In style

Happy New Year!

For those in the north country our riding may now have come to an end or changed to reflect weather patterns. For those in the south and other parts of the world this may be the optimal part of the year. In any case I hope this finds you and your steeds well, thriving, learning, and growing.

A few key points about winter:
• Your horses need access to good clean water. Tanks heaters will help avoid colic and dehydration. Secure the electric cord so nimbly horses don’t find trouble
• Removing shoes in the winter is a good idea and highly recommended by most professionals as the natural contact for a few months does nothing but good for horses’ feet. Does your horse even need shoes?
• Horses need free access to salt and minerals year around
• Worming after two hard frosts is the current recommendation. Fecal samples can help determine which wormer regime will be most effective
• Dentistry is even more important coming into winter, especially for older horses. Locate a qualified vet or dentist as your horse’s longevity largely depends on sound dental care
• Horses can handle cold and wet but not at the same time, so a shelter is ideal. To stay warm horses need to eat hay. Free choice grass hay should be available to nibble 24/7
• A good winter project is cleaning and going over your tack in front of the fire place. You and your horses will be happy come spring

Warm-up in the winter is of utmost importance as horses can be quite frisky in the cold. Saddling up and climbing right on is not recommended. My safety system is the focus of my Discover the Horse You Never Knew DVD and Gentle Solutions Book. This logical sequence of exercises puts you in charge and that leadership follows into the saddle as the horse’s energy is used constructively and brains and feet connect. Feel what the horse is telling you on the ground and in the saddle. Are you on the same page? Is your horse well? Are you in a good place to ride and what is your plan? The more time we spend THINKING ahead of riding, the greater our accomplishments.
I had the great fortune of attending one of Ray Hunt’s last clinics in Driggs, Idaho. I asked him to sign several books. He simply wrote- THINK. . . Ray Hunt.

VIDEO OF MONTH CLUB

Our video of the month club is a logical introduction to Frank’s Gentle Solutions approach. Beginning with the award winning DVD- Discover the Horse You Never Knew, Frank’s 7 Step Safety System is the logical first step and establishes a solid foundation for the remaining DVD/Book library that arrives conveniently each month for a full year. Absorb and apply the information of each instalment during the month at your own speed. By year’s end you won’t believe your relationship with your horses!

WHITE STALLION NOVEMBER CLINIC

Jim Rea and I recently completed our bi-annual November clinic at White Stallion Ranch in Tucson, AZ. With students from Australia and England, the Commonwealth countries had us outnumbered! A smaller group than in the past, we had ample time to address each student’s specific challenges and goals. There is always a common denominator or prevailing theme at these clinics and the word- Presence jumped into my mind about mid-week.
Horses read us like a book. They know if we know. And they know if we don’t. Strong confident riders have a strong confident presence, on the ground and in the saddle. The other word that applies is Proactive. Reactive is late. Proactive is ahead, leading, guiding. . . just what every horse prefers. By the end of the week our gang, Team Diesel had become noticeably stronger leaders with a more pronounced and stronger presence.
Jim Rea had brought his 8 yr. mustang gelding named Cowboy down from
Colorado. A striking bay gelding standing about 15-1, Cowboy had been pushed too hard in one of the Mustang Makeover competitions. Humans meant nothing but hard work so he avoided them. Our Accredited Instructor Carol Bachman decided to work with Cowboy for the first two days of the clinic. Her patience and empathy paid huge dividends when Jim later took over. Seeing both Carol and Jim riding a now happy relaxed horse made the week extra special for me. On Saturday mornings we ride into the lovely Sonoran Desert for breakfast. Riding simply in a rope halter/lead, Jim rode rear guard on a relaxed Cowboy who appeared to have done this his whole life as Jim jabbered away on the phone. Oh what a feeling!

There does not exist a more well-run family dude ranch. White Stallion Ranch is truly a class act!
Don’t you deserve a week of pure indulgence delving into your passion?
Jim and I will be conducting our next week-long clinic at White Stallion March 11-16 (Mother & Daughter) & 18-25 2012.

“I brought more back from Jim & Frank’s March clinic than I even realized. It was a life-changing experience in so many ways.” Paula Howe- New Mexico

Remember- The Long Way is the Short Way AND Your Success is our Success,

Happy Holidays and All the Best in the New Year
From the whole gang at Dances With Horses,

Frank

SUMMERTIME!

