Ribling Quarter Horses
Box 1993 T0L 0Z0 Fort Macleod, AB, Canada

No Ribs, No Collection. Kalley dives into an important component in building towards great collection; the Ribcage. The mechanics are simple, the concept and execution however are much more challenging. See how Kalley simplifies it in this article.

MOTIVATION MONDAY- This is a quote taken from my book Win With Bob Avila, Beyond Training: Mentoring From A World Champion Horseman. I think we’ve all known pe...ople who talk big about having horse goals, and yet always have an excuse for not going forward. They put more energy into coming up with justifications than they do sticking to the concept of just do it That’s the big reason why such people are seldom successful past a certain point. Their true motivation isn’t to succeed it’s to avoid failure by playing it safe. They back down to their comfort zone the minute the going gets tough. To me, that’s the ultimate self sabotage, because the going always gets tough at some point when you’re dealing with horses and human emotions. Illness, injury, lack of money, stiffer competition, family problems, depleted confidence-name a setback, and chances are you’ll come up against it something. There’s a lot of truth to the phrase, No guts, no glory". #motivation #MotivationMonday See more

Nice bum where ya from?

Well Isn’t that sweet?

The transfer of info If it were only that easy!!!

He’s getting the hang of this flag thing

This guys pretty cute too!

Ask me about this guy!

I'm so proud of these girls, Gusti Buerger and Sweet Voodoo Mama, as well as Erin Taormino and Sarah Dawson. Way to dominate the finals, girls!! Congratulations...!! It certainly sheds new light on the meaning of "Girl Broke" A good friend of mine, Dean Almog, wrote the following and posted it on his Instagram page "Cow Horse in Color". With his permission I am posting it here. He makes an excellent point. The 2020 NRCHA snaffle bit futurity has just wrapped up. It was an intense finals throughout all three events! Let’s talk about something that everyone commentating the event brought to light. It’s something that is talked about over and over in horse industry circles, and I am somewhat reluctant to speak on this topic. However, let’s put it to rest. It’s the not so crazy reality that 3 women made the finals and had dominating performances. Of the $671,716.74 paid out in the open, Sarah Dawson, Erin Taormino, and Gusti Buerger collected $213,358.37. This accounts for almost 32% of the prize money with all 3 having top 10 finishes! So why do we keep asking questions such as what is it like to be a woman trainer? or does it phase you to go up against the rest of the cowboys?. Instead, we should be looking at them with awe and taking notes. Riding and having the freedom to mess around on some horses with friends and trainers, I have come to realize some things women are better at when it comes to horsemanship. They’re more understanding. They take time to understand what frame of mind the horse is in that day and how they can work with what they’re given (too bad they’re not more understanding with us men!). They tend to work with the horse a lot more than most men do. Of course I have seen plenty of good horsemen do this as well, but as a generalization it’s safe to say it comes more naturally to the horsewomen. They rarely force a horse into a maneuver or exercise. They accept the horse’s abilities they’re riding and showcase them when showing without getting ahead of themselves. In essence, women have an easier time creating a partnership with a horse. In this sport it’s all about your horse having trust in you and you having trust in your horse. These women have shown they know how to train a horse that will perform for them at the highest of levels, and I believe it’s because of the fact they fit the ideas listed above. I hope this topic can be put to rest rather soon! Don’t hold your breathe for the third, fourth, and fifth woman to win snaffle bit futurity titles. Next time you throw your leg over one, ask yourself How can I ride more like a girl?.

Training Tip For The Day Ride your horse right between both legs and both reins. Allow your problems to come up through the bridle so you can steer and sof...ten your horse as it finds your hand. Riding with one leg, your reins uneven or your weight off center typically leads to trading one problem for another. Centering your seat, hands and legs closes all the lateral and vertical escapes. Teach your horse to drive underneath you and lift its withers. Set the example by balancing yourself and your aids and the horse will follow. ALWAYS ACCEPTING QUALITY OUTSIDE HORSES

