help her feel confident in her horse so she can ride with no fear, I’m all about that.
On the first day working with June, Dave did about an hour of groundwork. I had never seen a horse take over as much as this little mare did. She refused to move her feet, so when Dave would get after her it was a fight to get her to move off his body’s energy. When backing her up you could see that she didn’t know how to move her feet without tripping herself. It was as if all backwards movement stopped behind the cinch area and she would raise her head to try and avoid the pressure. She would persistently resist until finally her feet would break loose and Dave would quit. It took hundreds of repetitions until her expression changed and all of the sudden she got the idea and started moving off of pressure. It was apparent that she had never been shown boundaries or been given any instruction that meant something to her before that day.
My time with June ended up being a huge learning experience for me. When I rode June for the first time, I could not only feel but physically see how out of balance she was. Her neck had these odd divots behind her jawline, and near her poll was a large dip in her muscle line. Dave said it was a real shame that this horse had lived like this for so long. I have ridden horses that are out of balance on one side or the other, but this horse felt equally out of whack on both her right and left side. I’m sure if I was further along in my horsemanship I would be able to tell which side was better, but all I knew is that she felt like she was going to fall over when I asked for a turn. She was dripping wet from her ground work, so I rode her lightly until she was dry, asking for flexion and balance between my legs and reins. It was a good start.
The next day when I rode, it was astounding how much better she felt. She still obviously needed a lot of work, but I was shocked how much she had changed in one ride. She was starting to get her feet under her but was dull to my leg and took over when you asked her to move out. I got her going at a fast trot and worked in big circles all over the arena with a loose rein. There were moments when she found her center and she felt pretty good, but other times I couldn’t trot her in a straight line. Dave told me to keep her going and lope her around a few times and get her moving. When I got her going at a good trot, I asked for a lope in the corner where she felt balanced to take the left lead, but being as dull as she was and since my timing isn’t precise enough yet, I was late and she went to bucking. I held onto the night latch to stay on, but I wasn’t prepared for her to buck so my hands weren’t ready to bend her like they should have been. I let go in an attempt to correct my hands to bend her, but I fell and hit the dirt. Man, I made it all the way through my scholarship without getting dumped and I was pretty disappointed in myself when that happened. I felt like I had failed that little horse and should have been better prepared. Dave rushed over and asked if I was ok, I said “yeah” and situated myself to get back on. He asked me if I knew why she bucked. I definitely did. I explained that since I wasn’t precise enough when she was ready to take the left lead, her mind went to the right and she took the wrong lead and being as out of balance as she was, she went to bucking. He was pretty happy that even though it happened, I was able to feel it and understand why it happened. He said, “Now you know what that feels like and if you pay attention and learn from it, that’ll never happen again.” I appreciated how he explained that to me. It changed my perspective and turned a failure into a lesson. As soon as we finished our discussion, I immediately got back on and was able to lope her on both sides without her bucking. This made the disappointment of coming off my horse fade away as it was replaced by a sense of accomplishment.
With each ride she felt better and better. Each sticky spot we found she became more willing to try for me and I became more particular about what I was asking and quicker to release when she felt good. I think without learning what I did during my scholarship, I would not have been able to ride that horse with any quality. But I learned more from riding her then any of my other horses combined. I started to fully understand what riding with a purpose meant and my purpose for this horse was to teach her to be responsive and light so a nine year old could maneuver her with ease. This resonated in my mind regarding the lesson horses at the therapeutic riding center that I run. When I began working there, the lesson horses were dull and lifeless. They put up with a lot of commotion on their backs and numbed themselves to it for self-preservation and to endure walking in slow mindless circles for hours. Early on I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt that we were sacrificing the quality of life for one to improve the other, and being a part of an industry built around improving quality of life, it felt so contradictory.
Unfortunately, seeing the massive benefit theses kids received from riding, it was hard to disagree with the process. So with that in mind I had to make a decision: I could either find another occupation or find a way to change how adaptive riding horses were handled in order to benefit both horse and rider. This style of horsemanship I believe is the key to creating an environment that is beneficial to everyone involved. I have been diligently working with all our lessons horses since I began there, but working with June gave me a new perspective on the mentality I needed when riding a “kids” horse. What I have found most profound as I work with our lesson horses is how fast they are willing to change when you can offer something back to them, instead of constantly asking for more. By keeping the mind of the horse active and teaching them how to handle any situation, they become trusting and curious and enjoy what they do because it is always changing. One day I’ll be working cows, the next day we’ll go for a trail ride and the next they’ll be in a lesson for a child with alternative needs. All the while being out in the pasture with their herd. It’ll bring tears to your eyes to see these horses come alive and how that positively affects the kids that they work with.
