Ride
with Heart: An Interview with Tina Spangler
by Gina McKnight
From the October 2020 Issue of Florida Equine Athlete.
No duplication without permission.
Tina Spangler has been riding horses all of her life. A competitive barrel racer, Tina is the proprietor of Tina's Loving Care Barrel Horse Training, TLC for short. Tina writes, “I basically started my business one horse and one rider at a time. I even did barn-sitting in the beginning until my business grew. My motto is Ride with Heart. To me, ride with heart means putting the horse before the competition, developing a horse that has want and try. Also to give your best inside and outside of the arena.”
Welcome, Tina!
GM:
Thank you for connecting. Tell us about your first horse and when you knew you
wanted to be a barrel racer...
TS: I was eight when my parents bought me a Welsh pony named Candida for my birthday. She was already an accomplished speed show pony. We won a lot of trophies and ribbons. Poles was her best event. She made it fun and gave me confidence. That's when I got the bug. It’s been a lifelong passion. Even now I try to remind myself to always love it like the little eight year old girl I once was. She was my best friend. I grew up in a small horse town with horse trails instead of sidewalks and when school was out my sister and I ran home to jump on our ponies and ride all over town. They even had hitching posts at the fast-food and ice cream shop. It was a great way to grow up. My mom sent me to a barrel racing coach named Martha Roper as a kid and she taught me the value of perfect circles, light hands, and more horsemanship. Her horses would walk in the arena, win the class, and walk back out. She and her son put a lot of quality slow work into them.
My mom kept me in horses my whole life. I spent a lot of time taking green horses and finishing them out in my high school years. It taught me a lot. Not as much time competing those years as financially it was hard for a single mom of three. We still did some speed shows and my little sister did rodeo.
It was 1992 when I moved to Colorado and purchased an APHA mare named Cali who was five and green broke. I finished her basics and trained her for barrels. She finished Top 3 in the novice horse program with CBRA in 1994. When we bought our farm in Colorado, that's when I decided I wanted to do it for a living in 1993.
It was great to have my son in 1997 and be able to work from home his entire life until he went to college. I am thankful for being a part of everyday of his life.
When I moved to Florida in 2001 I started all over again. Same idea of one rider and horse at a time. I am thankful I've spent the last 19 years being able to train horses full time and give lessons at my farm. I have also done clinics all over Florida like Okeechobee, Ft Myers, Vero Beach, Ocala, Lady Lake, Hudson, New Smyrna beach, Blountstown, Groveland, and one day workshops at my farm.
After 27 years I have decided not to train any longer but to offer a mentorship program. I still do lessons, workshops, and all day away horsemanship and barrel racing clinics. I have an online subscriber’s members-only Facebook group I recently started that I am super excited about. There are many benefits in the group. I will also have a website for subscribers by the end of the year. It will have all the topics broke into different sections, things like starting a colt, putting a good foundation on your horse, as well as hauling, competing and seasoning one. I feel people waste thousands on trainers if they don't get involved in the lessons and don't keep it going when they get home. So my idea is to teach them how to do it themselves and be there with them through the whole process. It doesn't do any good to train the horse if you don't teach the person working with them.
GM:
Tina, what an amazing journey! Congrats on your business and success! In your
opinion, what makes a great barrel horse?
TS: Heart and a good mind. I believe there are some that are just naturals but they are far and few between for that GREAT true 1d horse. They just have the heart for it, they also have the mind for it and athletic ability. I do believe you can develop heart and mind if you take your time and do it correctly and with a lot of time and knowledge you can make a good horse great... If I'm looking at a young prospect I definitely look at confirmation, bloodlines and watch how they move. If the horse is already under saddle, I just watch their attitude, their mind and how they feel to me.
GM:
Horses, like people, have many different personalities. How do you match the
right horse with the right rider?
TS: That's a great question. I have a mental list I go by. I don't buy and sell horses, so that's something I don't get into, but if a client asked me what type of horse fit them best, I will offer my opinion.
I ask riders many questions - like do they get nervous or are you laid back or hyper, do they like to ride quiet or more aggressive. Are they confident or do they need a horse to give them confidence. Of course, what level rider they are, push style, free runner, point and go, 1d to 4d, you don't want to put them on too much horse. You also need to know their goals and if the horse they're looking at will help them get there.
GM:
As a successful barrel racer/trainer, what is the most important advice you can
give to novice riders?
TS: Get a solid foundation for you and your horse. Take your time teaching the pattern correctly, hauling and seasoning them. Go for pretty and build confidence in the beginning and the time will shave off as confidence grows.
Take lessons - English, reining, all disciplines, and a barrel racing coach that you like the way they ride or teach. If you're a novice, it will save you a lot of time and headache having help from someone who's been there. Your horse will thank you too! 😄
Learn from everyone - go to clinics, watch YouTube videos, and watch how people do things at the jackpot super shows and rodeos.
