Invest in a New Shooters Clinic
With summer upon us, it’s a great time to check out your local mounted shooting clubs. There are two primary mounted shooting associations, the oldest being the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA), www.CowboyMountedShooting.com, and the other being the new Mounted Shooters of America (MSA), www.newmsa.com.* Check out these websites for a club near you.
Remember, all shooters start out as a Level 1 so there is a division for everyone even if you’ve never shot before. New shooters clinics are a great way to introduce both you and your horse to gunfire in a controlled environment. Your horse will need to know how to neck rein, and mounted shooting requires western gear and attire. You can use split reins or a roping rein; splint and bell boots are recommended but not required, and your horse will be introduced to ear plugs. There are several steps to making a mounted shooting horse, so be patient. It is time well spent to go slowly, rather than over exposing your horse. The best horses are made over a period of time so invest in as many clinics as you can.
2014 June Events:
June 1: Western Washington Mounted Shooters hosting a Skills & Drills clinic for the Experienced shooter, w/ World Champion Cindy Griggs of Hermiston, OR.
June 7-8: Western Washington Mounted Shooters Sharp Shooter Shoot #1, Sultan, WA.
June 13-15: Lone Pine Rangers Shoot #1, Prineville, OR.
June 20-22: High Lonesome 45s, Asotin County Shoot, Asotin, WA.
June 28: Kittitas County Mounted Shooters, Ellensburg Rodeo Grounds.
Club Website: www.WesternWashingtonMountedShooters.com
Or call or email Karen Plumlee, Secretary, WWMS, 425 985-8321 or [email protected].
* The New Mounted Shooters of America Club is no longer active at the time this article was added to our website in 2018.
Published June 2014 Issue
The Northwest Horse Source is an independently owned and operated print and online magazine for horse owners and enthusiasts of all breeds and disciplines in the Pacific Northwest. Our contemporary editorial columns are predominantly written by experts in the region, covering the care, training, keeping and enjoyment of horses, with an eye to the specific concerns in our region.
