Introduction:

I grew up in eastern Oregon in "buckaroo country". I learned pretty early the difference between a cowboy and a buckaroo. It is a very personal difference that may vary from each buckaroo you ask. My idea of it is that you go slower; instead of driving cattle to a corral to sort them you drive them away from it and hold rodero. Instead of forcing your horse into a bridle you follow the steps that allow you both to get there right.

Horsemen and Buckaroos: 

I know some buckaroos who are wonderful horsemen and I know some buckaroos who are awful horsemen, but are great ropers or cowmen or ranchers. I know buckaroos? who can't even ride but look really good all duded up. Buckaroo is a buzz word that is very popular today. Don't let the urban buckaroo fool you. A pair of chinks and a flat top hat can ruin your horse as fast as anyone.

When I go to clinics to learn new ideas or get old ones refreshed, I don't go to just any one. My wife and I have sifted out quite a few. My personal measuring tape is their horses; if they have nice horses that handle well and are quiet. My dad and brother are like watching a great clinic; they have some great bridle horses and just being around them is educational. Ray Hunt has nice horses; Buck Brannaman has nice horses; Tink and Jana Ilordi have really nice horses; and Bryan Neubert has nice horses. I look at the horses first; if they are okay, then I am sure I can learn good things from those people. There are hundreds of people giving clinics these days and thousands training horses, and sadly a high percentage are damn poor hands. Use the horse as your yardstick. They are incapable of dishonesty.

So What Makes Me, Ron Miller, Worth Considering When Going To A Clinic or Having Me Ride Your Horse?

I consider myself a teacher with honesty, integrity and values to help you build the foundation that will create a lasting partnership with your horses. The foundation you put into your horse or horses is the most important thing you can do. Without the basics your relationship is going to be hollow and without meaning. There are plenty of horses out there that are stuck in these kinds of situations. I feel sorry for these horses because they are expected to fill in for their rider and they can't. Without a solid foundation, horses don't have the confidence to fill in these voids. So what happens? The horse gets blamed for the rider's inadequacies. We've heard all the signals and seen all the signs. Here are a few:  won't tie; won't stand still; paws the ground; nickers; chews; rears; bucks; shys; hard to bridle; hard to catch; pulls back; fights with other horses; won't cross water; won't load in a trailer; runs off; and barn sour. Once a bad foundation is installed it is difficult to get it back. A young colt is much easier to work with than one that is more set in his way. I enjoy both aspects of these challenges. Problem horses can sometimes take longer, but the end result is no less gratifying. Young horses without all the baggage are so willing to please once they understand they can trust you. Being patient and presenting things they can handle are key. Your horse's foundation is why you should consider me. I have helped horses and riders come together for many years now and have developed some great ideas and methods to help in your education, regardless of what your final goals are, be it rodeo, reining, cow horses, hunters, jumpers, dressage, trail horses or working ranch horses for roping and sorting cows. Give yourself and your horse the absolute best opportunity to succeed.

I have over 40 years of experience working with horses and livestock. I have seen how to do things right and how to do things wrong. I try to help my horses recognize their full potential from their viewpoint. I have been starting colt and helping people learn horsemanship, with my own business in Tumalo, Oregon (slightly west of Bend) for the last 15 years. I also have taught kids riding lessons at a dude stable that I was partners in outside of Sisters, Oregon. I told Tom Dorrance once what I did and he said, "You know all about horses taking care of people." It took me a while to recognize, but I wish all the horses I see would have what Tom Dorrance said those dude horses had. I became a student of horsemanship that day. It seems that hardly a day goes by that my wife, son or the horses don't show me something that I am doing right or wrong, and the education just goes on and on. I have taught myself to be a good teacher. I spent a good part of my adult life thinking people get what they deserve when it comes to being stupid around horses. I see it differently now. I think people's horse problems are due to ignorance and that my job is to help  educate them.

My Specialties:

I start colts and deal with problem horses. I give lessons and clinics on horsemanship, safety, working with cattle, roping, trailer loading, halter breaking, and English and western equitation. I try to work from where each horse mentally is, not where I am or where I want the horse to be. Noticing behavior is easy. Understanding WHY you have this behavior is what I do. Trying to work through it is what I do. Years of developing timing has enabled my horses to come through quicker and accept me. Having a feel for when to and when not to present things to horses is critical. These senses take years to develop and it is an on-going search, but it is a search necessary if you want to develop a partnership with your horses. I get asked what I do alot. "Are you a horse trainer?" is what people usually ask...  What I do is far from training horses. I can truthfully say that horses have trained me or educated me. Each horse is an individual and must be treated as such. They are trying to tell us what is on their minds all the time. Listen and watch and become a student of the horse; that is what I am.

Family History:

I guess I would have to say that I am a student of the horse. This is my story:  Both sides of my family were ranchers. My Mom's folks raised 100's of horses and cattle. My Papa had some of the best Percheron (black) work horses I have ever seen. Lakeview, Oregon has some really bad winters and we used those horses to feed with. I can' remember how old I was when my Uncle handed me the lines as we were out feeding.

My Dad's family lives in Harney County on the western edge of the Great Basin. The lore (tradition) of this country is unbelievable. Pete French settled in French Glenn and built his cattle empire. He also brought a Vaquero style with him that is still noticeable throughout the area today. There were Indian wars, sod-busters, Chinese miners, and sheep men. My Grandpa and Grandma Miller took a homestead north of Catlow Valley. It is a severely harsh country and most unforgiving. Grandma raised seven kids under those conditions. Riding through this country today, you may find remnants of old homesteads and you can only imagine the hardships that they endured. Later, my Grandparents bought Rock Creek Ranch, south of the homestead. My Dad, Aunts and Uncles helped them run the ranch. Dad told me once that this same land that now runs a couple thousand cows used to run 10's of thousands of sheep in the spring and many thousands of cattle in the summer and fall, while also maintaining thousands of wild horses year-around. Dad managed these wild horses. They would gather them and cull them out; break alot of them for saddle horses and use some for bucking stock; and buy new studs and put them out with the mares. Mom and Dad bought their own ranch in 1958 and moved us to the Double O. Oddly enough, this was a sheep ranch. We had two bands of ewes and lambs and a band of yearlings and started learning about caring for all kinds of livestock.

Dad produced rodeos until I was about 12-years-old. He had some great bucking horses and some good bulls. In those days, saddle bronc riding was KING. It wasn't surprising to have 100 bareback and saddle bronc riders entered. The judges at Dad's rodeos had an easy job since usually only a few qualified rides were made. Dad sold the rodeo stock and not long after that circumstances forced him to sell his sheep as well. My younger brother and Dad now run the two ranches which are pretty much exclusively cattle and horses, but Dad will always have a few sheep around.

My great Uncle Buck ran some of the larger ranches around the area. I never got to see him rope, but I heard it was really something to see. My Grandpa Miller was a heck of a good hand as well. He is honored at the Buckaroos Hall Of Fame in Winnemucca, Nevada. I am pretty sure that my Dad will also receive that honor one day. As kids, we did our best to stay out of the way and be useful. We buckarooed and herded sheep; we rode in the high forests around Lakeview for my Mom's folks and all over the desert around Burns. Those were some long hot/cold days. I have been so dry I couldn't spit and so cold I couldn't feel my feet or hands. This is how I learned to ride. My family are survivors and I am just thankful I was able to grow up with this kind of family environment.