Tex's approach to horse handling is the natural and gentle way to handle animals. Tex does not believe in "breaking" horses. So many times a "broken" horse is also broken of spirit as well as body.

Tex's training and philosophy have been tested and proven long before the onset of the horse whispering movement. Tex insists on trust rather than intimidation in his training.

All aspects of Hayhook Tennessee Walkers training are done without restraint.  

The gentle and natural approach to horse handling begins with bonding one-on-one with the horse. Once Tex establishes a relationship with his horse he then begins his lessons with the horse. These lessons are designed to show the horse's own natural ability and work on that ability. It is Tex's philosophy that the trainer work with the horse not against it. By working with the personality of the horse, Tex can achieve far more with the animal.

While horses can be trained for specialty uses, Tex believes in training a well trained all around, "using horse". A horse that can be used anywhere from the show ring to the mountain top to the cattle ranch.

It has been said that bridleless training is of no value other than for demonstration purposes in the arena, however, this training of trust comes in very handy for riding a horse home from the pasture when you have no tack with you.  Once, when riding a very young horse in the mountains Tex stopped at a creek and invited his horse to drink before continuing across.  The horse lowered his head to drink and the bridle, apparently having come unlatched while riding through the brush,  fell into the creek leaving the horse free to do as it pleased.  Since Tex had worked with the bridleless riding with this colt in the corral the colt calmly waited for Tex to dismount, retrieve the bridle then continue on the ride.  What a wonderful quality!!!