Howdy!  My name is Mike Long and I am the trainer at ML Bar Ranch.  I received my A.A.S. Degree and vocational certificate in Horse Training and Management from Lamar Community College, Lamar, Co. in 1984.  I went on to receive a vocational teaching certificate from Colorado State University in 1986 and taught a semester at Lamar in the horse program while one of the regular instructors was on sabbatical leave.

While attending college and after my graduation I worked as Horse Manager for the Floating W Ranch at Lamar.  I was in charge of all aspects of the horse business on the ranch.

In 1989 my family and I moved back to our hometown of Monroe City, Mo.  I went to work for a large cattle operation where I worked with the cattle and started colts.  In 1996, after the death of my employer, we bought our own place.  My sons and I started training full-time to meet the demands of our customers and have never regretted that decision.

Our specialty here at the ranch is starting young horses.  We believe that if a horse has a solid foundation he will be a better and more solid horse for years to come.  We use only quiet and gentle training methods and allow the horse to tell us when he is ready for the next step in his training.  Our theory is that if you teach a horse to do something correctly and consistently, while keeping them relaxed, they will retain it better.

Over the last 15 years I have attended clinics put on by Pat Parelli, Craig Cameron, Ray Hunt and Clinton Anderson.  I try to incorporate the things learned from these clinicians into the methods that are used here at the ranch in order to produce a better foundation on the colts that we start.

09/21/2008