Smokie Brannaman

My Canon camera does video in .MOV which I can burn to a DVD but it will not play on a DVD player like a regular video.. I tried to convert it to Mpeg too but it comes up with wrong disc when you try to play ether on the TV. Can someone tell me how to convert these files to be able to play on a regular DVD player? Thanks much! Smokie

Why???? (And correct me if I'm wrong..) Does it seem that a good percentage of the English disciplines and or riders and trainers have such a hatred for NH? Aside from the fact that you are correct in saying that it has taken on a commercialized, idol worship aspect falling far short of what the methods are truly about.. The true methods of this style of training have been around for hundreds of years and a lot of it was developed in countries that primarily do English riding. So why are they such a foe paw to the English world now?

One interesting point...My brother Buck did a video years back called the 3 Masters. It was filmed along with two very prominent dressage trainers (who's names escape me) in the video with him. It discussed different riding and training methods and the similarities between English and western. Has anyone seen it?

I'm not trying to start another war on who's better just trying to expand my equine knowledge too!

That have been well trained, gentled and able to be handled by anyone using any of the so called "Natural Horsemanship" , Soft touch, candy and kindness methods that are so popular today...

Still called "Well Broke" horses?

Just something to get your wheels turning a little before I make my escape!

Smokie

Well what do ya know.. The Yahoo Police caught me again and deleted my question "What's all the fuss about" Head directly to Jail do not pass Go Figure and just spoon feed these babies the answers they want to here... Then to top it off I look at this morning questions and see the completely stupid answers to Why are there more women into horses? and suspect that the answer I gave will surely be taken as some sort of PP slap to the asker.. I challenged Yahoos decision to delete my question and here is what I wrote to them..

My question "What is all the fuss about?” was deleted. Why? It is an honest question to others on that board concerning the rash of reporting’s, and the seeming in ability of Yahoo to monitor the content of the people who post questions with no intelligence what so ever. And then report us when we give them an answer like read the read the directions on the bottle that hurts their feelings. Are you really running a site of knowledge or a playroom for kids to come and waste the time of the few knowledgeable horse people on here trying to give honest straight forward advice...? If you expect the knowledgeable folks on Yahoo to treat these kids and babysit them like the babies they seem to be then pay us for our advice like the people that really want to learn do. Then we will give them the spoon fed touchy feely answers that they should be smart enough to find on their own.. Like how much do riding cloths cost? Perhaps you should have two different answer sites one for kids and one for adults or kids that are somewhat interested in learning. That way we the ones with good advice and knowledge won't have to write to you about kids who think asking us if their horse is pretty is a legitimate question... Just my 2 cents... Just a side note my question was one of the most popular questions this week and had every single answer in agreement with my thoughts.. And the folks that answered on it are your top contributors with the most knowledge and best able to teach these kids if they really want to learn...

Smokie Brannaman, Owner Horseman's Services Limited, llc Horseman and trainer for 45 years

I'm going to run for the hills now and take my knowledge with me.. Good luck in eluding all those little squalling brats with no horse knowledge and common sence. And keep your head down the Yahoo Police and Thumbers downers are everywhere!!!

If you have a real question you can find me at my hideout someplace else on the web..

Regards, Smokie

Ok folks, as expected on here and almost all the other horse sites there is a very wide range of opinons on who's the best trainers, horsemen or women and what is the best methods to get it done with.. This question is not about who or what is better.. It about what you think it takes to be one. Below is my take on it and kinda the code I try to live up to in becoming a good horseman. What are your thoughts.. Smokie

The keys to being a good horseman and trainer…

Not long ago my apprentice ask me the question… “ What is the most important thing you can teach me to become a good trainer and horseman?” It took some thought, soul searching, and recollection of the things I’ve learned over the years to give her an answer but here goes...

