Gentle horse training is just a whisper away

By JULIET BRISKIN | Staff writer

Josh Lyons works with his colt to familiarize him with the reins and having a rider pull them to the right and to the left. Lyons, one of the three horse whisperers competing at the El Camino del Caballo competition in Fort Worth on Dec. 12-13, emphasizes knowledge and patience when working with horses. -- Staff photo by J. Briskin

January 8, 2004 -- Long before Hollywood glamorized the horse whisperer on the silver screen, humans were utilizing gentle training techniques to mold wild horses into permanent fixtures in agriculture, travel, sport, and even war.

While modern-day horse whisperers may not be shrouded in the same myth and mystery as their predecessors, their ability to gently tame a wild horse is no less impressive.

On Dec. 12-13, three of today's most talented horse whisperers met in Fort Worth to compete in the first annual El Camino del Caballo gentle horsemanship challenge. The two-day competition was held at the Cowtown Coliseum in the historic Stockyards and featured internationally-known clinicians Curt Pate of Montana, Australian Clinton Anderson, and Josh Lyons of Colorado.

"El Camino del Caballo offers the chance to witness young horses take their first steps down the road of trust, communication and partnership with the greatest clinicians in the world," stated event producer Tootie Bailey-Bland.

To kick off the event Pate, Anderson, and Lyons each hosted a clinic showcasing their individual training techniques and provided their guests with insights into solving a variety of equine problems. And while their techniques may have differed slightly, their message was the same. Knowledge, patience, positive reinforcement and reward lead to mutual trust and respect between human and horse.

Following the clinics, the panel of judges chose three young colts from a herd of 10, randomly placed each colt in a numbered round pen and the competitors drew to see which horse they would be training. With up to 50 points on the line, the three horseman spent one hour in the round pen with their colt and were judged on approach, degree of difficulty, quietness in mounting, degree of force used, confidence, curiosity and sensitivity.

The second day of competition consisted of two hours in the round pen and another possible 50 points. During this session the judges scored both the horseman and the horse, taking into consideration the horse's response to lateral handling and forward movement, hind and neck movement, and the amount of respect, trust and understanding between man and beast.

Finally, after just three total hours with their colt, the competitors were given 25 minutes in the full arena to perform a series of required tasks that included a five-station obstacle course, mounting and dismounting, picking up the colt's feet, riding a straight line for 40 feet, and walking, trotting and loping the perimeter of the arena both clockwise and counter-clockwise. For this final event the judges considered the overall demeanor of horse and rider and awarded up to 50 points for their performance.

If the clinician had time remaining after completing the compulsory maneuvers, an additional 10 points were available for any freestyle moves the horse and rider performed.

During the final stage of the competition the horses' performances served as undeniable proof that gentle horsemanship techniques work. All three handlers and their colts delighted the crowd, but it was Anderson and his horse, Hancock Sug, that brought the crowd to their feet. After a near flawless execution of the required moves, Anderson switched into freestyle mode and stood on his colt's hindquarters while cracking a whip.

Based on the judges scores, Anderson was declared the winner but "the real winners are the people who came to watch and the horses themselves," said Bailey-Bland. "It was such an honor to watch these three men and witness their incredible ability to bring these colts to such a positive point in their lives on the road to the horse."