There’s a problem within much of today’s horsemanship. I’m calling it out and yet, I don’t see an easy solution. It’s the one-hour ride time. Over and over, I’...m hearing people say that ‘they don’t make horses like they used to’. I’d have to agree with that, to a point... but honestly, I think horses are fundamentally the same as they were when I was a kid. The difference, then, lies in us. When I was young, there was very little for kids to do outside of school. Sports were not done after hours, unless you were on a school team or in hockey. There may have been dance lessons, if one was lucky, or 4H or Brownies or Scouts but there wasn’t anything extra that our parents were driving us to after supper or on the weekends. We rode the school bus and were unceremoniously dropped off at the end of the day. There were perhaps three channels on the TV. If your mother forbade you to watch ‘Mod Squad’ or ‘The Edge of Night’, you went to the barn. You rode whether or not there were lessons. In fact, few of us riding had lessons with any regularity. Those of is who did were often ‘barn rats’ by necessity, working tirelessly at the closest barn in exchange for the occasional lesson, or a chance to ride any sort of horse. A kid could learn a lot that way. Many of us grew up in the saddle, working alongside our parents with the cattle. You rode to help the family earn a living and if things weren’t going well, it was a helluva long walk home. One step at a time, our ponies carved bridle paths into the ditches for miles around. They were resigned with carrying us to various neighbours for visits and would stand, waiting, at the yard gate while hitched with their bridle reins. There were no computers or cell phones. My sister and I were left to our own devices, finding entertainment for hours on end, with a dog and our horses. In fact, we would be gone and away without a single adult in sight. When I grew up, there seemed to be more empty hours to fill with horsemanship, than there are today. We’re now on the phone, checking our emails, bringing our work home with us. Camping on Facebook and Instagram. Taxiing kids to an endless round of scheduled events. Our riding, no matter our ages, has taken a hit, especially when there are fewer rural families with backyard horses. Barn time has become really important for our fitness and to the wellness of our souls but for the majority, it is now on an hourly basis. Problem is, horses are animals of habit and constant movement. They are spending more and more time, standing around without us. We are no longer a constant in their day to day lives. Fewer horses are working, any more, for a living. They are recreational animals, to be enjoyed for an hour or two each week, and then put away. (There are many of us who may even feel that it is cruel, asking our horses to work for a living, but that is a discussion for another day.) I’m seeing this as a problem that is only going to get worse, as we grow farther away from the lifestyle that surrounds our equine friends. As I say, I don’t know a solution, as we’re forced to work two jobs or more to make ends meet... and as land values rise beyond most families’ means. The issue came to me during a recent inquiry about one of my horses. Will she work for an intermediate adult rider? I was asked. How often do you ride? I replied. I would think she would be best with someone who rides at least three times a week. The silence and disbelief that this statement was met with showed me that this would be a problem. I was suggesting that my horse would require perhaps three hours’ dedicated riding time out of a possible 168 hours in a week! Without leaving the horse in full-blown training, I’m seeing that few owners can spare the time it takes to forge a working relationship with a young or vigorous horse. We’re seeing more and more so-called ‘problem’ horses, a growing number of fearful riders and stories of wrecks. I don’t know what the answer is, as fewer horses are even kept on pasture turnout anymore, living within a herd where they can work off their natural energy and innate need for rough play. Because all horses fundamentally require this, today’s equines have no recourse but to take it out on us. While I've perhaps stumbled on the biggest roadblock to modern horsemanship, it will take someone smarter than me to find the solution. I can only conclude that if we’re having trouble with our horses, they most likely need a job that uses up more than an hour or two, per week. Remember, man or beast, we all need a purpose in this life.

Toast to ‘21! May it be better than 2020 was!

One of these things is not like the other

So this happened, thanks to Kathy Mackenzie and Reining Alberta. Seems like a lifetime ago.

Happy Monday!!!

Sigh, he had such a nice mane, now we get to start over, again.

Chicky She’s been so sensible considering she’s moved twice in two days.

And so our adventure begins

When Snapper was just a baby

If you only ride good horses you will only know how to ride good horses.

