Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Horse training for the most part is a peanut and jelly profession where very few get rich. Remember your trainer or farrier has a barn, house, and truck payment along with a family to provide for just like you. Be kind and pay them on time, your trainer still has to feed and take care of your horse even if you don't pay on time, and that takes money, that they need to pay their bills on time. If you are going to be late or slow paying for the month just be honest and let them know, most trainers will understand and be willing to work out something that will allow you to continue forward with your training/showing goals. Communication is the key in any relationship be it business or personal.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Great Minds have purpose; little minds have wishes. Little minds are subdued by misfortunes; great minds rise above them. - Washington Irving

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: Everybody wants to work on the easy fun stuff, because it's fun and easy. Always work on the hard stuff first, that is training. - Steve Kutie

Ride Hard, Be Safe and Have Fun.

Baby Lesson #15- Momma Drama

Well, I have finally figured out a mystery that has been perplexing man since the dawn of time: the real reason women get a big oversized belly when they are expecting. Most of you,that know me, know that I'm a pretty easy person to be around, a whole lot easier to live with(got that Charissa?),and most of the time fun loving, without one single ounce of sarcasm in my finely chisled body. BUT, sometimes I forget that Charissa is carrying our next sweet little bundle of joy, Jax 2, and I will say something "cute" that will trigger a prime evil response in Charissa that I have never seen. Imagine a verbal stoning coupled with rays of death being shot from her pretty brown eyes deep into my good hearted soul. So back to my discovery. At any good business worth their salt, be it a barn, factory or pub there will always be warning signs posted about not pushing the red button, looking directly into lazer, or that alchol can cause liver damage and make your jokes seem funnier than they are. I had been wishing for some time that someone would develope a sign to remind me that Charissa, or any other PYT(Pretty Young Thing, for those not growing up in the Michael Jackson era) for that matter, was expecting (before she started to show) so I would know to be exceedingly more careful about getting the backlash of a horomonal tidal wave. I tried getting Charissa to wear a sign or some kind of a flashing light to remind me to keep my witty ways in check, and allowing me to stay out of arm swinging reach, but she was having none of that. Then it dawned on me that the big man upstairs had already developed a warning moniter that I have been missing, the big pregnant belly! So guys PLEASE remember to THINK seriously about what words are about to fall from your mouth before you speak, because even if we think it's funny, and it probably is, she will not find humor in your cute sarcastic comments, gauranteed. After all, YOU are the one that got her in that position and it will be only a few more months until you get back your fun loving sweety pie that is willing to tolerate your rare gift of sarcasm without the stones being hurled in your direction. Remember the belly IS the warning and it sure beats the heck out of asking them to wear a bumper sticker. Charissa, you know I love you and always will. hanks for letting me laugh and joke about our life, and for only throwing small stones. XOXOXT

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Teach the horse their job and let them do it, don't always babysit them to keep them out of trouble. If they mess up, fix it and let them be; It's called training.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: Ignorance is lack of knowledge... Stupidity is having the knowledge and not using it... Of these two, Ignorance is forgivable.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: "Don't put your responsibility with other people, like the judges. Have you done your utmost best, have you done everything? If so, you never lose." - Tjalling Van de Berg/ pertaining to being personally fit and in shape to improve your riding.

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: When looking to purchase a Reining, Working Cowhorse or Cutter prospect; I tell my clients, "You buy the stop, the rest can be trained". A horse that WANTS to stop willing and on his own will always beat a horse that has to be MADE or forced into stopping. Desire and willingness are two things that cannot be taught, be it horses or people.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: A goal, without a plan, is just a wish.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Some horses are blind, you need to to make the opening of the tunnel bigger so they can see the light.... make the right decision easy and obvious, make the wrong decision difficult and hard work. Help them make the decision and don't make them afraid to make a mistake when answering your question. - Steve Kutie

Susanne Schuh aka Butters

Our intern, Susanne Schuh aka Butters, from Austria showing at a reining back home. Butters will be back in the US for a visit around futurity time, stop by and say hi. Visit her on facebook under Sue Horsetraining

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. - Mae West

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: A great man is hard on himself, a small man is hardd on others. - Confucius

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: It is not wise for a blind man, riding a blind horse, to approach the edge of a deep pond.

Welcome on board, Cutter Classic Saddle Blankets

Fine quality hand loomed saddle blankets. Endorsed by champions. Visit them on the web www.cutterclassicblankets.com or order them through www.SnaffleBitClothingCo.com

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: Whatever a horse practices, he gets good at. If he practices turning his rear end towards you, he gets good at that. If he practices being respectful and always turning to face you, he gets good at that.

New Sponsor; Kold-Rite Compression Therapy Wraps

KOLD-RITE Compression Wraps are made of stretchable polyurethane foam that is saturated with 96% water based gel that cools at room temperature. The gel-imbedded wrap evaporates water to simultaneously provide moist, penetrating, cooling action and compression. Because it is water based; the wrap requires only cool water to regenerate for numerous uses. KOLD-RITE removes heat by evaporation, pulling heat from deep within the muscle tissues, while the compression helps reduce and prevent edema. Visit the on the web at www.kold-rite.com or order them thru www.SteveKutie.com

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. - Beverly Sills

Congratulations! ASHA Dallas, TX

Congratulations to Roberta Johnston(owner), Steve Kutie(rider), and A Royal Busy Bee(horse) for their All-Around win this weekend at the ASHA Dallas, TX Show. Winning the Cowhorse, tying to win the Pleasure and finishing 2nd in the Reining and Trail.

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: If you're not leading, you're following.

My Present from Sabrina

Look what I got in the mail today now I look cool like dad. Thanks Sabrina!

Theory Thusday

Theory Thursday: It's amazing to think how many people are shocked by honesty, and how few by deceit.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Nothing is idiot proof, to a sufficiently talented idiot. - Steve Bullard

Photo Caption Contest

I'm having a contest to find a caption for this picture. Winner will receive a FREE Kold-Rite Compression Therapy Wrap. Contest runs until the end of the month and an expert panel of one judge, myself, and maybe someone else if I value their opinion will decide the winner. Be creative, I loathe uncreativity. Visit them on the web www.koldrite.com or order the through me. Have fun!

Horse Whispering

Hi...Ho...Silver!

Baby Lesson #14

Baby Lesson #13

Baby Lesson #12

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: PATIENCE, n ; 2. enduring without complaint. Also the only way to become successful in the horse business.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Integrity, is doing the right thing even if no one is watching.

Baby Lesson #11

Baby Lesson #10

Baby Lesson #9

Baby Lesson #8

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: The more that you focus on body control and being able to move all of your horses parts individually, the easier the training of the manuevers become, they will train themselves. I was always taught that in good training you will never see anything happening.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Dispiline, is remembering what you want.

Congratulations on the WIN!

Congratulations to Kellie Herrington and Terry Dear(owners), Steve Kutie(rider) & Nuttin Butta Wimp x Wimpys Little Step(horse) on winning the Open Reining this weekend, by marking a 73 on their first time out.