I am unbelievably thankful for the Gamble family and for the Legacy’s scholarship program. I have taken away more than I ever thought I would from this experience. It has changed how I think, prepare, and act for my horses and how I go about my daily life and interactions with others. I could write a novel about all of the things I learned, but I’m thankful I get to share at least a little with these journal entries.
Thank you Carolyn Hunt and Buck Brannaman for creating this scholarship program and thank you for the opportunity to study with Dave Gamble. It has given me the foundation I needed so badly and has opened many doors of opportunity for me. The Legacy of Legends program has helped me improve the lives of my horses, which in turn has improved the experiences of so many children at our therapeutic riding center.
Thank you!!
Katherine Licence
November 20, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
This last week has been huge for me as a rider. I have been working on how to support my horse both physically and mentally while doing groundwork and riding. Physically, I’ve been fine tuning my body positioning and balance so I can get out of my horse’s way and support his movement. Mentally, I’ve been supporting my horse by helping him find what it is I’m asking without getting him into trouble.
During this time I have been riding a horse that was easily bothered and would rush off when I asked him to move out. He had been in the roping world most of his life and only had one speed. My plan A with this horse was to get him to match my body’s energy and not exceed the tempo I was asking for. It was a very fine line between where he was dull and where he would rush, so this was a good challenge for me to balance the support of my hands and legs to try and help him.
I worked on walk-trot transitions with a loose rein, using only my body to speed him up or slow him down. If he went faster than I was asking, I’d disengage the hind quarters for a step to get his mind back and move on like nothing happened. When he moved out he would rush and anticipate like he was waiting to get poked by a spur or get pulled on. It was obvious that this horse didn’t trust that there was a good deal waiting for him. Even though he was bothered, I kept offering that same deal and eventually he relaxed his jaw and started trusting that there was a release waiting for him.
After walk-trot transitions checked out, we moved on to the lope. I initiated the lope by starting at a slow trot and then encouraged him with my legs. Unfortunately, too much encouragement with my legs made him bolt and not enough with my legs left him dull and unresponsive. This was a hard balance for me to find and it made it difficult to get after him and move his feet while keeping him on this side of trouble. I had never ridden a horse that was so fearful and avoidant of pressure and yet dull to it at the same time. Looking back, I would have gone about this a different way. What I should have done when asking him to lope for the first few times was get up to a fast trot and encourage him to keep going with my body’s energy until he loped, then slow him down and repeat the process. This would completely avoid bumping or kicking him with my legs and causing him to rush. I felt like I was hardly doing anything and still he would rush into the lope like I kicked him. The phrase, “do less than you think” began to resonate in my mind and I found that my perception of “a little pressure” was actually far more than what he needed.
The first time he bolted, Dave told me to take a hold of him and stop him. So I did, but the next time he left in a hurry and I stopped him hard, Dave asked me, “Why did you do that? He was going to make it.” I was so confused by this at first. Dave explained to me about how to differentiate when a horse is physically or mentally leaving, not wanting to be with you, or when they are trying for you and thinking. Even if they are going a little fast, you have to offer the good deal first before stretching their lips out to stop them. After that moment I really started to pay attention to how my horse was feeling, and if he was feeling for me and willing to try for me. Even if he was rushing a little, was he trying? If he was, I needed to support him until he finds what it is I’m asking. If he’s leaving and not willing to be with me, that’s when I’d take a hold and stop him to reset and start again. I don’t want to force my horse to stay with me, I want to offer it to him so it’s his choice and we go together. Once I offered that amount of sensitivity to my horse it changed my ride completely.
The next few rides I paid close attention to how my horse was feeling. I felt like I was feeling what was going to happen before it happened and if I was preparing properly, I could fix the problem before it became a problem. I felt if he was rushing or anticipating and I was able to correct it and go on like nothing happened. It’s a hard thing to describe, but I could feel the energy of my horse and if it was with me or if it was leaving without me. Now that I know what that feels like, looking back I can’t believe I didn’t know how to recognize it.
