RAY HUNT CLINIC REPORT

by Beth Anne Doblado

March 10th 1999 in Del Mar, CA

I went to see Ray Hunt for the 1st time yesterday in Del Mar, CA at Christian Clews Ranch. Ray would be starting colts. I wanted to see the legend himself and watch him work with some horses. Indeed, his work with horses was humbling, he was so respectful and he did not miss anything that the horse offered him. His words so full of truth. I have a great respect for this man and his message, and I am a better person for having met him.

And I am thankful that I was not starting my colt with Ray yesterday. Ray spoke to the crowd of spectators most of the day. Unfortunately for the people who paid $500 to start colts with him, their first day was made up of mostly standing around behind him. I could tell they had little understanding of how to communicate with their colts. Ray did little to help them. I talked to him about this and he said basically the humans have to find it for themselves. Ray answered all questions from these students by saying, "I have probably answered your question already, but go ahead." I was sorry to see his lack of respect for the humans who were trying to get his message. And yet, when people did try he encouraged them. He told many that they were doing a good job.

In hindsight, if I were a student with a horse, I would have walked right up and stood beside Ray. Or maybe sat on the fence in between him and the audience of spectators. Might have blocked some views, but I would have at least heard what he was saying. It is up to you to get your time and money's worth. Most people in the clinic were preoccupied trying to get their colts to stand still and they missed a lot of what he was saying.

But no one can dispute the message itself was profound. I am a PNH Student close to reaching my level #2. I was thankful that I could grasp what he was saying and I could directly apply it to what I am doing right now. Thanks Pat for preparing me so well with PNH, (the Ps were not intentional).

Jewels from Ray Hunt:

"Self Preservation in the horse is strong. Don't force it on the horse, in the name of training. If the horse is bothered back off and start again. He doesn't understand win or loose. He will thank you for this. Fix it up and let the horse find it."

He demoed colts following his feel, leading around him in a circle, then hind quarters stepping over. Very important that they know how to disengage their hindquarters. Ray likes a colt that will give him this. If not, human must teach it from the start. Foundation.

"Maybe you will need more pressure to start with, but once you got it, then less."

"A young horse has got a lot of other interests. Allow that or they will fear you."

The morning was spent having students with their colts, one team at a time, enter the round pen and saddle up. Then they were to move their colts around the pen, tip them up in to the canter, and then ask them to come down and face the person. Ray demonstrated it first, and he did a lovely demo of how a horse can be prepared to leave collected mentlly and physically. He showed how when they blast away they can pick up incorrect lead and are not organized with their body. Then he showed how to prepare them, just asking them to tip it up gently from the trot to the canter, and how they can leave connected mentally and physicaly. And they were not wrong at this point if they broke gait. They gave him what he asked for, a nice transition to the canter, and that was enough for him now.

Then he left it up to the students to figure it out. I felt sorry for many of the students as they fumbled through this. Saddles fell in the dirt, horses were spooked and many bucked as they took off around the pen. Ray coached a little from the sidelines but most students in the round pen did not hear what he said, they were too busy worrying about doing what they did not understand correctly. Many unknowingly drove their colts around the pen, stepping toward the colts hind end with the flag. A couple understood their positions, and they were successful. It was hard to watch, but I reminded myself that one reason it bothered me is I could have more patience with the humans. Ray has incredible patience.

As soon as a student stood still, inevitably the horse stopped and truned toward them. It was amazing. I wanted to scream out, "stand still darn it, or step backwards not forwards!" But it was not my clinic. Oh but I was tempted. So easy to be on the outside lookin' in. Result was that most did not get what was happening.

"Horse has no pride, they are as honest as it gets. Most of us need to do less with our horses, not more."

"Get them into a learning frame of mind. Offer them the best deal, look for the try. As long as they are changing and trying then let them alone. They are trying."

He told the students that their colts were giving them a lot of changes, trying pretty well, but the students were not seeing this. They were only focused on the one thing they wanted, not what the horse was giving them. I was pretty impressed by this for my horsemanship, as I know with my PNH study it is easy for me to focus on getting the result of the task at hand. And if Ray had put a name on these changes it would have been easier for the students to see them: change in speed, change in gait, head dropped, ear cocked in, head tilts toward you. Again, I could easily see it from the sidelines but I think most of the students missed the changes.

"When a horse is right on his feet, he is right in his head."

"Humans put something halter/bridle on the head to control the feet. It is all in the feet."

