Horsemanship Western

The horsemanship western is that of the Cow-boy. It is also called American horsemanship , although some think that this denomination is abusive.

Horsemanship western is mainly practiced in the United States, for work or the leisure. It is practiced also more and more in Europe by riders seeking another approach of the Cheval, which they do not find in horsemanship known as traditional.

It dinstingue of traditional horsemanship by a consideration different from what must be a horse and by the use of a material very différent : saddle specialized having a horn with the front one, in which one sat and supported well, bit with branches, serrated roller long stem spurs, etc

It originates in principal the Spanish horsemanship to which is added the Anglo-Saxon influence.

Conquista: introduction of the horses on the American continent

It is in 1493, at the time of the second voyage of Christophe Colomb, which are introduced on the American continent the first 25 horses. Christophe Colomb complains besides about a substitution which deprived it of the best horses: “You will say to Their Highnesses, how the riders come from Grenade presented good horses at the time of the watch that they made of it in Seville, but that then, with the loading which I do not live because I was a little suffering, they replaced them by others”.

In May 1539, Hernando de Soto (1500 - 1542) unloads in Florida with its men and 200 horses. In 1540, it undertakes a great forwarding with through what it believes being an island. By furrowing during two years the territory, pushing until the Texas, he will discover a continent. He dies in 1542 on the edges of the the Mississippi.

Always in 1540, but on the basis of Mexico City, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado (1510-1554), which is with the research of mythical the Seven Gold Cities of Cibola, organizes a forwarding on the continent of North America with 300 Spanish, 1.000 Indians Tlaxcalan, of the cattle and a herd of almost 1.000 horses. Forwarding is obviously a fiasco. To return more quickly to Mexico City, Coronado decides to release the horses in nature.

Ranch and Vaqueros: a horsemanship of work

Horsemanship western is, above all, a horsemanship of work. It developed on the ranches, according to the needs for the extensive breeding of the cattle. This intense work of Ranch requires enduring and changeable horses.

Rodeo

In the tests of rides bareback the riders have only one handle fixed under purlin and it is necessary for them to be maintained on the animal during 8 seconds (2 seconds of less than for assembles wild horses saddles) and they should not in no case to touch their mounting of their freehand. This sport comes from the United States, more precisely of Texas.

Contest

August 1st

Tests

Western horsemanship is a very diversified horsemanship. Certain tests, supported by active associations, are certainly more widespread than others. It does not remain about it less than horsemanship western is not reduced to the most known tests.

Western Pleasure : One judges the aptitudes of the horse under the saddle, with the 3 paces. The horse, assembled with flexible reins, moves gathered, with calm, ease, lightness and availability for the pleasure and comfort of its rider.

Trail : This test makes it possible to judge the calm one and the ease of the horse on obstacles on the ground of all natures, like its promptitude to obey the orders of the rider. It shows qualities which a horse of outside must have.

Halter :

western horsemanship : Test having for goal to show the skill of the rider to ride a horse. He will be judged on his behavior in saddle (plate and position) and his capacity to use the assistances to control and present his horse.

Barrel Racing : This test, judged at time, is as attractive for the competitors as for the public! It is carried out on a course in the clover shape, around 3 barrels and request on behalf of the horse: speed and handiness.

Pole Bending : Quite as attractive as Barrel Race, he is requested from the horse same qualities speed and handiness. This test, also judged at time, is carried out on a course in slalom around 6 posts placed in straight line. These tests speed also have their association: a.N.E.W (National association of the Tests Speed Western).

TEAM Roping : …

Working Cow : The test tests the provisions of the good horse of ranch, initially on its handiness, in reinig, then on its cowsens (direction of the cattle), in a course of control of a cow.
TEAM Penning : Timed test disputing by team of 3 riders. She consists in sorting 3 calves indicated within a herd and leading them in an enclosure closed on 3 sides.

Cutting : Test where one judges the aptitude of the horse for the sorting of the cattle. It must prevent calf from joining the herd. The horse must operate spontaneously, any action of the rider the bits being penalized. The cutting is represented by the N.C.H.A (National Cutting Horse Association) and shouldered by the F.C.H.A (French Cattle Horse Association) of which the goal is to ensure logistics concerning the cattle.

Versatility Ranch Horse : It is a compilation of the principal disciplines western: Trail, Western riding, Pleasure, Reining, intended to show the aptitudes of the horse western to be adapted to some of the tests of raising in the calm one and the availability.

Horses

Horsemanship western privileges certain races of horses:

Quarter Horse
Appaloosa
Paint Horse

Some Arab Pur-sang S also practices horsemanship western.

Chuchoteurs and new main

The Chuchoteur S ( horse whisperers ) worked out methods which are characterized by an approach without excessive forced violence nor taking of account nature even horse. These practices, initially empirical, could progress thanks to research in equine ethology. Nicholas Evans, in its book The Horse Whisperer appeared in 1995, made popular this denomination.

Nevertheless, the term of chuchotor seems to be used for the first time at the 19th century to indicate the capacities of certain Sullivan, “the Irish Whisperer”.

If these methods appear new, the reason is more to find in the lapse of memory whose the equestrian history that because of the innovation of the recommended practices is struck. To be convinced some, it is enough to read again the treaty of Xénophon on horsemanship where it already recommends to treat its horse with softness and justice. In fact, each time has its Masters who all, tried to educate the riders by recommending the respect of the animal.

Thus the names of Stalemate Parelli, John Lyons or Monty Roberts are known today of all the riders, while those of Denton OFFUT and John Solomon Rarey were forgotten.

Examples of known chuchoteurs:

Denton Offut
John Solomon Rarey
John Lyons
Stalemate Parelli
Monty Roberts
Franck Petetin
Elizabeth de Corbigny
Andy Booth

It is important not to confuse the chuchotor and the ethologist. The chuchotor is a person who puts in practice directly on the horses the soft methods of horsemanship, often inspired of work of the ethologists. The chuchotor is not a scientist.

The ethologist is a scientist who lengthily studied the behavior of the horse, and which can be according to its objectives, brought to test new methods, which could themselves be used by chuchoteurs. Some practical two trades, such as Marthe Killey Worthington, universally recognized English ethologist, who organizes training courses of behavioral horsemanship regularly.