By Susan Holland
A new feature is being offered on the Gravette Day schedule this year. At 3 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m., a round pen demonstration will be held at the old bus barn on Charlotte Street across from the library. The performances will be conducted by young Nathania McKenzie, a 16-year-old member of the Gravette FFA Chapter, and will show basic horsemanship training skills.
McKenzie is a very active member of the American Quarter Horse Youth Association and the Benton County Horsemanship 4-H Club. She has participated in speech competitions and horse judging and is currently competing in an AQHYA training competition called the Young Horse Development Program. In the future she hopes to also compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover training event and also the Road to the Horse training event.
McKenzie has been riding since she was 11 years old. She says she believes in being patient but also firm with a horse to get the best response. She promises to show horse enthusiasts ways to communicate with their horses and get the results they are looking for.
"I will demonstrate basic maneuvers on the ground and while riding the horse," she said. "Some of these maneuvers consist of lunging for respect, sensitizing and desensitizing, backing and controlling every part of your horse's body. I hope to see many of you there and ready to learn," she added.
General News on 08/05/2015