ABOUT DOTTIE AND LISA

 

 

Dottie first encountered Buck Brannaman and his philosophy of horsemanship in the late eighties when she came upon a clinic he was doing south of Boseman, MT. 

 

She was on her way to the airport when she noticed a bunch of cars, trucks, and, most importantly, horse trailers that were parked at a huge indoor facility and decided to check it out. 

 

After watching Buck for only a short time, she realized there was something special about this young man and the way he related to horses.  Because of her flight, she was unable to stay for the whole day but she had heard and seen enough to know she wanted to learn more.

 

A couple of years later she learned of a young man in the Columbus, NC area who was doing this same type of training and decided to go talk with him.  Buzz Mason, who is no longer with us, had worked with Buck and was bringing him to the area. Dottie was the first person to sign up for Buck's clinic. 

 

She then encouraged a friend to come ride with her. This was just the beginning of Dottie's journey into the "Vaquero Way" of training and riding horses.

 

Two years later, Dottie became Buck's sponsor in the Western North Carolina area and continues to bring him to Carolinas in the Pendleton, SC area where folks from FL, GA, SC, AL, TN, VA, VT, DC, DE, just to name a few states,  Actually we have some come from as far away as CA., usually by plane if not bringing a horse but auditing only.   

 

During this time, she has ridden in 18 of Buck's clinics locally, one in Pray, Montana and two weeks at McGinnis Meadows Cattle and Guest Ranch outside of Libby, Montana where Buck gives two clinics, back to back, each year.  

 

At the ripe old age of 65, Dottie started her Arab colt under Buck's watchful eye at his Walkertown, NC. clinic.  

 

She has also ridden with Ray Hunt, Ricky Quinn, Peter Campbell, Tom Curtin, Bryan Neubert, Joe Wolter, and Buster and Sheryl McLaury.

 

While Dottie and Lisa do not consider themselves to be professional trainers, they have access to professional clinicians and bring them into our area to assist folks who are looking for a better relationship with their equine partners.

 

So often, in trying to get that connection between horse and human, we reach that connection but don't recognize it. We just keep going on with the same exercise until the poor horse hasn't a clue what we want. 

 

We haven't stopped and rewarded him for doing what we asked because We have not recognized his "slightest try" or the "smallest change".

 

This is why it is so important to participate in clinics either as a rider or as an auditor.  Dottie and Lisa work with Buck Brannaman, Bryan Neubert, Buster McLaury, and his wife, Sheryl, and Joe Wolter. 

 

Each year 2 or 3 of these 4 clinicians will be giving clinics somewhere in the Carolinas, sponsored by Dottie and Lisa.  These men follow the teachings and philosophy of Tom and Bill Dorrance of Salinas, CA, as well as  Ray Hunt, to whom we attribute the "clinic forum", as a means of presenting these teachings and philosophies to a group of people and their horses.

 

It is incumbent upon us, as horse owners, to be the best horseman or horsewomen we can be. 

 

When we "fine-tune" ourselves we are in a better position to help our horses.  ALWAYS REMEMBER.... THE HORSE IS NEVER WRONG! 

 

The horse is either going to do what he thinks he has been asked to do or he is going to protect himself. 

 

The goal at HARMONY WITH HORSES is to help one horse at a time by helping one human at a time. 

 

Let us help you and your horse develop that bond of trust for which we are all looking with our equine partners.