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Timing is an essential component of this centuries-old practice for training a specialized quality of reining horse. Instead of focusing on training a horse quickly, the Vaquero prefers to take their time. Training a horse takes as long as it takes, and the result is a fine horse: light in the bridle, easily manoeuvrable, agile, smart, and responsive.
Utilizing finesse instead of force and subtle cues to signal the horse instead of pressure, the Vaquero considers how a horse thinks and responds to certain stimuli. For some, there’s more of an emphasis on the rider rather than the horse—discipline and dedication are focused on the rider to benefit the horse. North Americans owe much gratitude to the original Vaquero of Spain. These cow folks brought horses and cattle to this continent in the 1500s, plus a myriad of tack and attire still used by cowboys and cowgirls today.
“Buckaroo” is a variation of the word Vaquero initiated by Americans attempting to annunciate the Spanish word Vaquero.
Hackamore: a headpiece for a horse without a bit with a braided noseband called a bosal. The bosal is a special type of noseband that works on pressure points on the horse’s face, nose, and chin.
Mecate: the rein portion of the hackamore—a rope made from horsehair or soft rope.
Lasso: originally made with twisted leather hide and horsehair. Handling a lasso allowed
Vaqueros to both hunt and rope wayward cattle. The vaqueros are credited with creating the elaborate lassoing tricks and roping competitions, which eventually became foundational for the first rodeo.
Lariat: a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled.
Chaps: rough terrain also led to the development of chaps, leg coverings for vaquero wore.
Bits and pieces of traditional Vaquero horsemanship are still prevalent throughout modern equestrian practices today. One Alberta man, however, has dedicated his life to keeping the totality of the time-honoured Vaquero traditions thriving and alive.
Doug Walsh is a great and humble man with a thirst for knowledge and the passion to share it. Deep wisdom is beneath his tattered, big-brimmed hat, a fashion statement that strangers have stopped him and asked for photos of. He is among the few in our country with decades of experience in traditional Vaquero horsemanship. Knowledge of nearly eight decades within the mind of a man still chasing horses like he’s twenty. Excited to speak on many subjects, but especially horses and the Vaquero.
“I believe the Vaquero way is simply the best,” says Doug. “It creates a versatile horse.” Doug says getting a horse to do something for you is just feel and energy with the horse. He says Ray Hunt convinced him of this. Doug watched Ray climb onto a horse that wasn’t his own, and the moment Ray was on that horse, the horse’ eyes brightened, and Doug will never forget that look.
In his seventies, Doug was presented with the ultimate challenge of his life. A sixteen-hand black mare Quarter Horse named Bunny. The journey with Bunny proved that horse training takes much from the human to teach the horse, but horses will constantly evolve you and teach you if you’re willing. Doug claims Bunny made him improve his horsemanship ten-fold.
The moment Doug met Bunny, he could tell she had issues. When he first met her and looked at her teeth, he noticed her tongue was half cut off—he knew she’d been traumatized. The people who had her said she was unrideable, but Doug took her anyway. He even paid for her an unrideable horse. He can’t recall why exactly he wanted her as badly as he did, but there was something about Bunny that he couldn’t walk away from.
“Bringing a troubled horse like Bunny to a stable, soft, and safe place,” says Doug with emotion pooling in his eyes.
“Well, there’s no other feeling like it.”
Doug has been working on Bunny as if she were a colt for more than six years, although she wasn’t a colt when he bought her. “It typically takes me thirty to forty minutes to flag a horse when they’ve never seen one before,” says Doug. “It took me 100 days to get Bunny flagged and comfortable.” Doug gently persisted, every single day for 100 days, little by little.
Standing next to Bunny, Doug has a quiet and humble presence and uses barely a touch to ask her for a lateral flexion bend in his direction. Within a heartbeat, he shifts his soft hand to ask her to lower her head to the ground, which she does willingly and proudly. He takes a slow step toward her, and she immediately moves to the side in unison, as though she’s heard his thoughts.
Watching the pair move together in sync is like watching seasoned ballroom dancers. Bunny stops when Doug stops and shifts steps when he does. Instead of Doug leading Bunny by the back as dancers do, it just takes his body movement, energy, and intention. Doug says, “I want my horse to want to be with me; it’s important to me. It’s like dancing with a partner.”
Doug will work with horses on the ground and get them used to gentle and soft commands so when he’s on their backs, asking them for something won’t require a touch; rather, a gesture. And the horse will feel the gesture with the hands or legs when riding. Tap the slightest little tap, and they’ll move. Eventually, just getting hands near the horse will have them move because they sense it.
Kneeling within the green grass and vibrant dandelions, Doug pretends to doctor a calf. He moves the lead rope while speaking and using hand commands, asking Bunny to shift her body left to right, back to front; one step, two steps, and so on. When the pretend job is complete, Doug asks Bunny to move close to him, not so he can ask for anything further, but so he can shower her with the praises she’s rightfully earned.
Doug’s goal is to train horses with traditional Vaquero practices and philosophy and finish them as a two-rein bridle horse. “With a good bridle horse, the rider will have the reins in one hand and, with minimal contact, perform a sliding stop, speed turn-around, ride into the hills to find cattle, and then trail the cattle home,” says Doug. “Once home, the bridle horse can work all pens, gates, ranch cutting, branding, and doctoring, all while transitioning easily.”
Keeping traditional Vaquero horsemanship alive is Doug’s passion. So much so, he has created a non-profit foundation called the Friends of the Bridle Horse Foundation. He is searching for a Vaquero to live on his land near Millarville, Alberta, and work with him and his horses. This non-profit is currently funded and driven by Doug, and when he passes, it will continue to be by the assets of the estate of Doug Walsh. This foundation will foster, promote, and educate about Vaquero traditions. Specifically, for starting and finishing bridle horses according to Vaquero methods in an environment conducive to the well-being of both human and animal.
Doug has done a lot of soul-searching for why he’s so invested and passionate about all of this. “Horses make humans so much better, and humans can make horses so much better,” says Doug. “One lifetime is not enough to learn everything about horses.”
To connect with Doug Walsh and the Friends of the Bridle Horse Foundation, please call 403 – 931 – 3751
Article by Amber Zierath
Amber Zierath, a Calgary-based, equine focused writer and the author of best-selling fiction novel Horse Karma. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find her with the horses; riding bareback in the mountains or spending time with the 60 geldings that inspire her. Learn more at amberzierath.com
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