Magic,
well maybe just a little, but if you could watch Dave Menegatti, owner of Double
Spear Training and Boarding Center, you would see that it’s his great
natural horsemanship ability. Born and raised on a 40,000-acre ranch in South
Central Colorado, Dave’s western heritage has very strong roots. Dave
started riding at the age of three and hasn’t left the saddle since. His
family owned and operated ranch dates back several generations. The Italian
cowboy’s grandparents on both his mother and father’s sides in addition
to his father, trained horses in the mountains of Colorado. Dave helped them
ever since he could put on a pair of boots. It was because of this daily interaction
with horses at an early age that Dave really learned to communicate with horses.
Few people are born with that special gift of being able to embrace the mind
and soul of a horse. Dave is indeed one of those few.
“Horses were a part of our life,” said Dave. “Everything we
did was with horses; timbering, haying, moving cattle – everything was
horseback. You had to know your horse inside and out. We would ride so far and
so long when I was a kid, that I would fall asleep horseback and fall off. In
a 9000-acre pasture you had to have a special bond with your horse or he’d
be at the trailer and you’d be walking. That’s when I really understood
that you never wanted to force a horse to do something, the horse should want
to do it – you should create the special bond through love and trust that
makes the horse want to perform for you.”
Dave likes to train his horses by first creating a bond through a strong foundation
of ground work and then he begins the learning process under saddle: “When
I start them, I look to first and foremost gain the horse’s respect,”
said Dave. “I believe you must establish trust and teach the horse the
ability to handle his body and your weight before you ever put him in front
of a cow. You must teach him to move off leg and rein pressure. This ability
to handle himself will help keep him sound for future use. Once the horse has
mastered this, then you can start introducing cattle or focusing on specific
maneuvers for certain events like cutting, reining or running barrels.”
Dave has bred, raised and trained championship horses throughout his life, in addition to winning numerous awards on his own horses and competing as a champion roper.
“The horses that came off the ranch were unequalled,” said Dave.
“Back then, we didn’t train horses for one specialized event. We
trained well broke, using horses that could do everything and anything. Only
later did we realize that we could take our good ranch horses and enter them
in the show ring and be successful.”
And successful they
have been. The list of accomplishments on horses that Double Spear has trained
is long and their customers keep calling. “We want our customers to be
happy and successful in which ever discipline they choose,” said Dave.
The philosophy of Double Spear is to create a partnership between horse, trainer,
and owner in which all parties work harmoniously to achieve common goals. It’s
this combination that has made the Double Spear magic.
Central Texas is fortunate to have acquired the talents of Dave, his wife Brandi,
daughter MaLeigha and son Dawson, and 
that
have chosen New Braunfels as their new home. Brandi is a Texas native, growing
up in Austin and then attending The University of Alabama on an athletic scholarship.
An athlete in her own right, with her years of training and working with Dave
have combined to make Brandi’s love of horses a real asset to the Double
Spear operation. Brandi also has a teaching certificate, which further enhances
her ability to conduct riding lessons for all ages but especially for preparing
the fun filled junior group lessons she conducts.
Just when you think it cannot get any better than a 14,400 square foot, state
of the art horse barn, indoor riding arena, outdoor riding arena plus a covered
roping arena (now under construction), add to the great mix an up and coming
champion roper, instructor and horse lover, Brandi’s brother Ryan Nunez.
He has added his skills and techniques to the Double Spear magic having trained
and roped with some of rodeo’s greatest: Tee Woolman and the legendary
Phil Lyne. Is it possible that this good-looking, former star wide receiver
for the University of Texas has so much equine ability? After watching Ryan’s
training skills and his application of them for winning roping competitions,
you would have to agree; absolutely he also has that magic touch.
Double Spear offers full care boarding, riding lessons, horse sales, training
and starting of young horses. The facility has a staff veterinarian, farrier
and outstanding equine sports massage specialist to insure a high standard of
quality care.
Magic...Well Maybe. You be the Judge.
Ryan and Phil Lyne
For more information on Double Spear Training and Boarding, please call
830-708-3482.
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