LRTC Wild Horse Mentors'
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John Sharp of Prineville, OR at age 89 still puts in a full day on the training floor. John has been gentling and training horses longer than the workshop participants have
been alive.
John proves the theory that experience, wisdom and common sense are far more important than muscle when working wild horses. John is a gentleman in every sense of the word and both horses and burros respond very well to him. |
Coaching an assistant
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| John developed the method of using a bamboo pole to make contact with the horse and desensitize him to being approached and contacted all over his body. The mare in the first set of images is getting used to being touched, and the scratches from the pole actually feel pretty good. (A more complete description of the bamboo pole method is available here.) |
Working a wild one
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Showing Cliff "the ropes"
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"OK, now here's how it's done."
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Joyce SharpJoyce is one of the most important crew members in the program. She is the Arena Manager, responsible for all the pen assignments, coordination of livestock, keeper of training records and all that is attached to those duties. She is also a darn handy horse trainer and clinician.It's not unusual for Joyce to relieve clinicians on the floor when they need a break, or to offer wise advice when a problem arises or someone gets "stuck." She also demonstrates and teaches hands-on... all while keeping up her Arena Manager duties. We don't know how she does it but we're glad that she does. Thunder, the rope practice horse
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Never ending paperwork
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Demonstrating with Cliff
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More work with Cliff
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| Wild horses primarily eat grasses and don't compete for food directly with most native species. In some areas the horses actually help control grass growth which benefits other plant communities and the animals which feed on them. |
Continue to Part Five
Return to Part Three
KBR Horse Net