Baby Lesson #7

Baby Lesson #6

Baby Lesson #6

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Horse training is a wonderful thing if one does not have to earn ones living at it. - Steve Kutie/ Albert Einstein

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking that we used to create them. Albert Einstein

Check out our new training article/tip in the new issue(May) of the Equine Journal. http://www.equinejournal.com/articles/index.php?permalink=western-with-steve-3292

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Becoming a champion, successful, great, or a winner is all about a state of mind. If you are unwilling to believe that you are great, why should anyone else. CHOOSE TO BE GREAT TODAY! But be careful, there is a fine line between being confident or an arrogant a**. Don't trip.

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: The reins were not invented to help you balance and stay on.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Don't look back you're not going that way.

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: The word dressage originates from the french word, dresser, which means to train, period. With that being said I would like to remind everyone that good training is good training and that there are many paths that lead us to our ultimate goal of having a well trained horse that will never be "finished" but will continue to learn thoughout their entire lives. As riders we tend to think that our disipline or style of riding is the only way and tend to lose sight of the fact that we can learn valuable information from other riders. After all, every horse is created equal, but through selective breeding we have developed their movements to fit our riding style. The movements, functions and understanding of anatomy and mechinics is universal and will never be changed from horse to horse. As riders we can influence these but never change them, thus truely rendering our thoughts of one style of riding being better than another pointless, except only in our minds. A well trained horse and rider will always be able to compete with success, no matter the disipline or sport. Our horses do not care what style of riding we do, how we dress, or the amount of money we spent on our trailer, they just want to be treated fairly and with respect. Remember, as soon as we close our minds to learning, we are finished as riders.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: Training horses is a peanut butter and jelly profession. Remember that your trainer has a barn/house payment, bills, and a family to provide for just like you. Be kind and pay them on time, they still have to feed and take care of your horse even if you don't pay on time, and that takes money that they need to pay their bills on time.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Swallowing a little pride will never give you indigestion.

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Jealousy is the inability to appreciate what we have.

What People are saying

What people are saying about the Anti-Gimmick Clinic Series:
Mr. Kutie,
Thank you so much for letting me join your reining clinic in Nacogdoches. I enjoyed it and learned a lot. I loved the less is more---my Dad taught me that but my 4H group friends sometimes don't agree.
I showed last weekend and improved greatly over last year. I showed Green Horse 5 and under and got second---I beat out 4 adults! Yes! I also got 2nd in trail.
I love riding and hope to be as good as you one day. I saw you had a clinic in July on SHOT. I am hoping to get my parents to haul me. SHOT sounds fun. Thanks again.
Peyton Moore
(the 10 year old on the Dun)

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: When you start dreading the time you have to spend with a particular horse, he's the one in control of your relationship and it's not what I'd call a partnership. - Bob Avila

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Every day above ground is a good day.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Riding Lesson

Question: I pay $50 per hour for my riding lesson, how do I get the most bang for my buck?
Answer: Most professional trainers are providing you with the opportunity to gain valuable information. However, it is your job to listen to what they have to say and implement that knowledge on your horse. Riding and training a horse does not come with an instrustion book detailing a program that will work with every horse.
ASK QUESTIONS: Be sure that when your trainer asks if you have any questions that you be honest with them. It is your hard earned money that has bought you the chance to ask a professional questions. If you don't completely understand what is being taught, ask them to explain in greater detail. The only dumb questions are the ones that you never ask. I always encourage my clients to ask questions and to question me when they are in doubt. I would rather take the time to go slow and make sure that they understand than to speed past something that I thought they understood, only to go back and keep fixing the same problem over and over. It wastes my time and their money.
BE ON TIME: Be respectful of your trainers time. Remember that this is his or her job and they may have other commitments that need to be taken care of after your lesson. When I was running a larger lesson program, I liked to have my customers at my facility early enough to have their horses tacked, warmed up, and ready to ride when the lesson began. If your lesson time is 1:00-2:00, try to be there half an hour early so that you can be ready to start at 1:00, and not 1:30. In my program, you will still be finished by 2:00, no matter what time we started and still pay for the whole hour. Remember, just because you are running late, it doesn't mean that the next lesson is.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK: Be sure to work on the homework that your trainer gives you so that you will be prepared for your next lesson. While at home, keep a small note pad in the barn. If you think of a question while riding on your own, you will have the pad close to write down your question, rather than trying to remember what you wanted to ask during your next lesson time. You might also be able to save some money and learn more by having a group lesson with some frends. Taking a lesson with friends will allow you to gain an extra set of eyes when you are at home training; they will have an understanding of what you are trying to accomplish. Having a friend or family member video during the lesson will provide you with the ability to review what you worked on during the lesson. Remember it is your job to get the most out of your lesson, only you know what you don't know.
As always... Ride Hard, Be Safe, and Have Fun. - Steve Kutie

Baby Lesson #5

Baby Lesson #5: The number on the side of the diaper box does not indicate the amount of baby poop that will be contained inside. For example, size one diapers WILL NOT, I REPEAT, WILL NOT hold 1 lb. of poop, pee or any combination of the previous mentioned. I'm betting, at best, they will only hold a few ounces which sometimes is not even close to the amount expelled from out little darling. Remember it is ALWAYS necessary to change the diaper after every use, no matter how large or small the mess, even if the odor is potent enough to peel paint from of the wall. Jax is a big supporter of this last statement, and so is his mom, believe me!.

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Horsemanship is not something that "you do"; but a state of mind that "you do" from. - The Jeet Koon Do of Horsemanship

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: Average efforts don't always yield average results, sometimes they yield no results at all.

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: While riding, when your horses head comes up don't "pull" or "see-saw" your horse head back down think about squeezing or driving their head and neck back into the proper position with your legs. Your legs control the amount of drive your horse uses, not the amount of speed. A head and neck that comes up and out of position is usually the result of a lack of drive or impulsion. Forward is the key to fixing 99% of all training problems. Remember, use more leg and less hand to make you and your horse happier, train smarter not harder. - Steve Kutie

Anti-Gimmick Clinic, Nacagdoches, TX

I would like to thank everyone that attended the first Anti-Gimmick Training Clinic of the year, hosted by the SFA Horsemans Association at their super arena in Nacogdoches, TX(by the way it was a sold out clinic). It was a HUGE success that helped the great and hard working students on the SFA Ranch Horse Team afford to show and compete. I am super thankful that everyone worked so hard and was super interested in finding an easier way to train both horse and rider, and to Dr. Joe Gotti for making it all possible. The next Anti-Gimmick Training Clinic is scheduled for June 22-24, 2012. Contact me for details.

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: You want to ride from training, not from strength. - Jane Savoie

Things My Mom Says

Things my mom says; We are at a horse show and my mom who is new to watching me show says to me as I'm about to enter the show pen.
Me: Chomp, Chomp, Chomp (I'm chewing a piece of gum)

Mom: (leaning in close to me with her hand covering her mouth so no one can hear) Do you need to spit out your gum so you don't get into trouble?