Through the years, I’ve come to realize that the keys to being good with horses does not lie entirely in the sums of acquired knowledge of training principals, or the tutelage received from the all knowing masters of horse training. The keys to obtaining the level of wisdom and to truly be one with the horse come from the deepest darkest parts of your soul and your experiences in life. It is how you see, interact, and judge, your self, your horse, and others, against the perceived realities of the world around you. And how you manage the turmoil within yourself. This is how the horse will see you, respond, and work, (or not work) for you.

Horses are remarkable creatures in that they can look into the eyes of you, “The predator” and instantly know if they can trust you with their life. They will not prejudge or hold a grudge if they cannot. They will willingly accept you as the leader if you have their respect and their confidence as the protector of the herd, their life, and their existence on this earth.

People that have not had or lived through a profound life changing or emotional experience and know the true meaning of what life is all about, cannot become true horsemen. If you do not know, or haven’t seen your life for how truly simple it is, and cannot give a part yourself, or your knowledge, without judgment, for the betterment of the others in the heard, you cannot appreciate or comprehend what it takes to really know the horse.

I’ve talked with horseman and women that truly have a gift with horses. Virtually all are at peace with themselves and all creatures, including the rest of the bipeds. All have witnessed and faced death, the miracle of life, and they know that it all can change in an instant. One bad kick, bad argument, bad war, relationship, or decision made for some self-serving mission or concept of reality.

The horse is one with his herd and his environment. He will do his part to continue his existence and that of his species. It’s a simple forgiving life. The horse has no concept of human emotions. He knows nothing about love, revenge, hate, time, responsibility, perfection, prejudice, or production. He knows only two… The only two perfect unchanging concepts of emotion and human reality, living and dieing. These two concepts manifest themselves in the horse as “forgiveness and fear”. Trainers or horse people that base their training on other human concepts will not succeed in training or horsemanship. If they cannot accept and let go of their distrust, anger, jealousy, control, and preconceived ideas of life, love, sacrifice, time, and how we live life on this earth, they will never know or experience a true willing partnership with the horse or the humans in their lives.

Learn to forgive yourself, your horse, and others for their imperfections. Do not fear yesterday or tomorrow. Or get balled up over those things that you cannot change, were unsuccessful, needs more work, or simply forgotten. Just be patient, and live for today, the best way you can. Be in harmony with yourself, your horse, and the others you share your life with. Have no regrets, and expect no more in return.

Trust the horse and the human to give the same of him as he sees in you and your lives will be better for it…

Then you will be on your way to becoming a horseman. At peace with yourself, your herd, and the world we live in… like your horse.

I’m not a true horseman yet but I work on it every day and I hope this helps you along the way.

Throughout this forum since I've been here the popular term "natural horsemanship" has been tossed around quite often. Its good points and bad points have been argued by different factions of the horse community, dressage vs western for example. But for the young and learning folks on here perhaps it would do them some good to find out a little more about it before making training decisions based solely on the popular term of the day.. (Goes for English too)! So chime in here if you think you really know what it is and where it came from! It might surprise some of you what answers might come up! I will offer my opinion too but not till you all get a chance!

Best regards and "Just Ride"!

Smokie

As a trainer, horseman, author and equine business owner I think some education perhaps is in order here at the horse category of yahoo ask.

Since the book and movie came out the popular term has been "Horse Whisperer". Let me tell ya folks that's where you will find that mythical Guru... In the movies! There are plenty of very knowledgeable horsemen and women out there that can make the uneducated masses believe that they have some sort of mystical powers to communicate with horses. In reality (and the best ones will tell you this) is these horsemen have spent their entire lives working with horses.. LOTS OF HORSES! They know how they think, react, and can anticipate what will or will not work on any given horse and in most cases make it appear very easy to accomplish miraculous results in a short amount of time.. So folks leave with this false impression of how things really work and think they can go home after one clinic learning from this Guru and they to can be just as good. Not gonna happen folks! Good horseman and trainers are good because they know a lot about horses not because they call themselves horse whisperers. So lets come back to reality here folks and educate yourselves by spending a lot more time with a lot more horses and leave the horse whisperer on the book shelf!

Smokie Brannaman