Cowboy School

In the United States of America, the West provides a glimpse of a culture that was strongly influenced by the cowboy ethic - self reliance, sense of justice, grit. Toby Reno's lecture series discusses the importance of these values to current day America, and how the legacy of the wild west continues to influence our culture in many ways. Part of this legacy is the value of hard work and the respect for every job, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. This brings to mind an incident Toby mentioned about janitorial supplies. In the old West, maintaining cleanliness and order in the saloons and establishments was essential, and the unsung heroes were those who ensured that cleanliness – the janitors. They relied on their janitorial supplies much like a cowboy relied on his tools and weapons. To the cowboys, even the janitor had an essential role in maintaining the community, and the ethic of hard work and respect was extended to him.

Toby is also a private detective specializing in investigations of crimes against the elderly, a perfect segue way to the cowboy sense of justice. Her lecture includes one example of how a 72-year-old woman in New York City was defrauded of over $65,000 in a contractor fraud scheme targeting her trusting and forgiving nature in order to rip her off. She trusted George Binakis completely and believed his stories of a heart condition requiring a pacemaker, and other serious health issues. So willing was she to believe in George that when he disappeared with her money, she was certain he must have died or was disabled in some hospital. This crime also triggered a problem for a family member. Searches in Google for his name brought up stories of the crime which was negatively influencing his reputation. So he hired a search results removal service to force the search result lower in Google's results. Can a removal service really change Google's search results to benefit a client? Toby looked into this question and found no illicit payments to Google. The service's website is imfy.us and it turns out that they are a legitimate service that helps people combat misleading information appearing in Google. The original crime is still being investigated and Ms. Reno's lecture series reveals much more about this and other examples of how justice and crimes have been influenced by the cowboy mystique. She has also prepared a short video and often includes live interviews with other personalities who can provide firsthand knowledge related to the cowboy experience. A book is also in the works.

Teaching the traditions and skills of the Real West, Bob King's Cowboy School was a place to experience natural horsemanship and develop and hone your ranch roping skills. This was the school's website for a number of years
Bob King has moved on to other ventures but to those who attended his school, this will be a nostyalgic look back.
The edited content is from the site's 2003 -2013 archived pages.

For some it is the dream of living life where the western mountains meet the endless sky and vast spaces are a just a part of the lifestyle.

For you it might be about being part of an American legend, becoming the best cowboy you can be, or you may want to fully explore the horse/human connection. Whatever your inspiration, at Cowboy School you will be schooled in the wisdom and skills of the west--the west of your dreams!

At Cowboy School we live the spirit of the west.
You can do it - even if you're new to it!
We have some of the best instructors
you'll ever find to help you realize your dreams.

Are you ready to become part of an American legend?
Call Cowboy School today.
I'll be glad to personally answer any questions you may have.
- Bob King, Instructor

Bob’s name is known around horse circles in particular for his “Cowboy School,” a business he ran for many years with his wife Betty that was held in Arizona in winter and Wyoming in summer. He also traveled extensively teaching horsemanship and ranch roping clinics around the country. His Cowboy School in Wyoming was where the seed for Horse of the Sun Ranch was sown—it was there that he first met the ranch’s founders, Jerry Hall and Joe Cuffaro, and instilled in them the early inspiration for Horse Of The Sun Ranch.

Bob King Cowboy School
Toll Free: 866-771-7358
P.O. BOX 493 PEARCE, ARIZONA 85625

COWBOY PHILOSOPHY

An instructor needs to have a great enthusiasm for teaching and for watching students excel.

Howdy! I’d like to take some space here and share with you some of my beliefs and feelings about life. If you are going to spend time with me you probably want to know before hand a bit about what to expect. Your time is a precious commodity and you naturally want to spend it where it will do you the most good.

An instructor needs to have a great enthusiasm for teaching and for watching students excel and achieve. It is humbling to realize that people are sharing their time, money and life with me for a short while and it helps motivate me to give them as much as I can in the time we have together. That means constantly learning and growing so that there is more and more to share with those people.

