It took both Jerry Lee and Zack to saddle up this little stunted Arabian mare.

On Saturday, December 4th Rock-C Ranch of Smithville, Texas was the host of the Lone Star Equine Rescue Evaluation Clinic by Jerry Lee Sewell of Humane Horsemanship. Rock-C Ranch owners Christian Smith and Pebbles Wadsworth opened their ranch for the Jerry Lee’s clinic and then hosted an Open House afterwards.

When daylight came Jerry Lee and I sat on the screened-in porch of his house drinking coffee and planning the attack on the day. We had waited to set up the round pen to see what the day’s weather would bring.

As the skies lightened up, Jerry Lee made the decision to take a chance and set it up in the northeast corner of the arena so we got after it. When 10 o’clock rolled around everything that could be done was completed.

And the people came. About 40 People came to watch as Jerry Lee took 4 horses rescued by LSER thru an evaluation.

First came a PMU draft cross mare. The foster “parent” didn’t know much about her except there was a picture with some one on her back. She turned out to be a sweetheart. Naturally nervous about the strange environment, but she was willing. Jerry Lee spent about 30 minutes on the ground with her and then saddled her and stepped up. She didn’t know much but was willing to do what was asked of her.

Next was a 4-year-old Quarter Horse mare and she was a beauty. She was a bright Sorrel with a bit of a blaze and one hock high stocking. Again not much was known about her and she was a little less receptive at first, but came around when Jerry Lee finally stepped aboard and moved out. Unfortunately she was off in the left hind, which was due to the fact that she doesn’t haul well and probably dinged, herself in the trailer on the way to the clinic. There was a lady in the audience who was ready to lay claim to her and she’ll make a good ride with about sixty more days of wet saddle blankets.

Next was a big yellow mare. She had been a broodmare and had recently had 90 days with a trainer. The last day when the people were going to pick her up she bucked off the trainer and my guess is the owners got spooked and donated her to LSER. Jerry Lee worked her for about 20 minutes then saddled her and put her on a lunge line. About the second circle she buried her head and bucked a full circle around the pen. When she got over that Jerry Lee put the driving lines on her for a few minutes and then stepped up. She did well for about five minutes and then stuck her nose between her knees again. She made a good half circle of the pen before he was able to pull her head up and proceeded to move off like a broke horse with a decent handle. She’s a big stout built mare that will make one heck of a good using horse.

Finally came a little flea bitten gray mare that looked like an Arab/pony cross. She had a stunted look about her and some problems in the hind end. Best guess, she was bred too young and wasn’t fed properly along the way. She was very non-receptive (scared to death), but finally started to come around, but when it came time to saddle her it took two of us to get it done. She never bucked and when Jerry Lee stepped up on her, but she froze up. He finally got her going and she was way off in the hindquarters. In this writers opinion she should end up being a pasture pal and maybe with some serious training good for light trail riding.

After the clinic was over Jerry Lee worked with two of the horses that had trailer issues and then we all adjourned to the

Jerry Lee Sewell and Rock-C Ranch owner Christian Smith

campfire where Christian and Pebbles put on a fine feed and we sat around swapping stories until late in the evening.
The Rock-C is set up as a training, breeding and boarding facility with plans to include a multi-faceted bed and breakfast and an opportunity for others to experience the atmosphere of country living and the life around horses. The ranch is well on its way to becoming a first class facility due to the dynamic partnership of the Christian, Pebbles, Jerry Lee Sewell and Catherine Norman.

Pebbles is a farm raised Vermonter, turned Texan, and the Director of the University of Texas Performing Arts Center. Christian also a New Englander, is the Director of Budget and Planning for Travis County.

The Rock-C Ranch’s Phone number is 512-360-4001 or contact Jerry Lee Sewell at cowboyjerrylee@aol.com. or at 620 FM 535, Smithville, Texas, 78957. You can also visit Jerry Lee’s website at: www.humanehorsemanship.com. You can visit Lone Star Equine Rescue at: www.lser.org.

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