Paul Dietz: A True Horseman!

By Mike Thomas 

Paul Dietz: The Early Years

Paul Dietz is emerging as a great teacher of horses and people, and I am thrilled that I could be a witness from the very start. Around 1985 his Dad, Gene Dietz, called me needing help loading a bay horse into a 2 horse trailer. That was around 24 years ago in Scottsdale, AZ.

Paul got hooked up with Buck Brannaman in June 1986, and the rest is history... an amazing history! From age 14, he spent his summer vacations with Buck Brannaman in Montana through high school, then college, starting colts and working with real troubled horses and people. 

Then four more years on the road with Buck, full time and on the payroll, traveling tens of thousands of miles, back and forth across America, each year riding hundreds and hundreds of colts and problem horses. When you travel with Buck, you don’t get to ride the easy ones! Sometimes it was a baptism by fire.

During those years, Paul rode and was exposed to thousands of "horses with people problems". At around 24 years of age, with ten years of intensive teaching from Buck, Paul never dreamed that he might ever give a clinic. He only wanted to be the best student Buck Brannaman ever had. While traveling with Buck he also got to work and learn from, and with, Ray Hunt, Tom and Bill Dorrance, and many other great horsemen. Around 1997-1998, it was time for Paul to wing it on his own - "saddle up the colt named Uncertainty and give it a go"!

Paul’s first years on his own were not real easy. He had to learn what he was never good at: talk. He could ride and work with any critter with four legs and hair, and get it done, but he could not put his experience into words with fleshed out emotions, intellect of the horse to the owner, even though it was in his heart, soul, spirit and intellect and huge intelligence. Talking to groups of people was not easy and he literally taught himself and has spent years developing an effective way to communicate with people about their horses. Paul had no problem communicating with horses.

In high school, Paul could lead a debate team. He could sort out arguments across the isle; he could debate both sides of any issue. What he has worked on very hard for the last ten+ years, was learning how to teach. This he has learned from the horse and people that believed in him. Paul can now very effectively explain the horses’ point of view to people! In the process, what used to be difficult is now his mantra of teaching and helping people and dedicated students to the horse, enjoy themselves while learning a tremendous amount in Clinics and Workshops, not only about the horse, but themselves. 
 

Paul Dietz: A Respected Horseman from The Inner Circle

For the last several years, Paul has emerged to those of us that have been close to The Inner Circle as a much respected horseman and a real friend to the horse and people that care. He is truly respected and loved by all of his peers and students. He has fought hard for, and earned, the respect of many great horsemen and horsewomen. Whenever Ray and Carolyn Hunt or Buck Brannaman gave a clinic in AZ, Paul was always there to facilitate their every need and work some problem horses that were having real trouble with their owner/riders, for the last ten years. 

Paul Dietz sincerely believes he lives a “very blessed life". Having learned from the greatest horsemen in the world for over 24 years now, starting from age 14, he's now very well educated, a seasoned veteran, a gifted and compassionate teacher, and a great friend to the horse! All of this he learned in the last 24 years, and he is only 38 years of age now.

A true horseman can work with all breeds, all disciplines, for all purposes and for all reasons.  A true horseman is a multi-dimensional teacher and educator for all horses, actually teaching horses what they need to know and how to look forward to the job. 

Horsemanship is NOT a one-dimensional relationship where you're working a horse in a rut during hours, days and months of repetitive, restrictive boring actions. Horsemanship is an exciting experience each and every day, finding new ways to communicate with each other, investigating, exploring and working from the inside of the horse out! It is done with compassion for the horse, with the horse. The horse is always the winner with a True Horseman/Horsewoman who has real Feel, Timing and Balance! 

Paul Dietz can start a new colt under saddle at 8 AM, work a problem (striker/biter/kicker/bucker/runaway) horse at 9 AM, rope off a green colt at 10 AM, ride a horse full up in the bridle at 11 AM, halter teach a baby at Noon, then after lunch (dinner) ride and sort out problems on a Grand Prix Dressage Horse around 1 PM, then cut a cow on an advancing young horse in herd work at 3 PM.  This is who Paul Dietz, a true horseman, is, my friends.   

This is what The Inner Circle of Quality Horsemanship is about! Brought to thousands of students by The Trinity of Great Horsemen: Ray Hunt, Tom and Bill Dorrance! Paul Dietz has invested his life in quality horsemanship and through Buck Brannaman and the Inner Circle, his dream has become reality.

Paul Dietz: A Teacher of Horses and People, An Educator! 

