Got a deal on a 10 year old paint horse that's been used on a ranch all his life, and been roped off in the pasture and brandying, calving, and hunted big game on, and even been to a team roping or two. He is definatly not a kids horse, but I think he is looking for a friend, and I'll try and make that me.

He is prett ouchy and jumpy on the ground but seems solid in the saddle, just not babied and handled much, but that's to be my job, by spring he should be ready to compete..

He is my first paint horse, I named him stumpy as he was called Pinto at the ranch and that's no proper name for and old mans horse!

Ive always felt only farmers and Indians rode paints but times have changed I suppose and Im going to give this old boy a chance to prove me wrong..

My Dad had a paint horse affliction.... He was a sucker for them. I got to ride a lot of good ones and a lot of bad ones growing up. Most of the good ones were just quarter horses of a different color. Riding so many of them growing up left me color blind on horses....I don't give a rat's azz what color they are as long as they've got good feet, built right, athletic, and a good mind.

Enjoy your time with him and take care with him being jumpy,

Jay

I will do that, been doing just that since I was 12 or 14 years old, and still doing it at almost 83...I love messing with horses.

Congrats on the new horse. My current horse was jumpy with zero ground manners when I got him. He did not come from a ranching background. The more I work with him the more he trusts me and the less spooky he gets. Incidentally he now has excellent ground manners. I know the two of you will end up getting along just fine with a little patience and love.

It just a matter of desenatising as its called today on TV by the Aussie experts, we used to call it breaking a horse! but those Aussies are pretty good at it....

Ray,

Go to a Guy McLean clinic if you can or get his dvds.

You'll get something out of them. When he's back home he lives not far from here and does a few clinics/shows and is well worth seeing what he can do with a horse.

Even an old dog can pick up a new trick here and there.

That my friend depends on how old the dog is! At some point the memory goes!

I know there is a lot of buzz with horse folks about Natural horsemanship, etc, but I just finished a book about a guy who spent two years using these "soft-hearted" techniques to train one of his horses to hold still while he was trying to ride him.

He babied and cooed and tried everything. Then the guy got invited to go to a ranch where they trained cutting horses.

Once he got on a well-trained cutting horse, he learned there was a whole new level of horsemanship that the "natural" horse people will never experience.

BH63

Natural horsemanship is just plain silly, somebody making a buck, mostly for urban Joe and his pasture pet...

LIke a dog or kid, a good horse can be spoiled. To each his own, but I prefer the time proven method of horse breaking and training..Not harsh treatment but knowing how a horse thanks and teaching by repetition with a gentle firm hand, no monkey business and by reward...

Ive broke and trained horses since I was 12, today I team rope, and usually end up selling my horses and buying another, putting some money in my pocket and working with another younger horse..Its more of a hobby these days than a money making venture! Keeps me healthy and strong, but it bound to come to an end at my age, and that I regreat..