Cutting Horse FAQs

Lindy Burch has bred, raised, and trained cutting horses for over 50 years at Oxbow Ranch in Weatherford, Texas. These are the exact questions she’s asked every week, answered with her own words from a 2025 interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which matters more in a foal’s success, the mare or the stallion?

The mare.

She supplies half the genetics and the first six months of daily imprinting, the critical window that shapes trainability and temperament.

Why it matters: A calm, cow-smart dam teaches her foal to accept humans, stop on a dime, and read cattle naturally. A nervous mare passes fear, no matter how flashy the sire.

“I really believe the mare has more to do with the progeny than the stallion… Stallions breed 200 to 500 mares a year… you’re relying really just on the stallion to have a great horse, where I look at the mare side… who has one or two babies a year.”

How does Lindy Burch select broodmares for Oxbow Ranch?

Three non-negotiables:

• Conformation, the look
• Temperament, sweet, not spooky
• Cow sense under saddle at two years old

Show records are optional.

Pro tip: Most Oxbow mares are home-raised daughters, granddaughters, or great-granddaughters of horses Lindy trained and showed herself.

“As long as the conformation is there, the look is there… and when I put them on a cow at two years old, I know if they’ve got the cow that’s required… even if that mare has never done anything.”

What do Oxbow broodmares and recipient mares eat every day?

Same protocol, no exceptions.

• Purina Growth: muscle and fetal development
• Premium alfalfa hay: fiber and calcium
• Platinum CJ: joint health
• Osteon: bone density and growth

Recipient mares live in the barn, receive daily cookies, and learn the wash rack, because a stressed recipient passes stress to the foal.

“I do it for all mares… They all get the same… Purina Growth and Development, Platinum CJ… Osteon to help for bone growth.”

When do Oxbow foals first see cattle?

May of their two-year-old year, after about 90 days with a trusted starter.

• February: ship to a starter
• May: return rideable, Lindy puts them on fresh cattle with no flag

The goal is to let the horse choose to stop and turn, to make it their idea.

“I don’t use a flag a lot as starting a two-year-old… I want them to have fun with the cow… teach them why, then it’s a lot easier.”

How long are Lindy Burch cutting clinics?

Three or four days, long enough for the light-bulb moment.

• Day one: information overload
• Day two: practice, often gets worse
• Day three: the light bulb turns on
• Final day: judged mini show with video and critique

Every rider leaves with video and Lindy’s phone number for follow-up.

“Usually the third day, they just go, this big light bulb comes on… then the last day, I do a little cutting show, where I judge and critique.”

Does Lindy Burch consult on facilities or programs?

Yes, and she partners with your existing trainer.

• Barn layout and daily flow
• Pasture rotation
• Broodmare band setup
• Stallion crosses, mare-first, not trend-first
• Young horse placement

“I would just like to be able to get those people better horses… help them get the right kinds of mares, where to send them, who should develop them.”

How do I contact Lindy Burch?

Call, email, or use the Contact Us form.

She answers personally and offers farm visits, video reviews, and phone consultations.

“They call me with questions or send me videos… and I enjoy helping people that want to learn.”