Natural Horsemanship School - Training - Horseback Riding Schools

		Three Dimensional Horsemanship - $2295.00 Offering two weeks of Three-Dimensional Horsemanship with Mike Wade in 2012. July 13-19 will be for men and women, August 9-15 can go either way at this time. Ride package dates: July 13-19, 2012 / 4 openings left!, August 9-15, 2012 / 3 openings left!

Natural Horsemanship School - Training - Horseback Riding Schools

 Mike Wade - "A few take from the Horse - most try to give the Horse what they have - a Horseman gives the Horse what the Horse needs, wehn the Horse needs it." 

Over the years, as Bobbi and I have grown our horseback trail riding company, we have guided hundreds of horse people from around the world, and I discovered that many of the avid horsewomen and men that we've encountered are hungry to learn from a natural horsemanship school, that offers an "organic" style of horsemanship. In addition, these people seem to be quite impressed with the quality of our Horses and their training. I came to realize that a large part of my job has become helping people learn how to become better horsewomen and horsemen. I certainly don't profess to be " The Horse Whisperer "; the philosophy that has evolved is what I've termed Three-Dimensional Horsemanship and our unique brand of horseback riding schools.

When I was nine years old, I started training my first colt, a lively little sorrel mare named Papoose. With only an old, worn-out ring snaffle headstall and no saddle, Papoose and I started where we could both start, and I rode bareback. Because Papoose knew a little bit more about being a Horse than I knew about being a Horseman, we often "parted ways" so I needed to fairly quickly learn to be "with" Papoose, because when I wasn't "with" her, I soon found myself "without" her. By the end of that first summer, we both had a good thing going, and for the next several years, Papoose and I helped with the family ranch work, moving and sorting cattle, checking water and riding across the prairie just for fun. Papoose served many useful years on the ranch, and as far as I know she never wore a saddle. I have had to think, study, and then figure out how to articulate what Papoose taught me years ago that I couldn't have learned in any horseback riding schools.

In order to understand Three-Dimensional Horsemanship one must be comfortable with the concept of shape or shaping, as in a sculptor shaping wet clay into a finished, three-dimensional piece. The sculptor starts molding the piece by removing a little excess high spot here, and placing it in a small void over there, exposing and complimenting the true nature of the clay, while keeping in mind and working toward the end result. With this analogy in mind the "First Dimension" is what can be called the Rider shaping the Horse. This statement would perhaps be what most people would define as training or worse yet, "breaking" a Horse, but the terms are not interchangeable. Some might think of " The Horse Whisperer ". Understanding that it defeats the purpose to try and change the Horses' true nature, we only want to mold the Horse a little, removing small excesses here, filling in voids there, in a manner that lets the rider develop a useful Horse, yet does not violate the Horse's true nature. The natural horsemanship school philosophy starts with the principles of this "First Dimension."

The next part of our horseback riding schools ' practice is the "Second Dimension" which is Rider shaping the Rider. Realizing if the rider wants to achieve harmony with his or her Horse, it is necessary for the horsewoman or horseman, in the natural horsemanship school philosophy, to learn, experience, and change as much as, if not more, than the Horse by re-arranging his or her own "clay." Those riders who can shape their own characters to more comfortably fit the Horse's needs will achieve a much higher level of harmony with their Horse. In other words, help the glove more closely fit the hand.

Seemingly, the most difficult concept of Three-Dimensional Horsemanship to internalize is the "Third Dimension", which is the Horse shaping the Rider. Often, our own egos, fears and entrenched beliefs keep us from listening to the Horse as it points out the riders'  "high spots here, low spots there" and allowing the Horse to shape us as humans as much as we try to mold the Horse. After all, there is no one more expert on the Horse than the Horse. If we will allow the Horse the opportunity to shape us instead of us trying to be " The Horse Whisperer ", then good things can happen, and I think this is what Papoose was trying to teach me years ago, to be a "horse listener". The really good Horsemen that I admire, when asked where they learned what it is that they know and practice, will tell you "I learned from the Horse." And that is the third component of the Blue Sky Sage natural horsemanship school philosophy.

Though it has been almost 40 years, countless miles horseback and many different Horse experiences later, I can still remember the feeling of loping bareback with Papoose, across the short grass prairies of Wyoming. She was a good teacher, and though I am far from being an expert, I have tried over the years to be a good student. The feeling of freedom that she taught me, of being "with" a Horse, is something that is still strong in me and it's something that's a central aspect of our horseback riding schools.

Blue Sky Sage conducts Three-Dimensional Horsemanship in a high desert wilderness "classroom" much like the prairie of my youth. You can choose from among any of our remuda of good Horses to practice these ideas yourself. The Horses will be your teachers. I invite anyone who might be interested in these ideas to participate in a natural horsemanship school and explore your own Three-Dimensional Horsemanship potential.

Chris from Connecticut had this to say about her experience in 2007: "We were thrilled about the "clinic" component of our trip this summer.  I found it so valuable and I would really like to know more about the method of communicating and working with my horse that I am reading about in the books you suggested.  It intrigues me and yet puzzles me; I am a better learner when I can see something first and then go work on it.  I think it is the ride for me next year. "Yahoo!" that you will be on the Little Sandy again.  It was so beautiful.  My friends back here were amazed at the beauty and emptyness of the open land." 

Nancy from Georgia writes: "Mike's horsemanship lessons were so informative and enjoyable.  Reminding us to stay aware of our horse's  "thought bubble" helped make the daily rides through the wild, open spaces safer and more enjoyable to us all. It helped keep us connected with our horses.  I felt really honored to be given Winchester to ride for the week.  What a nice trail horse. His intelligence and attention to his rider made for a very pleasurable ride."

Sally from New York, has ridden with us on back-to-back seasons: "THANK YOU for a great riding experience, and some instruction; I'm much more confident and feel more fit (and 'solid' in the saddle - independent seat )  This gave me the courage ( and I didn't fall off and had a lot of fun) to participate recently in a 'cutting clinic' with the paint gelding (he's done a bit of this before, and a young man also wants to take him to some "real" cutting events-fun to do & see ) I bought a year or so ago. Plus he's now boarded at a barn near a park with nice trails.  My life is GOOD . . . "

		Three Dimensional Horsemanship - $2295.00 Offering two weeks of Three-Dimensional Horsemanship with Mike Wade in 2012. July 13-19 will be for men and women, August 9-15 can go either way at this time. Ride package dates: July 13-19, 2012 / 4 openings left!, August 9-15, 2012 / 3 openings left!