Because the time is short I keep classes very small—seldom more than 4 to 8 students per class—so that you as a student get plenty of my time and concern and we address your personal riding concerns. I can work with you in a relaxed, individual relationship so that you feel free to ask questions and I can help you search for answers and explore alternatives. The more options you have to take home with you the more successful I have been as a teacher.

Your time is a precious commodity and you naturally want to spend it where it will do the most good.

Whenever I am building something, be it a house, tack shed or corral I want the foundation to be the strongest and best I can make it. Upon that base will depend the stability of all the other components. With the horse this foundation is achieved through correct groundwork. Before the horse is ever ridden we have prepared the foundation for the solid, gentle, well-trained mount that is supple in both mind and body.

It is a thrill when the horse is a partner with me in my cowboying, when it has as much enthusiasm and enjoyment for the work as I do. I love to see a horse that shows his willingness to work in an expression of confidence and happiness that says, “Pick me, I’m ready!” Kind of like the school kid that is waving her hand and bouncing in her chair to get the teacher’s attention. At the same time I want to help the human gain in confidence and expertise and learn how to teach their horse to be a partner and enjoy its work, be it trail riding, dressage, jumping, cutting, roping—whatever!

That well-worn word synergy describes an exciting condition when two people combine their ideas and abilities and reach a degree of success that neither could attain as individuals. I believe that the horse was created to be a partner to man and that together horse and rider can have this synergy, this sense of accomplishment. That, to me, is what horsemanship is about: human and horse coming together as partners to accomplish what neither could do individually. The horse gives the human so much more power, agility, speed and freedom, and the rider can unlock the potential latent within the horse and help it become more confident, more useful, more free and happy within itself.

I love to see a horse that shows his willingness in an expression that says, "pick me I'm ready."

An unknown sage once said, “Don’t learn the tricks of the trade. Learn the tools of the trade.” My job as an instructor is to be able to help you break information down into understandable and manageable portions that make sense and lead you to find those tools and make them your own. They should become life skills as well as horsemanship tools—skills that enrich you as a human being. Whether you ride for pleasure or work, rope or show in dressage, my job is to help you remain enthused and confident and able to handle challenges as they arise without getting lost or confused.

Folks come to the school for many reasons with varied backgrounds and skill levels and we work with them where they are at the time. One student may have as their goal for the week to trot for the first time, or to get the confidence to lope, and it is a thrill to see them riding their horse without fear, knowing they are in control of the situation. Another person may be riding cross country or working cattle for the first time, while another, with years of riding experience may be roping cattle for doctoring or branding. It is so rewarding to share their sense of accomplishment and know they will be taking home skills that will allow them to continue to make progress on their own.

That feeling is what teaching is all about, and here at Cowboy School I get the thrill of that feeling on a daily basis. What a great job to have! I look forward to working with you and sharing that thrill here at Cowboy School.

Bob King

COWBOY GEAR

One of the most frequently asked questions is "Where can I get authentic cowboy equipment like the kind we're using here at Cowboy School?" We have the answers for you! Some of the finest outfits that we're associated with are listed below:

We've had so many requests for a Wade saddle that is light enough for cowgirls to use it. Don Butler of Custom Cowboy Shop - in Sheridan, WY. is making a real nice Daisy Wade Saddle that weighs under 30 lbs. Contact Cowboy School or Don Butler at: 307-672-7733 if your interested in placing an order.

D.R. Hoover - Saddle maker
has made several of Bob's saddles.
Yerington, NV: 775-463-7742

“I’ll get the gate!”—Oh, blessed sound
Which keeps my feet up off the ground
And in the stirrups, their proper use,
And, in the saddle, my caboose.

Why, oh, why must they sag and scrape
And thereby hamper our escape??
The bolts don’t fit into the holes,
So we must lift up on the poles.

