# Thoughts on Buck Brannaman



## Nokotaheaven

Just wanted to see what everyone's thoughts and opinions are on Buck


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## boots

Overall I like him. He's just a guy, but he has a good way with horses and people.


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## SorrelHorse

Neutral but not a fan. I lost a lot of respect for him after watching him say no to some horses who were very much so fixable. That's a long story though that I'm too tired to type in rant form...lol


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## waresbear

He's got a nice butt, that's makes up for a lot.


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## deserthorsewoman

Gifted rider and horseman. Not just a big ego. And he doesn't sell anything....;-)


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## smrobs

Let me put it this way, if I had the chance to choose 3 clinicians to go see....I'd go see Buck 3 times LOL.


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## toto

Hes the real horse Whisperer- a real way with horses!


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## tinyliny

SorrelHorse said:


> Neutral but not a fan. I lost a lot of respect for him after watching him say no to some horses who were very much so fixable. That's a long story though that I'm too tired to type in rant form...lol



not in rant form, what is the problem with him saying "no"? a man who is as busy as he is HAS to say "no" from time to time. he has that right, just like the rest of us.


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## Speed Racer

SorrelHorse said:


> I lost a lot of respect for him after watching him say no to some horses who were very much so fixable.


Based on _whose_ opinion that they were fixable? Yours? The owners?

The one stally he recommended putting down in his documentary, I fully agreed with his assessment. Dangerous horse, and it wasn't worth his time, effort or safety to try and fix the animal.

He's allowed to say no to horses with whom he doesn't want to bother. _All _trainers, especially the BNTs, pick and choose their clients. I don't see why Brannaman should be held to a higher standard than anyone else.

I like his style and approach. If I were ever to clinic with anyone, it would be him. He makes a lot of sense and doesn't use cutesy terms, smoke and mirrors, and isn't out to convince anyone he's all that and a big bag of chips or that his way is the ONLY one. He does his thing and if you think you can use what he's teaching, take away what you can.


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## busysmurf

Blunt,to the point, and focuses on common sense from what I've seen. The honestly good horsemen that I know in life are like that, so I will give more credibility to anyone that is like that.


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## palogal

I like him. He's a simple guy, working with horses. No hype no BS.


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## 6gun Kid

As silly as it sounds for a 44 year old man to say he has a hero, Buck is mine. I, like him, suffered some serious abuse as a child and as a result I was angry and abusive to everyone and everything for a long time.
I was lucky enough to audit one of his clinics many years ago before he was even very well known (like 1988 maybe). I had read about him in Western Horseman and shortly after saw that he was doing a clinic not far from me. So I went and saw him. His frankness and honesty about his path and his personal choice to let go and survive his past and come out on the other side, made me reevaluate myself. I changed (mostly), he says the horses saved his life, I say his clinic saved mine. I was on a dangerous path heading straight to the penitentiary, and God put him in my path. I have never seen him again, and in fact never spoke to him. So when I say he is my hero, it has nothing to do with horses and everything to do with his spirit, his decency, and his humanity. That is all.


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## rookie

I think it would be really interesting to attend one of his clinics. I am not a big fan of any one trainer. They do all have an angle but he is not trying sell me his magic stick and string or horse personality test, which I respect. I like his straight forward but compassionate responses to situations. I think it would be really interested to see what he has to say about my horse and myself.


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## CowboyBob

I have seen his movie "Buck" it was really good. I looked for some of his training Video's after that, but they have a big price tag and I have a small budget, from what I have seen in his movie, I like what I see and want to see more.