Me:(laughing) Who an I going to get into trouble with, the bubble gum police?

Ya gotta love her. :)

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER; Being able to understand how your horse moves, functions, and thinks is the only true way to improve your riding and training skills. Gimmicks and short cuts will only result in causing yourself, frustration and more work in the end usually never curing the issue or problem. Understanding horses and horsemanship will not only save you money and keep your tack room less clutered, it will teach you how to use your brain, your most important tool. Remember the more band-aids you apply to a cut will not make it heal any faster, they only serve to cover up the problem and make you feel better. - Steve Kutie

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: It's great to have good stratigies for getting things accomplished. But without good excution, good stratigies aren't worth much.

Show Time, Sorta?

Every now and again I get to show one of mine, even if they are a bit out of shape. With all of the customer commitments it makes it tough to go show one of your own.

Nap time in Stephenville, TX

Jax just catching a quick nap after a hard day of showing.

SHOT Champions for Stephenville, TX Show

Congratulations again to Roberta Johnston(owner)and Steve Kutie(rider) and A Royal Busy Bee(horse) for continuing their winning ways, by winning the Junior Horse All-Around title this weekend at the SHOT Show in Stephenville TX as well as remaining undeafeated in the Cowhorse, and placing 2nd in Trail and Reining, as well as 4th in Pleasure. Congrats Bobbie, Buzz is a pretty nice ride!

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: When you add personal disipline to a commitment toward open-mindedness, you increase your chances of success. The choice to be disiplined is the choice of winners. - Bob Avila

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion. - Chinese Proverb

OKSHA Green and Novice Champions

Congrats to Roberta Johnston(owner), Steve Kutie(rider) and A Royal Busy Bee(horse) for winning the Trail, Pleasure, Cowhorse and finishing 2nd in the Reining as well as capturing the Green Horse All-Around Title at the OKSHA show this weekend. Also super job to Kellie Herrington and Radar for winning the Novice All-Around as well as all four events, great job!

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Shut up, Work hard, Be patient. Becoming an overnight success, usually takes a lifetime. - Steve Kutie

10 Simple Steps for Finding that Perfect New Reiner.

Question: I am a novice rider and want to purchase a reining horse on a shoe string budget. I'm getting all sorts of advice from friends but I'm not sure if I should purchase a green horse or a finished horse.
Answer: Looking for the perfect non-pro reiner can be a daunting task if you are not properly prepared. Take some time before you ever saddle that first horse and make a checklist on paper of exactly what you are looking for, your short and long term goals. Evaluate your current skill level, being honest with yourself.
-Create your pre-purchase checklist and rank it order of importance: conformation, mind, ability, pedigree, looks, color.
-Buy skill and ability not color, looks or pedigree alone: Everybody wants to own a pretty horse and looks are important, but I would rather ride a horse that is a little plain looking and full of talent and ability than a pretty horse that can't get out of his/ her own way; Look for a good minded horse who WANTS to stop. A rule that I always remember is that; you buy the stop, the rest you can train.
-Avoid: Horses that are bad minded, pin their ears, or ring their tails. These are all signs that the horse is hurting or hates his/ her job.
-Conformation: Straight legs, short backs, low hocks, low headed/ necks, clean throat latch, moves smoothly and pretty while loping are all attributes that a horse is born with and can't be changed. Conformation is important when looking at the longevity of your prospect. Having the horse vetted with a pre-purchase exam will help ease your mind. Horses are like people, they all have a little something wrong, so don't pass on the near perfect horse just because of a small problem. Consult with your vet to see if the issue is something that can be easily maintained.
-Remember: There is no perfect horse, they are flesh and bone with a mind of their own. They all come with their own set of personal issues, the key is finding the issues that you are willing to live with and maintain.
-Ask: Ask around about a horse that you're interested in, just because he's winning doesn't mean that he's not for sale. Friends and trainers are also a good way to network in the search of a new ride. Ask for the health history report of the horse from their owner and vet. Ask to show once, if possible, before you buy. This will allow you to see and feel first hand what you are looking to buy.
Watch: Watch the horse being shown by the current owner/ non-pro. Trainers make their living by keeping the not so perfect show horse going run after run. The biggest problem with buying a show horse, is "ring sour" or "show smart" they ride well at home or at the trainers's barn, but new issues crop up in the warm up pen and show ring.
-Price: Price can be the biggest factor in your search. Bsically, the more the horse has won or done the larger the price tag. If you find a horse deal that seems to good to be true, it probably is. With the economy in the dumps and the price of hay going through the roof, there are good deals to be found, but buyer beware! You don't want to buy someone else's mistake. You get what you pay for.
-Don't: Don't be pressured into buying something that you wouldn't want to own for the rest of your life. Try to find a horse that hasn't been over shown, but is finished enough to go to the show pen without spending extra money on more training. We all want instant gratification, but buying a green horse just because he is cheaper at the start will cost just as much as the higher priced horse when you factor in additional training, hauling, and entry fees to get the horse seasoned.
-Enjoy: Enjoy the search for the perfect new horse. You have a chance to ride a ton of horses and get to take a sneak peak into the training programs of some of the successful trainers and non-pros that you have seen in the show pen. The bonus is that you will learn more about yourself and your riding abilities, the more horse you get to try out. Just remember always be respectful of the seller or trainers time since you are just trying the horse out while you are there, not taking a free lesson.
Spending the time and effort to research your perfect horse, will make you confident in your purchase and the price will be less of an issue. A good minded, well broke, willing show horse will always be a good investment.

As Always.... Ride Hard, Be Safe, and Have Fun. - Steve Kutie

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: Would a fly without wings be called a walk or ride?

Simply The Truth

When you think you're not happy with you're life, always remember, someone is happy simply because you exist.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Our fears are more numerous than our dangers, and we suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca........ Never let you, limit yourself!

2011 SHOT Novice All-Around Champion

Congratulations to Roberta Johnston 2011 SHOT year end All-Around Novice Champion.

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: Be more concerened with your character than your reputation because your character is who you truely are, but your reputation is merely what others think of you.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. - Bill Cosby

Anti-Gimmick Clinic March 31 - April 1, Nacogdoches, TX

You still have time to rearrange your schedule. This is probably the most fun, entertaining, and educational clinic that we do all year. Hosted by the Stephen F. Austin Horseman's Association as a fund raiser to help cover some of the expenses for the colleges stock horse team. Come out and enjoy a great time as well as put a little bit of knowledge in your noggin. Bonus, you get to hang out with me for the weekend, for no extra cost!

Selecting the proper Headstall, It could be a life saver.

A shank bit on a one-ear headstall with curb chain.

A snaffle bit on a headstall with brow band and throat latch. A slobber strap is used with a snaffle.

