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I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
  
Location: MD | I'm a trainer. That is what I do for a living. I have made that very clear. I have never professed to be a top Futurity rider, never said I was a great jockey. Actually, I'm pretty sure that I have said it before, but if not, please allow me to say it now. My main focus is on making solid, user friendly barrel horses that go on to make others happy and successful. I also devote much of my time and energies to instruction and education. I apologize if I come off as trying to be something more than I am at times. |
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 Goat Giver
Posts: 23166
 
| Nothing wrong with training. Back when I got my worthless self in the saddle, my goal was to train a horse ANYBODY could ride.......they point being if I could ride them, anyone could.
I know I'm not the greatest jockey in the world, but I hope someday my kiddo can train and jockey. She is already better than I am. |
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 I Am Always Right
Posts: 4264
Location: stray dump capital of the world | I don't know you other than what advice you give on here. I, for one, appreciate the advice and critiques that you share. I don't see you as coming off as anything than what you are which is helpful. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| sophiebelle - 2014-01-07 8:44 PM I don't know you other than what advice you give on here. I, for one, appreciate the advice and critiques that you share. I don't see you as coming off as anything than what you are which is helpful.
Ditto |
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 Voice of Reason
Location: NOT at Wal Mart |  |
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 Expert
Posts: 2258
| I always appreciate your advice. Once again thank you for sharing your knowledge. I have rode and run horses since I was a little kid but after many years away from it and injuries, fear and lack of confidence it is wonderfull to be able to read and understand some straight forward words of wisdom. Once upon a time I was a pretty good jockey but now well I do my best to not get in their way. Thanks |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | Wrap.
I appreciate all the help that you bring to this forum.
I am just a rider and a father that had a lot of fun taking his daughters to a lot of horse shows. Now its time for me to do my time at the horse shows just for the fun of it. At 57 I don't think that I will be very competitive against the younger ones. I sure like learning from you on this site. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | nance - 2014-01-07 7:55 PM sophiebelle - 2014-01-07 8:44 PM I don't know you other than what advice you give on here. I, for one, appreciate the advice and critiques that you share. I don't see you as coming off as anything than what you are which is helpful. Ditto
Double ditto. :) |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I like what you have to say :). You have been a help to me before! There's always going to be someone who's not happy about something… just smile and keep on keeping on. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I dont care what anybody says but your a awesome trainer, awesome jockey, awesome teacher  , awesome man. And you have the horses and student's to prove all this, and I dont see you as a know it all at all if thats what your trying to get at. But I see a great horseman that knows his job.. So there, thats my thoughts on you, oh and your a great and funny BB too, love hanging out with you on here.  |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Southtxponygirl - 2014-01-07 10:56 PM I dont care what anybody says but your a awesome trainer, awesome jockey, awesome teacher , awesome man. And you have the horses and student's to prove all this, and I dont see you as a know it all at all if thats what your trying to get at. But I see a great horseman that knows his job.. So there, thats my thoughts on you, oh and your a great and funny BB too, love hanging out with you on here.
agree |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | You make a lot of sense, Andy. I don't know what this is all about, but I have an idea. I always go out of my way to read your posts and critiques, because they make sense and I always learn from them. I think I missed an ugly thread.....which is fortuitous, as far as I'm concerned. Just keep doing what you do. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Bibliafarm - 2014-01-07 11:13 PM Southtxponygirl - 2014-01-07 10:56 PM I dont care what anybody says but your a awesome trainer, awesome jockey, awesome teacher , awesome man. And you have the horses and student's to prove all this, and I dont see you as a know it all at all if thats what your trying to get at. But I see a great horseman that knows his job.. So there, thats my thoughts on you, oh and your a great and funny BB too, love hanging out with you on here.
Oh And I forgot to say that you have started some really good threads that alot of us can understand too, I really enjoy reading them as I know others do too, so please keep up the good work. |
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 BHW's Lance Armstrong 
Posts: 11134
Location: Somewhere between S@%&# stirrer and Saint |  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1062
Location: Probably On the Road to the Next Barrel Race! | May I ask...just who is Andy Cowan? Never heard of him down here in East Texas, though I love his posts, and plan to attend his nearby upcoming clinic! Can ya'll tell me a little about him? |
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I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
Location: MD | CrossCreek - 2014-01-07 11:43 PM
May I ask...just who is Andy Cowan? Never heard of him down here in East Texas, though I love his posts, and plan to attend his nearby upcoming clinic! Can ya'll tell me a little about him?
I'll take this opportunity to tell you, in my own words about myself. I grew up experiencing many disciplines. My primary focus for much of my youth was in the hunter and jumper rings. During that time, I also rode All Around horses in the stock breed rings and had access to many successful trainers, in several disciplines, in my area. Myself and my parents have always believed that one can never learn too much and as such, I sought knowledge from those trainers available to me, no matter the discipline. I believe that my diverse background has allowed me to think outside of the box and find different ways of both producing results and getting concepts across to riders of many different learning types.