Paul has become just that! He is now a really super friend of people and horses. He now can find words to help people through trouble in life with their horse. He has matured!  He has conquered the road blocks in life at an early age, overcome difficulties in communicating with people!  He is now a teacher and also an educator of horses and people! All of us that have lived a near full life know one thing. None of us arrived on this Big Hill In Life without help from those that believed in us. We all believe in Paul Dietz, because he believes in You, and Your Horse! 

A true Educator is not just a teacher. An Educator can reach into the horse and the human and find all of the qualities and the problems that are holding them back. An Educator can then put together a plan for both the horse and human that will lead to mutual success.   

Paul Dietz does not conduct clinics or workshops where "one size fits all, complete with showmanship, gimmicks and crap magic equipment"! Paul Dietz’s life is totally dedicated to The Horse - not self-serving aggrandizement.

He gives every part of himself and his education to each and every horse and student. When a student and the horse leave, they are given a whole host of things to work on that are tailored to only that student and that horse to work on until the next time they get together and "kick it up a notch!"  Every student, every horse is a winner with Paul Dietz! 

Now YOU need to believe in your horse that never lies! There is no excuse for poor horsemanship and your horse can be a winner along with you, and both are students.

Paul Dietz Workshop: Dec 12, 13 and 14 2009

This was a great weekend. Long-time students, friends and real dedicated horse kind of folk arrived and Christine Cook-Dietz really made it happen! The incredible young Emily, riding since 2004 from age 11 to 16, now, who can get one hell of a lot of things done that most people don’t learn until mucho later years, is just simply awesome at 16!

Paul’s current students: Janine, 7 years rode with vigor and learned a lot with a smile on her pretty face. Chris worked hard as well and did well.

Stephanie and Mom Sue showed they are one incredible team in life: Mother and Daughter!  They have ridden with Ray, Buck, Ricky, and they are awesome! A mother and daughter that now could embarrass the hell out of a so-called "Good Hairy Legged Cowboy".

Brian Baldwin with Chief has "hung in" for years! Joanie Glas with her mule, "Honey Poo Bear", who has been around for so many dedicated years and ridden with the best - Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman and Tom Dorrance! Joanie was also a super friend to the great Ray Harmon - a man we all miss everyday, an incredible Man among Men, a Horseman who played a huge role in Paul Dietz’s life and that of all the rest of us. 

Next day the wonderful Kathleen Sullivan showed up! Joel Eliot showed up! Joel was pivotal help with Paul, helping the really green students, in the cow working and more. Joel Eliot is a Great AZ Horseman, a friend of all, and he helped Paul help all students.

Kathleen was very supportive and rode "Hollywood" the next day in Fun Day Ranch Roping. She and Dr. Shelly filled in a lot "gaps" with a sick critter, and we all had fun! It was a time to laugh on Monday, to find time to enjoy our time together.          

The memories of so many years, just like Paul’s Workshop will live forever for all of us watching a great horseman become a great teacher and educator. Our Friend: Paul Dietz! 

Oh yeah! Christine Cook-Dietz fed the whole class with class. Good Grub-Line Clinic! Can you believe you can ride and get fed as well in one weekend? 
 

Paul Dietz and the Ray Hunt Memorial Clinic 

Paul Dietz has been honored by being selected to be one of the presenters at the Ray Hunt Memorial Clinic in Fort Worth, TX. The event is going to be a celebration of Ray Hunt’s life in a Colt Starting where each presenter will have 45 minutes each of two days with the colt they have drawn by Lot Number. This is not a contest per say, it is not about who is better than the other fella. It is about each presenter having the best day they ever had with a colt and honoring the man who gave us all he had in his being every single time for so many years. The Greatest Horseman That Ever Lived! 

Paul Dietz (himself) Is A Featured Presenter!  Ray Hunt Memorial Clinic

Feb 27, 28, 2010

Fort Worth, TX

For Tickets: www.rayhuntmemorialclinic.com 

Paul Dietz: One of 20 Presenters to Honor Ray’s Life!

      Congratulations Paul Dietz!  You Earned It!

“You Earned Your Spurs In Life!”

You Are Living, What The Trinity of Horsemen, Had to say in their combined 265 years of Life with the Horse! 

Give It a Go! (Ray Hunt: 1929-2009) 

Your Friend, Bless You,

Mike

For more on Paul Dietz: 

www.pauldietzhorsemanship.com

www.mikethomashorsemen.com

  

PS: The word "Himself" is an old Irish Honorific! Re the phrase "Big Hill Of Life": Mark Twain once said (paraphrased)… "When you reach 70 years, you feel like you have the right to tell everybody else how in hell to get here!" Please excuse my 70 years!