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## deserthorsewoman

I was lucky. I got " the making of the bridle horse" set for 75$ off CL;-)


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## its lbs not miles

While I'm not a follower of any trainers (except perhaps my grandfather :lol I do give Buck good marks. Largely because like anyone who's prepared to work successfully with any horse he doesn't teach a "system" or "technique" or create "games" as much as he uses a philosophy on how to deal with the horses (after all, each of them is an individual, but with certain things in common).
As for saying "no" to training a horse. I have no problem with that. While I've be lucky enough to have never had a horse I couldn't turn around I'll also be the first to say that I've seen horses that you couldn't afford to get me to work on. 
e.g. There are horses that for whatever reason (there can be more than one reason including being mentally unstable....yes, some horses, like any animal can be off in the head) are not worth the risk to "fix". When I was in my early 20's I might have been willing to risk it with some, but I'd have had to wait until my grandfather had died, because he would have given me hell for it (and might have shot the horse if he thought it would save me from the risk). A horse can kill you with little effort so there are cases where putting it down could be the safest and best thing to do for the well being of people and/or other animals.
In addition why would someone want to commit the time needed to train a very risky horse when for the same time and effort they could work with several horses that will show much better results.
I have to respect any trainer who will come out and be bluntly honest about it vs those (and I won't give names :lol who will put out a lot of BS, say that their "system" will work (and make out like anyone "they" train can do it).
Give me an honest person who tells it like it is and knows when to say it's not worth it. I'll respect the honesty over the BS.


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## LovesMyDunnBoy

I really like Buck. I also like Clinton Anderson's way of starting colts. I watched Downunder Horsemanship like 7 years ago, and recently found it again and wow it's changed! Haha. I take bits and pieces from multiple trainers, but I love Buck's blunt-to-the-point approach.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Nokotaheaven

I think what's got me mainly interested in Buck is from what I've seen his techniques are good, but even more so, nobody really seems to have anything bad to say about him! It is soooooo nice to be able to talk about a trainer where their method works and nobody has anything bad to say! lol


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## KigerQueen

Some people I know get all up in a hissy because he said to put the stallion down. The horse had BRAIN DAMAGE! He was smart enough to NOT train that horse. Some horses are hard enough to work with, but its near impossible if your not working with a full deck. I Like Clinton's ground work (not to the extreme I have seen it taken too though), and I love Buck's methods


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## Ian McDonald

Excellent horseman, coach, and colt starter as well as someone who creates beautiful finished horses. Probably one of the best if not the best in the business when it comes to turning difficult or troubled horses around and getting them on a good path. Very versatile with a diverse skill-set and an encyclopedic knowledge of horses. For the serious student of horsemanship, hanging around Buck Brannaman will make you better. His personality is what it is and will work for some and not others - for me the ability of the teacher takes precedence over their personality but that may not be true of the next person. That all depends on what you're looking to gain from the experience. For someone who is always looking to improve their own abilities with horses though, Buck Brannaman is not to be missed!


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## Khainon

i like him..alot...hes down to earth..fun..knows what hes doing and is in it for the horses..his techniques have worked with my horse phoenix..as it is not confusing like parelli and other trainers techniques..all in all..hes amazing..and is my rolemodel


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## Fort fireman

deserthorsewoman said:


> i was lucky. I got " the making of the bridle horse" set for 75$ off cl;-)


lucky!!!


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## amberly

I like his ways a lot.
I use all his methods, they all work and the horses understand them very well. They are responding better than before I used him and they really work for me as well.


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## SammysMom

I adore Buck. I'm planning to stalk him one of these days when he does a clinic nearby  I love his story, his calmness, his gentleness with horses and how humble he seems.


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## JungleJulia

That stallion was DANGEROUS!! I've never seen anything like that!
I didn't hear him suggest to put it down..I remember the owner saying so.
Would it be too late to have him gelded? Would it make a difference for him?
And that woman...I was annoyed with her! She seemed like one of those horse collectors!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BigNickMontana

I like Buck a lot. The man knows his business. 

As far as why he would turn training a horse down, I think it goes back to one thing he said that really stuck with me "I don't help people with horse problems, I help horses with people problems"

If you have ever tried to fix people problems you know there are some that are just not worth the time.