Later in the week, I was riding the same horse and asking for a soft feel at the walk, preparing for a leg yield. On the right, my horse was soft and moving all four quarters off my leg evenly, staying within my imaginary rectangle. On the left, we got a little sticky; he would brace against my reins and anticipate a leg yield, raising his head and rushing through my legs. Dave explained that the reason why he tenses and his head comes up is because he gets stuck on that left hind foot. To help him drift all four quarters evenly, I took the hind all the way around the front for a circle or two, then in time with his feet I would ask all four quarters to move off the circle evenly, getting the hind to work properly. I really started feeling how untimely I was and how I caused my horse to stumble or get tense. But when I was in time, man, did it feel great!
While Dave and I chatted, I messed with getting a soft feel at a standstill. If I’d pull too much with my reins he’d want to go backwards, but if I did too much with my legs he’d go forward. I played with this balance. I set my hands, thinking I want him to stay just on this side of that feel, and with energy in my legs, but not too much, kept him from moving back. He raised his withers what felt like four inches and I started to feel that balance between my legs and reins. My horse collected under me and was the softest I’d ever felt. I looked at Dave with wide eyes and said, “I felt something!” He obviously was watching the whole thing and laughed at my excitement. I thought that I had felt softness before, but there was something different about this time. I felt my horse totally with me and willing. I could have loped him out of his tracks and he would have been right there with me, willing. I will never forget that moment.
During my internship, I have been heavily focused on the feet of the horse that I’m working, but the last few days I have been observing the interaction of the human with the horse, specifically the offer of the human and how subtle it can be. Watching Dave with his colt has been intriguing; there are times where it’s obvious what Dave is asking because to help his young horse find what he’s is looking for there is a certain amount of exaggeration that occurs. But lately I have been noticing that his horse will respond to him, but I miss the offer. It can be so subtle that even if you are really focused you can hardly tell that he even moved. I hope that someday I can be as subtle as that. I began paying closer attention to how I offer something to my horse and how when I’m working with a bothered horse I sometimes forget to give the good deal first. Dave and I talked about how hard that can be when you’re in the heat of it all, but how important it is to be consistent. I am starting to understand why people like Ray, Buck and many other great horseman are able to get through to troubled horses so much faster than others, because the good deal is always offered first and is done in time with all four feet. I could talk about this for hours, but there is only so much space on these reports. Until next time!
November 20, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
This last week has been huge for me as a rider. I have been working on how to support my horse both physically and mentally while doing groundwork and riding. Physically, I’ve been fine tuning my body positioning and balance so I can get out of my horse’s way and support his movement. Mentally, I’ve been supporting my horse by helping him find what it is I’m asking without getting him into trouble.
During this time I have been riding a horse that was easily bothered and would rush off when I asked him to move out. He had been in the roping world most of his life and only had one speed. My plan A with this horse was to get him to match my body’s energy and not exceed the tempo I was asking for. It was a very fine line between where he was dull and where he would rush, so this was a good challenge for me to balance the support of my hands and legs to try and help him.
I worked on walk-trot transitions with a loose rein, using only my body to speed him up or slow him down. If he went faster than I was asking, I’d disengage the hind quarters for a step to get his mind back and move on like nothing happened. When he moved out he would rush and anticipate like he was waiting to get poked by a spur or get pulled on. It was obvious that this horse didn’t trust that there was a good deal waiting for him. Even though he was bothered, I kept offering that same deal and eventually he relaxed his jaw and started trusting that there was a release waiting for him.
After walk-trot transitions checked out, we moved on to the lope. I initiated the lope by starting at a slow trot and then encouraged him with my legs. Unfortunately, too much encouragement with my legs made him bolt and not enough with my legs left him dull and unresponsive. This was a hard balance for me to find and it made it difficult to get after him and move his feet while keeping him on this side of trouble. I had never ridden a horse that was so fearful and avoidant of pressure and yet dull to it at the same time. Looking back, I would have gone about this a different way. What I should have done when asking him to lope for the first few times was get up to a fast trot and encourage him to keep going with my body’s energy until he loped, then slow him down and repeat the process. This would completely avoid bumping or kicking him with my legs and causing him to rush. I felt like I was hardly doing anything and still he would rush into the lope like I kicked him. The phrase, “do less than you think” began to resonate in my mind and I found that my perception of “a little pressure” was actually far more than what he needed.