Question: I was told that I had the wrong headstall on my ring snaffle bridle. Does it really matter? How do I choose the proper headstall?
Answer: I have always noticed the small things that people tend to do when it comes to their horses and their choice of equipment, and I have to ask myself, "Do they not know, or do they just not care?" Watching people ride in the warm up pen at a recent show, I noticed the number of riders that had the improper headstall for the bit that they are using. Headstalls were designed with a specific purpose in mind, to keep the bit hanging in the correct position in your horse's mouth and to allow you to pull on the reins and not have the headstall slip over their ears.

The hardest thing to overlook, from a safety standpoint, is when one is riding a horse around in a snaffle bit hung on a headstall that has no throat latch. When pulling on the reins, a headstall that has no throat latch and browband will tend to lift off of the horse's poll and possibly slip off over their ears(not the best position to be in when your horse spits the bit, literally). The throat latch is designed to keep the headstall in the proper position by securing it behind the horse's jaw with the brow band laying across the forehead just in front of the ears. The throat latch should be adjusted with 2-3 fingers width between it and the horses throat.

If using a bit that has leverage, a one ear or split ear headstall will be fine since they are being used with a curb chain(a headstall with a throat latch and brow band will also work, but I personally think that it looks out of place when paired with a leverage bit). The leverage bit, when pulled on, rocks forward in the horse's mouth. This allows the curb chain to apply pressure under the chin and slight pressure over the horse's poll, keeping the headstall in place.

Snaffle bits should be used with a slobber strap attached to each ring that runs under the horses chin. This is so a rider is able to pull the bit left or right without having the rings slide around into the horse's mouth, where we lose control. I also tend to ride all of my horses, when schooling, with a cavasson or noseband to keep them from gapping their mouth open and trying to get away from the bit pressure. The noseband is not used to keep the horse's mouth tied shut; it is just an aid that allows the bit to function properly without allowing any bad habits to start. It is always easier to keep a problem from starting than to have to go back and figure out how to correct it. The use of a noseband when showing is illegal equipment in most classes.

Proper fit for a snaffle bit depends on the horse's mouth conformation. I will start a colt in the round pen with the bit hanging a little lower in the horse's mouth so that the colt learns to carry the bit with their tongue. Once I start riding, I will pull the bit up so that I have 1-2 slight wrinkles on each corner of the colt's mouth.

There are entire books dedicated to the theories and principles of bit design, function and placement. Remember that every horse will prefer one size bit over another, like how tight or loose the curb chain is, as well as how high or low the bit hangs in their mouth. All trainers and riders are looking for a certian feel or response from a particular bridle or bit, just take it slow when playing around to find out what works best for you and your horse. My general rule of thumb is that it takes about 10-12 rides to see and feel exactly how the new bridle or bit will perform. The most important point that I would like to stress is that the bridle or bit are only as severe or mild as the hands that are using them.

As always...Ride Hard, Be Safe and Have Fun. - Steve Kutie

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Unless you faint and die, keep going. If you just fainted, when you come too, get going. If you died, I understand that. But, I can't understand your quiting. - Steve Kutie

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I'm already better than them. Be the first of you. - Steve Kutie

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Prospect shoppers compare what's available, and it's not their problem when your performance prospect's dam doesn't compare well. It's your problem, and you created it the day you bought or bred the mare. - Bob Avila

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: It is easier(better) to have to drive a horse forward, than to always have to pull him back.

Baby Holster, to hold your puke shooter

I just ordered two of these, so I can look extra badass. There will be a new Sheriff in town carrying a locked and loaded puke shooter, watch your back and shoulder. FYI the shoulder holster is on back order.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months, years they spent preparing for it. - T. Alan Armstrong

ASHA Stephenville Winners

Congratulations to Steve Kutie(Rider) and Roberta Johnston(Owner) and A Royal Busy Bee(Horse) for winning the the cowhorse, 2nd Trail, 4th Reining, 6th Pleasure and for finishing Reserve Champion in the Green Horse Class at the ASHA show this weekend. And GREAT job to Shelly Logan for winning the limited non-pro cowhorse as well as Marcy Blakley for finishing 2nd in the Novice Reining. AWESOME job to everyone!

Your Horse, Your Questions, Your Money. What to ask the trainer.

Question: I'm getting ready to move my 2 year old into a new training barn. I don't want to offend anyone and get off on the wrong foot, but is it ok to ask questions? I don't want any surprises.

Answer: With 2012 just starting, and spring being just around the corner, it's time to start thinking about getting your two year olds and futurity prospects into training. So what I done is compiled a list of questions to ask any prospective trainer, the list will be easy to print and keep handy. Some of these may be ones that you haven't thought to ask.

I hope this list assists in the process of tracking down a trainer that you can feel comfortable with and will trust to do a super job with your baby. The relationship between the trainer and the owner is built on friendship and trust, but above all, it is still a business and honesty is the best policy.

1. What is your training cost per month?
a. What is the due date for the payment?
b. What are your late fees?
c. Are lessons included?
d. Who is responsible for the vet and farrier? Do you bill me or do they bill direct?
e. Who is responsible for insurance on the horse in training?
f. If a horse is sick or injured, is there a discount rate?

2. How often is the horse worked?
a. How long is a typical work session?
b. How many days per week of riding?
c. Is the trainer or the assistant trainer going to be riding the horse?
d. Do you have a minimal requirement of the days for starting a colt?

3. Feeding Program
a. What type of grain is fed?
b. What type of hay is fed?
c. How many times per day are they fed?
d. Who is resonsible for supplying the supplements?

4. Show fees and expenses
a. What is the rate charged per mile?
b. How are the show fees covered? Deposit or credit card?
c. How are the winnings split between the owner/trainer?

5. What shots/vaccines/etc are horses required to have when coming into training?
a. Flu/rhino?
b. rabies?
c. tetanus?
d. strep?
e. coggins?
f. VEWT?
g. Deworming schedule?

6. If a horse is sold while in training, what is your commission rate?
a. Who is responsible for paying a split commission if another trainer is involved?
b. Do you, the trainer, get a commission if the owner sells the horse while in training?

7. Scheduling Visits
a. Do you require an appointment for me to come and watch my horse being worked?
b. Do you work horses the same time everyday?
c. Am I able to drop in anytime?

8. What other information do you require?
a. License?
b. Club membership papers?
c. Insurance, if applicable. *be sure all are current.

9. What type of notice do you require if a horse will be taken out of training?

10. Goals
a. How long should I expect my horse to be in training before being able to show?
b. Long term goals?
c. Short term goals?
d. Rider goals?
e. Horse goals?
f. Who's going to show the horse? Trainer/rider?

Putting a colt or new horse into training is a very exciting and expensive venture, so be sure that you ask whatever questions are on your mind. Ask; you will really hate yourself when the question that you never ask ends up costing you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Remember that horse training is a free enterprise and every trainer has their own set of rules and standards. So, if you are uncomfortable with them, or their training methods, you don't have to do business there.

As always; Ride Hard, Be Safe, Have Fun - Steve Kutie

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Success is getting up one more time than you fall.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: The best color on a horse is fat.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: Always be kind, courteous and helpful to other riders at a show, you never know when you might need a favor and they are the only ones that can help. Remember what they say about karma, do you really want to test this theory right before you go into the show pen? - Steve Kutie

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Those who say it cannot be done, should not interupt the people doing it.

