Chris Cox?

[gottalovethecowgirl]

Today the weather has been horrible. As usually for right now. it is snowing AGAIN! Mother nature played a horrible little trick on us and let it be sunny and almost up to 65. then we got down to 30's again with snow.... but that's besides the point :cool:.

Anyways. today was bad weather so i spent a lot of my day curled up on the couch watching RFDTV and Chris Cox came on.

I liked him. I liked how he got the horse to respect him. and actually got the horses to listen to him. And then want to be with him still when he was through. That's my opinion of him.

I was wondering your opinions are of him?:confused:

[Evalee Hunter]

Did you search? If the threads are still here, the answer is NOT GOOD OPINIONS.

[trafalgar]

I am heartbroken. I love the guy and think he is an INCREDIBLE rider. There is an exception and that is his jumping a horse; he should stay away from that. I once saw him at a clinic ride some sort of jumper and he had that old "left behind whopee" style. Why do some people not have a good opinion of him? I am really curious.

[GilbertsCreeksideAcres]

He was raised riding English in Pony Club. I'm surprised he got left behind on the jump like that.

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[gottalovethecowgirl]

I am heartbroken. I love the guy and think he is an INCREDIBLE rider. There is an exception and that is his jumping a horse; he should stay away from that. I once saw him at a clinic ride some sort of jumper and he had that old "left behind whopee" style. Why do some people not have a good opinion of him? I am really curious.

i agree i am curious as well? i just watched some more of what he does and i honestly love him:)

[trafalgar]

I was very surprised and disappointed but then I realized that he is not God and so is not perfect. I was at a clinic in Southern Maryland where he rode a number of difficult horses and as always did an incredible job and put on a stunning performance on his little quarterhorse. He rides just as well with no tack as with tack; he is a wonderful dressage rider by the way. I do not think I have ever seen a rider who is so "one" with the horse and he also evokes almost a sense of joy when he is galloping around. I know I am prone to being corny..but.. this guy brought in a jumper or hunter that was rushing or something and Chris really seemed to get left on every fence, BUT, he obviously thought what he was doing was fine and most of the people were Western enthusiasts and may not have known that there is another way . So I still love him and would love to take my horse to one his clinics if I could afford to. I have been to watch 5 or 6 of his clinics and he seems like a very very nice and humble man by the way.

[bludejavu]

I'm not a big fan of the NH clinicians for the most part. But I've watched a good bit of Chris Cox on RFD-TV and he's one that I make an exception for. I think he's got something very genuine in the way he handles the horses and I would rather clinic with him any day over some of the others.

[Evalee Hunter]

between Chris Cox & Chris IRWIN. Should have kept my fingers from keyboarding until I did a search. I was thinking of Chris Irwin who was at the Kentucky Horse Park & raised a LOT of controversy there.

[Woodland]

L-O-V-E Chris Cox and I usually despise "As seen on T.V." trainers!

He is sensible and to the point and puts wet saddle blankets above and beyond gimmicks!

He is the real deal! :yes:

[Woodland]

between Chris Cox & Chris IRWIN. Should have kept my fingers from keyboarding until I did a search. I was thinking of Chris Irwin who was at the Kentucky Horse Park & raised a LOT of controversy there.

:lol::lol::lol: And don't forget Steve Irwin :lol::lol::lol:

[ddashaq]

between Chris Cox & Chris IRWIN. Should have kept my fingers from keyboarding until I did a search. I was thinking of Chris Irwin who was at the Kentucky Horse Park & raised a LOT of controversy there.

That is who I thought the OP meant, too.

[trafalgar]

I am relieved because I really have idolized him for years and I did not want my knight to fall off his horse! am glad to see him getting some good PR here because equine enthusuasts of all disciplines should try to see him. One of the most fun is when he goes to these clinics and someone brings in a horse with a bucking problem, a REAL bucking problem. I think even he is a bit disappointed if the horse just hops around a bit .

[Plumcreek]

I will never, ever forgive Chris Cox for RUINING the retirement ceremony of the late, great Quarter Horse stallion Rugged Lark. Several of the horse's trainers had ridden him one last time that night, and Carol Harris, RL's owner, said the last one to ride the horse should be a cowboy. Cox got on and started sort of cowboying around, bridleless, as that horse often was ridden with just a neck wire. That was a wonderful sensitive horse, who had always been trained by great riders, and Rugged Lark looked worried. Then Cox turned around backwards in the saddle, and maybe his spurs scared the horse, dunno.. Rugged Lark made a big canter circle then began to run. Cox started lunging forward (backward) trying to sort of give a Whoa cue, and that really scared the horse, who proceeded to run full speed galloping circles until Cox had to try to turn back around in the saddle at the dead run and fell off. The horse ran over to his people and stopped, then everyone tried to sort of save the evening and had the horse do his sitting and laying down tricks.

