JBankston14

Cornbread Thinks: Things To Know

JBankston14Cornbread (aka Jimmy Bankston)Look at a horse’s eye first, then his feet. Never look a horse in the eye when loading him. Danny Motes was a trick rider. The meanest horse in a bunch is the fat one. Matt Budge loves to fish. Tie a horse higher than its nose. Mary Bradford is from Montana. Dusty Adams and Casey Green are good welders. When in doubt, stop and back ’em up. Mary Ann Rapp was driving cow trucks by 15. Horses are not pets.

Border Collies, Corgis, Jack Russells, Mini Aussies and rescue dogs just about cover it. Alycia Bellenfant and Penny Youngblood have pet pigs. Doc’s Hickory-bred horses are escape artists. Horses kick out of fear, they strike and bite out of anger. When more than one person is working on a horse, everyone should be on the same side. Never be without a razor-sharp knife. Bill Riddle was a school teacher. If a horse is hung up, stand calmly for a minute first – running to him will scare him worse. Sean Flynn is a good cook. Practice bailing off a horse, especially snatching your feet out of the stirrups. A bowline is the only proper knot to tie a horse with. Cinch ’em first and uncinch ’em last. Kory Pounds and Ascension Banuelos can feed a lot of people when they are of a mind to. If it takes more than two inquiries to find out about somebody, be careful. If you get to a show early, you will draw up late. If you get to a show late, you will draw up early. Never trust a stud. Tom Lyons played college basketball. The cheapest thing you buy is the horse. All non-pros should have a using horse, a good one. It is just as bad to do too much as too little. Goldilocks was right. There are more good trainers than good lopers. Straw hats are a necessary evil. Get your hat from a real expert. Stupid people wear stupid hats. Good guys wear black hats. Check your billet today. Saddle pads get old and full of salt sooner than you think. An improperly adjusted breast harness can cut off a horse’s air when they are working. Make sure your spurs are hitting your horse where you think they are. Concrete is the worst thing to park a horse on. Horses that consistently mark 72s are few and far between. The best trainers are just exactly alike, except different. The cow barns at Will Rogers are the best stalls. Late afternoon in Barn 4 with the Austin Shepard crew is a bucket-list thing, as is sitting in the cow boxes in the Coliseum. Pick your help wisely and with knowledge. “Pretty” is way down the list.

Lindy Burch is a serious wing shooter. Matt Miller and Bubba Matlock are good rifle shooters. It is good to let a horse be a horse every now and again. Measure yourself by going to a show alone on occasion. Pat Parelli was the first president of the American Mule Association. Cleaning a stall right is a skill. Gary Bellenfant and Sam Shepard read books. There is no successful way to make a horse do anything. Horses will tell on you.

More horse will not fix you. Seriously study cows. Morgan Cromer is a great working dog trainer. The herd belongs to everyone. Buy horses for what they are worth, not what you are worth. Don’t go to beat anybody, go to get your horse shown. All horses have quirks. There are no secrets in cutting. We are “nekkid” on this stage. Tim Smith is very articulate. Kathy Daughn is very direct and a very good teacher. Nadine Payne is from Austria. Horses love treats. Trainers hate treats. Lopers have treats. The NCHA has thousands of stories. You can’t buy a check in cutting. Never underestimate an Aussie. John Mitchell rides bucking horses for fun.

We all have some “Seabiscuit” in us. Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story. Ask who started the horse. Vet checks are expensive. Vet checks are cheap. Our biggest fixable problems can be found in a mirror. You don’t know if it is a bad draw till after you go. Cows hate you. Horse-eating monsters hide behind blue tarps. Al Dunning could be Governor of Arizona if he were inclined. Terry Ratto and Al Larsen are gentlemen.

 

Cornbread thinks: There is serenity in arena dirt.