The first time he bolted, Dave told me to take a hold of him and stop him. So I did, but the next time he left in a hurry and I stopped him hard, Dave asked me, “Why did you do that? He was going to make it.” I was so confused by this at first. Dave explained to me about how to differentiate when a horse is physically or mentally leaving, not wanting to be with you, or when they are trying for you and thinking. Even if they are going a little fast, you have to offer the good deal first before stretching their lips out to stop them. After that moment I really started to pay attention to how my horse was feeling, and if he was feeling for me and willing to try for me. Even if he was rushing a little, was he trying? If he was, I needed to support him until he finds what it is I’m asking. If he’s leaving and not willing to be with me, that’s when I’d take a hold and stop him to reset and start again. I don’t want to force my horse to stay with me, I want to offer it to him so it’s his choice and we go together. Once I offered that amount of sensitivity to my horse it changed my ride completely.
The next few rides I paid close attention to how my horse was feeling. I felt like I was feeling what was going to happen before it happened and if I was preparing properly, I could fix the problem before it became a problem. I felt if he was rushing or anticipating and I was able to correct it and go on like nothing happened. It’s a hard thing to describe, but I could feel the energy of my horse and if it was with me or if it was leaving without me. Now that I know what that feels like, looking back I can’t believe I didn’t know how to recognize it.
Later in the week, I was riding the same horse and asking for a soft feel at the walk, preparing for a leg yield. On the right, my horse was soft and moving all four quarters off my leg evenly, staying within my imaginary rectangle. On the left, we got a little sticky; he would brace against my reins and anticipate a leg yield, raising his head and rushing through my legs. Dave explained that the reason why he tenses and his head comes up is because he gets stuck on that left hind foot. To help him drift all four quarters evenly, I took the hind all the way around the front for a circle or two, then in time with his feet I would ask all four quarters to move off the circle evenly, getting the hind to work properly. I really started feeling how untimely I was and how I caused my horse to stumble or get tense. But when I was in time, man, did it feel great!
While Dave and I chatted, I messed with getting a soft feel at a standstill. If I’d pull too much with my reins he’d want to go backwards, but if I did too much with my legs he’d go forward. I played with this balance. I set my hands, thinking I want him to stay just on this side of that feel, and with energy in my legs, but not too much, kept him from moving back. He raised his withers what felt like four inches and I started to feel that balance between my legs and reins. My horse collected under me and was the softest I’d ever felt. I looked at Dave with wide eyes and said, “I felt something!” He obviously was watching the whole thing and laughed at my excitement. I thought that I had felt softness before, but there was something different about this time. I felt my horse totally with me and willing. I could have loped him out of his tracks and he would have been right there with me, willing. I will never forget that moment.
During my internship, I have been heavily focused on the feet of the horse that I’m working, but the last few days I have been observing the interaction of the human with the horse, specifically the offer of the human and how subtle it can be. Watching Dave with his colt has been intriguing; there are times where it’s obvious what Dave is asking because to help his young horse find what he’s is looking for there is a certain amount of exaggeration that occurs. But lately I have been noticing that his horse will respond to him, but I miss the offer. It can be so subtle that even if you are really focused you can hardly tell that he even moved. I hope that someday I can be as subtle as that. I began paying closer attention to how I offer something to my horse and how when I’m working with a bothered horse I sometimes forget to give the good deal first. Dave and I talked about how hard that can be when you’re in the heat of it all, but how important it is to be consistent. I am starting to understand why people like Ray, Buck and many other great horseman are able to get through to troubled horses so much faster than others, because the good deal is always offered first and is done in time with all four feet. I could talk about this for hours, but there is only so much space on these reports. Until next time!
Katherine Licence
September 18, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
This last week at the Gamble’s was a blur of information. We started the week late on Monday afternoon. As I was driving to the barn my head was swimming with distracting thoughts of my long day, but I had the urge to go ride anyway. When I arrived, there was music playing in the outdoor arena where a few people worked their horses and the air was finally cooling off. It was a beautiful Montana evening.
