Top Shots

Horse Does Matter

WHAT THE PROS HAVE TO SAY

 

What Makes the Perfect Mounted Shooting Horse? El Costa Prom.  Junior.  Ricochet.  Pal.  Slapshot.  Justin.  Clementine.

 

The names of the top horses in cowboy mounted shooting are just about as familiar as the names of the riders (respectively Annie Bianco-Ellett, Jim Rodgers, Chad Little, Andra Olson, Melissa Dragoo, Kenda Lenseigne, and Matthew Sronce).

 

And why not?  The horse is an integral component—a partner, even—in the sport.  A good horse can lead to championships.  A not so good horse makes for also-rans.

 

But what makes these horses (and others) so good?  What puts them in the higher echelons of competition?  What should we be looking for in a horse that can give us an edge in the arena?

 

We spoke with some well-respected riders/trainers to get their thoughts.   No big surprise—they agree on most things.  But that’s why they’re at the top, right?

 

The Human Element
Roy Cox says the rider is the Number 1 factor in determining a great mounted shooting horse.  “I couldn’t draw a picture of the perfect shooting horse, ‘cause I’ve sold horses to too many people and seen a lot of good matches that wouldn’t have been a good match with somebody else.  It’s not ‘one size fits all.’”

 

Andra Olson seconds that notion: “The most important thing is matching the horse and rider.  Their personalities have to be compatible.  If they aren’t, you’ve got problems.  For example, I’m an excitable type, and I can’t work with an excitable horse.  We both react too quickly.  We’re being too jerky and our rhythm isn’t there.”

 

Trainer Alan Eggleston says it goes beyond personality, though.  “The rider is very important in determining if the horse is right for competition.  You have to take into account experience, amount of riding, goals, handling.”

 

The bottom line:  Clementine may be the perfect shooting horse for Matt Sronce—and they did win the 2007 CMSA World Championship together—but that doesn’t mean she’ll be the best horse for you.  In fact, she probably won’t be.
All three agree that it’s almost immediately obvious if a horse and rider are a good match—or if the search must continue.

 

There Will Be Bloodlines
Roy Cox:  “Breeding goes a long way towards telling what kind of competitor the horse will be.  I like to look and see where they’re coming from.”

 

So does Annie Bianco-Ellett, whose Costa is already producing top flight offspring.  “The quality horses with the quality bloodlines definitely help.  You should have the proven sires and the proven dams to get an idea of what you’re getting.”
The experts are quick to point out that there are exceptions to this rule—but for the most part, biology is big.

 

A Head for Competing
Trainer Jimmie Allen says, “The horse’s mind is at the top of the list of things you prize in a mounted shooting horse—especially in terms of how he handles gunfire, being around crowds and other horses, etc.”

 

Annie Bianco-Ellett agrees: “It has to have a good mind.  They have to be smart and to be willing.  They have to have a good attitude.”

 

Roy Cox—a self-described “old school” horseman, says an experienced trainer or rider can quickly tell if the animal has got the right smarts.  “The first thing I look at is the head, to see if it’s got any sense.  If it’s got a crazy look in its eyes, I’ll most likely walk away from it.”

 

Which gets down to disposition, according to Alan Eggleston.  “Temperament is vital.  That’s why Quarter Horses are well suited to mounted shooting.  They’re quieter.  They tolerate things better—like gunfire.  And they adapt to training.”

 

Jimmie Allen says that by working closely with the animal, you can have an impact on temperament—especially if the horse hasn’t reached a later stage in its career.  Still, he says, it’s better to find one that’s naturally well suited to mounted shooting.  It saves on wear and tear for everyone.

 

Size Matters
In the past, a lot of riders favored tall, rangy animals with a fair amount of speed.  But that viewpoint is changing somewhat, according to Roy Cox.  “I’d rather ride a smaller horse that is more collected—it’s going to be able to outmaneuver a bigger horse.”

 

Bianco-Ellett was one of those who used to favor the larger animals.  Not any more.  “You want the athleticism of a working cowhorse that has to accelerate and decelerate to get a cow, that has to be able to turn quickly to turn the cows a different direction.”

 

Jimmie Allen agrees.  “I prefer what my dad called a ‘short-coupled’ horse—shorter back, shorter legs, more compact.  They’re the ones that can run the poles and barrels.”

 

So what’s a good size for a mounted shooting horse?  Bianco-Ellett says, “I think the best is between 14.2 hh and 15.2 hh.”  Alan Eggleston agrees with that figure.

 

How Old is Old?
Age is definitely a factor in the performance of a horse.  It can vary from animal to animal—there are some top competitors that are nearing 20 years old.

 

Cox, though, wants to start them off early.  “I prefer a younger horse—starting at three or four—that can grow with you.  But I won’t push them until they’re five or six.”

 

Eggleston puts their physical peak a bit later.  “Most of the better shooting horses are in the range of eight to 15 years old.” Remember, experience and training work hand in hand with age in determining just how successful a horse is or will be.

 

The Need for Speed
This is another area where the prevailing wisdom has changed in recent years.  Early on, the emphasis was on “fast.”  Now, the key phrase is “athletic.”  Don’t mix the two up.

 

“Athletic and fast aren’t the same thing,” says Roy Cox.  “Control is more important than speed.  If they can’t make that straight line between A and B, then it don’t matter how fast they are.”

 

Jimmie Allen:  “Just because a horse is fast, that’s not enough.  I like a horse you can rope on, you can shoot on him, you can sort cows on him, you can run barrels with him, you can use him on day work.  You’re going to have to use a lot of those skills in mounted shooting.”

 

And as Annie Bianco-Ellett says, a speed burner may not run a good route every time.  “You need the most consistent horse out there,” she says.  “It may not be the fastest horse, but it is the most efficient.”  She agrees with Allen—a quick cowhorse can set some very impressive times.

 

Horsesense-itivity
Communication between the rider and the horse is usually done nonverbally, so it’s important that the rider knows just how much pressure to apply to tell the animal what to do.  That’s certainly true on the flanks, where a little nudge with a knee can go a long way.

 

But it’s even more important when working the reins and bit.  “A horse should be very light to the touch,” say Bianco-Ellett.  “I don’t want to have to worry about really pulling or yanking on a horse—I want to concentrate on the shooting.”

 

Cox says, “A soft mouth is good.  I usually use one bit more than I need so I can be lighter in the hands.” It doesn’t always work for less experienced riders, who tend to pull the reins harder than more seasoned competitors.  But that’s where “growing up” with a horse can train the rider just how to effectively communicate with the animal.

 

Other Senses Working Overtime
The horse’s hearing and sight aren’t emphasized as much, but they can and do impact performance.  Andra Olson—whose AJ Horses has developed horse earplugs—argues that hearing problems can make an animal more skittish and less predictable. 

 

Jimmie Allen agrees, and adds that the old-style communication between horse and rider is always important.
Roy Cox says vision also plays a big role: “A horse that has eyes situated so that he can see what’s out in front of him plus have a bit of peripheral vision, I think he’s going to be more athletic.”

 

The X(pert) Factor
Finding the perfect shooting horse can be tough, even for the top riders.  But it can be next to impossible for novices.  It pays to get advice from the experts, like the ones we spoke with for this article.  Most of them also sell horses, but they’ve got more than money in mind.  They love the animals, and they become friends with their clients, so they want a match between the two to work.  And they’re not shy about telling folks, “That one just isn’t for you.”

 

Not everybody is going to find a Costa, or a Junior, or a Ricochet.  They’re few and far between.  But the perfect mounted shooting horse is an individual and personal thing.  You want to find the perfect horse for you.

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