Wednesday, April 08, 2015
Cowboy Mounted Shooting Blog
I decided to start a new blog just about Cowboy Mounted Shooting - you can follow that over here - www.cowboymountedshooting.horse
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
On the right track
So far we've putzed around a bit with the mounted shooting business. Took a private lesson a couple years ago and exposed Booker to gunfire during that lesson. Then we worked with him on general desensitization with random things, then we worked with cap guns (mounted and unmounted), then .22 blanks (mounted and unmounted), then .380 (unmounted). Then I got pregnant, it was winter, and we got lazy.
Fast forward to this past weekend and we're signed up for a mounted shooting clinic with Chad Little (World champion mounted shooter FYI). We packed up the horse and way more supplies than we'd ever need in N's new trailer and went to our first clinic. We made it in one piece despite the mud and rain.
It was a 4 hour clinic in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon so N rode first and I went second. The first group was an older crowd with less experience so they spent a lot of time just firing the pistols until the horses started getting used to it. Then they started working on patterns. Booker did really well. He had been exposed to gunfire before so he'd jump a bit but didn't freak out or anything. There were a couple horses that were not too happy about the situation and they didn't help keep him calm but he did really well anyway.
After lunch I jumped on and warmed Booker up again and myself of course. The group I rode with was a younger crowd that had shot and/or gamed before so they were all pretty comfortable but had to borrow guns. So I got quite a few rounds in since I had my own guns. We did have to borrow a holster since mine aren't made yet. Booker was still doing really well, not even flinching when people shot. But he did start getting a little sticky and not wanting to move. So then I had to manage him and the gun at the same time. But can't really blame him, it was his first time doing much of anything this winter and we were asking him to work for up to 8 hours. We got some great tips from Chad and he thought Booker was going to be really good at this sport. My shots were pretty decent when I didn't have to micromanage the horse. But we did discover the action on my revolvers is really really stiff. So that's on the list to get worked on.
I think our biggest thing to work on is riding patterns and just getting smoother and handling the horse with one hand. Everything else seems like it'll come easily enough. More time in the saddle is #1. Holy cats does my butt hurt. Oh and I stuck to my "guns" and wore my helmet despite having picked up a western hat the day before at a tack sale. I'll stick to the helmet until we're at a competition and have to wear a western hat (though I think helmets are okay too). It had been forever since I'd ridden so it didn't seem like the time to ditch the helmet. In any case he rode really well and the time off seems to have taken away some of my fears so that was good.
Fast forward to this past weekend and we're signed up for a mounted shooting clinic with Chad Little (World champion mounted shooter FYI). We packed up the horse and way more supplies than we'd ever need in N's new trailer and went to our first clinic. We made it in one piece despite the mud and rain.
It was a 4 hour clinic in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon so N rode first and I went second. The first group was an older crowd with less experience so they spent a lot of time just firing the pistols until the horses started getting used to it. Then they started working on patterns. Booker did really well. He had been exposed to gunfire before so he'd jump a bit but didn't freak out or anything. There were a couple horses that were not too happy about the situation and they didn't help keep him calm but he did really well anyway.
After lunch I jumped on and warmed Booker up again and myself of course. The group I rode with was a younger crowd that had shot and/or gamed before so they were all pretty comfortable but had to borrow guns. So I got quite a few rounds in since I had my own guns. We did have to borrow a holster since mine aren't made yet. Booker was still doing really well, not even flinching when people shot. But he did start getting a little sticky and not wanting to move. So then I had to manage him and the gun at the same time. But can't really blame him, it was his first time doing much of anything this winter and we were asking him to work for up to 8 hours. We got some great tips from Chad and he thought Booker was going to be really good at this sport. My shots were pretty decent when I didn't have to micromanage the horse. But we did discover the action on my revolvers is really really stiff. So that's on the list to get worked on.
I think our biggest thing to work on is riding patterns and just getting smoother and handling the horse with one hand. Everything else seems like it'll come easily enough. More time in the saddle is #1. Holy cats does my butt hurt. Oh and I stuck to my "guns" and wore my helmet despite having picked up a western hat the day before at a tack sale. I'll stick to the helmet until we're at a competition and have to wear a western hat (though I think helmets are okay too). It had been forever since I'd ridden so it didn't seem like the time to ditch the helmet. In any case he rode really well and the time off seems to have taken away some of my fears so that was good.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Back in the Saddle ... again ... again
Ran out to the barn a couple times last week actually. Once to remove Booker's blanket before it was 70F out. And then again to go for a ride later in the week. Unfortunately Booker's feet are getting long and he was feeling a bit off so we only worked on some corner circles and some leg yielding. I really need to get some cantering under my belt before the clinic in a couple weeks.
Speaking of, things are rolling in our new Cowboy Mounted Shooting hobby. We started desensitizing a couple years ago and then I went and got pregnant so now we're determined to get something going this year. We are signed up for a new shooter clinic at the end of this month and we plan to shoot in a Mother's day shoot in May. Hopefully some other shoots as well.
So right now I'm working with a local leathersmith to maybe make up a holster and hopefully get that sooner than later. And there's a tack sale at the end of the month. I'm probably being optimistic but it'd be great to find some chinks, a shirt, and a hat.
Speaking of, things are rolling in our new Cowboy Mounted Shooting hobby. We started desensitizing a couple years ago and then I went and got pregnant so now we're determined to get something going this year. We are signed up for a new shooter clinic at the end of this month and we plan to shoot in a Mother's day shoot in May. Hopefully some other shoots as well.
So right now I'm working with a local leathersmith to maybe make up a holster and hopefully get that sooner than later. And there's a tack sale at the end of the month. I'm probably being optimistic but it'd be great to find some chinks, a shirt, and a hat.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Get yer guns!
Well Nancy got herself a truck and trailer! Which means we are mobile this year. We've already signed up for a new shooters clinic at the end of this month and we plan to do our first real shoot on Mother's day weekend. So that means we better get back to training!
Monday, February 02, 2015
Catch up ... again
Just a quick catch up since I'm not doing a very good job keeping up to date. Maybe I can do better this year. Last year I wasn't riding since I was pregnant. Baby was born in August. My boys moved from my brother in law's to the big cattle pasture at the farm. Haji crossed the rainbow bridge before winter hit. We moved the boys to a farm outside of Canby where there's at least 10 other horses. A guy that buys hay from my father in law is watching them for the winter. They are actually getting fed flakes of hay so Axel isn't all puffed up like he usually is in the winter. Cody has written me off now that he's with "his kind." Hopefully I'll get a few rides in this summer.
I'm back to riding Booker, though lightly right now, we're lazy and it's winter, you know how that goes. I got a pair of colt 45s for Xmas so we'll be getting him back in shape with the guns sooner than later and hopefully hitting up a clinic and a shoot this year.
I'm back to riding Booker, though lightly right now, we're lazy and it's winter, you know how that goes. I got a pair of colt 45s for Xmas so we'll be getting him back in shape with the guns sooner than later and hopefully hitting up a clinic and a shoot this year.
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