Dave had me start with the half circle exercise with my horse. He told me to go up and down the length of the arena until I felt satisfied with how my horse was going, then I could saddle him and ride. I started at one end, at times yielding the hind quarters in a full circle to set his feet right before asking him to step across with the front. Though I felt pretty good about his hind quarters, I was missing something when asking his front to step across. I stopped occasionally to watch the other experienced riders work their horses on the ground. I watched how they moved, their body position on the balance point of their colts and how their feet and hands did completely different tasks, fixing and releasing with each step to help their horses understand exactly what they were asking. As I watched, I could feel the flow of energy and movement between horse and human, but when I tried with my own horse it didn’t feel the same and I couldn’t figure out why.
I worked my way up and down the length of the arena two and a half times until a light bulb came on and all of the sudden I felt the balance between my horse and I. He followed the feel of my rope and it went all the way through his body into his feet. Because my horse was balanced and I was in time with his feet for that second, when I asked him to step across, his front foot reached way back and out, enabling him to pivot and push off from his supporting hind foot. Because I was focusing so hard on the hind feet, I neglected to notice the placement of my body and where my energy was pushing my horse, making him step out to the side and forward when stepping across, causing him to be heavy on his front. As Dave would say, “there goes your cow…” I changed my body placement and where the energy of my leg was going so I was turning him on a diagonal, properly setting him up to step back and out. I stopped my horse, Dave happened to be walking by and took a second to watch how I was getting along. All he said was, “Now, how’d that feel?”...
The next few days over at Dave’s were probably the most challenging I’ve had so far. I worked with a horse that had been ridden and used a huge amount in the past, but was only ever ridden straight; Any pressure from your leg pushed him forward and any pressure from the reins hit the brakes. Because this horse had no fundamentals to speak of, he would get really bothered and take off in a hurry when he didn’t understand what I was asking. A while ago, I would have probably said he was a disrespectful horse, or that he was testing the rider by his reaction. But recently I have been thinking that a lot of the big reaction we see is because of a lack of understanding and not necessary a defiant behavior. “It’s not that he’s bad,” Dave said, “he just doesn’t know”. Dave and I had a long talk about what happens in the mind of a horse and why they do what they do. Understanding that when you have a horse that is troubled, it is your job to keep them out of trouble and support them through the learning curve. It’s easy to forget to give the good deal before the not so good deal when you’re handling a forward and bothered horse, but if you’re not offering the good deal every time, how do you expect your horse to understand and get light? Offer the good deal first and don’t do too much.
I struggled with maintaining lateral flexion on the ground; when he was correct and I’d release, he would instantly take it back and we’d start over. Dave helped me with my timing and slowing my body down so I wasn’t constantly driving the horse forward, but instead giving him a chance to go slow and think about what I was asking. Because he didn’t understand how to read my intention, any pressure to him meant go forward fast, so with every step I would fix and release. This was a perfect opportunity for me to learn how to put all the pieces that I’d been working on together to help support this troubled horse.
After about an hour of ground work, I saddled and hopped on, but the second I got on all of my ground work went out the window… I try and be realistic about where I’m at as a rider, and sometimes it can be so frustrating when you understand more than you can actually do. As things speed up, it all falls apart when you’re learning.
Right off the bat, when I asked my horse to move around my leg to the left or the right it would drive him forward in a hurry. My first reaction was to pull on the reins to get his head around, but since my rein wasn’t mentally connected to my horse’s hind feet, when I did this he’d stop and and spin in a circle with his head straight out. Dave would yell, “leg!” over and over, trying to get me to keep the horse forward and stop spinning. I’d get after him with my legs and he’d jolt forward, then I’d pull on the reins and he’d spin in a circle... We worked in this spot for three hours until I figured out where my hands needed to support my horse without pulling on him and get the timing and accuracy of my legs correct. I struggled to find the sweet spot of flexion and forward movement without rushing my horse, but once I learned to slow myself down and not keep pushing my horse, everything got slower and I was able to be accurate with his feet and bend him without rushing him. Dave coached me through exactly what I needed to do and repeated himself until I could fully understand what he was saying and apply it. Because my horse had no separation between right and left pressure or lateral flexion, it was a constant fix and release to help him find it. I learned how important it is to be accurate and particular about your groundwork and how to apply your groundwork while in the saddle.
We ended in a pretty good spot that day, but I couldn’t sleep a wink for the next few nights thinking about that whole experience and what I could have done better to keep that horse out of trouble.