With all our might we hoist and push
And try to get the timing right,
Cause if you get into a rush
It only will prolong the fight.

And oh, those gates of barbed wire—
How they do provoke my ire!
Your fingers are in danger mortal
When you try to close this portal.

I like those gates that freely swing
And simply latch with slot or snap.
To these my horse’s skills I’d bring.
Together we could bridge the gap.

Those other gates will bear the curse
That can’t be got from back of horse!
Those other gates will bear the curse
That can’t be got from back of horse!

2011

Reata made by Dan Moyer

Rawhide bosals, etc made by Rob Gerbitz rgerbitz@frontiernet.net

**Paul Van Dyke -
Primary saddle maker of saddles used by Bob King at Cowboy School
Sheridan, Wyoming: 307 673-5783
www.vandykesaddlery.com

Dan Moyer
Reatas

**D.R. Hoover - Saddle maker
Yerington, NV: 775-463-7742

**King Saddlery: Sheridan, WY 800-443-8919

**Big Ben Saddlery: Alpine, TX 800-634-4502

**Tom Hirt - Custom Hat Maker: 719-372-9399

**Brighton Feed and Farm Supply: Brighton, CO 800-237-0721

Knife holder made by Bill Brown www.wmbrownholster.com
email:gunleather@wmbrownholster.com 800-337-5250.

The act or art of riding and of the training and managing horses; so goes Webster’s definition of horsemanship. On this page I’d like to share some of my personal feelings about the art and act of riding, based on the learning I’ve done from great horsemen and women I admire, and from the horse itself. These can be distilled into a few simple, but not easy, concepts that I will share with you—here on the web site as you inquire about our program and as a participant at Cowboy School or one of my clinics.

Bob riding Amigo. This is at a walk notice the left hind leaving, right hind landing, left front in support and right front in flight. This is one of those instances in the walk, where there is only two feet on the ground.

This young mare is being restarted, She had a bad experiencewith the first trainer and when she gets troubled, she breaks into (goes to bucking), we are helping her get past this.

The above phrase aptly expresses the intent of the true horseman, to become one with the horse, to achieve a perfection of movement, speed and grace that neither can achieve alone. Two are one, becomes our goal, our mission, if you will, as we become aware of the possibilities it opens up for us.

Dan working his colt in the round pen. Observe the troubled mind by how the colt carries and moves.

This is a mare from a local Guest Ranch here in Arizona. I am getting her ready to ride.
At this time she had never been ridden.

These three components are: the rider, the horse, and horse and rider together. Let’s briefly consider the conditions that make learning easiest for each of these components.

The human learns best when he or she is calm, unstressed and relaxed. To stay in this emotional state requires confidence in the instructor’s judgment and trust in his or her concern for the welfare of the student. This condition of trust and confidence can only happen when the instructor has respect for the worth of the individual and is able to communicate that respect. It is also necessary to be confident about our ability to stay in the middle of the horse while we are teaching it, to have good balance and a secure seat. Only after we have learned well can we perform under stress.

The horse also needs to learn in a calm, stress free environment. If fear is present in the horse, then self preservation will take over. The opposite emotion of fear is curiosity. A curious horse wants, is even eager to learn, and will retain that learning. Often horses are accused of being too stupid to learn when actually they are too upset to learn.

The horse and rider will become one as they work together in a state of calmness, trust and confidence in themselves and each other.

I first heard these terms from the great horseman, Ray Hunt, and they summarize vast amounts of written and oral teachings about what it takes to achieve oneness with our horse. In order to get there we must first ride with nature—gravity—in such a way to be aligned in a position that does not impede the locomotion and balance of the horse. We must learn how to breathe for optimum softness and security in our seat and to aid the movement of the horse. As we learn the patterns of the foot fall of our mounts at the different gaits we can know where each foot is at any given moment and the relationship of that foot to the other three feet at any instant. This knowledge, practiced and perfected, allows us to influence a particular foot at the best possible time so we do not upset the natural rhythm, timing and balance of the horse while it performs, efficiently, gracefully and smoothly, the maneuver we want.