I was there at the QH World Show in Oklahoma City where the stands were packed for that horse, and saw it all. If you ever get a chance to see the video from that night, they cut the running off part out, but when Rugged Lark is sitting and laying down afterward, you can see his sides still really heaving.

I would have shot the guy out of the saddle. Stupid.

[Woodland]

One of the most fun is when he goes to these clinics and someone brings in a horse with a bucking problem, a REAL bucking problem. I think even he is a bit disappointed if the horse just hops around a bit .


I know - he looks just sad when the horsey just bunny hops. And the horse thinks he is all bad and then gets the uh-oh look and just quits being a piss ant. I know that look! The jig is up :lol: I just wonder if the owner has an epiphany or if they play to their horse when they get them home :confused:

[Woodland]

I was there and saw it all. If you ever get a chance to see the video from that night, they cut the running off part out, but when Rugged Lark is sitting and laying down afterward, you can see his sides still really heaving.


His sides were heaving after the last time Lynn Palm rode him to Mambo #5 as well. He put everything he had into every ride and left nothing back. Heaving sides on an old horse that has just worked HARD is pretty common. I do not recall the ride as you do. I recall wishing it had been "better" or more choreographed because that is what we all had come to expect from the grand old man! But I felt no malice for the ride anywhere...hmmmmm curious. When CC rode him that night I had no clue who he was or why on earth they let him ride RL.

[trafalgar]

hopefully he (CC) learned from the experience. I wish I had seen Rugged Lark.

[dalpal]

I DVR both Chris's show and Tommy Garland's. I don't watch them all, but do enjoy the ones that I am interested in.

I watched him jump a jumper not too long ago on that show and he rode him extremely well over 4 foot fences.

No one is perfect.....but if I had a horse with an issue and lot's of $$$$$$ I certainly would send it to Chris Cox.

Love him (and he's not hard on the eyes either) :lol:

I made the mistake of posting a thread in the Dressage forum about a year ago when Chris did a show series on the "Soured Dressage Horse" OMG, people said some rather tasteless, unfounded comments about the owner/rider of the horse, about Chris. It was so bad, that they even addressed it on the show and the poor woman had to defend herself....I felt bad for even posting.

[Plumcreek]

His sides were heaving after the last time Lynn Palm rode him to Mambo #5 as well. He put everything he had into every ride and left nothing back. Heaving sides on an old horse that has just worked HARD is pretty common. I do not recall the ride as you do. I recall wishing it had been "better" or more choreographed because that is what we all had come to expect from the grand old man! But I felt no malice for the ride anywhere...hmmmmm curious. When CC rode him that night I had no clue who he was or why on earth they let him ride RL.

Ummm, you were there and you do not remember Chris Cox riding backwards in the saddle and falling off??

[Woodland]

Ummm, you were there and you do not remember Chris Cox riding backwards in the saddle and falling off??

Well lets say I remember it differently and was not as offended as you were by it.

I think I was used to more grace and choreography as when Lynn rode him - so it was an odd choice to have someone ride him that I don't think knew him very well and then hot dog on him - it was "unexpected" and not the pretty performance I was accustomed to seeing. He was such a grand horse - I thought the "tribute" ride should never have been done in the first place. The horse was clearly spent after the Mambo ride (original tribute ride)- why try to do it again - I never got that - but .... then who did? The whole thing was weird.

[rideagoldenpony]

I love Chris Cox! By faaaaaaar my favorite of the RFD-TV guys.

