Training

Jeff takes a limited number of horse in training and there is usually a waiting list. 

If you are interested please contact us early for current pricing and upcoming availabilities.
(775) 427-5570 
e-mail  mondernvaquero@yahoo.com
5555 Candee Ln Fallon, NV 89406

Because of the instability of hay costs we are no longer including the cost of feed in our training fees. Clients can choose to supply their own feed or we will make arrangements to have it deliverd at whatever the current cost may be.


Goal Setting

Before we start any work with either horses or riders we first have to make sure that we have a clear direction. Students who are training with us and owners who have horses in training with us are asked to set clear and obtainable goals. We try to set short and long term goals for both horse and rider. By doing this we are able to take a straight line approach to reaching each of these goals.

The sport specific vs. the multidimensional horse
Jeff Sanders heading at a PRCA rodeo in California

Recent history has found many performance horses that are very limited in their ability to perform
outside their specific disciplines.

We find pleasure horses that can not be ridden outside the arena, trail horses that have never seen a mountain path, cow horses that can not be used to doctor cattle and rope horses that can not be used at a branding.

These horses are quite often very good at their jobs but are limited to a very narrow scope of abilities. If the goal is to reach the top of a specific game with an up and coming horse then all efforts are focused in that area. This creates a horse that is very good at it’s job but has seen very little else. What is all too often over looked is that the same quality of horse can be created with just a little more investment of time and effort. It does take slightly more time to make a world class competitive horse that can also be used for other activities but the rewards far out weigh the effort. Being able to consistently win buckles, saddles, and money on the same horse that you take to brandings or take to the mountains can significantly enhance the pleasure of riding and owning a horse. Many people think that they can’t have it both ways but that is simply not the case. It is unfortunate that owners have been convinced that they cannot enjoy their horses fully both in and out of the arena.

Time / Patience

There are no short cuts to making a good horse. The old Vaquero way of making a horse was “poco y poco”, little by little. It takes 8-12 years to train a Grand Prix level dressage horse; the same holds true for a good California bridle horse. The key to making a quality bridle horse is to give each horse only the amount of schooling that it can assimilate. No horse can be forced beyond it’s ability to learn. If one is pushed too hard, it will set the training process back significantly and can cause problems that can never be completely repaired.

Over discipline can have the same tragic results. Discipline is crucial to making a good horse but excess can easily ruin what progress has already been made. The old adage “it is easier to do something right than to do it over” must always be kept in mind.

If a horse is doing what is asked of it, we don’t push it. We add a little bit to our training each ride but don’t over do it. If the horse is doing well then we let it relax. We go see what is on the other side of the next hill, not because we need to but because the horse needs to.

 
Consistency

Consistency is a big part of making as rapid progress as possible. While Vaquero horsemanship does not judge success by how quickly our goals are reached, it is also understood that delaying success is counter productive. A horse cannot be expected to retain what it is taught without reinforcement and review. Consistent repetition is key and that means putting in the hours, day after day. Consistency in commands is also crucial. If the commands are not done the same way each and every time it will cause nothing but confusion for the horse.

 
Communication

It is unfortunate that people and horses speak such different languages. One of the hardest things for a horse to do is to understand what we are trying to tell it. One of the hardest things for people to do is to tell a horse what we want of it in a way that the horse can understand. The Vaquero’s success lies in his ability to think like a horse, to understand why a horse does what it does and to adjust his training accordingly. This understanding comes from knowledge passed down from those who have come before us and from many hours of working with many different horses. Once we are able to bridge that communication gap, truly amazing things begin to happen. With proper communication our horses begin to respond in a way that would otherwise be impossible. The ultimate goal of developing a horse that is responsive and that reacts instantly to our commands with totally trust is finally achievable once that communication gap is bridged.

 
Ground Work

As with the old time Vaqueros, we do a lot of ground work with our horses. Everything that happens in the saddle begins on the ground. This is not only the Vaquero way but has also proven effective through hundreds of years of dressage training. Before we ever put a foot in the stirrup, a young horse has already received the foundation work needed for them to turn right and left, stop and back up, do a turn on the hindquarters, and a turn on the forehand. The young horse has also become accustom to the swinging of a rope and knows how to move off of leg pressure. Having done this work on the ground first makes the time in the saddle much more productive.

Cow Work

The addition of cow work to a horse’s training program can have a significant impact on the horse’s progress. This is one of the places where the Vaquero training methods differ from others. The cowboy way is to use your horse to work cattle, but the Vaquero way is to use cattle to work your horses. The use of cattle in the training process helps to keep the horse alert and fosters better overall movement and collection. Most horses have some instinct to move other animals. Jeff has seen this with the wild mustangs in Nevada as they push deer off the water holes. The mustangs will act exactly like a well bred cow horse when pushing the deer away from water. By fostering this instinct we are able to get a horse to want to work rather than making it work. When a horse is doing something it wants to do and at the same time is working toward reaching specific training goals, those goals are reached much faster. Those lessons are also retained longer than those that a horse is made to learn.

 Outside Work

The importance of outside work cannot be over emphasized. Arena work is important but many of the skills that are commonly taught in the arena can be better accomplished outside. Along with working toward our primary goals, working a horse outside has the added benefit of helping to develop better foot placement and balance. Horses are not born knowing how to move on uneven ground, it is a skill they have to learn. Outside work also exposes horses to many distractions and scary situations that are invaluable in the desensitizing process. 
 Lessons

Our lesson programs require that you have your own horse and lessons are designed to maximize the abilities of both horse and rider. Each lesson program is individually tailored to fit your skill level and can range from beginner to advanced. The importance of taking lessons can not be over stated. As a general rule of thumb Jeff recommends that a beginning rider take lessons at least once a week, an intermediate rider takes lessons at least once a month and advanced riders are encouraged to take lessons at least every four months. No matter the skill level, if a rider is looking at any type of competition then regular lessons are going to be the key to success. Depending on the individuals needs, an encreased number of lessons my produce more scucesses.

Clinics

With more than 15 years experience doing clinics, training and teaching, Jeff has extensive experience working with many different people and horses. He has the unique ability to not only do, but also to teach. He is able to pass along the valuable traditions and training methods of the Vaquero that he has been using for many years with great success.

Jeff is available for one, two and three day clinics.

Clinic programs include:

    Working with weanlings

    Beginning, intermediate and advanced ground work

    Foundation work under saddle

    Transition to the bridle

    Beginning, intermediate and advance ranch cow work

    Branding pen basics

    Begining, intermediate and advanced ranch roping
 
    Begining, intermediate and advanced arena roping

    Improved performance of the head and heel horse