LEGACY HORSE
Legacy of Legends is a wonderful event that was started to perpetuate the ideals and teachings of Tom Dorrance, Bill Dorrance and Ray Hunt. This annual event showcases multiple disciplines of riding and horsemanship skills. The event often demonstrates colt starting, general horsemanship, troubled horses, ranch roping and English and Western competitive disciplines like Cutting, Dressage, Hunter/Jumper, and Reined Cow Horse. All of these demonstrations highlight the knowledge, experience and ideals that have been passed down from Tom, Bill, and Ray to the event presenters. Keeping the tradition, styles, and techniques of these men alive for future generations is the intention. Tom, Bill, and Ray were devoted students of the horse. Their education was constant and humble. Whether they were riding their most educated horse or starting a new colt they knew that there was always something the horse could teach them. Starting colts to riding the most experienced of horses is such an honor and a glimpse into this particular journey with Ricky and this colt will be documented on a small scale over the next year.
At this year’s event, Legacy of Legends 2016, there will be a colt starting demonstration just as each year. This year though, Ricky will be starting one of the colts and then committing a year to the colt. As the horseman start their colts and ride them over the course of the 3-day event, most of the colts will be auctioned off at the last day of the event. Ricky will be taking his colt for a year to offer it experiences and education in the methods, style and feel of Tom, Bill and Ray; to the best of his ability. At the end of this year of commitment he will bring it to the 2017 Legacy of Legends to demonstrate this remarkable style of horsemanship by showing how versatile a horse can really be with understanding versus “training”; the intention of Bill, Tom and Ray. Ricky will ride the colt in many disciplines demonstrated through the 2017 event to then have the horse offered for sale at the event’s annual auction.
The horsemanship that this event is keeping alive is the most versatile and true to the horse. Showcasing a horse over a year’s time to really demonstrate just how “simple” and true good horsemanship really is will be a joy to watch and experience. Ricky is going to work to stay interactive with people who are interested in following the year that Ricky commits to this colt and will be able to follow here on this page.