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## its lbs not miles

JungleJulia said:


> That stallion was DANGEROUS!! I've never seen anything like that!
> I didn't hear him suggest to put it down..I remember the owner saying so.
> Would it be too late to have him gelded? Would it make a difference for him?
> And that woman...I was annoyed with her! She seemed like one of those horse collectors!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I won't go into much on this since I'm not familiar with what you're referring to, but on the question of a stallion being too old to geld you can geld fully grown mature stallions.
As for the prospect of gelding this horse to make it less dangerous I can't intelligently comment. I can say that gelding isn't a cure all. Even geldings can be dangerous just as mares can. There are cases where the horse just isn't right in the head, but those are generally not very common in my experience. There are also cases where a horse has become unsafe as the result of something(s) in it's life/environment. It's up to the trainer to determine if it's worth the risk to find out which and what, if anything, they're willing to do. I'll never fault any trainer for say "no" if they're uncomfortable taking on a horse they see as an unacceptable risk.
I will say that it's a huge risk to both people and other animals just keeping a dangerous horse around.
If they're that dangerous......well, equine is the healthiest domestic red meat for human consumption  (followed closely by goat :lol.
(Ah, I can hear everyone shrieking already :lol


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## smrobs

Julia, while having that horse gelded couldn't possibly have hurt anything, I don't think it would have helped all that much. Whether or not the horse had any lingering brain damage from his difficult birth is anyone's guess. What his biggest problem was was his owner. She spoiled him from the moment he was born and that's mainly what made him so hateful.

Whether, with a different home where he was raised correctly, he could have gone on to be someone's beloved riding partner or companion in spite of his brain damage, well there's no way to tell. The only thing for certain is that woman ruined any chance that poor horse might have had to be a productive member of equine society.

Horses that are truly "not right" from birth _do_ happen, but they are relatively rare. 99% of the time, all of a horse's issues stem from the handling/training they have received.

I agree with lbs not miles on one thing. Some horses (whether due to a bad ingrained temperament or issues caused by previous handlers/trainers) are better off at the packers. At least there, they are providing a service by feeding people or animals.


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## dressagebelle

He did actually tell her to put the horse down. Even if she thought about gelding him, they would have had to use a tranq gun, because there was no way they'd be able to get close enough to give him a shot. Not to mention then trying to make sure the wound heals right. While I do think that a lot of "dangerous" horses are fixable, every once in a while you do find one that is not, and it's much safer for everyone involved to just put the horse down. 

That being said, I really like Buck. His approach is more common sense, and understanding herd dynamic, then gimmicks, games, or a system that you have to follow in order to get results. To me Buck is not a showman who's trying to say his way is the best, or the only way to get results. He isn't trying to sell a product, or a system, or a "magical" bit or other equipment. You can implement his techniques along with other trainers to reach your goal, it's not like say parelli where it's a whole system, and you have to stick with a program. At least in the video he isn't wearing logo clothing, he looks like a working cowboy and he's almost always on a horse, showing how to do things. He doesn't take horses, work with them for a day, then hand them back to the owner, he corrects the owner, and helps the owner. No matter what discipline you ride, his methods work. Someday I would love to go to a clinic of his.


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## its lbs not miles

Just an FYI. Should have mentioned it earlier for those in this area, but didn't think about it.

I was informed couple of months ago that he's doing a clinic at Clemson University in Sept. Not sure what other states he's visiting while he's on this side of the US.


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## flytobecat

I really like Buck. I've followed CA, PP, and others, but he of all of them makes the most sense. We have his 7 Clinics series. Of all the training DVDs I've seen, his are the best and one of the cheaper sets. It doesn't answer everything and isn't a substitute for experience, but it gives you solid guidelines on how to take a horse from start to finish.
I didn't get a chance to go to his clinic when he was in AZ this year, but my sister and friends all went. They had nothing but good things to say about him including my diehard PP friends. Buck even took time out to talk with my friends 6 year old son about horses at the meet and greet. Now, the boy's hero's are Iron Man, Jack Sparrow, Spiderman, and Buck.


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## Nokotaheaven

Just to say about the stallion. I am one of those people who is always the last to give up on other people and animals, but I do agree that it needs to be put down. Gelding him now may take away some of his attitude, but everything is so hard-wired into him that it will not make that dangerous part of the horse go away. Sadly, the horse is way past the red line, trying to fix the issues now will do no good. I am also convinced that the horse was not all there in his head to start with, so he's a handicapped horse whose been taught to be very dangerous... Not good.