As riders, as we gain a better understanding of the anatomy of the horse and our own bodies, and the optimum position for security and balance, our feel, timing and balance improve and it becomes easier to keep the horse relaxed, calm and curious.

When working with the horse there are two primary ways to get a change. We can use a physical movement to produce a mental change, or we can work through the mind to get a physical change. If applied properly, both ways work well and produce a better trained horse. We will use both techniques at different times, depending on the kind of change we want to get.

When helping people learn better horsemanship it is so rewarding to see the “Ah Ha” moments and witness the excitement and enthusiasm in the rider and horse when these changes occur.

I will have a monthly column here on our web site, and also on the Face Book page “Bob Kings Cowboy School” to present some of the specific techniques you will learn as you work with me. These will be a good refresher course for those who have attended one of my classes, and give any inquiring person some ideas to experiment with.

SCHEDULE COWBOY SCHOOL 2013

2011 SPECIAL OFFERS!!

If you refer someone to Cowboy School and they sign up and send us a deposit we will either deduct 5% of their fee from your bill or give you the five percent in cash to use however you want. At the moment this deal will apply to those fees paid by check, money order or wire transfer, or we will figure the 5% after credit or debit card fees. If you refer more than one person who sends us a deposit we will deduct that much more from your bill or send you a check.

We truly believe that we still offer the best combination of teaching, riding and roping available today and now we can also offer great rooms, extras such as tours, and airport pick-up at Casper, WY, which will reduce the cost of your airline ticket. We have compared prices with Gillette or Sheridan and find that Casper will save you from $70.00 to $90.00 per ticket.

We are extremely pleased, no we are very excited, about our new location for summer of 2011. As of the end of May 2011 Bob will be teaching Cowboy School at the TA Ranch, which is located just 13 miles south of Buffalo, Wyoming, and it is a wonderful location for us and for our students. In the 1890s the ranch itself was the location of the infamous Johnson County War, in which the ranchers and their hired guns were attacked by the rustlers. Quite a gun fight ensued. Sounds like a TV Western, doesn't it? (The bullet holes were preserved during the extensive restoration) The rooms are lovely and comfortable, with each building decorated in the style at the time it was constructed. The food is also outstanding, and we are pleased to offer our students this new, excellent facility.

The school will continue to offer one-of-a-kind instruction that is perfect if you want to make riding and roping your job or if you would just enjoy a cowboy vacation while learning more about riding, roping and working cattle on a working cattle ranch that offers the high, Wyoming plains at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains.

From sunup to sundown, you'll find plenty to do at the TA Ranch. You can horseback ride, fish the rainbow trout stocked TA lake, hike, pitch horseshoes, mountain bike, go on a wagon ride, or simply grab a book from our library and get cozy under a tree or on one of the seven porches.

We are extremely pleased, no we are very excited, about our new location for summer of 2011. As of the end of May 2011 Bob will be teaching Cowboy School at the TA Ranch, which is located just 13 miles south of Buffalo, Wyoming, and it is a wonderful location for us and for our students. In the 1890s the ranch itself was the location of the infamous Johnson County War, in which the local people of Johnson County defended themselves against an invading force of gunmen hired by large cattle ranchers to assassinate Johnson County residents who opposed the rule of the large cattle ranchers. Quite a gun fight ensued on the property, and you can still see the bullet holes in the barn and buildings.

The rooms are lovely and comfortable, with each building decorated in the style at the time it was constructed. The food is also outstanding, and we are pleased to offer our students this new, excellent facility.

Bob King's Cowboy School 2003 -2013

COWBOY PHILOSOPHY

Bob King

COWBOY GEAR

2011

SCHEDULE COWBOY SCHOOL 2013

2011 SPECIAL OFFERS!!

Bob King's Cowboy School
2003 -2013