New LOPE Horsemanship DVD — Available Now!
Retraining Racehorses:Back to the Basics with Tom Curtin
Going back to basics is important to all riding disciplines. In this DVD, Tom Curtin works with ex-racehorses and demonstrates key horsemanship principles to help the horses adapt to new careers.
As you will see, foundation is key to helping racehorses fit well in new jobs after their running careers are over. And, as Tom says, "We have to work with these horses as individuals. Each one is different. They're not machines that come with an owner's manual. Horses have feelings — and we have to understand their needs."
Purpose of the DVD
We decided to do create this DVD in order to share Tom Curtin’s horsemanship technique and how well it applies to ex-racehorses. Too often, we hear people dismiss ex-racehorses as being too high-strung or crazy. And in Texas, with its tradition of Western riding and cowboys, ex-racehorses are considered to be too “English” for rugged ranch and trail riding.
Funding for the DVD was provided by many generous sponsors (all acknowledged in the DVD credits), but we'd especially like to thank Beef and Pie Productions for their extremely generous sponsorship of this DVD and the highly-professional team who worked on the production (learn more about the "behind the scenes" production of the DVD on the LOPE blog).
What to Expect
In this DVD, you will see how Tom approaches each horse as an individual. With a steady emphasis on foundation work, he works with the horses where they are at that moment — and then builds from there to help the horses with their different needs.
The ex-racehorses are ridden in Western tack in the DVD. But as Tom often says, the horses don’t really care what gear they are in — good horsemanship is good horsemanship, whether English or Western saddles are used.
Why Tom Curtin?
In Beyond the Homestretch, Lynn describes how she went from an adult beginner rider to running LOPE’s adoption ranch. She kept looking for the right horsemanship techniques and was often confused by all the conflicting teachers and methods out there. One day she watched a video with Ray Hunt — and she knew it was the best thing she’d ever seen for the horse.
Tom Curtin counts Ray and Carolyn Hunt as his mentors. We are especially honored that he was so enthused about doing the DVD with the LOPE horses!
"The most valuable principle I've learned from racehorses — all horses — is understanding how to control the life of the horse's body through its legs to its feet."
— Tom Curtin
