Michael Gascon, the Horse Guru...or "Sometimes It Really IS the Rider's Fault!"

I thought I'd done a write-up, but it appears I didn't.  The last weekend of September, I attended a Michael Gascon clinic in the Houston area.  I had PLANNED to take Strider to it, but, as I stopped by Holly's to have him trimmed up before we left, that's when we saw he was still off when he had to pivot on that left hind.  Which, of course, led down the path of Strider being off for 6 months recovering.

Oh?  Who is Michael Gascon?

If you're into horses (and even if you're not), you've seen him.

Not familiar still?

There's this one:

There, NOW do you know who I'm talking about?

So, for the Michael Gascon clinic in September, I ended up taking Dakini instead.  I didn't feel like driving an hour home to grab Tilly, and take her and tell Michael "Yeah, I know NOTHING at ALL about this horse."  Though, Joe REALLLLLLY wanted me to.  But, Dakini was closer, I knew her better, so I ran and dropped Strider at H's and snatched up Dakini and away we went.

Here is a 16-ish minute video of Dakini and I on the 2nd day of the clinic.

NOTE:  She had gotten a front leg hung up in a manger feed net in the trailer, so she was sore, which we didn't notice until after trying to ask her to gait.  She's always been willing and eager to gait, but she didn't seem to want to, and she felt "off" to me, so we cut the ride short.

Flashforward.

At the beginning of January, Michael mentions he's doing a clinic in Georgetown (which is where I grew up), AND that he's giving away 10 free spots.  I immediately went in to "I want to win a spot!" mode.  I fully planned to audit, but, hey, why not try and win a spot too?!  

So, back in January, I had a disaster of a ride on Tilly (I wrote about it here).  I am friends with Michael's girlfriend on Facebook (she's just so sweet!!!), and, I am sort of sure (kind of...I cannot PROVE it, and I don't want to ask) that I was given a slot in the clinic being held here in Texas in March so I would bring her.

Talk about thrilled AND excited!! 

My friend B was also given a spot with her gelding, Gatlin.

Well, we all know what happened with Tilly.

So, the NEXT best thing was I was now able to take Strider.  And, while he is, to me, a good horse, he has issues.  Most notably his "bunny buck" when he shifts from a gait to a canter.  It's been his "signature" move for going on 6 or so years now.  And I've tried to figure out what the root cause of it is, but I had finally just accepted it as "Well, this is how it's going to always be."

At the September clinic, I had asked Michael about it, but I hadn't yet had the time to see if he did it while on the lunge line, or ONLY under saddle.

Well, the Friday before the clinic arrived.  A group of us met up to go trail riding for a few hours at Lake Granger.  Which was very nice (I haven't had a chance yet to upload my Garmin stats.  But we rode for probably 3 to 3.5 hours all together).  I let H ride Strider so that B's mom (LM) could ride Blondie.  I rode Socks for a while, then, we looped back, Socks got left behind and at some point, I ended up riding L's horse Joe.

We rode for a while, then headed back.  At that point, B had bathed Gatlin and I gave Strider a quick hose down, because we had been told that, for the weekend, our horses would be stabled at this new facility.

Solo Stables (McLeod Equestrian)  is a top notch facility.  B and I were shocked when we rolled up.  From the gorgeous log cabin, to the open fields, the barn...everything is being built from the ground up, and every, single thing is being done at no expense spared for the horses.

4 wash racks with hot and cold water.  A fan at the wash racks and in every stall.  Locking tack room.  Large and expansive feed room with a fridge, and a washer and drier.  Each stall has the ability to swing open to become a foaling stall.  Large automatic waterers.  Cushioned matting beneath all of the nice pine shavings laid down.  Nicely thought out and built.  I didn't take any pictures, because...well...I felt that would have been creepy.

So, B and I get a quick tour, and our host, Logan McLeod invites us to make his home ours for the weekend.  He is a kind and gracious host.  Whatever we wanted or needed, our horses had for the weekend.  We get them both settled in to their stalls, say hello to Michael and Sophie, then split because we're meeting everyone for dinner (our host who's home we were all staying at, J.B. [Strider's accupressurist], her husband JD, H and her husband, L, myself, B and B's mom).

After a delicious dinner, we all head back to J.B.'s and JD's house, where we play with her dog Cooper, all of us take showers, sit and talk, and around midnight, we all end up going to bed to crash.

