My name is Shamus Haws (pronounced Sham- Us) and I was born into a ranching family. My parents say that they first held me upon a horse the day I was brought home from the hospital. By the age of 6 years old, I was showing in and doing quite well in youth horse shows and rodeos. By the age of 11, I had started my first colt. Soon after I was riding colts and training horses for the general public. I have been ranching, riding and training horses in western discipline ever since.... (read more)
Knowing that there was a better way to communicate with horses, I began my journey to gain more knowledge and better my horsemanship skills when I was in just my early twenties. This search resulted in a commitment to work with horses for a better change, not only for the horse but also within myself. I have taken every opportunity I can to ride with and learn from other great and talented horsemen. Now with more than 30 years of horse training and ranching experience, I am always very eager to share my knowledge, and the knowledge that I have learned from spending time with other great horseman such as Bryan Neubert, Joe Wolter, and many others, along with the influences of Ray Hunt and the Dorrence Brothers. I feel that I am and always will be a continual student of Horsemanship; as you can never gain enough knowledge. My goal with every colt I start or horse I ride is to help them be soft, supple, balanced, quiet, willing and responsive. I love the challenge of convincing horses to “want to” rather than “have to”. I personally start 100+ colts per year for myself and for the public.
As the Dad of four beautiful daughters, who all love horses, I knew the importance of teaching my girls be in touch with the internal, invisible intent that a true horseman must have. That they too could communicate with their horses in a better way. Not only because of my guidance, but because of the guidance they have learned from their horses, they are all very accomplished and talented young horsewomen.
In 2006, I was approached by several ranchers and horse enthusiasts here in Utah about teaching a colt starting and a horsemanship clinic. Ever since then I have been able to share my methods by doing colt starting, horsemanship, confidence building, body control and cow working clinics all over the the country. I have been noted for my sense of humor and my helpful analogies that often bring the language of great horsemanship into everyone's realm of understanding. Over the 10 years, I have also been showing in the AQHA, specializing in Ranch Horse Pleasure, Ranch Horse Versatility, Reining and Working Cow Horse.
My wife and I also own and operate Running U Quarter Horses, Inc. This is a fifth generation, family owned, working horse and cattle ranch, located in Western Utah. I have been running the day-to-day operations of the 30,000+ acre ranch and crew for the past 25 years and I am very proud of the great foundation bred Quarter Horses that we raise. Running U is one of the oldest ranches in Utah and one of largest Quarter Horse ranches in the western United States. I oversee 8 breeding stallions, 100+ broodmares, over 200 head of horses total and a commercial herd of cattle. Between my clinics, the ranch, horse training, showing and on the occasion that I get to compete in a ranch roping event, I get the pleasure of spending 300+ days in the saddle each year.
I always tell my clients that when you connect and gain that willing partnership with your horse, you can control the mind, feet, and body of a horse. This is key to safety and all maneuvers. I am so thankful that I get to help people on a very personal level with a journey that can lead to a better and safer partnership between horse and rider. It is so rewarding to show people another way of handling their horse; a better, safer way. Without horsemanship, problems with a horse can be just an accident away from people getting hurt. People often get so focused on the end result they are trying to achieve, that they do not see the real problem.
My first love is my family, but my second is and always will be horses. This love has led me to many great opportunities and people, and I have been blessed to be able to share it with many in a positive and influential way. -Shamus Haws