As humans we spend so much time thinking of the mistakes we’ve made in the past and because of that, we miss so much in the present. By not wallowing in our past mistakes we enable ourselves to properly prepare and give clear directions to our horse to set them up for success. If I’m still thinking of where I screwed up, I’m already late.
September 18, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
This last week at the Gamble’s was a blur of information. We started the week late on Monday afternoon. As I was driving to the barn my head was swimming with distracting thoughts of my long day, but I had the urge to go ride anyway. When I arrived, there was music playing in the outdoor arena where a few people worked their horses and the air was finally cooling off. It was a beautiful Montana evening.
Dave had me start with the half circle exercise with my horse. He told me to go up and down the length of the arena until I felt satisfied with how my horse was going, then I could saddle him and ride. I started at one end, at times yielding the hind quarters in a full circle to set his feet right before asking him to step across with the front. Though I felt pretty good about his hind quarters, I was missing something when asking his front to step across. I stopped occasionally to watch the other experienced riders work their horses on the ground. I watched how they moved, their body position on the balance point of their colts and how their feet and hands did completely different tasks, fixing and releasing with each step to help their horses understand exactly what they were asking. As I watched, I could feel the flow of energy and movement between horse and human, but when I tried with my own horse it didn’t feel the same and I couldn’t figure out why.
I worked my way up and down the length of the arena two and a half times until a light bulb came on and all of the sudden I felt the balance between my horse and I. He followed the feel of my rope and it went all the way through his body into his feet. Because my horse was balanced and I was in time with his feet for that second, when I asked him to step across, his front foot reached way back and out, enabling him to pivot and push off from his supporting hind foot. Because I was focusing so hard on the hind feet, I neglected to notice the placement of my body and where my energy was pushing my horse, making him step out to the side and forward when stepping across, causing him to be heavy on his front. As Dave would say, “there goes your cow…” I changed my body placement and where the energy of my leg was going so I was turning him on a diagonal, properly setting him up to step back and out. I stopped my horse, Dave happened to be walking by and took a second to watch how I was getting along. All he said was, “Now, how’d that feel?”...
The next few days over at Dave’s were probably the most challenging I’ve had so far. I worked with a horse that had been ridden and used a huge amount in the past, but was only ever ridden straight; Any pressure from your leg pushed him forward and any pressure from the reins hit the brakes. Because this horse had no fundamentals to speak of, he would get really bothered and take off in a hurry when he didn’t understand what I was asking. A while ago, I would have probably said he was a disrespectful horse, or that he was testing the rider by his reaction. But recently I have been thinking that a lot of the big reaction we see is because of a lack of understanding and not necessary a defiant behavior. “It’s not that he’s bad,” Dave said, “he just doesn’t know”. Dave and I had a long talk about what happens in the mind of a horse and why they do what they do. Understanding that when you have a horse that is troubled, it is your job to keep them out of trouble and support them through the learning curve. It’s easy to forget to give the good deal before the not so good deal when you’re handling a forward and bothered horse, but if you’re not offering the good deal every time, how do you expect your horse to understand and get light? Offer the good deal first and don’t do too much.
I struggled with maintaining lateral flexion on the ground; when he was correct and I’d release, he would instantly take it back and we’d start over. Dave helped me with my timing and slowing my body down so I wasn’t constantly driving the horse forward, but instead giving him a chance to go slow and think about what I was asking. Because he didn’t understand how to read my intention, any pressure to him meant go forward fast, so with every step I would fix and release. This was a perfect opportunity for me to learn how to put all the pieces that I’d been working on together to help support this troubled horse.
After about an hour of ground work, I saddled and hopped on, but the second I got on all of my ground work went out the window… I try and be realistic about where I’m at as a rider, and sometimes it can be so frustrating when you understand more than you can actually do. As things speed up, it all falls apart when you’re learning.
Right off the bat, when I asked my horse to move around my leg to the left or the right it would drive him forward in a hurry. My first reaction was to pull on the reins to get his head around, but since my rein wasn’t mentally connected to my horse’s hind feet, when I did this he’d stop and and spin in a circle with his head straight out. Dave would yell, “leg!” over and over, trying to get me to keep the horse forward and stop spinning. I’d get after him with my legs and he’d jolt forward, then I’d pull on the reins and he’d spin in a circle... We worked in this spot for three hours until I figured out where my hands needed to support my horse without pulling on him and get the timing and accuracy of my legs correct. I struggled to find the sweet spot of flexion and forward movement without rushing my horse, but once I learned to slow myself down and not keep pushing my horse, everything got slower and I was able to be accurate with his feet and bend him without rushing him. Dave coached me through exactly what I needed to do and repeated himself until I could fully understand what he was saying and apply it. Because my horse had no separation between right and left pressure or lateral flexion, it was a constant fix and release to help him find it. I learned how important it is to be accurate and particular about your groundwork and how to apply your groundwork while in the saddle.
