Follow the training of two mustangs from the 2008 Midwest Mustang Challenge!
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About UsWhen Davin and I first started working horses together we had such different backgrounds that we had trouble trying to coexist. I was giving my Thoroughbred jumper a bath one day, with a chain across her face and her dancing in circles. That was the only way I knew besides cross tying her in the wash bay. Well, I could see Davin looked annoyed. Finally he asked me why I didn’t teach my horse to ground tie. This shocked me! It truly never occurred to me that such a thing could be taught. I thought Quarter horses were just so lazy they didn’t go anywhere! I was used to a show barn were horses came in, learned to jump, and went right back out again. Never did we waste time on ground manners- that is what chain shanks and twitches were for.It was probably later in the same week when Davin was riding one of my horses. I was always impressed that he sat pretty well... for a cowboy. But that day his riding drove me nuts. “Straighten him,” I shouted. “Huh?” was the reply I got back. “His hindquarters are a foot to the right of his shoulders. Make him go straight,”I said. Davin looked at me bewildered, “What are you talking about?!” Thank goodness we have both come a long, long way. I have embraced natural horsemanship as the most important thing I do, and my poor husband can no longer enjoy a trail ride if his mare isn’t tracking straight behind. Well, he also knows how to get her back up and do lateral work- dressage isn’t always frustrating! With my competitive jumper background and dressage fixation and Davin’s natural horsemanship and cow working background, we make a pretty good team. Davin still specializes in difficult horses and I still concentrate on advanced riding, and together we have a passion for young horses. I could go on and on about our philosophies and ideals and list every credential I can think of, but the truth is you’ll just have to come see us and decide on your own. We are always learning more and I hope you’ll stop back and keep an eye on us as we grow. -Danee Rudy Click here to read letters from people who saw Davin and Danee at the mustang challenge!
Davin worked with multiple trainers in the western world, including those who rope, colt start, team pen, and cut. But the man who made the biggest impact on Davin's horsemanship was Raymond Anderson. The stories Davin has told me about this old man are incredible- too incredible to write about here, because you probably wouldn't believe me! No one seems to know where Raymond acquired his knowledge, as he wasn't a talker and never said much about himself, but we have reason to believe he spent time directly with Tom Dorrance. Raymond was a true master who seemed to be able to ride any discipline and settle any horse within minutes. It is only ashame he passed on his knowledge to so few. Davin's other great teacher was Clapper's Pepper. Pepper was bred by his family and sold young. Later they learned that she was beaten and starved and bought her back. She was terrified of humans, yet she was self confident and a true leader. She wasn't even broke to lead, non the less to ride. Davin spent close to two years building a relationship with her from the ground. It was slow going and they spent much of their time together just watching each other from across the round pen, but when the relationship was solid, it was incredible. Once riding, Pepper was so smart and had so much natural cow sense that team pening, cut and sort, and roping just came naturally. Davin now realizes how spoiled she had him! Pepper helped him work young horses, rode fence lines, caught loose cattle, and brought home the prize money. She was tacked up early and untacked late. She is the only horse Davin ever knew to sleep regularly on a moving horse trailer. She was instrumental in teaching Davin what you can accomplish when you have a horse by the heart and soul. Davin specializes in reschooling problem horses or those burned out from too much competition, poorly fitting tack, or well meaning but unknowledable owners. His other specialties are gentling mustangs and starting horses for trail riders or ranch work.
I've taken ideas from so many places I don't know how to label myself anymore. I have audited and/or studied the ideas, videos, and writings of Sally Swift, Mary Wanless, Linda Tellington Jones, Dr.Deb Bennett, Pat and Linda Parelli, Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, Dominique Barbier, Richard Hinrichs, Matt McLaughlin and so many reining and natural horsemanship trainers that I couldn't begin to list them. I have studied directly with Walter Zettl, Karen Rolf, Montie Eagle, and Paul Belasik. I've auditted clinics, I've asked questions, and I've experimented. Maybe I am a "jack of all trades master of none" but having this broad education to fall back on has helped me tremendously with my teaching. I never go into a lesson thinking "today I teach dressage," or "today we do natural horsemanship." It is a combination of all that allows me to enable riders to fill in the blanks and move forwards with their ridng. If there was a discipline I was close to mastering it was show jumping- of course I've been concentrating so much on other areas that I say it in past tense- I can't remember the last time I jumped over three foot! But I do have a competition record out their somewhere, and it is a pretty good one- it includes two third places at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, a fifth place zone 2 Horse of the Year Award, and even a few mini-prix wins. My biggest passion is in dressage- probably because it is so difficult and vague! But I think I have made a lot of progress in this area, and I am making good tracks in helping my students to find it a little less confusing! As of April 19, 2008 I can also call myself a Mustang Challenge Finalist! With "Unraveled Fate" I placed second in the in hand portion and sixth over all at the 2008 Midwest Mustang Challenge in Madison, WI. My specialties include teaching riders how to get their horses calm, willing, and biomechanically correct without using a million aids. Also, I LOVE working with sport horses- especially from age 2 to 5. I won't start them until they are three, but the time on the ground produces such an incredible mount that it is very worth it. Once they are six they can specialize, which I also enjoy, but I have not spent as many hours practicing those skills- do do tend to have some horses back inthe competitio arena over the next few years. |
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