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## littleamy76

I never heard of Buck until hearing about his documentary. Watched it a few months ago and I gotta say, I respect the man. He's down to earth, uses philosophy that makes sense, and isn't afraid to tell someone that they are handling their horses wrong.


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## Allison Finch

I know and respect Buck. He is as gifted with western or English riders/horses. The dressage community in the Chapel Hill area used to get him here on a regular basis.
He is down to earth without all that arrogant "razzle dazzle" so common in those people more interested in ego gratification than really helping the horses. He has an uncanny ability to crawl into a horse's brain and know what is really going on between that horse's ears.

One funny story, though......

The stallion in my avvie was a rank SOB before I started working with him. Before I knew the owner, they took him to a BB clinic to see if he could do something with him. Buck made a tactical error with him.

He put this rude boy into a round pen with a gelding that belonged to Tom Brokaw (the news man). Bad idea.......Ab kicked the PooPoo out of that poor gelding!

Several months later, after he was running around his paddock, I ASKED to work with him. There was just something about that horse.....

The rest is history.


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## BigNickMontana

Allison Finch said:


> I know and respect Buck. He is as gifted with western or English riders/horses. The dressage community in the Chapel Hill area used to get him here on a regular basis.
> He is down to earth without all that arrogant "razzle dazzle" so common in those people more interested in ego gratification than really helping the horses. He has an uncanny ability to crawl into a horse's brain and know what is really going on between that horse's ears.
> 
> One funny story, though......
> 
> The stallion in my avvie was a rank SOB before I started working with him. Before I knew the owner, they took him to a BB clinic to see if he could do something with him. Buck made a tactical error with him.
> 
> He put this rude boy into a round pen with a gelding that belonged to Tom Brokaw (the news man). Bad idea.......Ab kicked the PooPoo out of that poor gelding!
> 
> Several months later, after he was running around his paddock, I ASKED to work with him. There was just something about that horse.....
> 
> The rest is history.


Brokaw has a place out here, can't stand the guy.


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## 6gun Kid

BigNickMontana said:


> Brokaw has a place out here, can't stand the guy.


 I understand a lot of Montanans feel that way


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## BigNickMontana

6gun Kid said:


> I understand a lot of Montanans feel that way


Yeah rich out of staters keep coming in, buying the ranches, they are never at them, and they keep on driving the prices up where if a guy wants to get into ranching now it is pretty much impossible with out an alternative source of income.


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## 6gun Kid

welcome to the nightmare of west Texas.


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## BigNickMontana

6gun Kid said:


> welcome to the nightmare of west Texas.


I just left Texas, spent 7 years there.


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## 6gun Kid

Yeah so you already know, what they did to the Hill Country they are now doing to the Big Bend area from Alpine to Terlingua.


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## Horsesaplenty

I like him and wish he'd come this way


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## faiza425

I really like that he's easy to understand and straightforward. I also like that he's not trying to sell me a bunch of products at outrageous prices like many other NH 'gurus'. 
But my favorite thing about him is that he works with the individual horse instead of trying to fit them into some sort of routine or plan that's supposed to work with every horse. There's no Horsenality or seven games (not bashing them, just saying they don't work for me personally).


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## spookychick13

I like that his approach is very common sense based. There are no tricks, gimmicks and complicated games and tests and other overwhelming programs. 
It is actually a dream of mine to participate in one of his clinics.

Maybe one day...


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## Sharond

Last fall three of my friends went to see him in W Va. They came back very disappointed. Their take was that he was arrogant, rude and condescending. Firstly, he saw someone taking a picture, assumed she was video taping, which is not allowed, told her to stop, she said she was just taking a picture and he said that if this shows up on YouTube "I will hunt you down *****". Yep, that's what he said. He never got off his horse to help any of the participants and called them mentally challenged many times. One exercise a girl specifically asked him to demonstrate and he said no.

I'm glad I already had plans and couldn't go. 

