Steve, I am a retired executive whose experience with horses consists of a 30 minute joy ride in the Dominican Republic approximately 40 yrs ago. I have had the pleasure of watching quite a few of your videos and I continue to witness your love and professionalism in horsemanship. In fact, your professionalism is such that, in my opinion, it should be recognized as a mandatory course at Harvard Business School.
Steve is just the best. I have learned so much from watching his videos, which has helped me a lot with some friends' horses that I work with 🍀🖒 Fun part: I am watching from the country where you had your joy ride, so greetings from the Dominican Republic 🌴🌴🐎
Ah gates. I had a 16.2 cleaveland bay thoroughbred gelding that was 5 at the time. I was hacking cross county in NY state USA by myself. I always rode my horse in a standing martingale. On this trail we came to a gate. So I had my horse side up to it. Well the first thing he did was stand with his head over the top of the gate then he brought his hindquarters to the left. I have no idea how this happened cause it was a one in a million to have this thing happen. I looked down and stared to lean forward to lift the metal ring at the top of the gate to open it. It was then that I noticed the martingale had slipped through the gap in the ring where the metal didn't quite meet to close the loop. I just sat there frozen for a second. I was so afraid my horse was going to move and realize he was trapped. I had no choice but to act like nothing was going on. I slipped off my horse and not so calmly but very carefully pushed the martingale back through the little gap. My horse never moved a muscle. I thank God every day that it was resolved so safely. This same horse one day was on the cross ties in the isle of a large barn when a long tube light bulb fell out of its holder right in front of him and shattered on the hard floor. All he did was snort but never moved. He didn't even frek out when I undid the cross ties and asked him to move. A sensible steady horse is worth their weight in gold!
Cheeky Charlotte! Shouting about "Rain, lovely Rain..." then smacked in the face by a soggy branch 😆! Loved this video, thanks you two! The shots of Rolex jumping perfectly over the branches, wonderful!
Today, you sound like your mom. Surprise! Love watching you ride and Steve work. Hope the weather clears soon. I live in Florida where the high today was 60 with a low of 42 overnight. I can't ride anymore and I really enjoy your shots from being on your horse.
Schooling your horse in the pouring rain is just one of the many reasons you are such a great trainer. The information you share, for instance why you wouldn’t wait for a nice day (like I would have) to try to fix the gate problem and why it’s so important to fix it as soon as possible. These are the details I never “heard” from other trainers I’ve watched or read. They might have mentioned it but I never “heard” it. With your teaching by example in the moment I am learning so much! Thank you! Also, I love your family!
Wonderful teaching moment for Chevy. He sure trusts you which is a beautiful sight to behold. My eyes actually tear up when I look at Rolex. What a GREAT horse in every way. Thank you for sharing !! 💛Utah
Brilliant … Chevy’s definitely coming along. I guess Charlotte didn’t inherent your ‘patience’ gene. You know what they say … patience is a virtue. Thanks for letting us tag along! Happy Trails! 🙌🙏❤️🇨🇦🍎🥕🐎🐴🍏🌂
I felt for you and the horses having to ride in rain. Many years back my friend loaned me of her horses to ride in a 20 mile trail. Due to it being a pony club venture I was not able to ride my stallion. There were Shetland ponies to very tall horses and a grand number of 39 all up on the tral. It was a bit inclement but by the time we left it had stopped raining for almost an hour so we elected to go. Just before the half way lunch break the heavens opened up and the BBQ cancelled. Most volunteers abandoned as they could see the rivers rising fast and wanted to get their vehicles out to high ground. My friend and I gathered the group and we ponied the small ponies between us and headed back to town via the highest route through farm paddocks my friend knew. It wasn't long and the Shetland s were swimming. The torrential rain kept getting heavier but we all hung on getting the little kiddies to sing as loud as they could to stop them freaking out. It took us more hours than it should have if dry, but we got back by 5pm soaked to the skin. On the news the next day we found out we'd ridden through the heaviest down pour and flash flood seen in over 80 years! Not one horse or rider got even as much as a cough or cold, and the little kiddies ( some as young as 5 yrs) thought it was the best ride ever 😂
Wow, the previous comment is so true. I love watching your kindness, gentleness, firmness, patience, persistance, and courage. You are an amazing horseman, and an amazing person. I too have not been on a horse in a very long time so this is a great pleasure for me.
