Shot Offa My Horse Today!

[Ozark Iron John]

Hey Folks:

I'm trainin a pair of shootin poinies and teachin my nephew how to ride-n-shoot. We've been workin on 'em for more'n a year now. I've lunged 'em arround the pin quite a bit since August. We've been ridin 'em since October. I started by clappin my hands and slappin two wooden blocks together before progressing to bustin caps in front of them. Since Christmas I've been bustin caps and shootin rounds while in the stalls and on the lead. They seem to be accepting it alright. The other day I took my first ride and shot offa Buck's back! I created a little thread over on The Frontier Spot to celebrate the event. I bought the house a round of some of my Uncle's Hooch.

I'd like to invite younz over to have a drink and check it out. Me & the Boyz'd like to see and we invite your comments.

[Griff]

Yep, I 'member the first time I shot off my horses also.  This goes back 'bout 13 years ago.  I started shootin' steel targets in the east pasture against the tank berm.  (This was in the days when I still believed in practicin').  After watchin' my horses skedaddle for parts or pastures far from the horse-eating noise makers I was acarrin' for several trips, one day I felt a little push from behind and my favorite (soon to be Posse) mare was standin' right behind me wantin' a little attention.
So I gave her some.  Petted (sp?) her nose and turned and fired one-handed at the targets.  She looked contented.  So I took her up to the barn and saddled her up, led her back into the pasture and fired some more.  No problem.  I then screwed up all the courage I could muster and stood on her strong-side and fired over her back.  Again no problem.  I then screwed up all the courage my Dad ever showed (mine alone wasn't 'nough) and climbed aboard.  Fired a few more times, then started her off at a walk, up to a trot, then a run, shootin' all the while.  Gad, was it FUN!!!!!!!
I'd been cowboy shootin' for several years at this time and just had to move up the mounted shootin'.   Now I was hooked on mounted shootin' and didn't have a match to go to.  In fact, I think it was 2 years before I found a few other like minded buckaroos around my parts that'd give it a try.
Retired that ol' mare now, and working with a younger one to take her place.  Wish I had more time to devote to this favorite sport of mine, but this makin' a livin' keeps interferrin'.

SASS/CMSA#93
LSFSC Life
NRA Life

[Cheyenne]

Yup, I 'member the first time I ever shot off my horse.....long time back, 'bout 29 years now.....grew up in Florida and we had 100 acres and leased another 700 and ran cattle...I know, but Florida does grow quite a bit of beef, 'least they did back then....anyway, I had a good gray mare, Brandy, and she and I were constant companions after school and during the summer. Bein' a young buckaroo, my other constant companion was my Navy Arms "Reb" .36! 

Well, one day I was ridin' 'cross a pasture and low an' behold there's a nice eastern Diamondback crossiin' my path....so I out's with my trusty .36 and cut loose.   Brandy didn't take too much to it, and it weren't like it was on "Gunsmoke"..  ..I mean, she just dumped me right now!

I landed face to face with a pretty upset Diamondback! 'Peers he took offense to someone shootin' at him when he was mindin' his own business! 

One thing that this teach me was that fannin' can be a viable technique with a single action!

Horse back at the barn, smokin' gun in hand, dead snake, and soiled jeans! 
Yup, them were the good ol' days!

[Foothills Drifter]

Howdy......
I remember,a long time ago......I got shot off a my horse one time  It kinda hurt for a while.... 

Good shootin......
Vern...

[Laredo Crockett]

Yep, I well recall the one and ONLY time I fired offen my Horse. I was about 15 and used to watching the Cowboys shoot off their Horses alla time in the Movies and on TV. Had me an idea of how to reduce the walking involved in Bird[Quail] huntin'. First time I went huntin' on my Cow Pony, the Dogs pointed a Covey and I eased the Horse in for the flush. On the rise I shot one going straight ahead with my little20 Ga. L. C. Smith. It was a looooong walk Home-especially at slow limp.

                                                                    Crockett

[Silent Joe]

Shooting of a Horseback looks great.
I love Horseback riding and I love shooting, but here in Holland we can't do it the same time.
There is no space for it. It's a pity.
Nice work O.I.John.

[litl rooster]

hi all ! I am new here... Been wanting to get started and was planning on shooting this next weekend weather permitting. Both my horses are pretty solid cattle horses and have been in and out of alot of sticky situations.  I rope from them and do crack a whip from them.  Any advice for a beginner, and do ear plugs help.  I have had them in the trailer and fired rifles around them without disasters, I know that's not being in the middle of them and shooting.....thanks in advance

[Ozark Iron John]

Hey Pard!  I'm certainly no expert.  I am having fun.  I have been feelin my way along in the darkness frankly.  But I'm building confidence in myself and my horses and they're learning to trust me.  I rode and shot today.  My horses are comin along pretty well.

I'm training them with a cap-n-ball revovler.  It's cheaper that way and they've gotta get use to the smoke anyway.

I've been thinking about buying one of the shootin horse trainin videos, but I haven't cut loose with the $$$ yet.

If you itch me an e-mail. I'll tell you more of my experience.  Good Luck. 

[Ozark Iron John]

I've gotta bring this'n back around folks.  I shot offa my horse again tonight.  I took Buck out and rode him around for about an hour. I Kicked him up into second gear and made him hold it for a couple hundred yards a few different times.  I got off & on and off & on two or three times.  Finally, I pulled out that Remington and shot it.  BOOM!  Buck scooted, but not too much.  I shot her again.  BOOM!  Buck was solid as a rock.  I Picked up the mail and stashed it in my saddlebags.


Just like the Pony Express Messenger! 

I jumped back up on Buck and rode off down the treeline towards the house.  I jerked that Remington and held it out in my right hand as I rode along the treeline

BOOM!  BOOM!  BOOM! 

I'm Ridin-n-Shootin Boyz!  Drinks are on me!

[litl rooster]