I Made the Right Career Decision To Work With Horses
About Al
– Since 1970, Al Dunning has owned and operated Almosta Ranch, a Quarter Horse training facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. Al and his wife Becky have been married since 1971. They have two children, Grady Dunning and McKenzie Parkinson and two granddaughters, Gracie Ann and Hadley May. Al was mentored early in his career by Hall of Fame trainers Jim Paul, John Hoyt and Don Dodge.
Al and his students have won over 48 World and Reserve World Titles in the NCHA, AQHA, NRCHA, and NRHA. Al has received multiple honors including American Quarter Horse Association’s Professional Horseman of the Year in 1997, the NCHA Zane Schulte Trainer of the Year award in 2003 and Western Horseman Magazine’s Horseman of the Year in 2017. He trained and showed the great buckskin multiple world champion Expensive Hobby, who was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2003. Al and Hobby were both inducted into the Arizona Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2016.
Al has authored many articles, videos, and five books-Reining, Reining Revised, The Art of Hackamore Training, The Ultimate Level of Horsemanship, and Down The Fence. Besides doing clinics around the world, he has mentored several top professional horse trainers.
Al is a past chairman of the AQHA Show Committee and Judge’s Committee. He runs a multi-faceted business including Al Dunning Training Stable, Inc., AD Tack, Dunning Consulting, LLC., and Team AD – an online mentoring program.
To Listen to Al Dunning on Youtube – Click Here
To Listen to Al Dunning on iTunes – Click Here
Or Listen below
Al’s Favourite Inspirational Quote
– “It is what it is.”
Who Has Inspired Al
Too many to count! I have had to privilege to learn from so many great horsemen, either formally or through watching them at shows. Some of the greats include
– Jim Paul
– John Hoyt
– Don Dodge
– Benny Guitron
– Bobby Ingersoll
– Buster Welch
– Dave McGregor
– Doug Williamson
– Greg Whalen
– Jack Brainard,
– Johnny Brazil,
– Gordon Hayes,
– Stan Fonsen,
– Sunny Jim Orr,
– Ronnie Richards,
– Smoky Pritchett and many more.
Each have taught Al something impactful that he has carried with him throughout his career.
Time Stamp
01:03 – Introduction
03:19 – One percent improvement a day equals 100 days – 100 percent
04:45 – Al believes in the basics and having a good foundation
05:25 – Has it always been horses as a occupation?
08:00 – What type of person should work in the horse industry?
10:18 – Know how to teach others?
11:45 – Learning about different sides of the horse industry
13:49 – What makes a top competitor
15:43 – You have to have horse sense. Use logic
16:36 – Be empathic with your horse
18:10 – What Al learned from Jim Paul
20:00 – What Al learned from John Hoyt
22:16 – What Al learned from Don Dodge
23:40 – What Al learned from Benny Guitron
25:06 – What Al learned from Bobby Ingersoll
26:58 – What Al learned from Jimmy Williams
28:04 – What Al learned from Buster Welch
30:16 – What Al learned from Dave McGregor
33:48 – What Al learned from Doug Williamson
35:16 – What Al learned from Johnny Brazil
35:35 – What Al learned from Greg Whalen
41:00 – Starting in your own horse business
46:47 – What Al is looking forward to
49:55 – The outside of horse is good for the inside of a man
51:50 – Contact details see below
Al’s Contact Details
Phone: 6023618803 Scotsdale, Arizona USA
Email: al@aldunning.com
Website: www.aldunning.com
Facebook: Al Dunning
Music
BenSound.com
When Al is a return guest on Horse Chats, what question would you like to ask him?
(Please leave comment below)