Ask Cari

Al I can say is Thank you so much Rex and Cari for your wonderful job and safety you gave Tye. He was terriffied of the monster horse trailer that bites, but you guys showed Tye the way to over come his fear of the trailer by being gentle and patience and so understanding about his fear. Tye had a bad experience in the trailer and he never forgot it. I tried for years to help him over come his fear but to no avail I couldn’t do it. People told me to get rid of him he’s never going to trailer, he’s a waste of time,i was just about to give up till Rex and Cari took Tye into there hands and worked with him and with there knowledge and huge hearts they showed Tye the way and NOT to be affraid, its a good thing to be inside the trailer. The horse knowledge they have is a unbeleivable site to watch. I am know bringing Tye all over with out any problems at all!

Thanks to Rex and Cari at Windrock Farm I have a new horse that is in the same body. I thought this would NEVER happen in my wildest dreams and I am know laughing at all the people who told me to get rid of him. I want to say from the bottom of my heart Thank You so much for helping Tye find his way through his fears. You guys are remarkable, awesome horse trainers/people and words will never express my feelings towards you and your training. I will recommend Rex and Cari for any kind of problems you might be haveing. They have the blood of a horse and the will of the horseman and a 1 in a million master horse trainer Thank you for putting faith and heart back into Tye and me and with your help and kindness tye is know a horse that can do it and trust me to do it. I will never have enough words to say how much we look up to you wonderful people.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Tye and Heather Poughquag NY

I have had the privilege of learning about horses and riding from Rex Peterson, and the good fortune to watch up-close the remarkable results he achieves with even the most challenging of horses and riders. He has guided me through the movies “Hidalgo” and “Appaloosa”, and I have been lucky to become his friend and ride many miles in all sorts of conditions with him. He makes his job as horse-master look effortless, but those who have trained under him over the years know it most assuredly is not. He does appear to have a gift for “reading” people and horses, always finding the most suitable teaching approach in each situation, but he works extremely hard every single day, often for many hours at a time. He has an iron will, and will not quit on any horse or rider, but is remarkably patient and leads with a steady and kind hand. One of the most helpful bits of advice he passed on to me – which can be applied to working with horses and to life in general – is “go slow to go fast”. He would never, unlike others not as gifted or patient in his line of work, rush things unnecessarily or ever ask anyone to do something he was unwilling to first try himself. He invariably has the safety and well-being of his horses as his topmost priority. He speaks highly of his own legendary teacher, Glenn Randall, Sr., often saying that he will never know as much as his mentor did. Although I never met Mr. Randall, I cannot imagine anyone asking more of themselves or getting more out of horses and riders than Rex Peterson does. I look forward to working with him again soon.

Viggo Mortensen

Rex will be teaching a clinic at Windrock Farm this weekend, June 19-21, bring a horse to work with him or come watch him work RJ/Hidalgo at liberty at 3pm on Saturday.

contact cari@cariswanson.com for details

The horse is a beautiful creature So proud and so bold This we can see for ourselves No need to be told

A beautiful creature Right down past his knees I look and behold! What are these???

For his feet are contracted Wry-footed, quarter-cracked And bent Without good feet He’s not worth a cent

For to see a horse limp Gives me grief untold And if Someone’s at fault I’ve been known to scold

Through sandy desert And over rocky trail A horse can’t do his best If his feet they should fail

Though it’s been said before I’ll say it once more A horse can’t do his job well If his feet are sore

A horse should be shod With a sense of panache If he is to run A 300-yard dash

A horse should be shod With a certain sense of style If he is to carry his rider For many a mile

The horse is a beautiful creature Of fine symmetry and form And so should be his feet This should be the norm

It only makes sense That his shoes be made neat So that they only enhance His already beautiful feet

So farriers please endeavor To learn your craft well If you don’t, you’ll cause Many a horse living hell.

Mike Bromley, The Blacksmith Poet

Here is Rex Peterson with Tuff at Quarterfest in Nashville TN:

Started the chestnut filly a week ago, she wanted to buck but we would not let her, she tried everything but would not be allowed to be ignorant so now a week into her training she is obedient and listening to the legs and hands and seat of the rider.

Bella learns to canter along side her stablemate, Tuff who teaches her how to stay in forward motion, using the horses natural instinct to be part of the herd helps them learn quickly with little fight.

Started the grey warmblood, he is 6 years old and never been broke.  He is a sensitive horse, has learned to steer and move off the leg with many circles around the arena in walk and then trot.  Whenever he drifts away from the track, we circle and point him back toward to track, until he wants to stay out there.  This is a very intelligent willing horse.

photography by Glenn Hunt Photography whose outstanding work can be seen at http://www.glennhunt.com.au/

Visit Glenn Hunts web site

Remember to practice schooling your cross country jumps with rhythm and balance as the basic criteria when approaching a fence.  You must also be straight to the jump and coming at it with an appropriate speed.  Practice makes perfect, so be sure to take your time and do your homework.