I hope this finds you enjoying longer and greener days as summer comes into full swing. This being the preferred riding season for so many, especially in the north country, there are considerations in dealing with heat and insects.

A few points about horses and summertime:

• Be sure your horses continue to have unlimited access to ample water
• Horses will sweat more in the summer and in work. Be sure to have loose salt available and minerals
• Some kind of shade gives horses relief from that intense penetrating sun
• Do your horse’s feet need attention? They grow faster in the summer
• This is also a good time to have a thorough dental exam performed on your horse if you haven’t done so already. Summer and fall are the seasons for weight gain for older horses. Deterioration in health and body condition of older horses can often be traced to improper dental care so they should receive particular attention.
• This is prime bug season and some of these pesky insects can drive horses to the brink. More on this below

When you ride in the summer be absolutely sure to give your horses a good warm-up prior to riding as mornings can be quite cool. Horses are almost always quite frisky in the cold. My safety system culminates in two exercises we call ballet, first on the ground, then in the saddle. These exercises connect brains and feet and use energy constructively while promoting horse/rider safety. When properly executed these two exercises will get the horse and rider in the right frame of mind, both on the same page. If you need to regroup at any time we have a logical place to wind down and start anew. This time on the ground prior to riding is also a good time to make sure your horse is well, both physically and mentally. Knowing your horses well, problems can be noted and dealt with prior to riding. Sometimes our horses just aren’t quite right and better to find out before mounting up.

TEEN DEMONSTRATION

On May 27th I performed a demonstration for teens from half a dozen schools, all part of a farm safety symposium. Before starting my demonstration I had a few minutes to discuss some topics with several students who were experienced riders. I queried them about typical safety measures and heard mostly about helmets and proper riding boots, both important. When I asked about specific emergency procedures, they all shook their heads except one young girl who had heard in reading about the one rein stop. As our discussion unfolded I learned that nothing was being taught about dealing with horses acting out. While this did not surprise me, it did concern me since as riders we all deal with such situations. About then I was asked to begin my demonstration for the general audience, but assured this group that I would be discussing this subject in greater depth.

I began with a 7 yr old Australian Stock horse mare who hadn’t been actively ridden in several years. I began by asking the audience what was the best part of riding? Unequivocally the answer was- going fast. Of course all kids like speed. Then I asked about the most challenging/dangerous/scary times with horses to which I heard about bolting, bucking, rearing, etc. Then I asked about accidents and heard all kinds of stories with one distinct common denominator- out of control horses. I then asked everyone to stand up and cross their legs. Everyone standing, I asked them to run forward and low and behold no one could. Not a single person. “It is exactly the same with the horse when those back legs are crossed,” I continued and then demonstrated this with the mare as I circled her and pointed out her footwork. All of a sudden I heard a whole lot of ah haaaaaaaaaas. I then proceeded to work through my safety system noting specifically the bending and footwork that I would show next in the saddle. The mare was a good student and the teens could easily absorb the concepts. I then rode a finished stallion, again an Australian stock horse. We danced away demonstrating how beautiful the final step in the program as safety is turned into Ballet in the Saddle with graceful one rein stops followed by a snappy turn on the haunches all the while using that quantum Stallion energy to promote our safety.

Robin Stewart, a famous actor of English TV followed with a short talk on the importance of establishing safety procedures right at the get go. A seasoned horseman, Robin’s acting skills were showcased as he mesmerized the teens whose parents well remembered him from the popular English sitcom “Bless this House” of yesteryear.
Then Ken Anderson our Accredited Instructor in Queensland topped the event off elegantly riding the stallion and reiterating the power of our Safety System.

YouTube link to demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTAMeEhNDY8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