Shot Show Abilene Texas- Winners

Congrats to Team KPH at the SHOT Show in Abilene Texas this weekend. Buzz won the Junior Working Cowhorse and finished 4th in the Reining with Steve Kutie riding, owned by Roberta Johnston. And a big THANK YOU to everyone that helped on Sunday so that I could get everyone prepared and shown(had three horses in the All-Around). And a job well done to Roberta Johnston, Jennifer Steiner-Cooper, Rick Cooper, Cody Brown, Dana Brown and Shelly Jones Logan for all of the awards, Championships and All-Around Titles that were Won durning the past year.

Congratulations Janet Parker on your purchase of Big League Yankee

Congratulations to Janet Lee-Parker on her recent purchase of Big League Yankee earner of over $100k and FEI Bronze medalist in Reining. Look for them later this year in the show pen!

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: In a judged competition, the spectators are your jury. If you can get them to like your horse, chances are the judges will like him too. - Bob Avila

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: True words are not always pretty. Pretty words are not always true.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference. - Mark Twain

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: When I was a young up and coming trainer one of the greatest things I learned, was about what NOT to do, in business, training or life. Remember that most people are not looking to fail as a general rule and if someone has already been down that path and it didn't work, I will look for another path. A smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. None of us have enough time to make all of the mistakes and learn from them. - Steve Kutie

Bottle Boobies

Well today day was a sad day at the Kutie house, Charissa had to start back to work today and was pretty upset about having to leave her little baby at home with me and my mom. I can understand her concern for having to leave Jax under my total care, since I sometimes have some trouble keeping care of myself, but I think he will be able to survive since my mom did a pretty good job of raising me, although some might beg to differ do to how I turned out, but I guarantee the way I act is no reflection on her, she is a saint for having to deal with me for 39 years. So in order to be able to continue all of my intriguing posts and insightful information that I post I have come up with a system that will allow me to feed Jax, work on the computer, and act like Charissa, all at the same time. I have named my system Bottle Boobies ( I'm going to register the name as soon as I finish typing this), it is simple, effective and gives baby Jax the almost real momma boobies experience. I have figured out that if I hold him in my arm and tuck the bottle under my armpit, I don't have to hold the bottle with my hand, thus freeing up my hand for other jobs (keep it clean) with the bonus being that Jax thinks I'm a whole lot cooler, since he has always thought that my food producers were lacking. Brilliant! I just got a sweet idea that I'm going to work on that will be an improved basic version that will consist of a Bottle Boobie Bra, baby liners with nipples packaged with a slight loss of dignity. The deluxe version will contain double nip Bottle Boobie Bra, disposable liners, twice the amount of nipples, along with a Hulk Hogan mask to cover your face(No one will question the Hulk). The Xtreme version will contain a the double nip Bottle Boobie Bra, a lifetime supply of disposable liners and nipples, cowboy hat with two drink holders mounted on the side(one for the bottle of milk and one for a beverage of your choosing to help ease the humiliation), or the option of a camelback, supply lines, along with a Chuck Norris mask(Because if you laugh or question Chuck he will, well you know, Chuck you up). If things go well Bottle Bobbie Bra will be available in a store near you. You are welcome in advance for my time and work saving product and I will be glad to share your photos of the Bottle Bobbie Bra in action.

ASHA Winners; Marcy Blakley and Shelly Logan

Congrats to Shelly Logan for winning the Ltd. Non Pro Cowhorse and finishing 3rd. in the All-Around sunday at the ASHA in Denton as well Marcy Thrasher Blakely for winning the Novice Cowhorse and crushing everyone in the Reining as well as winning the Novice All-Around in her first ASHA show. Super job, and great job of staying focused, you ladies ROCK!!!!

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy. - Norman Vincent Peale

Babies and Anti-Gravity Matter?

I'm sure that most of you who have kids have had the unexplainable joy of having to clean up your sweet precious babies when they have, what we at the Kutie household call, a diaper blowout. Now I'm not just talking about the average run of the mill little baby dump, I'm talking about the kind of dump that explodes in their diaper and slightly shakes the house; the kind that covers themselves, as well as their clothes, along with anyone or anything that might be remotley close with a poopy slime that looks pretty similar to the green slime I remember them dumping over people that were unsuspecting on Nickelodian. Our little bundle of joy, Baby Jax, seems to have the ability to take a crap that not only fills the diaper, but also any clothing that he might be wearing and all the way up his hairy little back onto his neck. In additon, he has the ability to take a leak that must be like one of the fancy fountians in Vegas. You know the ones that shoot streams of water hundreds of feet in the air all cheorographed to music? It's like that, but minus the music. In the beginning, I just thought that he was sweaty due in part to the super warm weather that we have been having in North Texas for January, but turns out that it was just a frontal blow out that nearly hit him in the chin and soaked his KPH onesie. I guess my mom had been struggling with the blowout issue in her own way. When we went to change Jax's diaper one morning we found out that she, intending to or not, double diapered him. I guess this was an attempt to help contain the blow out? The last time we suffered a blow out, we had to resort to what I thought was only true in stories, or maybe an urban legend, and hose him off in the shower in an effort to remove a pretty heavy layer of baby poo just so we would be able to handle him, change clothes, and apply a new turd catcher. Maybe duct tape around the waist would work as a remedy. Either way, I've come to the conclusion that the laws of physics and the theory of gravity do not apply to babies, since they can squirt poo up their back while sitting straight up. I could understand if I carried him upside down by his feet and it ran down his back, but Charissa asked me to stop carrying him that way cause he was getting rug burns on his forehead (only because I'm low to the ground or vertically challanged, whichever you prefer). So do our sweet little alien babies possibly hold the key to Anti-Gravity? I just ask you to look at the facts.

Teaching Your Horse to Spin, it's EASIER Than You Think.

Question: I'm trying to figure out how to teach my horse to spin, what is the easiest way to get them started? I've been having trouble with them wanting to suck back and hop with their front end and not staying on their inside pivot foot.

