Cowboy Mounted Shooting

[PasofinoPauline]

New Year's Day we had a get together of riding friends here in Ocala, and here is a photo of Terry Poortenga doing the shooting on his Paso, Sonador.

[CarolU]

Cool! That looks like so much fun!

[dana]

Hey! Wait a minute! only one stingy picture? ;)
More! More!

[motorgypsy]

Great shot! Another sport our guys are really good at.

It is really fun but those 45's are sooo loud! We used horsey earplugs on Lula but Chinook wouldn't let us put them in so I shot way behind her which wasn't very easy but I managed. We wore ear plugs also. Fire comes out of the end and travels about three feet with every shot. The pistols are heavy too. I found one type small enough so I could cock it with one hand. I couldn't reach the hammer on the others. We were in a covered arena so the noise was a lot louder than out side. We hope to do it some more next year.

[PasofinoPauline]

You asked for it, you got it! One more photo of Terry doing the shooting. We are planning to do this again and there should be 2 more pasos there the next time. I will send some more photos. These are the same guys who used to do team penning here but they stopped the team penning so they are "bored" just trail riding. They need "action".....

[Pasogirlz]

That does look like fun. I always say Mom would be good at that. She has good aim.;)

[pasolovr]

Great photos, Pauline!! How do they get the horses desensitized to the gunfire?

[motorgypsy]

Cashel makes horsey earplugs. We use them. They are really a good idea because the pistols are so loud they will damage your and your horse's hearing if you don't use them.

[PasofinoPauline]

To desensitize the horses first they walked them around far away from the shooting, then brought them closer and closer. Then they rode the horses around the course without shooting. Then the rubbed the gun all over the horse. Then they rode with the gun in their hand without shooting around the course. Finally they started shooting. Some of the horses jumped at first, but with each shot they calmed down until they paid no attention to the noise. These bullets are specially made for the sport and are only 1/2 full and the noise is not really that loud.