We ended in a pretty good spot that day, but I couldn’t sleep a wink for the next few nights thinking about that whole experience and what I could have done better to keep that horse out of trouble.
As humans we spend so much time thinking of the mistakes we’ve made in the past and because of that, we miss so much in the present. By not wallowing in our past mistakes we enable ourselves to properly prepare and give clear directions to our horse to set them up for success. If I’m still thinking of where I screwed up, I’m already late.
Katherine Licence
August 10, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
My first day with Dave Gamble at Standing Heart Ranch began on Saturday, August 5th. I was ecstatic to start my scholarship and had been looking forward to it all summer! When I arrived Saturday morning, Dave’s son, Dylan Gamble, and Dylan’s girlfriend, Eden Manuel, were there with two young colts they had just started the day before. One of the first things I noticed when watching them work was how even, calm and accurate both Dylan and Eden’s movements were with these wild young horses. It was intriguing to see the intention of the human and how the colts were unsure at first, but through hundreds of small releases and corrections the colts began to understand what exactly they were being asked to do. Eden’s colt, though unsure, was more willing to move its feet and mentally be with her. In contrast, Dylan’s colt had no desire to stay and was braced against him, mentally leaving every chance he could. As Dylan moved it’s feet and encouraged him with the flag, the young horse would violently strike out when the flag got near it’s flank. Dave humorously described this colt as, “a little kicky”. Because he was so bothered by the flag, Dave kept encouraging Dylan to keep rubbing his colt with the flag and keep his feet moving, only releasing when there was a change in the horse. I stood with Dave and listened to him narrate what was happening and what Dylan was looking for and working towards. I learned so much by sitting and watching that day. Dave is so particular when he is working with a horse, it was really interesting to see how, why and when to escalate pressure to get to your horse’s feet.
I watched for hours as Dave, Dylan and Eden worked six different horses that day. It was late afternoon when I grabbed my own horse and by that time, my head was so filled with newly acquired information that I had reached my saturation point. I had to physically look away at times because my mind could not comprehend any more information. Dave noticed where my head was at, so to not overwhelm me he gave me two things to work on with my horse; a united circle and stepping the hind off the circle. Well, as most of you reading I’m sure are aware, there is definitely more than a few things happening when it comes to a united circle, or stepping the hind end off the circle.
As I worked with my horse on the ground, I asked for a united circle, and in time with the inside hind foot I would ask to move the hind off the circle for a step or two, then back on the united circle. As I did this, I observed my horse would step under nicely and maintain proper flexion on the right side, but on the left was rigid in his poll and would step short. I focused on the left hind, hearing Dave’s voice telling me, “fix and release…”, when I thought I had it right I would release, but the second I did my horse would stiffen in the poll and step short instead of carrying the flexion from the poll, through the body to the feet. I asked Dave what I was missing and he told me I was neglecting the inside front foot. He coached me through my united circle, describing the placement of each foot and it’s importance to the horse’s balance and how my timing when asking my horse to move is paramount to keeping him balanced. At a united circle, my horse would reach all four feet evenly, when I moved the hind off the circle, his left front foot would shorten and stab hard into the ground. That’s what I was missing! Dave told me that if my horse isn’t balanced with all four feet, he will brace and move short. If I was working with a young horse he might get bothered and try and leave, but since my horse is experienced and rather dull, he simply braces instead of fleeing. Dave helped me with my body position and where my energy was moving the horse, making my two feet and my right and left hand do different tasks simultaneously. I struggled, but was persistent until I understood where my body needed to be to help my horse be balanced. The second I was correct and my horse carried proper flexion all the way through, I released all pressure and he stopped, licked his lips and chewed.