Oh, two of them were at the clinic I attended in Georgia last year and shared what they saw and heard with several other participants and no one was surprised. Seems he has clinic burn out. Chris Cox had even heard stories about how degrading has can be to participants. Maybe he needs to take a break


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## HollyBubbles

I am subscribed to his youtube channel and many of his videos have helped me with both of my horses. Including the teaching collection one for Mitch, and many others for DJ who is a very hard horse to ride and deal with on the ground (she can't even walk a straight line for flatwork, we leg yield everywhere, until I add a jump in there then she will go straight to wherever I ask as long as she gets to jump now and then)


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## Shadow

Took his H1 in 2009. Also was able to spectate earlier this month in Kiowa, Co. He is definitely blunt, which personally I like. In 09 and the clinic a month ago he did really get after a few ladies which the ladies definitely deserved every bit of it. 

If you listen and really try, you will get along well with Buck. If your lazy and the type to question him and his methods, probably best that you stayed home. If you get your feelings hurt easily, stay home. It does make for good entertainment though. 

I've probably watched his tapes hundreds of times (seriously) and seem to catch something I missed earlier. We had small classes in 09, maybe 12. In Kiowa there were 24 in H1 and 18 in H2. Way too many. All but maybe 5 of those horses should have probably been put into foundation horsemanship or back to ground working. I would like to take more advanced clinics from him but I'm just not 100% sold on the hackmore stage. 

Shadow


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## COWCHICK77

Shadow said:


> Took his H1 in 2009. Also was able to spectate earlier this month in Kiowa, Co. He is definitely blunt, which personally I like. In 09 and the clinic a month ago he did really get after a few ladies which the ladies definitely deserved every bit of it.
> 
> If you listen and really try, you will get along well with Buck. If your lazy and the type to question him and his methods, probably best that you stayed home. If you get your feelings hurt easily, stay home. It does make for good entertainment though.
> 
> I've probably watched his tapes hundreds of times (seriously) and seem to catch something I missed earlier. We had small classes in 09, maybe 12. In Kiowa there were 24 in H1 and 18 in H2. Way too many. All but maybe 5 of those horses should have probably been put into foundation horsemanship or back to ground working. I would like to take more advanced clinics from him but I'm just not 100% sold on the hackmore stage.
> 
> Shadow


Just curious, how come your not sure your sold on the hackamore stage?


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## tinyliny

Shadow said:


> Took his H1 in 2009. Also was able to spectate earlier this month in Kiowa, Co. He is definitely blunt, which personally I like. In 09 and the clinic a month ago he did really get after a few ladies which the ladies definitely deserved every bit of it.
> 
> If you listen and really try, you will get along well with Buck. If your lazy and the type to question him and his methods, probably best that you stayed home. If you get your feelings hurt easily, stay home. It does make for good entertainment though.
> 
> I've probably watched his tapes hundreds of times (seriously) and seem to catch something I missed earlier. We had small classes in 09, maybe 12. * In Kiowa there were 24 in H1 and 18 in H2. Way too many*. All but maybe 5 of those horses should have probably been put into foundation horsemanship or back to ground working. I would like to take more advanced clinics from him but I'm just not 100% sold on the hackmore stage.
> 
> Shadow



when he did a clinic in Easton, Wa march of 2012 there must have been 35 riders!


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## Beling

Sharond said:


> ... Firstly, he saw someone taking a picture, assumed she was video taping, which is not allowed, told her to stop


When he came here to Maui a few years ago, he let me videotape. I later gave it to the gal whose horse he was working.

I didn't care so much for his superior attitude, but he was SO effective with this particular horse, and I did learn a lot. Still, I like a trainer who can also be soft. Maybe that's something for the VERY advanced.


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## Fort fireman

COWCHICK77 said:


> Just curious, how come your not sure your sold on the hackamore stage?


I'd be curious to know to. that was my favorite stage until i got to the 2 rein stage. The hack is where I realy started to notice and work on the softness.

Nice avatar by the way.


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## Fulford15

I was very impressed watching his documentary on Netflixs one Sunday morning. I had never heard of him before.

I like his style, I agree with being blunt, straight to the point. I would love, love, love to see him in action at a clinic!


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