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How You and Your Horse Can Be Happy – Advice From Curt Pate

November 11, 2005

CurtPate gave a demonstration at the 2005 Farmfair International, Edmonton, Alberta.

Edmonton, AB --- Exclusive to Alberta Equine ...On-Line --- Farmfair International, Canada’s 'Premier Livestock Showcase' brought in Curt Pate to give demonstrations over three days in the UFA hall at the Agricom.

Curt Pate is a well-known rancher, author (“Ranch Horsemanship: How to Ride Like the Cowboys Do”, Western Horseman Books), and equine clinician from Helena, Montana. His demonstrations help riders improve their equine skills, using traditional low stress cowboy methods that work for all riding programmes. Pate has spent his entire life around horses; his grandfathers worked with horses, and he has carried on the family tradition. “I used to work with horses just like everybody else, but I didn’t feel real good about it,” he says as he chats to a throng of admirers after his demonstration; “so I changed what I was doing, including the horse and working it so you are both having some fun.”

As Pate works with a horse in a round pen, the audience watches with rapt fascination. Pate keeps up a constant stream of commentary as he works with the animal, at first mounted on another horse so that they all move around together, getting the novice used to being in contact with a mounted human. “He really likes to be around us”, Pate comments as the horse quietly walks alongside him, “See how his ears are forward, now, I’ll turn him really soft…” Pate skillfully walks the horse fast, and then slow, then, sensing the time is right, throws a widely looped lariat over the horse’s head. The animal accepts the rope, which is very loosely draped over his back. “The secret here is that he feels he’s in charge, all he has to do is relax, and not be scared. That’s why we go soft, low stress. If a horse is scared,” he adds, “he’ll be panicked, and he doesn’t learn from that.”

Pate tells the crowd about a time when he and his sister used to have to work in the barn and it would be dark when it was time to go back to the house. “We’d start off, and it was pitch black, and we’d think we were hearing something, and we just go and scare ourselves silly, and wind up running like heck back to the house!” This is what happens to the horse, Pate believes, and just like any animal that’s scared, it will try to get away from the situation. “We want him to be comfortable, to feel good with the situation.”

By now, Pate is working alone with the horse, just the two of them in the round pen. Pate spends a great deal of time gently rubbing and hold the horse, especially around the withers. “It’s the base point”, he claims, “This is where all movement starts.” Using the rope again, he rubs the horse gently with the coil, and slowly maneuvers so that the horse feels the rope on either side. He’s preparing the horse for the cinch, and the horse, calm and quiet, easily accepts blanket, light saddle and the cinch without any problem. Soon, Pate is able to mount the animal, and the demonstration is over.

The key to Pate’s ability with horses comes down to simple theories that he believes would serve us all well if we would stop hurrying through our lives and drop our often aggressive, overdoing and egotistical behaviour. “We all need to face our fears – I’ll rope the horses so they must face their fears, but it’s always a real fine line, not to do too much or too little…that works for us too!”

After his demonstrations, Pate stays to talk to many in the audience who need even more advice. After several questions, asked if his voice ever gets tired, he grins and tells us “My dad was an auctioneer, and my mom was a woman, so I come by talking legitimately!” Pate’s sense of humour is ever present; asked if he calls himself a ‘horse whisperer’ he laughs. “I’m a horse mumbler and stumbler, working hard and having fun!”

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