Answer: I'm sure that everyone has seen a reining horse spinning like a top and thought "How did they teach them to do that"? To be truthful the spin is really simple and easy to teach if you follow a few simple steps. The spin is just a basic cross over step done multiple times. The first thing that we need to think is that the spin is a maneuver that has to be done with forward impulsion. The thought I have is that we are going to work on controlling the shoulders; I tend to not worry about the position of the hips or pivot foot, as it will tend to take care of itself as the horse learns to cross over and move their shoulders. I personally don't think a horse has to keep his inside pivot foot planted in one spot without picking it up. If a horse is driving forward and moving their shoulders correctly, I think that sometimes they need to reposition their foot. I by no means want a horse to be swapping ends and doing a belly spin. The key to teaching your horse to cross their outside leg over their inside leg is to keep the forward motion. Watch the outside shoulder leg and everytime it steps under your outside leg say "Step", As the horse's outside leg is under your outside leg it is in the perfect position to influence the next step, which will be a forward cross over step, with the horse's outside or right leg crossing over their inside left leg. By using this "Step" theory, we ask our horse to step over one step and then push them forward and back out onto a ten foot circle. We then just keep repeating the sequence of steps until our horse is willingly crossing over one step and then walking them out. Now we ask for two cross over steps and again push our horse out onto a ten foot circle. Keep repeating the sequence so that we will have our horse willingly spinning. The aids and positioning for the spin are the same as the aids we use while circling (see sidebar). Our outside leg is back by the rear cinch helping to drive the horse forward and holding their hips to the inside of the circle. Our inside leg is at the front girth holding the shape of our small circle. As you release your inside leg, it allows your horse to step over into the spin, rather than staying on the circle. Our outside rein is pressed against the horse's neck, NOT PULLED ACROSS THE CENTER LINE. Pulling the outside rein across the center of the horse's neck will cause them to tip their nose to the outside of the spin and drop their shoulder to the inside. Our inside rein will be slightly lifted to help position the horses nose to the inside of the spin. Remember this sequence will take some time and will not happen overnight or in a couple of days, be patient and focus on making small steps everyday, your horse will thank you.

SideBar: While we are walking our horse on a ten foot circle to the left, we need to have the horse's body following the shape of the circle, our outside leg is driving our horse forward while your inside leg is maintaining the position of our horses ribs by keeping the arc of the circle and not letting them drop their shoulder into the circle. As we continue to drive our horse forward we turn our upper body slightly toward the inside of the circle as if we have eyes on our chest, this will naturally help to put our bodies in the correct position.

As always; Ride Hard, Be Safe and Have Fun. - Steve Kutie

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Green(horse) + Green(Rider)= Black and Blue.

Feature Sponsor: Jerry Shaw Custom Saddles

If you are in the market for a new saddle check out Master saddle maker Jerry D. Shaw of Jerry Shaw Custom Saddles. Jerry and his staff make the finest saddle you you can sit in that will fit both you and your horse like a glove. Purchase one that is in stock or visit with Jerry to have one custom made to your every detail. Please take a minute and browse the works of art that Jerry creates at jshawsaddles.com

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that , you'll do things differently. - Warren Bufett

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into sitiations where you need it. - Doug Larson

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: The hardest part of making a good buy is having the patience to wait until it comes along. - Bob Avila

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Everything you want is on the other side of fear.

Is it me or my Horse?

Just like in any relationship, communication is essential to the success of you and your horse. The simple straight truth is that 95% of most horse problems are truely people problems. It may be the rider's or handler's lack of understanding of their inability to clearly convey their wishes to the horse. If you are willing to take the time to listen to what the horse is trying to tell you, most of the training problems that we encounter on a daily basis will begin to take care of themselves. From the moment we head to the barn in the morning to feed, to the moment we decide to call it a day, we are teaching them habits. So it is up to you to decide if those habits will be good or bad.
If you are encountering the same problem with your horse on a daily basis, don't keep doing what you are doing. You are doomed to get the same results. One of the easiest but often overlooked tools almost everyone has in their household is a video camera. Whether you have an actual video recorder, or a phone with a built in video or even an Ipod, most riders have the ability to record their ride. OK, so you'll need a friend, or enemy, to operate it. Nevertheless, I would encourage you to have someone tape you working with your horse. Video will not lie. You will be able to watch the tape repeatedly to see what is really happening. Use the video to improve and refine your training techniques. An added bonus of recording your ride is if you can't seem to fix the issue or accomplish a task, you can take the tape/video to a local professional trainer to see if they can give you some tips on correcting the problem.
"My horse won't" is a clue that there is a communication issue between rider and the horse. Usually the horse has reached the point that he is literally "screaming" at the rider. When you find yourself saying, "My horse won't," first, make sure it isn't a physical problem. Ask yourself, is my horse sound, ringing his tail, acting iritated, tossing his head? These are all signs that your horse is trying to tell you something is hurting or bothering him. Your horse my be achy or tired just like you are in the morning after a hard workout. Or he may have something more serious going on in his hocks or back, or he may be simply acting disobedient. You need to be observant of what he is trying to tell you. If you don't listen and force the issue, I guarantee you will end up getting into an arguement. A few easy days of riding over a horses life will not ruin his career, but ignoring the signs that a horse is sore and hurting can turn that injury into a career ender.
Horses are not machines. They need time to relax, recover after a hard ride, or just spend some time being a horse. They also have good and bad days, as well as get sore and tired. Just because you are feeling great and want to work on stopping or lead changes or half passes, your horse might not be 100% on that day. Ride with a mental checklist of what you are looking to accomplish on that ride for that day, start your warm up and see if your horse is working like your partner. Once warmed up then start your exercise and work on your problems areas. Accept small improvements and move to the next skill. Don't drill and drill and drill and drill. When he does something well, reward him with a break.
Like any athlete, don't forget to cool your horse down before dismounting. This may be accomplished by walking around the ring on a loose rein or take him for a walk around the property or down a trail. This will give his muscles a chance to stretch and cool down. Remember horse are flesh and bone with feelings. Treat them with respect, listen to their needs, and they will always try to please you.
As always; Ride Hard, Be Safe and Have Fun. - Steve Kutie

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Training horses is a game of patience. - Steve Kutie

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: When you possess a goal, you're the one who's responsible for it, no one else can reach it for you, or step in to do your learning for you. You are the one in charge. - Bob Avila

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Always start wih the hardest thing first; And always finish the training session on a good note.

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: Training horses is like a jat of jalapenos.... What you do now could burn you in the a$$ later.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Great minds have purpose; others have wishes. - Washington Earving

The Circle of Life

Sometimes the circle of life can poke you in the eye with its fickle finger. I have worked pretty hard the past few years of my life to keep from peeing in my pants, and have done a pretty good job, if I might add. There was that one time before my class at the Congress, but I will keep that for another story. It seems that when I was a baby, I did my fair share of wetting diapers, or so I'm told. I SLOWLY progressed into hosing down various items along the way, so much that my mom was thinking that I was going to turn out to be a fire fighter instead of a horse trainer. Now I'm entering a new chapter in my life when I get to experience the pure joy and pleasure of the warm wet feeling running down my leg, knowing that it is not me, generally. It looks like over the last couple of days I have been able to bring out the best in Jax, kinda like a fire hydrant to a dog. Everytime I get the pleasure to hold him, he acts as if we are two little kids in the mens room sword fighting with streams of liquid steel. Now some of the ladies might not understand this right of passage, but I'm sure if you ask your husbands or boyfriends they will be able to back-up my story. It's just how we are programmed. Sooo, yesterday, not once but twice, I got to change my clothes due to being hit by the elusive pee bug sniper. It was a direct gut shot, taking out my sweat shirt, tee shirt, jeans and my underoos. Nothing looks more manly than standing up and looking like I need an endorsement deal with Depends, but such is life. The whole circle of life is ringing true in my mind, I peed on my mom, Jax has peed on me, and I'm sure in a few years my mom will return the favor, as I'm changing her diaper. Therefore, I just need to cheer up and remember that I will have sweet revenge over the pee bug sniper in the end. Hakuna Matata

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Your horse ask me to tell you; After you fix him, leave him alone and stop picking at him. Oh, and to stop babysitting him, and let him do his job. He also said, thanks. :)

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: Weakness of attitude, becomes weakness of character. - Albert Einstein

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: My horse teaches me everything that I need to know about myself.

