Ask Cari

There are many ways to teach a horse to drive, but the fastest and safest is to put the novice horse in between two seasoned driving horses who will tell him what to do.  He will have no choice but to turn when the others turn, stop when they stop and move forward with them.  They quickly learn the best choice is to get with the program.  Tyler, Ryan, Rex and I drove across the valley in Tehachapi.  Click here for more information on how to train your horse.

These snow storms are allowing me more time to create fun videos, here is a teaser to the new book, WHOA MEANS WHOA! which will be available April 1.  Let me know what you think!

Remember the film Sylvester?  This was a famous horse film from 1985 about a young girl who becomes a successful eventing athlete with her gray horse.  Several horses trained by Rex Peterson played the role of Sylvester.  Supertramp was the amazing show jumper seen here sailing over a very wide truck.  He came from the show jumping world because he refused to jump in spite of his amazing talent.  Rex re-schooled him for the film, helping him find his confidence again.   This film inspired many young riders to compete in the world of eventing.

As you prepare for the eventing season, it is important that you study the new rules and be prepared for your competitions.  Take this down time in the winter to read the new rules.

And go out and rent Sylvester if you have not seen it in a while to inspire you for the new season.

You can see how Cache Jr. is gaining more and more confidence walking the plank, he is very careful to put his feet on secure footing.  This kind of extreme training takes hours of practice and patience….it is amazing what you can teach your horse if you take the time to explain to him what you want and give him the opportunity to learn to have the confidence.

Check out the latest article about Rex in Saddle Up Magazine

Tony is coming to Windrock Farm in April.  He is a 10 year old talented pony with a great personality and temperament.  He is very smart and is very comfortable to ride.

Learn the new USEA dressage tests for eventing before the season begins.  Practice at home and always train at a level above the one you plan to show.  Be prepared.  You will greatly improve your scores if you ride with confidence and determination.  I highly recommend riding the test on several different horses to confirm that it is automatic in your head so that if you are distracted on the day by wind, unruly horses in the next arena or equipment failure, you will carry on like a pro. Study hard and have fun!

Click here for the link to an interesting article about the making of Avatar.  They used real horses to create realistic movements for the six legged equines in the film.  The director, James Cameron, was determined to create as accurate a rendition as possible.  This is one of the most successful films every released.  It contains an important message and is a must see if you have not already done so.

Harbor Mist affectionally known as T, has a pivotal scene in the new HBO film, Temple Grandin.  Don’t worry if you missed the premiere, just check the schedule on HBO for listings.  Claire Danes gives a stellar performance as Temple Grandin.  The story of this remarkable woman is fascinating and a must see for anyone interested in the humane treatment of animals.  Rex worked with T on the film for a pivotal scene where the horse called “Chestnut” is wild and fights everyone until Temple meets him.  Later in the script “Chestnut”  dies and Temple is very upset when she sees him lying under a tarp.  You can see him rear, fight and play dead.  T lies absolutely still, fooling everyone on the set.  T was discovered on the racetrack where he won three races in his career.  He was cast as the lead horse in Dreamer.  T is a remarkable Hollywood horse who always delivers a solid and convincing performance.

Sadly, the Roy Rogers Museum has closed its doors and all of the memorabilia is to be auctioned off.

The ranks of fans of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Hollywood’s “King of the Cowboys” and “Queen of the West,” have shrunk to the point that the couple’s museum in Branson, Mo., closed in December, after ticket sales no longer covered its $33,000 monthly rent.

“Toward the end, sometimes we had only 40 people a day,” said Roy Rogers Jr., the actor’s oldest son, who helped run the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in a sham Wild West storefront. He added that his father, who died in 1998, “always told us, ‘When the museum starts costing you money, y’all need to move on and get rid of it.’ ”

The Rogers family is now auctioning off the displays of taxidermied horses, rhinestone-studded costumes, Colt revolvers and licensed products including lunch boxes and comic books. The first sale, with about 20 pieces, will be held on Saturday in Mesa, Ariz.

The auction house, High Noon Western Americana, has placed estimates of $20,000 to $30,000 on a 1950s plastic saddle painted with roses and 1930s silver-plated spurs attached to boots inlaid with eagle patterns. Fringed shirts from “Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors” embroidered with thunderbirds and horseshoes; belts studded with rubies; and silver-heeled shoes (“in good, but probably not wearable, condition,” the catalog notes) are estimated at $1,000 to $10,000.

In July, Mr. Rogers said, Christie’s in New York will auction much of the rest of the museum contents, including the preserved palominos and a Pontiac Bonneville with six-shooters for door handles. Christie’s does have a recent track record for Rogers memorabilia: at a country music sale last month , it sold two dozen of the couple’s former possessions, like guitars, cowhide gloves and song typescripts, for about $180,000, four times the high estimate.

Now is your opportunity to own a part of the wild west including his favorite horse Trigger and Trigger Jr.

QUESTIONS FOR REX PETERSON

1. When did you realize you had a special gift with horses? When working on the  Black Stallion I realized that I had more ability than others
2. What was first movie you worked on – and have any of your training methods changed (along with the demands of filming)  Electric Horseman, I continue to learn and hone my skills learning from each horse in each situation, each horse is an individual and teaches me something new
3. What part of training a horse for TV/Movies would you say is something every horse owner should know?  The meaning of the word Whoa
4. What was the most difficult scene with a horse you had to especially train for? Burying a horse alive for a  Procol Harem music video
5. How hard is it to find the “right” horse for TV and movies? Sometimes it is extremely difficult, sometimes they just show up when you need them
6. Have there been any truly special horse(s) in your life? Hightower (read articles under press on web site www.swansonpetersonproductions.com) Justin, RJ
7. Who was your mentor and why? Glenn Randall, Sr.  because he trained horses to do what was thought impossible and taught me to do the same
8. Where can we find information about the training videos you make?  web site, www.swansonpetersonproductions.com
9. Is it harder to work with horses or actors riding them? Without question the actors because they do not always listen or do their homework, the horse can read their energy, I can control the horse at all times not the actor

10. What is the next TV project or movie you are working on and we can watch for? A Horse Training TV series showcasing extreme horse training along with teaching people how to achieve immediately success in communicating more effectively and clearly with their horse to solve  simple problems such as loading a horse, leading a horse, handling a horse, breaking and training a horse,  Disney’s “Secretariat” with Diane Lane starring as Penny Tweedy

This is a lovely horse for someone looking to move up to Prelim or who wants a solid training level horse.  Chloe is Dutch Warmblood, 15.2 hands, perfect for a young rider or adult wanting to be competitive.  Chloe scores in the leaderboard in dressage and is an honest bold jumper.