Rick Jackson takes us deep into his remarkable 40+ year journey as a cutting horse trainer, revealing the fascinating transition from agricultural education professor to championship-level horse trainer. Having grown up with a father who was a renowned figure in the cutting industry, Rick brings a uniquely multigenerational perspective to the evolution of western performance horses.

The conversation explores Rick's unusual career trajectory, including his time riding bulls on the Midwest rodeo circuit during his college years, before ultimately returning to his true passion of training horses. His academic background became an unexpected asset, providing him with communication skills that proved invaluable when teaching both horses and riders. "I'm a better educator and communicator because of my teaching background," he explains, distinguishing his approach from his father's more technical style.

We journey through the transformation of cutting from a general quarter horse show event to today's highly specialized sport, with Rick providing fascinating insights into how horses themselves have changed dramatically. "Horses are better bred, more intelligent, easier to train, and more athletic," he notes, explaining that horses he competed successfully on decades ago "probably wouldn't win a dime today." Rick also addresses the evolution in training approaches, with today's slower, more methodical development of young horses contrasting with the rushed timelines of previous generations.

The episode concludes with a heartwarming reflection on Rick's greatest satisfaction at age 75 - watching his amateur students achieve championship success after years of dedicated coaching. His recent students have reached world champion status in both sorting and cutting, a testament to his lifetime dedication to horsemanship excellence. For anyone interested in western performance horses, Rick's insider perspective offers invaluable knowledge from one of the industry's most experienced trainers.