On a chilly December night, future cowboys and cowgirls trickle into the Harry Dodginghorse Memorial Agriplex, one by one. Some drag saddles along the dirt floor, while others practise throwing a lariat at a calf-shaped target.
The kids, some as young as six, are part of an after-school riding program that has run five days a week on the Tsuut’ina Nation for the past dozen years.
The program is open to any nation member, young or old, but focuses on teaching kids the basics of horsemanship. Staff guide students by showing them the basics, from brushing to saddling a horse, before teaching them to ride.
Cousins Catori and Addison Dodginghorse are training to be junior barrel racers. (Livia Manywounds/CBC)
Cousins Addison and Catori Dodginhorse say they love to ride and play games on horses after each lesson.
“It feels like were doing exciting things,” said Addison.
Her cousin Catori says she looks forward to class and learns something different each day.
“We are going to do something cool each day we come here,” the nine-year-old said.
The riding program offers students a chance to develop basic riding skills through a series of drills and games all run under the watchful eye of riding instructor Wright Bruised Head.
Riding Instructor Wright Bruised Head is an all-around cowboy in timed events with many qualifications to Indian National Finals Rodeo and is a hall of fame inductee. (Livia Manywounds/CBC)
Bruised Head says it started because there was a need for more ropers in the community, but it has since grown into a full riding program.
“They learn everything from the ground up, like how brush a horse, how to catch him and how saddle him, and all that,” he said.
Bruised Head, who was recently inducted into the Indian National Finals Hall of Fame, says some of his students have gone on to have successful rodeo careers.
He says some of the young riders have even followed in his footsteps, going on to compete at the annual Indian National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
Riding teacher Wright Bruised Head looks on as his students warm up their horses before the lesson begins. (Livia Manywounds/CBC)
The riding instructor says the program is also about having fun and is not just for the kids.
“I enjoy watching them try to do what I asked them to do out there with these horses.” Bruised Head said.
But in addition to having fun and learning how to ride, Bruised Head says students are taught important life lessons in the program.
“They learn a lot about responsibility and they own up to making their own mistakes a lot easier,” Bruised Head said. “It is important for the kids to learn these lessons to help guide them throughout their life.”
Julie Dodginghorse watched as her daughter hopped onto the back of a horse.
Julie Dodginghorse is a Tsuut’ina Nation member and the parent of riding student Addison Dodginghorse. Some of the parents say the program helps their kids with issues they face in everyday life. (Livia Manywounds/CBC)
She says the program has helped her daughter deal with a number of issues outside the riding ring.
“It helps with their self-esteem, trust issue,” she said.
Dodginghorse says her daughter is using tools learned at the riding program to be more disciplined at home and to deal with her anxiety.
“The program speaks for itself,” she said, adding that it has become is an everyday routine for the kids and their attitudes change because they look forward to riding.