OUTSIDE THE BOX

During our week long clinics at White Stallion Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, Jim Rea, my clinic partner and I are often asked to work with difficult ranch horses. As the week progressed the name Kansas and a previous very violent shoeing episode emerged. I was warned profusely about being careful around this massive horse before entering the round pen in an attempt to help him deal with his nemesis, namely shoeing.
Kansas must have weighed 1600 pounds and had a very stout draft mom or dad. This was one very powerful horse and I could only imagine that power when mad. Admittedly my heart was in my throat as I was sternly warned about him, but I proceeded just as I have with hundreds of other horses; I began by making friends and trust building, since my strongest hunch was that was precisely what had been missing.
He snorted suspiciously as I began stroking his neck and withers, then his eyes, ears, and nose. His mouth was tight and his demeanor very suspicious, but with time and genuine attention he began to let down. I worked thru my system which he performed well, not surprising as two of the competent ranch wranglers had instilled the concepts previously. Time to deal with those feet and I was admittedly a bit wary. Using my lead rope I desensitized his legs and then used the lead to lift each foot. That accomplished I then led him forward with the lead rope, releasing accurately at each step. Then I asked for each foot- no problem. I gave each foot a good massage and worked circles to help him relax and he did. Quite careful about his right rear, it was indeed a bit tight, but he did relax into my attentions and we finished on a good note. I then had three more people handle Kansas and his feet, to instill all positive energy and heighten his trust of humans.
About an hour later Russell True, owner of the ranch and ace horseman and farrier stepped into the round pen. With Jim Rea comforting Kansas our gang watched as Russell accomplished the task without fanfare.
In hindsight this was a case of approaching this situation with different thinking. Instead of preparing for a battle and being forceful and dominating, I approached it from the perspective of- let’s work together. Truth be known, with a horse of that size and strength, it is virtually impossible to overpower him and the risk of injury far too great.

WHITE STALLION WEEK LONG CLINICS

Jim Rea and I have conducted clinics at White Stallion Ranch for the past five years in the spring and fall. With 130 horses we’re able to find just the right fit for our students. From experienced horsemen and women to novices seeking to gain confidence and improve their horse handling skills, the results are amazing as our students emerge walking tall and quite pleased with themselves exuding heightened confidence. Our mornings are devoted to hands on with horses in the huge arena. Beginning with my safety system we progress through the week to more advanced maneuvers, games, and horse activities. Afternoons can be hot in that dry desert sun, so after lunch and a siesta we discuss the plethora of subjects that surround the equine. Nutrition, living conditions, saddle fitting, pain assessment and treatment, typical horse problems, etc. keep our gang busy until the afternoon cools. Then we move back outside to discuss and demonstrate such topics as problem foot handling, saddle fitting, barefoot trimming, proper trailer loading, and just how to check your horse’s teeth. About then the dinner bell rings and happy hour commences.
Most participate in team penning several times during the week and our breakfast ride into the desert on Saturday is topped off as Carol Bachman enlightens us to the joys of the desert, explaining the interesting relationships of flora and fauna in the magnificent Sonoran Desert. The cuisine is fabulous and candlelight dinners on the patio, well downright enchanting. After dinner entertainment ranges from interpretive astronomy/star gazing to cowboy poetry and singing around the campfire to a creatures of the desert as Phil Gonzales enlightens and entertains with hands on to those so inclined to handle snakes, geckos, and one very perky chinchilla!
There does not exist a more well-run family dude ranch. White Stallion Ranch is truly a class act!
Don’t you deserve a week of pure indulgence delving into your passion?

Jim and I will be conducting our next week-long clinic at White Stallion Nov 13-20, 2011.

“I brought more back from Jim & Frank’s March clinic than I even realized. It was a life-changing experience in so many ways.” Paula Howe- New Mexico

Our team of Accredited Instructors will be conducting clinics in varying locations throughout the world- Clinic link

PRODUCTS WE BELIEVE IN

I’m not one to endorse every product that comes my way. I only recognize the products that make a real difference to the horse and rider. I use and recommend the following quality products:
• Nature’s Balance Care- Botanically based eco friendly insect control and skin care products
• Supracor and Equipedic pads. Save 15% ordering from Dances With Horses- (DWH)
• Leather Therapy restores, reinvigorates, and actually strengthens leather products
• Synergist Saddles are custom designed for horse/rider, are lightweight, and designed by endurance riders to offer optimum comfort for all parties. Mention DWH when ordering
• Forco is a pre-biotic supplement that improves the bio-flora in your horse’s systems so they get the most from their feed and maintain their weight. Hard keepers benefit dramatically
• Arborwear clothing, originally designed for tree climbing/pruning professionals, doubles as superb riding attire with ample room for us aging horsemen
• Those of you that are considering breeding horses this spring should consider purchasing accredited instructor Bob Claymier’s “Complete Guide to Horse Breeding, Foaling and Foal Training”. This 3 DVD 4 hour set is likely the most comprehensive guide available and takes one through selecting the right mares and stallions all the way along to weaning the foal produced on the other end. Additional information can be found at – www.desert-rose-arabians.com.
• Schreiner’s Herbal Solution- A highly effective topical application endorsed by vets worldwide that speeds up healing dramatically
• Thrive Horse Feeds- for the very best in nutrition especially for hard keepers

TRAILER LOADING and PROBLEM SOLVING DVDs

Each quarterly newsletter I will be highlighting several DVD’s in my audio/visual library.