My primary focus in my riding moved to barrel racing around 15 years old. I still had and showed Hunters and Jumpers, as they were a very popular and lucrative business in So Fl, but my passion had shifted. I purchased a couple of barrel prospects and set out to see what I could get done. Before too long, I found myself enjoying success at the local levels. Along with that, I also began being approached by individuals who were interested in having me ride their horses. When their horses showed progress with me on board, I began being asked to give lessons and help their owners to achieve that same sort of success. It was in this process that I became aware of a new passion. My riding and involvement with horses has been the one constant happiness in my life and I enjoy nothing more than sharing that with others.
Unfortunately, as so often happens, life got in the way of so many things. My situation changed and I sold out of the barrel horse business. I went back to focusing on Hunters and Jumpers in 2002, as they paid much more and that is what I needed to focus on at the time. As much as I loved the sport of barrel racing, I stayed away from it for quite some time. I played with a prospect or two, as the money allowed, but alas, my heart just wasn't in it, as it had once been. It wasn't until a very chance meeting between one of my employees and a special woman that I came back to the sport. Honestly, when I first started riding for Carol and JR Payne, they had no idea that I had ever ran barrels. We had spoken, they had some prospects that they wanted to get a good foundation on and would then send off to be patterened.
As fate would have it, about 2 two months after I started riding for them, Mr JR asked me to get on a young gelding who they had recently brought home from the trainers'. I was riding him around, Carol and JR sitting nearby and decided to have a little fun. While loping circles to the right, I rolled him off of the fence and breezed him through a set. Both of them had stunned looks on their faces and I started laughing. We talked afterward and I was asked to come on and train for them full time. It has been since that day that I have delved back into barrel racing 100%. In the time that I have trained for Mr JR and Miss Carol, I have had my hand in the developing of some very nice horses. Not all of them are 1D mega starts, but they are honest, reliable sorts who go and do their jobs.
Videos of many of those horses can be found on my youtube channel, both with myself and others riders on board.
Little Cata Cool- I brought this mare along from unstarted to the point that she was a rather consistent 2D horse locally, having started her as a 4 yr old, she was running with a Youth by the end of that year and doing well.
The Smashed Doctor- Doc had been sent off to a well respected barrel horse trainer just before I started riding here. He was sent home 60 days later, it being said that he would never make a barrel horse. I finished and seasoned this horse, with many local 1D placings. He has since sold on and gone on to be a very nice horse.
Skips Watch Jo Lady- This mare was sent to me by a client, with only the slightest concept of the pattern and many issues. Through time and patience she has turned around tremendously. Funnily enough, this has become Miss Carol's personal horse of choice. For Miss Carol, this horse has earned Year End Master's 1D saddles, a NBHA Sr 1D State title, ran the 18th fastest time of the 2nd Go of the Srs at this years NBHA World Show and above all, has given her the confidence to get back out there, have fun and be far more successful than she ever has in her barrel racing career. With a Youth rider, this mare has placed in the 2D at Southern States Triple Crown, ran consistently in the 1D money in the Youth locally and ran in the 2D at this year's Youth World.
Many horses have come into my program with issues, or having been running for several years. Most of these horses have improved, issues having been either resolved, or now managed. Horses have moved up divisions. You see, I don't care to be a big name trainer. I much prefer to send horses and riders on their own paths to success. My goal is to do that through proper Horsemanship, a concise, easy to follow training program and thoughtful and encouraging instruction. I hope this gives you a little better idea of who I am. I'm looking forward to meeting you at the clinic!
Edited by WrapSnap 2014-01-08 12:56 AM
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | I met Andy in person a couple of years ago. I guess I too missed something ugly. Before I met Andy I always read his advice. Still do. There is nothing as refreshing as a trainer who actually walks you through steps, does an analysis and helps you improve and he doesn't know you from Adam! While we do not talk or see each other regularly be assured that Andy will and does take time for anyone who wants to improve. This old lady hopped on a 14 year old broodmare that is decently bred and never saw a set of cans and has come from the bottom to actually winning an average at a 3 day show. Yes it was the 4d but it is a start. His encouragement from BHW and FB is genuine. I just wish he lived closer to me! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1096
| I enjoy reading what you write and have tried a few of your tips with good success. Keep on keeping on! |
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 Been Blessed
Posts: 7587
Location: Living in my Promised Land | Andy,
I am not on here every day, so I must have missed the fuss. I always open your posts because I am always looking to learn. You are a very good teacher and have a great eye for a barrel run. Keep up the good work. Linda |
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 Best of the Badlands
Location: You never know where I will show up...... | WrapSnap, I always enjoy your posts.
I'm not on here much anymore but I always read what you have to say. |
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Folks on-line