The above question has been ask again and again and in a nut shell we could say that Bob loves to teach. To understand all the reasons we need to go back to his early years on the family ranch/farm in Central Utah. In addition to all the usual chores associated with cattle they mowed, baled and hauled hay, milked cows, raised grain, cleaned irrigation ditches with a shovel, irrigated at all hours and hired out to the neighbors for spending money. His older and younger brother learned that there were easier professions and left for jobs in the city. Bob learned that he wanted to work with horses and cattle--not milk cows.
While spending time in the military he spent every spare moment horseback, more often than not with a rope in his hand. Team roping and day work for local cattlemen kept him sane as he pursued a career in the power industry, but after discovering Ray Hunt his enthusiasm for teaching horses and people grew exponentially. He embraced Ray's horse philosophy completely, and with additional training from people like Tom Dorrance, Buck Brannaman and Bryan Neubert, soon neighbors and friends began to ask for help with their horses. He discovered that it was the human that needed the most training and that he loved working with people as well as horses. Trailer loading alone could have kept him busy, but that soon led to horsemanship clinics and that led to the question posed by a student from the east: "Where do you go to learn to be a cowboy?"
After pondering that for awhile, Bob realized that he could think of no place to recommend for cowboy instruction and more pondering led to the Cowboy School concept. After 15 years of operating the Cowboy School he is still excited about meeting each new student and sharing his understanding and training skills with her or him. Over the years, in response to student interest, he has expanded his instruction to include more and more horsemanship while still offering ranch roping and cow working classes and clinics.
Bob considers himself a very lucky guy. He gets to teach horses and people the philosophy, skills and techniques that are dear to him while steadily learning more about his chosen field. He enjoys the satisfaction of seeing that light in the eyes of his horse and human students that says, "Yeah! I get it!" And he can do it while enjoying the best of every part of the US--the wonderful rural American country.
In the end it is all about what is best for horses and people.
Betty King
3 comments:
Betty, nice write-up on Bob's history and desire to teach.
I can sure vouch for Bob's enthusiasm and teaching ability. I have been to see him each year for the past 4 years and yet each year, Bob continues to amaze me with his knowledge and ability to get me to understand it.
Thanks Dave.
The horse is a window to the human soul. Common knowledge. But few can effectively help facilitate the journey. Bob has that ability and is a gift to his students.
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