Courtesy of AQHA.com
“Ray just loved his colt-starting classes. He believed it was the most important thing you could do for the horse and that how you went about it determined the rest of that horse’s life,” said Carolyn Hunt, who along with Buck Brannaman co-founded A Legacy of Legends.
Together they produce the annual gathering that celebrates the legacy of Ray Hunt and his mentor, Tom Dorrance.
The 2017 Gathering is March 3-5 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. This year’s event features an invitational colt starting that will run all three days. Carolyn is quick to point out this won’t be a competition, and that it will not have any time constraints. Each invitee will draw one horse to work with throughout the three days and will move at whatever pace fits their particular horse.
“What Ray could get done with a bunch of colts was amazing. By not forcing anything on them, he could keep them in a good frame of mind that allowed them to willingly accept new experiences. Ray used to say if he could expose a colt to one new thing in a relaxed way, then he could expose him to something else, and then something else. There wasn’t any time limit, but he could get a lot done in the span of a clinic by just allowing the horse his dignity,” said Carolyn.
“It’s so rewarding to see Ray and Tom’s teachings being passed along and shared the way they intended, and this year, with how we’re doing the colt starting, it’s going to be especially meaningful and exciting,” Carolyn said.