Tech Tip Tuesday:

Tech Tip Tuesday: Your horse can only be as brave as you are.

Motivation Monday

Be the cure, not the problem. Don't critize; Share, Teach, Learn.

Baby Lesson #4 Babies Make Great Business Cards

It seems that I was about to miss out on a great opportunity, until I ended up doing some paper work at Saltgrass Steakhouse, when I realized that (most) people love babies and puppies. They are always wanting to hold and pass them around about as much as their smart phones, so why not capitalize on this and recruit Jax to become a living business card! However, this idea works out much better if you have a super cute baby like I do, rather than one that looks as if they have fallen out of the ugly tree, hitting every branch on the way down. Now of course, I'm joking about the ugly baby part, because babies are great and especially our own, but I'm not on the business card idea. If you know me ,you know that sometimes, ok quite a lot, I have been called a shameless self promoter. I have even been know to like one or two of my facebook posts, just because. So it seems pretty strange that I have never really thought about advertising on my own kid until yesterday? I'm not so much thinking about advertising my business, as much as I am wanting to promote our great sport of reining. If I end up getting an extra training horse or two, I can live with the collateral damage. So my plan is that all of Jax's clothing will now sport a reining horse logo as well as the KPH name, to unofficially become the new ambassador for the sport of reining. You can thank him later. I'm guessing that with all of the photographs taken between his grandmas, his mom, and myself, added to the amount of people that want to hold him, multiplied by the number that are just looking cause he's cute, we should be able to single handedly increase our business...I mean the NRHA membership...ten fold by the end of the year. Remember, people love cute babies wearing adorable clothes, why not include sporting the Kutie Performance Horses logo. I just hope Jax understands his greater purpose being the face of an awesome sport.

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: With a real Cowboy, the bull dung's on the outside.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: If you don't know about pain and trouble, you're in sad shape. They make you appreciate life. - Evil Knievel

Baby Lesson #3 Babies Should be Horse Trainers

I have come to the conclusion that babies should be horse trainers due to the simple fact they are very good at convincing people to do everything for them, no questions asked. I have been dealing with customers for the better part of my life and have always been trying to figure out a easy and simple way to get my point across, get people to pay me on time, and just be nice and fun loving in general. I have tried to bend over backwards, give praise for a job well done, or just be a good friend, and this has had varying degrees of success. I have tried to be a good husband and make Charissa glad that she married me everyday, which is harder some days than others due to the fact that I can get us into a pickle pretty easy sometimes. Then baby Jax Lee Kutie, the new sheriff, rolls into town and makes everything work as if he has been doing business for years. Now I seem to be extra popular, mostly in part to a super cute baby. Customers are paying bills on time and people are being nicer in general all due to a little baby boy. No matter how much I had to complain, fight, or make deals, all Jax has to due is let out a little cry or a tiny tear (that really has a magic touch) and he can get anything he wants, PERIOD. If he is hungry, cry. If he needs his chassie cleaned and lubed, cry. Maybe he just needs a hug to go along with his little walking tour of the house, cry. All of these services no matter how big or stinky all provided by someone else, and yet no one ever seems to bother to complain, in fact most people are willing to jump in and offer advice, change a dirty diaper or rock him to sleep, and all of this has been accomplished with no words, little eye contact and possibly just one tear. So having learned this valuable lesson if you see my crying, please change my diaper. I now have a new way of doing business, thanks to the new sheriff in town.

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: When it comes to training there are no right or wrong ways in terms of technique or style. Training has to be what works for you and what your horse understands. Training is all about consistancy and always asking the question the same everytime, and rewarding for the correct answer or for at least trying. If you teach your horse to pick up the left lead by pulling on his left ear and you are consistant with your aids and your horse responds willingly, that is training, it's just not very marketable or practical, but it is training. We are all trying to get to same goal of having a well trained, responsive, happy horse, we just have to remember that there are many different paths to get to the final destination. Don't critize; teach, share, learn. - Steve Kutie

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: In good training, you never see the rider doing anything. - Steve Kutie

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Many of lifes failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. - Thomas Edison

WARM-UP PEN FOCUS

Question: I feel so unprepared prior to entering the ring to show my horse. I watched the other riders and they appear to really know how to get ready. What should I do to be better prepared?
Answer: After recently attending a Championship show, I watched multiple exhibitors question their skills as well as their horse's abilities in the warm-up pen before the class. Some of their competitors' horses were spinning faster or stopping harder and farther than their horses. This sucked them into a frenzy of making their horses spin faster or stop harder.

FOCUS ON YOUR PLAN
Showing is where your preparation and hard work meet the opportunity to show off your skills and to be judged on your abilities up to that certain point in time by one of your peers. I noticed so many riders worrying about how and what others were doing in the warm-up pen that they were jeopardizing their ability to achieve success, by focusing on what everyone else was doing. The important thing to remember is each horse is an individual and only you what your horse needs for preparing to show. If all horses performed the same on all levels, there would be no reason for a competitive show.
FOCUS ON YOUR HORSE
Not always will what one person is doing with their horse work for you and your horse. For instance, if a horse is spinning faster than your horse, there is a difference in riding two handed to school in the warm-up pen and putting your hand down to show in the arena. We would all do great if we were being judged while riding two-handed during our warm-up; however, your run is neither won nor lost in the warm-up pen. Similar to this is any other athletic sport. Games are not won by how the team performs at practice; only game day matters in terms of win-loss records.
FOCUS ON YOUR TRAINING
The prep work that you have done in the days, weeks, months or even years prior to the show need to be executed as you have been trained and not influenced by others getting their horses ready to show. I have seen hundreds of horse and rider teams leave he best of themselves in the warm-up pen; seldom does the high-speed training session carry over into the show pen. Have faith in your own abilities and training and be sure to focus on your own needs rather than getting flustered and nervous because of what another horse and rider are doing while they are practicing.
FOCUS ON YOUR RUN
Your ability to focus can only be strengthened while in the warm-up pen amid the chaos of the other riders and horses. If your horse is a big stopper and a so-so spinner there is nothing that you can do in the few minutes prior to entering the show pen that will change what nature has bestowed upon your mount. Instead, think of showing off your horse's best skills and try to guide your horse through the not so great spots, by not over doing what you want. If your horse is a 0 stopper eveyday of his life there is no point in asking him to be a +1/2, because you will end up marking a -1. A losing deal every time.