Is Trailer Loading your horse a stress free event or the opposite? Using a variety of five horses, trailers, and seasons I clearly explain how to prepare your horse for a road trip. Teaching horses to drive is the fourth step in the program and is beneficial to loading with ease and safely. Tips on tying, unloading, driving, and inside the trailer safety will help you load with ease.
Solving 7 Common Horse Problems includes valuable information for- Catching the difficult horse, pull-back (when tied), ears and clippers, proper foot handling, proper bitting, hard to bit, and barn sour/herd bound horses make this award winning piece a ” must have” for every aspiring horse trainer.
TWO NEW ACCREDITED INSTRUCTORS

We are overjoyed to announce the addition of two new Accredited Instructors to our team. Congratulations to Jim Dawson of Arkansas and J.C. Hobbs, assistant head wrangler, White Stallion Ranch. With Carol Bachman and J.C. at White Stallion Ranch, our vision is becoming reality as horses and riders mutually benefit.
Our Accredited Instructors help riders achieve heightened levels of confidence and safety while establishing a safe place to regroup as necessary. We invite you to look into our Accreditation Program.

From the Whole Gang at Dances With Horses- Wishing you and yours a great riding season.

Remember- The Long Way is the Short Way AND Your Success is our Success,

In Spirit,

Frank

Please join Frank Bell’s Gentle Solutions Group on Facebook

Hello Fellow Equestrians:
Thanks for your recent feedback concerning out of control horses.
Statistics consistently concur that 70-75% of horse accidents involve falling from the horse. More often than not the rider has lost control. So the important question is how to maintain and regain that control? Bending and circling the horse is far and away the most consistent answer from you. Why?
• Bending/circling brings the horse back into thinking mode, from irrational/flight to rational/thinking
• Simultaneously and as importantly, the power is taken from the horse as the hind end is disengaged, thus turning off the engine/power
Bolting, bucking, rearing can be controlled using these very simple maneuvers that every single person mounting a horse should know first and foremost.
I pose this question- why is this not being taught consistently to all riders? Imagine the accidents that can be prevented, the confidence that can be empowered instead of eroded.
Empowering riders with this knowledge is their right and our duty. Please join me in helping the world be a safer place for all riders by embracing and helping promote these very simple concepts. It would be our gift to future riders. The gift of dramatically safer riding. Instead of riding in fear and without an emergency procedure, the empowered rider revels in much gained confidence.
Safe Riding Always,
Frank Bell

I hope this finds you thawing out from winter and enjoying longer and greener days. Horses will begin shedding and not have the best appearance during this transitional time. . . so it goes.                

A few points about horses and springtime:

• Be sure your horses continue to have unlimited access to ample water. Tank heaters are good insurance against colic and dehydration
• Remember that one day can be warm, even balmy. . . the next full blown winter yet again. Continue to provide shelter from the elements
• Do your horse’s feet need attention?
• Spring worming and vaccinations are a good idea.  This is also a good time to have a thorough dental exam performed on your horse and take corrective action as necessary.  Deterioration in health and body condition of older horses can often be traced to improper dental care so they should receive particular attention.
• Horses can handle cold and they can handle wet, but not both at the same time. If you live in such conditions, shelter is important. When it is cold horses need to eat hay to stay warm. Unlimited grass hay is optimum
• Stallions and gelding develop beans that obstruct urination. Learn how to check for this condition
• Tuning up your tack makes for a great winter/spring project. Clean your blankets, pads, girths, and tack.  Do a close inspection of worn leather parts and replace if in question. Both you and your horses will be real happy about this come spring

From the Whole Gang at Dances With Horses- Wishing you and yours a great riding season.

Remember-  The Long Way is the Short Way AND Your Success is our Success,

 In Spirit,

Over several decades of working with horses I’ve come to realize the importance of strong leadership and maintaining Control of our horses since it’s the out of control horses that get us into trouble on the ground and in the saddle. Horses prefer to follow, not lead. When we direct our horses with a logical plan, we become that respected Confident leader who can then begin to Communicate well.