RIDE YOUR HORSE TOWARDS YOUR HANDS (like it was a wall). Are you a Cowboy Dressage rider who’s learning to lope over Ground Poles on the Challenge Court? Sooner... or later you’ll face the challenge of shortening or lengthening the stride of your horse. Shortening the stride or the frame of your horse, is the aid to bring your horse’s centers of gravity back, and to step his hind legs forward. When the horse’s hind legs reach more underneath his belly, they act as a lever to lift the front half of his body (his shoulders, neck and head). Then his center of gravity rolls back underneath you, and his frame and stride become shorter. Your seat will emphasize whatever stride you are riding by dropping closer to the saddle in the swing same swing equals same stride, shorter swing equals shorter stride, longer swing equals longer stride, no swing equals stop. Your upper body will tone whatever parts are necessary to remain unchanged as your seat uses it to swing deeper, no rounding the back or hollowing the back, no leaning forward or back. As this is happening, your calf squeezes to add fuel to these aids, without squeezing the thigh. Your hands will take whatever weight the horse might drop, but will not pull on his mouth. Speaking of hands. as you and your horse get better, then your hand should be less and less necessary to the aid. Conrad Schumacher explains the aids and concept of the half halt. https://youtu.be/7KvaUpjkPaE

Sarah Dawson won the Open, and Erin Taormino won reserve in the intermediate. The women came to play.

What a beautiful day it was!

The life of a red mare!

All the pretty ponies

Every reiner understands willingly guided with no resistance and dictated to by the rider. It's in the rule book. Everyone who rides a horse no matter the disci...pline, western or english should memorize it. It's what the judges look for. It's also the amazing feeling you spent thousands trying to find. Its therefore the goal of every horses develpoement. It's an end result. How it's achieved and what it looks like is a matter of constant debate due to perspective, experience, competitiveness, owner expectations, current trends, fairness in training, cultures, specific disciplines, additional requirements and even the moon. It can be forced, created, developed, instilled, rewarded, positive, negative, mental, physical, emotional or whatever else you can think of to achieve it. One thing it can't be is avoided. You have to go in search of resistance if you ever hope to eliminate it. If you truly want to reach your next level, no matter the discipline or personal goals, you need to become a resistance finder. It's impossible to become a horseman without knowing how to achieve it. Until you do, you're a babysitter and a passenger. Of course there are fair, ethical, and positive ways to get it. It takes longer. It looks better. There is a difference between intimidated and willingly. Yet you have to be willing yourself. You may have to go through ugly to get to pretty. It's called training with a clear vision and purpose. It's even been written down for us by a man who had the vision a long time ago. . What are you gonna do with it. I'd recommend discovering the benefits of willingly guided with no resistance and dictated to by you. Watch future posts in my thoughts of what it should look like and how to get it. #craigjohnson #letitrein See more

We’re back!!!! All moved in for the winter!

If you have a Reining or cowhorse colt to start or an older horse that needs a tune up or finishing, access to cows and flag, I am booking for the winter. Please message me if you are interested.

Congrats to Kristine Aanderson on the purchase of this nice mare, Whizdotcom. She will totally love her new job in Polocrosse. Thank you to Jill Barron for her help with the sale.

If I had a dollar for every time someone said something along the lines of I wish my horse could do that or you’re so lucky to have such good horses man, I’...d never have holes in my boots or ride in the cold again Here’s the thing. There’s nothing special about my horses, not any more than is special about yours. They aren’t of a certain mindset, or temperament - god knows mine certainly didn’t come with the attitudes they have now. There’s also nothing special about me or what I do. There is nothing that my horse or me can do that you couldn’t replicate. It’s not luck, or talent, or genetics or a gift. We got it by working for it. I put in the time, and put in the work. There is a scene in game of thrones that I just love when Renly tells Loras he has a gift for sword fighting. And Renly says It’s not a gift, no one gave it to me. I’m good because I worked at it, everyday, from the time I could pick up a stick. That’s it, that’s the secret. There is no secret.

Have you ever gotten to the point where your horse did something so well that you were tempted to ask for more? Then, when you pushed for a little more, the w...heels fell off the wagon, and you ended up taking two steps backward instead of being satisfied with the progress you already made. This simple decision can be enough to break your horse's confidence. If you continue to ask for more without providing a release or reward, your horse doesn't understand that it did something correctly. It is important to remember that everything we do with our horses either builds their confidence or destroys it. Let the small victories be good enough, and be patient with your progress. 1% improvement every day adds up to massive results over time.

This may or may not be true, lol