He has spent a part of his December at the Tulsa Farm Show for the past 28 years- and world-renowned horse trainer Craig Cameron says he is still a student. Cameron is back for the 30th Tulsa Farm Show today through Saturday, offering twice daily sessions on connecting with young horses and starting them on the road to being ready to be a part of the ranch- or that rural lifestyle acreage.
“The whole idea with horses and horsemanship is trying to ride better today than you did yesterday,” Cameron said. “That is what we will be doing today is starting some young horses that have never been saddled or rode and showing people how to work with the horse and not against the horse.”
A big part of working with horses, Cameron said, is rewarding the horse when it works well and making it easy for them. The beginning days when working with a young horse, Cameron said, are sometimes the most important.
“Be aware that good horsemanship is an art form,” Cameron said. “It takes time to learn, and again, I would say maybe the best advice I could give anybody is to be patient with yourself and be patient with your horse.”
Cameron emphasized choosing your horse wisely for those who are just starting out and have limited experience. Cameron said an older horse or a gentler horse is always the better route than a high-spirited horse if you are a beginner.
Learning takes time for the rider, Cameron said, as well as for the horse.
“Patience is waiting without worry,” Cameron said.
Even as he works with horses daily, Cameron said he still considers himself a student of the horse.
“It goes right to working really more on myself than the horse because truly, when I get good, that is when the horse gets good,” Cameron said.