Great video thank you Steve & Charlotte. A lifetime of experience handling horses in a calm, thoughtful and kind manner shines through in every video I watch. Plus Steve and his family are very down to earth and genuine - a joy to watch ❤️🐴☺️
Chevy is going to be awesome when he matures fully. Don't worry about his size Steve, he's still a baby, I have known horses to mature until they were six and even seven. I love both Rolex and Chevy.
Charlotte is all rainclothinged up and she’s from rain land and yet she continuously complains about being wet. Time for new rain wear I would say. I just am loving your show even though I’ve only ridden a horse twice. A fan from 🇨🇦
This really makes a solid foundation on a great little quarter horse, I am looking forward to our boy being broken in and I love teaching them new things and watching them grow into a wonderful manageable adult horse that you have done all the work on, I have tought my horses so much and enjoy the benefits of owning a respectful animal in the end, what an achievement, great work Steve Young, love your videos, thank you.❤❤❤❤❤
My darling beautiful Charlotte, your Dad sure keeps you guessing doesn't he? You're chatting away to him and POOF he's gone. What a darling daughter he has!
What a filthy day for you all!! I think most of us have the same weather this winter!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chevy a little wary of anything before, well not as bad but he soon got over his nerves. Well done Steve. Rolex looks very comfortable to ride Charlotte? Let’s hope it starts to dry out soon.
Besides being dedicated enough to the training of Chevy to ride in such nasty weather, I cant' believe how many times you climbed and dismounted gates. Bet something was sore next day! (2 days later in my experience) What a trooper Charlotte is to wait all that out in the rain!!
Hi guys. You have the patience of a Saint Charlotte out in that pouring rain. What a good boy Chevy was and dear Rolex so patient. Love from New Zealand.
Y'all are troopers!!! Love it! Gotta brave adverse conditions sometimes to enjoy our equines, right? 😊 It is also wonderful to see it be a family outing. Really enjoy your trail riding videos.
Charlotte beautiful horse and well mannered. You look like your beautiful mother. I love this channel and it's my favorite channel to watch. Your Dad is so talented and has a kind meaningful method with horses. So glad I found this channel. How fun to ride in the rain. I live in USA and I've ridden in rain and snow. Love to ride!
Only decision possible. Fix the problem now so it doesn't become a bigger issue. Charlotte, just imagine how soggy your dad's seat was from getting on & off Chevy. Lovely ride in spite of the weather. Thanks for sharing.
Hello and thank you! I bought a horse on auction. Vet check but never met before purchase, since Oscar was in Texas and I live in Michigan. When Oscar ( 5 yo shire x QH cross ) arrived he was very worried understandably and I couldn’t settle him for months it seemed. I found your channel and have been so happy to see your techniques work so well with him. He was advertised as 16 hands but is 17 hands. Those 4 inches make a big difference for a person who is 5’2” , Add snorty and won’t stand still, I was having a difficult time getting onto him and you can’t ride if you can’t get on. We have been working on siding up - and he is doing a great job. I stopped giving him treats by hand and established myself as alpha. It has made a world of difference for both of us! He now comes when I get to the gate. Really love your channel content and have had success applying them with Oscar! Many thanks!
Rain rain go away come back another day! Lol this is so reminded me of my childhood years growing up in Portland Oregon USA. We used to have picnics outside and put a huge piece of plastic clear over a child's picnic table. It was a lot of fun and very unique! My Horse club would meet and we would study horsey stuff 😊our horse club was called"Esroh", which is horse spelled backwards 🤭
This is one of the very best training sessions that also had such a persolnal touch and important message on persistance. Rolex was absolutely perfect. What a pleasure to watch on Valentine's Day. 🎸🎶♥♦
Gosh, so wet, so many riders would just abandon and go home but you showed the benefit of working through the issue. Thanks to Eqi Dry for keeping Charlotte dry. Hot showers all around when you get back. And rolls in deep straw beds.
I went down the rabbit hole about horse training on youtube and after watching you, I immediately got hooked. I no nothing about horses but after watching your vids have come away with a general understanding of how to properly train a horse and owner. Your knowledge and training skills are amazing. How are you with cats?
Hi guys, This Video is a great example of patients comes with age (sorry Steve 🤣 ) Its a great example of not quitting when the going gets tough! Doing the hard things first in awkward situations makes for a smooth future. Takes patients to be a good trainer/teacher and this is a great example of why you're one of the "BEST" Steve! 🤠😘
Yes to taking advantage of each moment to move in a positive direction! Also… Are there other ways to say preparing or attuning a horse instead of ‘breaking’? Gentling I think is one.