Control Leads to Confidence and Sound Communication

When you ride in the spring be absolutely sure to give your horses a good warm-up prior to riding and remember that they are likely to be out of condition due to the winter rest so make the first rides less physically demanding. Horses are almost always quite frisky in the cold. My safety system culminates in two exercises we call ballet, first on the ground, then in the saddle. These exercises connect brains and feet and use energy constructively while promoting horse/rider safety. My safety system when properly executed will get the horse and rider in the right frame of mind, both on the same page. If you need to regroup at any time we have a logical place to wind down and start anew.

Right = Flight. When horses go into flight mode, they are operating in the right side of their brain and departing the scene RIGHT NOW is the answer. . . questions later. But bending the horse keeps the horse in thinking mode = left brain. So bending in conjunction with disengaging the hind quarters which gets the horse out of gear and into neutral is the name of the game and the most important aspect of horsemanship that every single horse person needs to understand ROCK SOLID.

I’ve built a career worldwide with this logical sequence of exercises that is explained in a very straightforward manner in my DVD entitled “Discover the Horse You Never Knew” . . . and you will!!

Jim Rea and I just finished our spring 7-Day Intensive March 6-13 at White Stallion Ranch in Tucson, Arizona and it was a week to remember. With participants coming from  all over the USA and frigid Canada, we had a wonderful week of equine education and adult camaraderie. Our grand finale had 10 riders performing perfect figures of 8, side by side, in a display of amazing precision on ranch horses that at the beginning of the week were quite challenging. The next day found our gang on  deftly riding their horses with a mere piece of baling twine! Later that same day Elizabeth Vandor did a TTouch demonstration enlightening our gang to the nuances of Linda Tellington Jones amazing program that less than a week later had practical application for one of our student’s ailing horses.

Team penning, barrel racing, breakfast rides into the desert, cowboy poetry, an incredible magician, and handling a variety of desert critters all added to the excitement of this week not soon to be forgotten by our gang hence forth to be referred to as Dances With Enthusiasm!

Jim and I will be conducting our next week-long clinic at White Stallion Nov 13-20, 2011. Don’t you deserve to indulge yourself to a week of all things equine?

I brought more back from Frank’s March clinic than I even realized.  It was a life-changing experience in so many ways. Best wishes to you all.
~ Paula Howe

Our team of Accredited Instructors will be conducting clinics in varying locations throughout the world-  Clinic link

We are pleased to announce the opening of The Bell Institute of Equine Study. Offering a variety of hands-on options with your horses or ours, this is an opportunity of give your horsemanship a huge boost and Discover the most humane and expedient approach to communicating with these amazing creatures while working hand in hand with Frank Bell.

We are overjoyed to announce the addition of two new Accredited Instructors to our team. Congratulations to Jim Dawson of Arkansas and J.C. Hobbs, assistant head wrangler, White Stallion Ranch. With Carol Bachman and J.C. at White Stallion Ranch, our vision is becoming reality as horses and riders mutually benefit.

Our Accredited Instructors help riders achieve heightened levels of confidence and safety while establishing a safe place to regroup as necessary. We invite you to look into our Accreditation Program.

I’m not one to endorse every product that comes my way. I only recognize the products that make a real difference to the horse and rider. I believe and use the following quality products:

• Supracor and Equipedic pads. Save 15% ordering from Dances With Horses- (DWH)
• Leather Therapy restores, reinvigorates, and actually strengthens leather products
• Synergist Saddles are custom designed for horse/rider, are lightweight, and designed by endurance riders to offer optimum comfort for all parties. Mention DWH when ordering
• Forco is a pre-biotic supplement that improves the bio-flora in your horse’s systems so they get the most from their feed and maintain their weight. Hard keepers benefit dramatically
• Arborwear clothing, originally designed for tree climbing/pruning professionals, doubles as superb riding attire with ample room for us aging horsemen
• Those of you that are considering breeding horses this spring should consider purchasing accredited instructor Bob Claymier’s “Complete Guide to Horse Breeding, Foaling and Foal Training”.  This 3 DVD 4 hour set is likely the most comprehensive guide available and takes one through selecting the right mares and stallions all the way along to weaning the foal produced on the other end.  Additional information can be found at – www.desert-rose-arabians.com.  
• Schreiner’s Herbal Solution- A highly effective topical application endorsed by vets worldwide that speeds up healing dramatically