Blogs
How to Build a Long-Lasting Reining Horse
The Futurity season is my favorite time of year — we get to see a new group of future show horses and watch them for the first time. My philosophy for showing my Futurity horses for the first time is equivalent to taking my kids to school in first grade — I expect them to behave and perform their maneuvers the same as they do at home.
Branding
Touring with the King
weekend cutting circuit, he used to roll with the King himself. Pietrafeso, then a Denver police officer, met Elvis Presley while working an extra security gig in Colorado. The Colorado cop and the singer from Tupelo, Mississippi, quickly became friends.
Before Ron Pietrafeso hit the open road with his family – wife Adrienne and daughters Nicole, Jessica and Gianna – on theCraig’s Spin on Derby Red Tape
I just returned home from the NRHA Derby, where I showed FS Taris Walla Whiz to an ancillary Open class championship and Redhot Walla to 8th in the Level 4 Open Derby. Both of these horses are owned by Tim Anderson. He has been a longtime customer for me, and I am so happy we had such great success this week!
Meant To Be
Some things you can only chalk up to fate. Such was the case with my 3-year-old Quarter Horse mare, Aces Especial Peppy.
Cutting Digital Cows
When traveling between horse shows, there can be a lot of down time. And when you’re hauling your kids along with horses, keeping everyone entertained and occupied can sometimes be a challenge. But 12-year-old Millie Joe Rosenberg has found an interesting way to occupy her time in the car. She creates cutting horse arenas online.
Have You Ever Had a Horse Pull Back in a Rope Halter?
The rope halter should be tied with a sheet bend knot. When tying a sheet bend it’s easy to incorrectly make the knot above the halter loop instead of below. If your horse pulls back, you won’t be able to untie this type of knot. With a correctly tied sheet bend, like the one shown in the video, if your horse pulls back while tied you should be able to get the knot untied.
Craig Schmersal’s Trip to Italy
I just returned home from judging a show in Italy and doing a clinic afterwards. My last trip to Italy was several years ago when I did several clinics for Belgium and Italy.
Can A Sliding Gag Bit Be A Good Training Tool For Any Discipline?
Have you ever wondered how or why a sliding gag bit works? When the reins on a sliding gag are used to redirect a horse, the pressure from that pull is distributed simultaneously in 2 places: on the mouth from the sliding gag bit as the mouthpiece rises (slides on the shanks) and the bit rises (slides on the cords), and on the poll from the pressure of the headstall crown piece as the bit rises.