[SarahandSam]

I know - he looks just sad when the horsey just bunny hops. And the horse thinks he is all bad and then gets the uh-oh look and just quits being a piss ant. I know that look! The jig is up :lol: I just wonder if the owner has an epiphany or if they play to their horse when they get them home :confused:

That's where my issue lies with Chris Cox... I had a friend who saw him at EA and then went up afterward to talk to him. He had worked with a horse who had a bucking problem and seemed to be doing better. On the other hand, he didn't work with the owner at all. My friend asked him if he was going to work with the owner; CC said, "If she pays to come to one of my clinics, yeah, sure." I just thought that was a crappy attitude; a real horseman is concerned enough for the horse's well-being that he/she will often work for free just to make sure that the horse will be okay. Last time I was at EA I saw a Julie Goodnight clinic where she didn't have a chance to work with a particular horse/rider; after the clinic was over, she went out back to work with them and give them her time as well. The late great Ray Hunt was known for leaving a clinic to help load a participant's horse on the trainer, not once, but several times. All the good horsemen I know want to work with both the owner and the horse so the training can continue past the clinic or lesson or whatever--in my opinion, CC is less about the horse and more about his image, and I have little respect for him despite his skill with horses himself.

[monstrpony]

That's where my issue lies with Chris Cox... I had a friend who saw him at EA and then went up afterward to talk to him. He had worked with a horse who had a bucking problem and seemed to be doing better. On the other hand, he didn't work with the owner at all. My friend asked him if he was going to work with the owner; CC said, "If she pays to come to one of my clinics, yeah, sure." I just thought that was a crappy attitude; a real horseman is concerned enough for the horse's well-being that he/she will often work for free just to make sure that the horse will be okay. Last time I was at EA I saw a Julie Goodnight clinic where she didn't have a chance to work with a particular horse/rider; after the clinic was over, she went out back to work with them and give them her time as well. The late great Ray Hunt was known for leaving a clinic to help load a participant's horse on the trainer, not once, but several times. All the good horsemen I know want to work with both the owner and the horse so the training can continue past the clinic or lesson or whatever--in my opinion, CC is less about the horse and more about his image, and I have little respect for him despite his skill with horses himself.

Just to be fair, I would point out that chances are the owner would need more help than CC would be able to give as an afterthought to a demonstration. So, yes, the owner would need to come to a clinic format to begin to solve their problem. These are NOT quick fixes. Yeah, CC can "fix" the problem in short order, because he *starts* his relationship with that horse correctly. But the owner is going to have to change a lot of habits in their interaction with the horse for the "fix" to work for them. Simply can't be done in the format of a demo. So, this response isn't just money-grabbing.

When a clinician drops what they are doing in a clinic to address a specific problem for "one person", it is because *everyone* at the clinic will benefit from seeing it. Even trailer loading--you can't watch an accomplished horseman do this too often. There are too many little details that you miss the first umpteen times you see it, and it's only from prolonged watching that your eye begins to pick up the things you need. The first thing you need is the last thing you learn (to paraphrase Ray Hunt). You gotta do a lot of watching to get to that last thing. So, if a clinician drops things to help load a horse, they aren't just helping the owner and/or the one horse; they're helping *everyone* present.

[dalpal]

And why does everyone get in an uproar when someone charges money to do something? Maybe he was trying to be fair to everyone who HAS paid him money for a clinic. There is no reason, why he or anyone else should have to give out their services for free.

[trafalgar]

When I have seen Chrris do the bucking horse thing,( (I have seen it at 4 different places) it was not really a clinic so maybe the misunderstanding is my fault. It was actually more of a demonstration at a horse expo or equine affaire venue. He was doing it for the crowd and I think the owner benefitted from just seeing what could be done. It would take a lot of time for the owner him or herself to learn all the tricks and nuances and so I think it was reasonable for Chris to say what he did although maybe it was said a tad undiplomatically. He is not nearly as smooth a talker as John Lyons or Parelli but he is not nearly so commercially successful. I think he is a very shy person who has overcome alot to be able to speak in public. (I have read this; in addition he used to have a bad stutter)

[katarine]

Horse skills? Yes. People skills? Not so many. You need to have that in mind if you want to work with him.

Why a true horseman can't charge for his services, is beyond me. Yes, I saw Ray Hunt go above and beyond on the spur of the moment. And I bet Chris would, too,, if he wants to, is inspired to. But when a random person asks a clinician are you going to help the owner? it's reasonable that the answer is sure, if I'm hired to help her.

[katarine]

I just thought that was a crappy attitude; a real horseman is concerned enough for the horse's well-being that he/she will often work for free just to make sure that the horse will be okay

So, when I was asked to come evaluate a person's first horses they'd ever bought (they bought 2 in a package deal) and one was a very green, very hot 7 YO gelding...and when I said guys, that horse needs to hit the road, post haste, before he hurt them....you would suggest I should have offered to undertake the training of that horse, and them, all for nothing, because anything short of that...would mean I'm not a true horseman?

Am I reading you right?