Jason Leitch Horsemanship School Report

Sarah Inglis reports on cutting master Jason Leitch’s clinic held in Mudgee in mid-January.

Jason made the long trip to Mudgee in Central Western NSW from Springsure in Queensland. After a week’s delay due to flooding and a few extra stops on the way, Jason conducted a two day school on Horsemanship with the final day on Cutting and Campdrafting at Mudgee Showground’s brand new arena.

Several different horse disciplines were represented;  cutters Jamie Inglis on his older horses, John Peel on his Acres Destiny  Non Pro Futurity colt, Jim MacCallum with his snaffle bit mare, Lynda MacCallum on her Non Pro Futurity gelding by One Moore Playboy; Polo player Doug Munro with his two young mares; Snaffle Bit Futurity entrant Trevor Nash’s Teles Again filly; Drafters Jamie Edmonds on his Acres Destiny colt and other young horses; Drafters  Bob McKittrick with his mare bought at 2010 Landmark Sale by Bank Fulo Cdees and son Simon, Jason’s mother (now we know where he learnt to ride!) Trish Leitch with her young Bon Jovi filly; Vessa Playfair, a drafter from Macksville riding the Inglis’s Dara Ima Gunna; Henry White on a young Acres Destiny colt; Suzanne Campion with her Bank Fulo Cdees mare and Shaun Meyer with her Peptos Stylish Oak gelding.

The first two days concentrated on horsemanship.  Jason told us that riding was all about FEELING – picking up a soft feel , maintaining it through transitions, TIMING – be aware of your horse’s foot placements, ask the horse to turn around when it is about to lift its inside front leg and BALANCE  - ride a horse balanced – all four feet equal and smooth.

The horse/ rider relationship should be 51% rider and 49% horse; he stressed to us that the need for DISCIPLINE rather than PUNISHMENT when training horses.  Training a horse was all about PRESSURE (when the horse is doing the wrong thing) and RELEASE (when he gets it right). Jason asked us to REWARD THE SMALLEST CHANGE AND SLIGHTEST TRY. He asked us to learn to be aware of where our horses’ feet are at all times starting at a walk. He taught us how to pick a soft feel on the horse whilst doing several exercises. He told us to use our feet as a boundary for the horse’s body and that it was an illusion the reins are attached to the mouth, THE REINS ARE ATTACHED TO THE HORSE’S FEET.  We all had a chuckle when he said “Ask your horse, GIVE ME YOUR BODY AND LET ME GO USE IT!”  He said we must RIDE THE LIFE DOWN THROUGH THE LEGS TO THE FEET and showed us that as soon as we ask for more collection there was more air in the horse’s stride. He stressed we must keep our hands LOW AND APART.

Quite some time was spent going through the basics of horsemanship because as Jason said THE ADVANCED STUFF IS JUST THE BASICS FINE-TUNED.

We worked the flag and cattle; Jason asked us to travel straight across, brake, stop straight (shoulder and hip in line), draw back (quickly) and then slow through the turn, get the hip just out of the way, ask the horse for its nose as the cow turns, ride the horse to the stop, be positive and never create pressure outside the cow are just some of the things we learnt.  Jason worked with all of us individually so that we could better communicate with our horses and we all learnt so much watching each other work especially as the horses and riders varied greatly in ability and experience.  He gave us some thoughts on how to be a successful competitor.

The Mid Western Working Horse Association , newly formed, helped run the school and several of their members were keen fence sitters. On Saturday afternoon Jason gave a great display of cutting to an enthralled audience, most of whom had never seen cutting before. He explained the origins of the sport and talked us all through the preparation of his horse, Present a Playboy, for competition . He then cut a couple of cows (we scored him 76!); we are sure he gave Mudgee an interest in cutting.

Everyone who attended thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and we all learnt so much.  Jason is not only an exceptional horse trainer, the weekend also showed us he is a communicator and teacher. Jason said at one stage he wants THE YES SIR MENTALITY from his horses, well I think on that weekend he managed to get THE YES SIR MENTALITY from us, his pupils. We are all looking forward to the next clinic.

An added bonus: the clinic made a profit of $1000 which was donated to the MWWHA; they will use the  money to conduct more clinics and attract new members to their fledgling organisation. Already, the President, Leah Cuthbertson, tells us membership has already risen as a result of the clinic.

Click here to go to Jason's JRL Stud website.