| When dealing with a braced, pushy horse, the | | | | Wisely, the group jumped up from their chairs |
| breakthrough usually comes when we confront | | | | and scattered. |
| the brace and simply hang in there--in some | | | | Just as the horse gathered himself to jump the |
| cases, "no matter what"--until the horse yields. A | | | | fence, he had a change of heart and yielded to |
| few years ago, I saw one of these classic, | | | | Buck's coils instead. "It was a good thing you guys |
| no-matter-what moments unfold in California while | | | | vacated the area," Buck said afterwards. "If this |
| attending one of Buck Brannaman's clinics. It took | | | | horse was going over that fence, I was going |
| place back when Buck was starting every horse | | | | over with him. And I'd be insisting that he make |
| in the colt class himself. | | | | that turn the whole time. And when we landed, I'd |
| Confronting a Brace | | | | keep on insisting until I got it." While this example |
| Buck was in the arena aboard a very pushy | | | | highlights the importance of following through with |
| warmblood gelding he was restarting. The big, | | | | a request until we get a change, hanging in there |
| attractive colt wore no halter or bridle. Instead, | | | | to this degree is beyond what many of us are up |
| Buck was using his coiled lass rope to guide the | | | | for. |
| horse. When Buck asked him to yield to the coils | | | | For the Rest of Us |
| and turn, the pushy colt simply braced his neck | | | | Consequently, if we do find ourselves in a |
| and took off at a gallop, straight for the fence at | | | | situation beyond what we feel comfortable dealing |
| the other end of the arena. Not the least bit | | | | with, it's really safest for us to back off, break |
| impressed, Buck maintained his hold on the cantle | | | | things down, and address the horse's braced |
| of the saddle, leaned well up the horse's neck, and | | | | tendency over an issue that better fits our ability. |
| redoubled his efforts to turn the colt with his | | | | Granted, backing off will cause the process to |
| coiled rope. | | | | take longer. However, given our circumstances, |
| It soon became obvious to the spectators seated | | | | focusing on something we're sure we can follow |
| in lawn chairs outside the fence at the end of the | | | | through on is best for the horse--and us--in the |
| arena, that neither the human nor the horse | | | | long run. |
| barreling down on them was about to weaken. | | | | |