2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity - The Day I Learned About Ken Wold
I now have another hero. I don’t know who all of the well-known trainers are yet since I’m new to all of this. But at the futurity, I was able to learn and see them all together, under one roof, riding their hearts out. One man, stood out for me, over all the others, Ken Wold. That guy can ride! He was spectacular to watch. I don’t know what it is that makes one rider stand out from all of the other incredible riders, but Mr. Wold has whatever that is. He was magic.
This is one of his rides during the futurity with Playgirls Miss Grace. You can tell by the crowd that I wasn’t the only one who was thrilled to watch him. I heard that he was inducted into the NRCHA hall of fame this year. Congratulations to Ken and thanks for the show! WOW!
Ken Wold’s web site is: http://www.kenwoldtrainingstables.com/
Amazing how some guys (and gals) just “got it”. They do things that can’t be bought or taught…they just do it. I think that’s why the very best trainers and riders don’t mind teaching you their “secrets”. They know they got that “something” that’ll always keep them at or near the top,
I like to look through the Western Horseman magazine pictures. Even though they are still photos, sometimes you can feel the movements. I remember one picture of a Great Basin rancher. His hands were weathered and looked rougher than sandpaper layin on a gravel road. But you could feel his touch on the reins through the page. More delicate than a brain surgeon. And you got the feeling when he moved those reins it wasn’t a thought, it was an instinct.
11 Oct 2008 at 6:08 am
Al, I think you might be a poet.
11 Oct 2008 at 12:31 pm
oh Al! I was going to tell you. When I was watching all those big trainers warming up and schooling their horses, I didn’t see once single one of them get after their horses. None of them seemed to be riding angrily or emotionally if their horses didn’t do what they wanted…they just calmly schooled.
Les says you have to have a happy horse to win the futurity. I bet he’s right.
11 Oct 2008 at 12:33 pm
Poet?…that’d mean I’d have to ryhme all the time.
11 Oct 2008 at 7:07 pm
Reno isn’t the place to be gettin after them. If you have to get assertive with them in the warm up pen might as well load em in the trailer….got more work to do at home.
My feelings are that when you get to the show you go with what you got. You’re not gonna make anything better in the practice pen, you just want to make sure you got what you had at home. Remind them it’s all the same thing as what you learned at home just different dirt.
Whether you’re going for the hundred grand or getting a colt a little show ring exposure, if you try to put 15 days of training in a 15 minute warm up you’re cheating yourself and your horse.
13 Oct 2008 at 5:56 am
Totally agree, Al, thats why is called the WARMUP arena & not SCHOOLING arena.
13 Oct 2008 at 7:40 am
Where has everyone been?
05 Dec 2008 at 7:01 am
I’m here!
18 Dec 2008 at 8:02 pm