Johnny Crooks Horsemanship

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Johnny Crooks Horsemanship

C**t Starting Problem Solving Horsemanship Lessons Natural Hoof Trimming Horsemanship Clinics

01/12/2024

This morning’s classroom, this morning’s student. Very troubled import who was attempted to be started under saddle but got into more trouble than she was prepared for. I’m not a betting man but if I were, I’d bet by her reactions and her conformation that a saddle slipped under her. It’s important that when one is built like this to have a 3 point breast collar, I prefer a pulling collar, so as to prevent the saddle from rolling underneath one and causing a whole lot of trouble the horse never needed to encounter in the first place. When you over face or over expose one it can knock the curiosity right out of them right along with their confidence in the human and themselves.

01/01/2024

Here’s a little Round Pen Wisdom to help in the New Year. Two things to consider. One by a horse turning in and hooking on versus a horse escaping in. A horse escaping in to the center to find the human will eventually lead to a horse that ends up crowding and pushing on the human. They are not really hooking on they are choosing the lesser of two evils. They may be hard to catch so you think the thing to do is run them in the round pen until they learn better. While the round pen or even a small paddock is a great place to work on catching you don’t want the horse to be near you just because he’s worried that if they’re not near you that there’s gonna be a lot of work for them. There’s a difference in causing the right thing to be easy and the wrong thing to be difficult versus making the wrong thing to be impossible. Helping a horse learn to be caught is more about using and building on they’re natural curiosity instead of well if you don’t want to get caught I’ll show you. One promotes learned helplessness and makes for a slave. The other builds a partnership. The second tidbit of wisdom is whether working afoot and later on under saddle we help our horses stop balanced. This may just start with the front feet as I’ve learned if you get the front feet good the back usually fall in to place eventually on their own. If you continually through your ground stop your horse imbalanced and start him moving imbalanced it makes them uncomfortable. If they are uncomfortable in they way you handle them they won’t want to be near you and the. Your back to problem number one, catching the horse. So learn the proper footfall patterns of the horse not just at the gaits but the footfall pattern of the maneuvers you will be doing with them. In the beginning timing of the proper foot is key to keep your horse balanced and wanting to do for you not having to do for you.

12/21/2023

Two more great horsemen that have had a profound influence on me. Mike Thomas and Brent Graef Horsemanship

12/18/2023

One of my biggest influences in both horsemanship and lifemanship, Buck Brannaman.

12/17/2023

Leading from the tail. This would be a very advanced groundwork exercise and it really is just to see where we are at as far as trust and communication goes. Without those two components the horse would run off and maybe after they kicked the human. In no way am I suggesting anyone attempt this.
There are 3 leading positions in which horses lead other horses from. 1 directly in front and this is done with draw. The follower is drawn to the leader. This is the position from where we mostly lead our horse from with the halter. 2 from the withers. You will see horses leading horses around while at the withers. This is partly through a driving presence but must also include drawing the horse or it would not be leading it would be chasing. Leading requires a follower and there must some amount of draw in the equation. We as humans lead from this position when doing most of our groundwork such as circling the horse around us. You may notice this is the position from which the rider is leading the horse. They are mounted just behind the withers. 3 Horses are led from behind. This takes the most amount of trust and communication, except for when the human has two reins and a whip. But at liberty or even with only one rein there must be a great deal of trust and communication. While this position as in position 2 requires some amount of driven it still requires a balanced amount of draw.This is the position a stallion would drive a new mare snaking her around and finally creating a draw to bring her back into his herd. This is also the position he may drive the whole herd away from danger. This is the position you would see someone long lining a horse from and also driving a horse from when hooked to cart or wagon.
To me being able to lead from all 3 positions is invaluable in building trust and earning the respect I need from my horses to view me as a leader. Without that trust and respect you may get things done but you’re not a leader you’re a dictator. Now the horse may not own a dictionary and know the definition of these words but I can guarantee you he knows what those words feel like. For those of you that don’t like the word leader how about protector, steward, comforter, supporter there all roles that fall under the term leader.