Never stop learning but also know what you stand for, your why and principles. I think the horse should always come first. Even if you sell them, make sure you find them a great home, if you move on to something more suited to you or the next level.
GM:
What is your recommendation for staying fit as a rider and keeping your horse
fit as well?
TS: When I had 12 horses on the ranch and was riding 5 to 8 horses every day in my 30s and 40s, the chores and riding was enough to stay in shape. Now I have slowed down in my 50s with a wore out left hip. I do recommend stretching and core strength exercise for people who don't ride for a living. You should do a mix of strength and aerobic to be in shape to ride barrel horses if you have a desk job full time. Of course, we all know we're supposed to eat healthy protein and veggies, fruits, clean eating as much as possible. Core strength is super important to compete well. For horses that will vary on the individual.
Open horses three days a week, pasture rides to condition like long trotting is good with a mix of dry work and drills; 30 or 40 minutes a ride.
Novice and young horses will need four or five days a week with more arena time. I mix up dry work, drills, and pattern work on the novice horses; 30 to 45 mins a ride. Maybe haul out 1x a week for exposure for slow arena work, on top of haul to compete 1x. Keeping mind calm is as important as body fit.
That's competing 1x a week or 3x a month with one or two days off a week.
GM:
Sounds like a good plan! Describe a day in your life...
TS: I spend half a day in the barn and the arena maybe playing with my own horses or giving lessons and doing chores. Then I spend half a day taking care of my TLC clients answering emails and computer work for my subscription memberships. I'm also pursuing a copyrighting business. As I have marketed my business for 28 years and enjoyed it, it comes natural for me to write and ride with heart or copy write and coach. Lol. Both are things I can do into my golden years and retirement life and will enjoy. Copywriter with Heart and TLC Barrels both allow me to help people and I can do both from my farm and that makes me happy!
GM:
What does horsemanship mean to you
TS: For me horsemanship is the relationship built between a horse and their human. I feel it should be a relationship built on trust, respect and communication of cues which comes from a place of love for me. I don't feel you ever stop learning and you can always become a better horse person. If I get to a point where I could never barrel race or ride again I would still want my horses in my backyard. Every horse I have ever owned and competed on I still own until the day they die. Two are retired here now and three I still can ride. They owe me nothing but they deserve from me a safe, loving golden retirement for all the years they gave me in our years of competition. Just petting my horses is good for my soul. By no means am I done yet but I could be at peace just watching them graze on my farm, too!
GM:
List ten things your fans may not know about you...
TS:
1. I love a quiet farm life with my horses and dogs, they are my world. I loved training and teaching more than competing over the years. Although I love my memories of competing on my horses, its more about my time with my horse than the wins.
2. Cali, Spanish Luck, taught me the value of not chasing points, saddles, buckles or money over their emotional and physical health first.
3. Belle, Korbel Goodtime, taught me that the best ones, the natural ones can sometimes be the most high-maintenance and quirky of all. They also require the most kindness and love. They are not a tool and you have to remember that. They will amaze you with their try.
4. Buddy, Jose Bexas, taught me a horse is a product of the foundation they were given and they definitely become a product of their environment. With time you can help them but you may never get them to where they could have been without the baggage in their early years. But like a stray dog they end up being the most loyal because they appreciate your kindness more and you just enjoy who they become. He was never the barrel horse I hoped he would be but he taught my son to rope and ponied many client's colts for me. He was what I needed but didn't know it at the time.
5. Being a mom is the best thing I ever did and that says a lot knowing how much I love my horses, barrel racing and dogs. Lol. No one tells you when they grow up and move away that is the hardest part.
6. Little sister, alittlehankypankyat6, sometimes a horse comes into your life that does amazing for you and then you realize they were doing it for you than actually would rather be doing something else. She excelled in her for futurity and Derby year. She was easy to train but I could tell in her open years she would rather be my cow pony, teach my clinics, lessons and pony my baby. So that's what she does now.
7. I have learned to pray and trust God and not my own understanding over the years.
8. Brisco, Runaway Brisco, taught me even if they start off really wild and scared of everything like a chicken on a horse suit that horse as a baby, they will be the one who bonds with you most, trusts you and works their tail off for you and you will trust them back in all situations. They become your Heart horse.
9. Maggie, Nonstop Maggie, taught me when everyone labeled her as a 3d horse but she comes in your life and you believe in her and she starts clocking 1d at super shows 200+riders and 150+ jackpots to neve say never. If you believe in them they may too
10. Rocky, Nonstop Rockstar, he was born with a 50% chance to survive and he did. He will be my last baby and I hope to explore new equestrian worlds with him.
Connect
with Tina…
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