Dusty Hat Ranch

02/10/2026

Teaching the kids that taking care of your tack is part of riding.

Saddle cleaning day, and Cody’s restored saddle is stealing the show.

01/06/2026

12/15/2025

😂😂 expensive in horse power, hay bales and holy hell vet bills

11/11/2025

I told this kid who came to ride a c**t of mine the other night; "If you've got holes in your riding and your horsemanship, a c**t will expose them."

You see, c**t riders? They are in a league of their own. And good c**t starters, even more so. They can stay in control, while deliberately giving that same control up. It's because anyone who has ridden enough of these critters has learned that we're all just living by the seat of our pants anyway and we best be pushing for forward while we do it. (Forward fixes everything. Almost.)

"Ride the engine, ride the engine...leave that steering wheel alone...and for God's sake don't keep stomping on the brakes, they'll burn out."

This is what you hear during a typical c**t starting lesson around here. I've repeated these words a million times...a lot of those times to myself. Whispering them under my breath in a scolding tone.

The other night I told this young fellow to ride back to front and your horse will travel better, stop better and stay soft. I said don't over work the whoa or the backup. If you get 'em right, leave 'em, or you will lose 'em. Eyes up, heels down, shoulders back, and where you look is where you land, sooooo...don't let your eye wander. There's a lesson in that somewhere. 😉

Trust the foundation to hold, because once you're in the saddle, the time for doubts is past. If you doubt, they doubt, and then the wheels fall off the bus and everything goes to hell in a hand basket. Ask me how I know. 😏

Keep your core strong. Riding c**ts well, takes some core muscle.

Don't kick harder than you can ride. But if you do? Keep your chin down and remember...in for a penny in for a pound, so you may as well go for it and give it everything you got.

In general, that sounds like a decent philosophy for life.

Have a good day folks. 😊

11/05/2025

11/05/2025

Majestic. Powerful. Graceful.
…None of which describe Vice in motion. 😂