When learning all the little details that go into keeping your horse balanced, it is a constant fix and release until it’s right. I feel there are times where I have it, and I understand what I am looking for and how it should feel and in a moment it’s gone and I’m all thumbs. Dave is incredibly encouraging when it comes to the frustration of growing pains. He reminds me often that I’m not wrong or dumb, I just don’t know because no one ever told me. It is really easy to get down on yourself when you see the braces you’ve put in your horse and the mistakes you’ve made out of ignorance. But, getting down on yourself isn’t helping you or your horse. The only thing that will help is seeking the knowledge on how to fix it and not repeating the same mistakes again. If something isn’t working, QUIT and try something different!
August 10, 2017
Whitefish, Montana
My first day with Dave Gamble at Standing Heart Ranch began on Saturday, August 5th. I was ecstatic to start my scholarship and had been looking forward to it all summer! When I arrived Saturday morning, Dave’s son, Dylan Gamble, and Dylan’s girlfriend, Eden Manuel, were there with two young colts they had just started the day before. One of the first things I noticed when watching them work was how even, calm and accurate both Dylan and Eden’s movements were with these wild young horses. It was intriguing to see the intention of the human and how the colts were unsure at first, but through hundreds of small releases and corrections the colts began to understand what exactly they were being asked to do. Eden’s colt, though unsure, was more willing to move its feet and mentally be with her. In contrast, Dylan’s colt had no desire to stay and was braced against him, mentally leaving every chance he could. As Dylan moved it’s feet and encouraged him with the flag, the young horse would violently strike out when the flag got near it’s flank. Dave humorously described this colt as, “a little kicky”. Because he was so bothered by the flag, Dave kept encouraging Dylan to keep rubbing his colt with the flag and keep his feet moving, only releasing when there was a change in the horse. I stood with Dave and listened to him narrate what was happening and what Dylan was looking for and working towards. I learned so much by sitting and watching that day. Dave is so particular when he is working with a horse, it was really interesting to see how, why and when to escalate pressure to get to your horse’s feet.
I watched for hours as Dave, Dylan and Eden worked six different horses that day. It was late afternoon when I grabbed my own horse and by that time, my head was so filled with newly acquired information that I had reached my saturation point. I had to physically look away at times because my mind could not comprehend any more information. Dave noticed where my head was at, so to not overwhelm me he gave me two things to work on with my horse; a united circle and stepping the hind off the circle. Well, as most of you reading I’m sure are aware, there is definitely more than a few things happening when it comes to a united circle, or stepping the hind end off the circle.
As I worked with my horse on the ground, I asked for a united circle, and in time with the inside hind foot I would ask to move the hind off the circle for a step or two, then back on the united circle. As I did this, I observed my horse would step under nicely and maintain proper flexion on the right side, but on the left was rigid in his poll and would step short. I focused on the left hind, hearing Dave’s voice telling me, “fix and release…”, when I thought I had it right I would release, but the second I did my horse would stiffen in the poll and step short instead of carrying the flexion from the poll, through the body to the feet. I asked Dave what I was missing and he told me I was neglecting the inside front foot. He coached me through my united circle, describing the placement of each foot and it’s importance to the horse’s balance and how my timing when asking my horse to move is paramount to keeping him balanced. At a united circle, my horse would reach all four feet evenly, when I moved the hind off the circle, his left front foot would shorten and stab hard into the ground. That’s what I was missing! Dave told me that if my horse isn’t balanced with all four feet, he will brace and move short. If I was working with a young horse he might get bothered and try and leave, but since my horse is experienced and rather dull, he simply braces instead of fleeing. Dave helped me with my body position and where my energy was moving the horse, making my two feet and my right and left hand do different tasks simultaneously. I struggled, but was persistent until I understood where my body needed to be to help my horse be balanced. The second I was correct and my horse carried proper flexion all the way through, I released all pressure and he stopped, licked his lips and chewed.
When learning all the little details that go into keeping your horse balanced, it is a constant fix and release until it’s right. I feel there are times where I have it, and I understand what I am looking for and how it should feel and in a moment it’s gone and I’m all thumbs. Dave is incredibly encouraging when it comes to the frustration of growing pains. He reminds me often that I’m not wrong or dumb, I just don’t know because no one ever told me. It is really easy to get down on yourself when you see the braces you’ve put in your horse and the mistakes you’ve made out of ignorance. But, getting down on yourself isn’t helping you or your horse. The only thing that will help is seeking the knowledge on how to fix it and not repeating the same mistakes again. If something isn’t working, QUIT and try something different!
