From 2-Year-Olds to Futurity Rope Horses: The Journey of David Sharp
- Big Sky Horse Sales
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
On this episode of Horses, Hope & Hustle, we sat down with David Sharp of Sharp Horses in Dublin, Texas — and what stood out most wasn’t just the horses he’s producing, but the mindset behind the program.
David didn’t wake up one day training futurity rope horses. His journey started the way many great horsemen do — riding young horses, learning the basics, putting in long days, and slowly building confidence and feel.
The Process Matters
David talked about the transition from riding two-year-olds to building competitive futurity rope horses — and how that process doesn’t happen overnight.
You don’t skip steps. You don’t rush foundation. You don’t cheat time.
Taking a colt from its first rides at two to a confident, competitive futurity horse requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to learn every single day.
And that’s something David believes deeply in.
“The More You Know It, the More You Love It”
One of the most powerful lines from our conversation was when David said: “The more you know it, the more you love it — like the Bible or anything.”
Horsemanship isn’t surface-level. The deeper you dive into it — understanding mechanics, feel, timing, bloodlines, training theory — the more appreciation you develop.
It becomes more than just riding horses. It becomes a craft. The deeper you study it, the more passion it builds.
A Bad Day Is Just a Bad Day
Like every trainer building a program, David has had setbacks. Tough horses. Tough runs. Tough days.
But one of his core beliefs is simple: Don’t give up. A bad day is just a bad day.
In the horse industry, that mindset is everything. One missed steer, one training setback, one frustrating afternoon doesn’t define the journey.
Consistency does. Showing up again tomorrow does.
Building Sharp Horses
Today, David and his wife Taylor run Sharp Horses together — David focusing on rope horse prospects and Taylor on barrel horses.
Their program centers around young horses — developing them correctly, futuritying select prospects, and building a reputation around quality over quantity. But none of that happened overnight.
It came from:
Riding two-year-olds.
Learning through mistakes.
Studying the craft.
Refusing to quit after a bad day.
And loving the process enough to keep going.
David’s story is a reminder that success in this industry isn’t loud — it’s layered. It’s built quietly through repetition, knowledge, faith, and grit. The more you learn it, the more you love it. And if today’s tough?
It’s just a bad day — not a bad life.
Be sure to listen to the full episode of Horses, Hope & Hustle to hear the full conversation.
— Crystal
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