features

find it monthly

Not every new shooter is fortunate enough to be surrounded by experienced shooters to help guide them into a mistake-free introduction into mounted shooting, and unfortunately many new shooters have to learn lessons through trial and error, or simply just by doing things the hard way. These simple guidelines can help guide you into a safe and knowledgeable start.

History

Getting started in mounted shooting, and purchasing equipment such as guns and holsters can be costly. I always recommend that people who are interested in getting started in mounted shooting take a mounted shooting lesson from an experienced trainer, if at all possible. I also recommend they attend a mounted shooting competition as a spectator to see how the competitions are run.

A mounted shooting lesson from a professional, on a finished trained safe shooting horse provided by that trainer, will give the person an idea if this sport is for them, without the costly expense of purchasing equipment.

Working with a trainer, or alongside other experienced shooters, will also present new shooters with opportunities to experiment with different equipment and find out what suits them best, this will ensure that the correct equipment can be purchased the first time.

Finding the Right Horse

New shooters either have the choice of purchasing a trained shooting horse, or seeing if their current horse they own, would be suited to the sport. There are mounting shooting trainers who will introduce your horse to gunfire for you; however, if you chose to do this yourself, there are some basic guidelines that you should follow with great caution.

First, be sure your prospect suits your riding ability. Young horses, under five years old, generally do not make good prospects for novice shooters, due to the fact that they require regular riding, constant work, and lack the maturity. People who lack the free time during the working week usually have difficulty finding this additional training time. However, saying that, there are some young horses, in the right hands, that do make nice shooting horses.

Your shooting prospect also has to have a relatively finished ‘handle’ on him before you begin your pistol training. You should have full control over your horse. He should be able to walk, trot, lope on both leads. Stop well. Rate. Back up, and give to pressure off your legs. Beginning gun training on your horse without full control will only be asking for difficulty in the future.

The Right Start to Gunfire

The most common mistake a new shooter can make is wanting to see if their prospect will be able to take the firearms straight away, so the common statement that comes from their friends, with the best of intentions is usually “ Hey…let’s see if he shoots!” Someone will end up jumping on the horse and off they ride, and that is about the worst thing you can do to a brand new prospect.

The problem is that this will be just fine in a small handful of horses, and the horse will go along without an issue. Yet other horses will be scared by jumping in with the ‘too much too soon’ approach. This can lead to other problems such as a horse not wanting to move forward to a balloon, shying sideways away from gunfire or not wanting to cross the timer. Then all you end up with is retraining, and a bunch of problems to correct. So the rule here is: take the time to start your horse correctly. Get advice from an experienced trainer or shooter on how to start your horse in order in put a solid shooting foundation on your horse.

Finding the Right Speed

Although this is a timed event, training a mounted shooting horse requires the utmost patience. Pushing a shooting horse through his training and running your horse too fast, too soon, will create unnecessary anxiety, so resist the urge to see how fast he will go! This is a very common mistake. Tell yourself you will spend the first competition year seasoning your horse smoothly through the patterns and building his confidence.

Skipping this step will show in the future in your horse. A rushed horse can develop anxiety at the gate and in the arena; they also lack the ability to rate, because they are so used to being allowed to ‘run ‘ through the patterns. They can have a tendency to leap or bounce when you do try to reduce their speed, due to their unwillingness to rate back smoothly.

The key to keeping your horse smooth and keeping his mind sensible is in knowing your horse’s personality and knowing what he can handle. If you have a horse who is extremely laid back, has some maturity to him and one which you need to constantly push through a pattern, it would not be a problem to ask him for a little more speed through the pattern earlier in his training. However, if you have a young horse, who is constantly wanting to charge through the bridle and run, then pushing this horse early in his training and teaching him that he will have to run for all he has every time he goes into the arena would be a terrible mistake and will lay a flawed foundation.

Always be willing to learn

I tell my students that the advice I have to give is really just what has worked for me in my career. It’s neither totally right nor wrong. Everyone has something to offer and some advice to give. I have kept an open mind over the years, and I have listened to a lot of different people. Listen to what they say. Keep an open mind. Keep what works for you and what sounds good, and throw away what doesn’t work for you. Being open-minded will help you learn more but being smart enough to scrutinize advice before you take it, may save you from taking bad advice.

Keeping the right perspective

If you are new to mounted shooting, remember to keep your goals in perspective. If you are an entry-level shooter just starting out, don’t try to go in there and compete in the ‘Pro-class’ at your first event. You’ll only be disappointed. Keep realistic, obtainable goals and you will always have fun.

One of my mounted shooting friends from Texas jokingly told me one day, “Mounted shooting is the best sport you could ever do on horseback when you’re doing good, and the worst when you’re not.” I thought that was really funny...and really true.

I love this sport. It’s a true test of horsemanship and marksmanship. Coming from Australia, where having a firearm is pretty much unfeasible, I had never picked up a pistol in my life until 2002, and was petrified of them, but this sport has really changed my perspective on that. A new shooter needs an educated and safe introduction in order to get the most enjoyable experience in the sport of mounted shooting.

About the Author: Tammy Sronce resides in Weatherford, Texas, approximately 1/2 hr west of Fort Worth. A native Australian, she came to Texas to train cutting horses. Currently the number ‘#1’ ranked Cowgirl in Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, a spot she has held for over two years. You can catch Tammy on the ‘Walkabout Tour’ with Clinton Anderson & at various ‘Mustang Makeovers’ with the Mustang Heritage Foundation, representing The American Competitive Trail Horse Association.