Everyone up early, and we head to the barn to check on our horses and see how they did.

Strider, apparently, can't figure out an automatic waterer.  He got hit with some electrolytes, and I put one of my tubs in his stall filled with water, which he worked down during the day.

I also took him to the wash rack and rinsed him off as he'd made himself right at home and laid down in the stall.  In, of course, a big ol' poop pile.  *sigh*

So, the clinic is a little slow to start as people keep trickling in, we're all eating breakfast, socializing, talking with old and new friends, getting chairs and such set up. 


Sophie asks B if she'll go get Gatlin to use as the first horse of the day.  So, Bonnie goes in and gets him dressed (tacked up), and the clinic begins.

Information overload commence. 

We watch Michael work Gatlin, a horse who won the "naughty horse challenge" (she was fairly naughty), a horse that Michael had had at his facility in Mississippi for 90 days, a couple on a pair of Paso Finos that are doing the show in Texas here late in April (suggestions and tune up ideas), a Western Dressage National Show Horse, a rescue Paso (who was VERY naughty, but is owned by the sweetest 70 year old woman you'll meet in your entire life!!!), an appaloosa filly who had NEVER been under saddle EVER (that Michael GOT going gently under saddle), we got to see the stallion and broodmare from Michael's farm that are now owned by Red Solo Stables as their foundation breeding stock Pasos...and somewhere in there, was Strider.

Michael always asks the owner what are your goals with the horse, and what would you like to do better.

Side pass and get rid of the bunny buck.

The side pass....well...we're gonna need to work HARD on that....but...

Well, see for yourself what Michael did.

(apologies, as I talk some through this video....which, heads up, is 33 minutes long)

Basically, just watching this...my horse, while "good", is hella disrespectful (this isn't exactly a news flash to ANYONE who has known or met my horse).

I have a LOT to work on.  My seat and my feet, most importantly.  -I- am why he bunny bucked.  It wasn't the saddle, it wasn't anything else but ME.

Strider, who is standing still, and starting to get MENTALLY tired.

Sit back, free up his shoulders, let him go.

I didn't get video on Sunday, but, on day 2, you show Michael what you remember from Day 1 with your horse and YOU work them.

Now, I had asked Michael on Day 2; "I honestly don't know how to ask for it, but, do you think my horse can largo?"

"Your horse can largo."

So, he hopped on, set his head, and off they went.  At a largo.

It made my heart swell just a tiny bit when Michael came back and said "He is a FAST little bugger!!"  Go Strider go!!!  :)

This is a photo from day 1, but he's talking to me about headset and how
I'm saying "go" and "whoa".

Again, Michael had to remind me, if I want my horse to largo, I need to collect his head just a little bit to help, and drive him into the bridle.  For a canter, keep my seat the same, but loosen up on the reins so he has the freedom to go (don't say "Go" with your seat and "Whoa" with your hands).

Sit back.  Feet forward.  I swear that's what Michael
had to keep telling me.  And I just cannot remember it!

MY FEET ARE THE WORST!!! 

Even if you're not into natural horsemanship, or you think gaited horses are dumb, or you think "If I've seen one trainer, I've seen them all", well...I can't help you.  Your mind is closed.

HOWEVER, the way Michael teaches is innovative for the hotter horses.  It also works on your cold horses (Quarters, Paints, etc), but, as he says, having to learn on the Paso Fino, has been his greatest blessing.  They are HOT horses (for the most part).  So, you don't want to amp them up to work on them.  I jokingly said that because I learned some basic fundamentals from the "big name" natural horsemanship trainers who are famous, but mostly deal with QHs, that I used THEIR methods, and basically built my endurance horse trying to wear him out!.

But, he is one of the nicest young men you'll ever meet.  He is genuine and sincere in trying new methods until the horse understands (at the Houston clinic, there was a horse that wouldn't back, and he went through what most people would try, then he started having to get creative...it was amazing to watch).  He never has a negative thing to say; but he WILL be honest with you.

So, you can either visit his website: Gascon Horsemanship

Or, check out his Facebook page: Michael Gascon - The Horse Guru

Every Wednesday he does a live video stream called "Horsetalk".  You can go through the archives and watch old episodes of it. 

So, if you ever happen to be in the area where he's doing a clinic, go and audit, at the very least.  You will walk away with SOMETHING, I promise.