Jerry Munns Natural Horsemanship

Jerry Munns Natural Horsemanship

Horsemanship for the Betterment of the Horse
Jerry Munns, Horseman

I am not a cowboy, I am a horseman. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana I became interested in a different kind of horsemanship in the early 90's. Here's how it came about.

I was having some problems with my own horses and did not know what to do with them. I met a man by the name of Jim Walker in the Fall of 1991. He and his wife Hazel had moved from California to Indiana to work with people and their horses. They invited me to come and participate in their clinic. I had never been to a clinic before and was not sure what, if anything, I would learn by going, but I figured what did I have to lose. I took my old "dead broke" mare, figuring she would make me look good since she was "dead broke" and knew everything. Well I wasn't there 10 minutes and I realized she did not even know how to lead properly. That day changed my life forever.

It took me about a year to figure out she knew how to lead, but I did not know how to lead her. The problem was not the mare. She led just how I had taught her to be led, charging out ahead of me, dragging behind like an anchor when she wanted to, or running into me when something bothered her. I did not know that she could lead safely anywhere I wanted her to. Over the next 5-6 years I learned a lot from Jim And Hazel. They taught me a lot about groundwork and communication. I had never learned this before and it made sense. I did not realize how much of a difference it would make in my horses. They became quieter and much safer to be around. They became more willing to do things for me.

In 1995 I met Ray Hunt. That was another day that changed my life. I heard his philosophy on the horse and a light bulb suddenly went off in my head. How could I have been so wrong about the way I was handling my horses? They did not know how to lead,load,stand still, backup, or do almost anything else very well. I thought they did, but they did not. They were not safe. I had to change me,not them. When I changed, my horses changed. I have ridden with Ray in many clinics across the Midwest and the East Coast,and have also ridden with other very good clinicians like Buck Brannaman,Bryan Nuebert, Craig Cameron, and Major Anders Lindgren from Sweden.