Remember, " You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win and you're never as bad as they tell you when you lose." - Lou Holtz

Ride Hard, Be Safe, and Have Fun - Steve Kutie

Reining Made Easy Clinic at Stephen F. Austin University

Check out our new Training Made Easy Clinic Series for 2012. "The Anti-Gimmick Clinic" where knowledge is power and the only tools that you need are your seat, your feet, and your own two hands!

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: Insanity: The act of repeating the same thing (over and over) but expecting a different result. So remember if you keep repeating something while training and it never works, try a different approach, or horse horse will begin think that you are INSANE.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: When it comes to horsemanship, knowledge and ability, everybody starts out equally, at zero. How far you go from there is entirely up to you. Winning is what you make of it. - Bob Avila

Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Work (riding horses), spare us from three evils; boredom, vice and need. - Voltaire

Reining Made Easy Clinic with Steve Kutie At Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas. March 30 thru April 1 2012. Very educational, informative and probably more fun than the law will allow. We still have a few spots available call or message me for details.

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: The easiest way to gain an advantage over your competition is to use technology to benefit your training goals. With most cell phones having a video camera or at least a camera feature, have a friend or enemy, video your training problem. You will be amazed to see what is REALLY going on rather than what you THINK is going on, and since about everyone on the planet has access to a cell phone it's pretty much a free improvement.

Motivation Monday:

Motivation Monday: You never see the great things ahead of you if you always look at the bad things behind you.

Warm Up Pen Safety

Question: I have been to a few shows this winter and I am unsure of the proper riding procedure in the warm up pen. Actually I have been run into by a couple of people that were going the wrong way and not paying attention. What can I do?

Answer: The warm up pen is a pretty dangeous place when every rider is concentrating on his or her own program and getting ready for their classes. I will give you some general rules to follow that will make navigating the warm up arena easier and safer for you and your horse.

* Always go with the flow of traffic. If the warm up arena is large enough to allow for two sets of circles, one circle should be loping to the left and one circle loping to the right, they should pass left hand to right hand in the center of the arena. If the warm up pen has only enough space to lope one circle, ask when you want to change direction, as most people will want to go both directions before they show.

* Stay to the inside of the circle if you want to go slow, and to the outside of the circle if you want to go fast.

* NEVER, NEVER, NEVER stop your horse in the flow of traffic. If you are at a reining event, there will be time to work on fencing and stopping your horse so that you will not have to avoid other riders that are circling.

* If you need to school your horse on spins, or adjust equipment, move to the middle of a circle so that you're not in the flow of traffic.

* Do not pony your horse in the warm up pen.

* Always looks where you are going, and watch out for other riders. You don't drive your car while looking at the hood ornament and you shouldn't ride your horse looking at his head, eyes up.

* Don't exercise young or green horses in the warm up pen while it's crowded; wait until later in the evening or early in the morning. Safety first.

* Yield to the tractor, and always listen to the arena announcer and ring steward. They are there for your safety and to keep the show moving smoothly. Remember, every minute you waste when asked to leave the arena is just another minute longer the show will last.

* Don't tie your horse in the warm up arena. No one wants to dodge a kicking or loose horse while they are trying to get ready to show.

* If you have a question ask. The only dumb questions are the ones that are never asked.

* Always try to maintain a good sense of humor. People may be tired and nervous. Be patient with newcomers and try to help them learn by reffering them to these guidelines.

It is our job as riders to ensure the safety of ourselves, horses and others. Remember that some people don't know that they don't know, so take the time to explain to them the proper rules, I would rather them be mad at me for trying to keep them safe than to have them hurt one of my customers of family or worse visit them at the hospital.
As always remember: Ride Hard, Be Safe and Have Fun - Steve Kutie

Baby Lesson #2 Be sure the diaper is tight!

At 2:00 am this morning I found out where the phrase, sh#& happens came from, and I don't believe it was from Forrest Gump either, judging from the sound and smell that attacked my senses early this morning. I was having sweet dreams about eating suhi, relaxing in the sun and winning the Futurity, which might seem like a strange combination unless you know me, when I was snapped back into reality by a smell that I can only describe as a cross between my wifes five finger shoes on a hot summer day and a week old dead cow that has been baking in the Texas summer sun, combined with the sound of someone throwing runny oatmeal on my pillow with two hands.
Now believe me when I say I was wide awake, licky spit, sitting up to see what was happening in my perfect little world. Now Charissa being the person she is handles diaper duties as well as feeding during the night, I think in part so that I can keep up with my beauty sleep and because Jax thinks my chest is pretty useless when it comes to dispencing his meals. Jax, was having his midnight snack while resting his tiny hiny on the corner of my pillow when the explosion occured about a quarter of an inch from my ear and plenty close to my nose, I happened to catch a glimps of his tiny smerk by cell light, saying sorry sh*@ happens (We use the flashlight app. to save actually getting out of bed and having to stretch to turn on the nightstand light. Don't judge me, you just wish you thought of it first).
So thanks to Charissa and the engineers at Pampers, the diaper was tight, form fitting and leak proof. Lesson learned!

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: The mightiest oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: If Plan "A" didn't work, remember the alphabet has 25 more letters. STAY COOL!

Baby Lesson #1 Cover the Pee Bug

I am pretty amazed at the similarities between horses and babies. After two days of watching and observing Jax, it has become pretty easy to understand what he likes and what he doesn't like.

Likes:
-Eating
-Sleeping spread eagle
-Long walks on the beach
-Moms boobie
-Sleeping on dad

Dislikes:
-Dirty diaper
-Not being able to move his arms
-Michael Bolton

Baby Lesson I learned today: I learned why everyone warned me about covering a baby boys pee bug while changing a diaper. It's a good thing Charissa likes babies and understands that I have no clue when it comes to baby related maintiance like proper water temp, wrapping them in blankets and keeping the tiny high pressure urine squirter covered during diaper changes. I managed to get the diaper off, chassy cleaned and lubed and new diaper in the proper position when all of a sudden Charissa, still half asleep, takes friendly fire to the face and shoulder. Now if I were in her position I'm not sure that I could have stayed focused and finished helping the nimrod that was the cause of ramdom streams of baby urine to hit me in the face but, she hung tough God love her.
I thought the diaper changing kit that we recieved durning one of the baby showers was more of a joke, since it contained some plastic tongs, clothes pin for your nose, goggles and a few other funny items. But after this morning I now see the practical purpose for most of the items in the kit. So all I can say now is THANK YOU to the genius that designed the Dirty Diaper Duty Survival Kit, I will be eternally grateful to you.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: My new motivation, Jax Lee Kutie. Life is great.

Baby Kutie

Well baby Kutie decided he would rather come today than wait until next friday, guess he will be an over achieved. So my first post since redesigning the site comes from a hospital room waiting for the little bundle of joy to poke his head out. I now see how all of the waiting around at horse shows has honed my skills of just sitting around and doing absolutely nothing. I will post some pics as soon as I can. Thanks for all of the support.

Theory Thursday

Theory Thursday: Riding a horse is like using a tube of toothpaste, you squeeze from behind. - Steve Kutie