March 23, 2020 Volume 15, Issue 12
It seems like everywhere one looks, there are people talking about and feeling the effects of this COVID-19 virus. Our hearts go out to individuals who are sick, families who are locked in quarantine with no means to work, those who are elderly and immune-compromised and at risk. In this tough time, we can only hope and pray that “this too shall pass,” and in short order.
At the ranch, we are taking the utmost precautions in the safety of our staff and our guests!
Des working with Angel
At the ranch, life goes on. I guess being in a quarantine isn’t much different than a normal day on the ranch in our little corner of the world! We are riding each day, getting outside for walks and hikes (the weather has been quite warm and sunny for March) and just carrying on with our normal schedules.
Eager students
We are currently coming towards the tail-end of an 8-day clinic. As always, these clinics prove to get our riders to levels of horsemanship they hadn’t thought possible before! Our guests have been doing lots of riding with legs only, learning the refinement of the soft feel, cutting hard on the cutting flag and watching some colt demos. And much, much more. The changes in seat position, life in the horses and focus compels us to continue on in this journey of teaching.
This week we also had a very special treat! Former McGinnis Meadows employee and well-known clinician Ricky Quinn joined us for a couple days! Ricky manages the Lazy U ranch in Nebraska and he brought us 6 head of well-bred horses, who will one day become new Guest Horses!
Ricky teaching Anna, Scott, and Randy
In addition, he worked with Anna and Scott on shoeing some of the ranch horses. This was a continuation of the clinic Anna and Scott attended in Nebraska earlier this winter with Tommy Kilgore. This is an adapted version of shoeing a horse that truly incorporates a feel for the horse’s natural abilities. Shayne and I rode several horses who had been shod and there was an immediate difference in how comfortable and freely they moved! We are very grateful that Ricky has such a heart for our ranch horses that he wanted to continue to help us to explore their utmost potential in the shoeing. We’ll see him again in 6-weeks for another tune-up!
Anna can explain this in better detail. Here’s what she had to say:
This weekend was an amazing opportunity to get another chance to practice what we learned in Nebraska. We got to train our eyes to see what the horse is telling us it needs. For example, a horse with contracted heels needs support on his heels to help carry his body weight appropriately for his conformation. Opening his heels and giving him a larger perimeter to support his body would ease pain!
Grace and Ray
With Ricky’s help, we spent a lot of time on our hard cases, finding patterns we—the human—have put into our horses. Each year of horseshoeing is so different! I am excited to help these horses carry themselves more confidently!
And that’s a wrap!
Stay safe out there and please contact Janice at info@mmgranch.netor feel free to give us a call at 406-293-5000 for any questions regarding a current or future reservation.
Des