Dakota Kirchenschlager finishes up a week of training on a 5-year-old Magnum gelding with reining chops. His goal is get the horse working well at different levels of intensity instead of always finding a way to ask for a big, beautiful stop. This session also demonstrates the value of putting well-trained horses on slow cattle. 

Trevor Brazile won the 2022 Badlands heading futurity aboard Big Time Movie Star “Queen.” Photo courtesy Badlands Bits and Spurs Futurity.

About Dakota Kirchenschlager

Based in Whitesboro, Texas, Kirchenschlager is an accomplished team roper and respected rope horse trainer. A three-time NFR qualifier and 2011 Resistol Rookie Heeler of the Year, Kirchenschlager made his first appearance at the NFR at age 21, in 2012. He returned to Vegas in 2014 and 2016, and along the way he has won the most coveted titles in the business. Since then, Kirchenschlager has dedicated himself to the art of horsemanship and training young rope horses, winning the coveted American Rope Horse Futurity Association World Championship on X My Itch in 2020. Kirchenschlager uses lessons from reiners, reined cow horse trainers and ropers alike, with an emphasis on the importance of keeping horses responsive and liking their job.

More with Dakota Kirchenschlager

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