Char, I think Rolex and you were on the same page. I hope it wasn't too cold too. It was -5C here in Wisconsin this morning but there was no precipitation.
I really enjoyed this video. Nice surroundings, though wet. And beautiful presentation of the work with the gates! I could learn a lot. Charlotte´s ride looked so nice, I felt like being with you/her on the horse. Thanx guys! (sorry my English is not perfect... Sweden)
I love these videos as I've said before. Charlotte is a chip off the old block lol. She's such a character, and a natural in front of the camera. She's such a natural, that she said that she was drenched while wearing an Equidry jacket! Talk about an anti-campaign in favour of Equidry! 😂😂😂. Just kidding I know that she meant that she was 'quite damp around the edges ' just as youngsters these days say that they are 'starving' when they have at least three meals a day 😂😂. You're videos are the best!!!!! ❤❤
You Steve are my favorite. I have watched lots of trainers and only found one other. There is an innate something that sets you above all others. Savvy, empathy, strength ? How to define your skills. This other guy is "Pear Tree Ranch " Jake in Ocala. I drop your name in everybodies comments. So here is another to enjoy when Steve doesn't post every day, Loved you persuading Chevy that the weird gate was fine. Yep,every little thing can become a big thing. I hope for better weather but the grass and trees are loving the wet.
Charlotte "This is commitment!" - understatement. Charlotte "There you go - He's on - Oh, taking his time - messing about". "Come on! - Hope: he's on to stay that time." : ) Charlotte cracks me up! and what a good sport in the pouring rain! Love watching how Chevy got over the gate issue. Great video!
Just came in from the barn, it's cold and a bit snowy here. Horses are munching on hay, so instead of riding I'm going to watch Steve and Charlotte and sip on a hot cocoa!
When I was climbing the mountains in southern Bavaria, one of the things we had to be most careful about was thunderstorms and not to get struck by lightning. We always had to find a hollow away from trees and deposit ourselves within, making ourselves as small as possible. Do you ever think that sitting on top of a horse would make you much more vulnerable to lightning strikes?
That was a wonderful method. I haven’t gotten to this point of having them side up next to a gate, yet. I need to when it comes to mounting my draft, though. Need to work on that.
Teachable Moments. It's so much easier to let these moments go when they are uncomfortable. Weather was not going to stop you Steve. Parents of children will let these moments go because so many of them happen in public. A place where they are judged. Even when your child has thrown themselves on the ground because they don't want to walk any farther. You stand your ground. People walk by and say, "Oh poor thing." (You had the conversation before leaving that you weren't going to carry them. If they want to go with you they will have to walk--and they agreed). This child finally got up and walked to the car. Next time, Mom left her at home with Dad. "When you can walk the whole distance, you can go with me." Aw, a lesson well learned. Love your videos and Charlotte's contributions.
Thank you so much for this video I really needed it I'm on bedrest right now for a tore meniscus in my knee.... Hopefully by the end of the summer I'll be able to get on a horse again
Hello Steve and family. Love your videos. I wanted to tell you I was watching an old western today called " The Big Country." The main actor decided to ride an appaloosa that was known to be hard to ride. Him and another man were attempting to put the saddle blanket on. The horse would immediately repeatedly grab it with his teeth and pull it off. So they threw the blanket on again, and immediately threw the saddle hard on the horses back. The main actor went around to the side the horse would always pull the blanket off. The horse decided to take 2 very aggressive bites at him ! Near misses ! I was horrified ! I know how you warn how dangerous this is. All for a movie. The actor was playing a novice rider. The horse also lifted its back Hoof to its stomach when the actor decided to try to mount the horse on the same side. So dangerous. Just couldn't believe it. Also doesn't seem fair to the horse. allowing that because of consequences. Once he got on, the horse stood still after the other man let go of the grip on his ear. Then the rider pulled the reins and kicked jis sides. It must be so confusing for the horse. Horrible and unacceptable.
You are so patiently persistent. Lovely! I had the pleasure of riding just outside of New Kyo, Stanley when I lived with my grandmother and rode in a terrible rain storm but loved it anyway. I am from Oregon, USA and remember many a ride in the rain and snow. Love you and your wife's bond to train together.