I had heard this, but not until I saw Ray demo it with a colt did I really see what he meant. He showed how the horse braces, locks up, and then how the feet turn loose. This itself was worth my whole day and $25.00. At the end of the morning most of the colts were turned out with their saddles cinched up snug, to get used to wearing them. And most of the colts in a herd settled right around Ray as he was talking. They know that they can trust him. It was a great picture and as I grabbed my camera they moved off. One reason why I am not a photographer, missed the moment.

"Always try to do less. Then the horse can get closer to you mentally. Horses are more sensitive then humans. You want to get so that you are thinking together, thinking harmony. And he is filling in for you. Partners."

An interesting moment in the clinic: a student was having a hard time handling a colt. One of the other students offered to help her. This gal had too much horse for herself, it was clear. The colt was so distracted and worried, he kept stepping on her and knocking her over. The fella took a hold of it and was gonna teach it a lesson. Ray, as if by intuition, turned his attention to this colt and the fella. He told the fella to put the horses head to the side and just hold it. the fella went to add some pressure and Ray told him don't do anything, just fix it up and wait. He told the fella the feet will follow. We all waited about 5 minutes, seemed like an hour and the colt looked like he was falling asleep in the awkward position, feet braced and head off to one side. Finally the colt shifted his weight. Ray yelled "there". Then they worked until they got one step. The frustrating part was as soon as Ray turned his attention back to the round pen, the fella and the gal started banging on the horse again, jerking his lead and not giving him any clear message about what they wanted him to do with all his energy and fear.

(break for lunch)

After lunch they finished the saddling with 2 stud colts. Everyone was so concerned about these "STUD" colts. Ray wasn't. I don't understand why people at this level even have stud colts, but there I go judging people again.

One bold lady told him she had about 500 questions. And even though Ray said she probable wasn't listening to him, she got Ray to work with her horse. She said that she was concerned cause her mare did not pick up to correct leads.

Ray said some great stuff here. "Whatever he does (the horse), make something useful out of it. If the horse takes the wrong lead, you let him prepare to take it. It's OK. You asked for a canter and the colt gave it to you. Take it. Next try to encourage and prepare for the correct lead."

Ray did a great demo with this mare. The mare was so quiet all during the clinic that it surprised me when she took off around the pen like a bat outta hell. He showed how she just wanted to flee, and she was outta there the minute he gave her the sapce to run. Ray said this had been taught to her by soneone, put in her by the human cause she was all mixed up, crossfiring and all. As she ran around the pen with her nose tilted out, she was on the outsie lead. I recognized it was because she was preparing to leave. it there was a space she could find big enough to fit through or over she was gonna be gone.

Ray said that she did not know what being in neutral was. He got her to stop with only her head tipped in. Then he worked from there, recognizing every try. He finally got her to stop her hind over and face him. And then he worked on just being able to walk from one side to the other. She had the hardest time standing still and not preparing to go. He said that he was teaching her that he was in charge now and he wanted her to stay. He was so gentle and calm, inch by inch he approached her until he got her facing him and her head dropped and relaxed. I am gonna check to see if my horses know what neutral is. Good stuff.

He told us that even though yes she was on the wrong lead, there was a lot more that needed fixing first with this horse. Once she got those problems worked out, then she would be prepared and he bet that she would take the correct lead. I spoke to the woman about her horse after the clinic. She said she was 9 years old, a backyard pet. I told her I was glad she asked her question and I learned a lot from it. She was beaming.

The rest of the day, people just re-saddled their colts and played with the rope around the horses. Ugh, how many times did I see people grab the knot of their rope halter and tug on their horses head with no response. Just making their horse dull dull dull. Pulling and pushing. I wished someone would tell them to drop the rope, pick up the tail and shake it, then let the darn horse alone. And Ray talked. He did tell them that if they pick the rope up they need to do something with it. Don't waste it. But I doubt anyone understood, and if they did they were not applying it. But everyone learns differently and I wish I could have gone back today to see the changes that may be happening.

He closed with:

"It's feel, timing, balance and one more thing that makes it all come together. Not sure what that is and my friend doesn't know either. I am still learning after 30 years. And I am asking all of you to help me figure it out, what that other element is that makes this happen between the horse and the human."

I would guess that it is heart.

I talked to him afterwards and he signed his picture in my copy of "True Unity" Tom Dorrance's book. He wrote next to his name "Think." Perfect message. That is what he gave me on this day. An empowerment to think about my horse and do more with less.