Aries meets Buck Brannaman

Our volunteer rider, Candi, rode Aries in the Buck Brannaman Clinic in Ellensburg in June and here’s what Candi had to say.

“In July, the SAFE horsemanship team had the opportunity to attend the Buck Brannaman clinic in Ellensburg. In preparation for the clinic, I spent several weeks getting to know Aries through groundwork and riding. Loading, hauling and unloading after the journey to Ellensburg was as simple as could be. She was at ease in her paddock, in the arena and getting baths to cool her off the entire four days we were there.

“We spent three mornings in clinic learning groundwork foundations from Buck. Aries was in tune with me, listened and responded well. She has had trouble bracing and not wanting to back up. During the clinic, Buck helped me with my soft feel and I was able to learn and teach her two new ways of backing up. She is making great progress with her handy new skills.

“Aries is also learning to line up to the rail and stand still. This will prepare her for a rider needing to mount in ways other than directly from the ground. 

“Aries loves the soft feel and responds well to subtle cues. She has a very sweet soul and I am so happy to be a part of her journey.”