12/14/2023

This is about the 3rd or 4th ride in the snaffle for this young filly. Putting her on the payroll helping me groundwork another horse.

12/12/2023

Building the draw to get your horse hooked on to you so they’re easy to catch and halter is not about running them to exhaustion in the pen so they escape in to you. It’s about building on the natural curiosity in the horse, catching his eye drawing his thoughts to you. Where their thoughts go the feet follow.

09/27/2023

What are you teaching your horse? I guarantee they’re learning what your teaching them. You get out of them what you put into them. They are a direct reflection of you.
I started working with this yearling in July and this is his 5th session since and his 4th hoof trimming. He is from Arizona and is a range raised Hancock bred, notorious for their attitude ,and has had minimal handling. There have been weeks in between handlings and he’s been out running on a large pasture pushing around a bunch of cows. I know horses both young and older that can’t stand as good as this young fellow about having his feet trimmed that have had lots of handling and even imprinted from birth thinking that’s makes ‘em good. Heck there ain’t even nobody holding him , he ain’t tied and he ain’t even got a halter on. Handling only makes them good if it’s good handling. And if it’s bad handling, well it’s gonna take a whole lot more good handling to help them out once the bad has been taught. Just remember the human put the bad in them. Remember you can’t erase their memories! So, what are you teaching your horse?

07/04/2023

First hoof trimming for this yearling. Using the lariat to help him learn how to stand balanced and trust the human with picking up and holding his feet. Range raised in Arizona this c**t has had minimal handling. This is my second time working with him in a week. It’s hot out there drink lots of water!!!

05/07/2023

This week in my pondering of all things that is horsemanship and humanship, I am reminded of a couple of familiar sayings,”actions speak louder than words” and “ it’s not what you say it’s how you say it”.
While both of these sayings hold great weight and validity, is there one these that carries more meaning than the other? For me it would be the former,”actions speak louder than words”, for the simple fact if you’re not doing what you’re saying then what you’re saying has no weight or validity in the the first place. They are just empty words lacking any substance or meaning.
The latter phrase,”it’s not what you say it’s how you say it”, I believe to be very important also. But if it’s not backed up by the work you are doing then it’s just empty words, promises of no worth or value.
I see so many in the horse world that are much better talkers than they are doers of good work.
They will write a lengthy article of what you should be doing with all the feel good words that spark emotion to sell you on a way or product that will solve all your problems. You can often notice that they repeat keywords over and over again that help to anchor their thoughts into your head. A lot of times they will also throw in some cool quotes by others which are masters at their craft as if bonding the idea they are selling a long with those that are historically known to achieve great results. Not because what they are doing is in line with these teachings but because these teachers hold great weight and if you “name drop” someone might see you in the same light. At least long enough for them to sell you on their idea.
While these people are very good wordsmiths and stir emotion within you, the question you have to ask yourself is this. Do their actions speak louder than their words? Can they achieve the work they so eloquently speak of? Or are they just bottling up these words mixed with a tincture of something that makes you feel good and selling snake oil? How will you know? The same way the Bible tells you to know false prophets, by the fruit of their labor. You will know by their works. But so often you won’t see their works, you’ll just hear their words. And if you do see their works make sure it aligns with their words.

05/02/2023

All you need are hands that feel to develop a good posture and expression in your horse. No need for training forks/running martingales, cavesons/nose bands, side reins/draw reins or any other mechanical means. To teach the horse how to accept,carry the bit and have a quiet mouth with good posture and expression all you need is a simple snaffle and Hands that Feel.

04/19/2023

While I don’t believe there is a such thing as a “Horse Whisperer “ there are those that get along better than others with the horse. Here’s a video interview that Anderson County media department did about me, my horsemanship and my music.

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