Our first class of the Clinton Anderson Academy is set to graduate July 1st. The clinicians were selected by Clinton for their dedication to the Method, outstanding horsemanship skills and ability to instruct in Clinton’s same easy-to-understand style. Each clinician has Clinton’s seal of approval and is certified at the Fundamentals Level. Receive hands-on help learning the Method by contacting a Certified Clinician now to schedule a private lesson or clinic.

Jaclyn Sansaver
Certified Clinician - Fundamentals
Jaclyn was on the back of a horse before she could walk and honed her skills as a horseman starting colts on her family’s ranch in Montana. “Before discovering the Method I didn’t have the knowledge to work through all the problems I encountered with horses, and it was frustrating, so I can relate to others when I see them struggling to accomplish a goal,” she says. “It’s exciting now to see someone struggling with their horsemanship and be able to help them. Clinton and the Method gave me the knowledge to accomplish what I have with my horses, and I enjoy being able to share the Method with others.”

Location: Stephenville, Texas
Phone: (406) 480-9429
Email: sansaver@downunderhorsemanship.com

Chris Webb
Certified Clinician - Fundamentals
When Chris attended a 10-day Fundamentals clinic, it didn’t take Clinton long to recognize his natural ability with a horse. With Clinton’s seal of approval, Chris is ready to live out his dream as a clinician; traveling the country and helping others learn and fine-tune the Method. “I can’t even put into words how excited I am to be a part of the Downunder Horsemanship team and help others learn the Method,” Chris says. “It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I believe strongly in the Method and enjoy sharing it with others.”

Location: Peoria, IL
Phone: (309) 253-0291
Email: chrisw@downunderhorsemanship.com

Don’t Miss A Great Learning Opportunity
Private Lessons - $1,000/day plus expenses
Gather up to six participants to learn one-on-one in lessons tailored to fit you and your horse’s needs. Hosting a private lesson is a great opportunity to have a clinician come to your area and split the cost between your friends and neighbors. All private lessons must be scheduled for a minimum of two days. Clinton is so confident in each clinician’s ability that if you’re unhappy with their instruction in a private lesson, he offers a money-back guarantee.

3-Day Horsemanship Clinics - $750/person
Up to 12 participants spend three days learning the Fundamentals of the Method from the Certified Clinician. Clinics begin at 9 am and run until 5 pm daily.

Make the most of your horse’s natural athletic ability by teaching him to sidepass. Moving your horse sideways off of your leg helps to free up his ribcage, shoulders and hindquarters. It teaches him to move his feet in a rhythmic, even way, without using his hindquarters for forward impulsion, and it helps him learn to keep his shoulders, ribcage and hindquarters aligned. It’ll also help you upgrade to power steering - making your horse more easily maneuverable on the trail, around cattle, in traffic or when negotiating tight turns - including those needed when going through a gate.

When people watch me sidepass Diez on tour during the advanced riding demo, they often wonder how he’s able to master the footwork to step sideways while staying relaxed and collected. There’s really no secret - if you take your horse through the Method, starting at the very beginning, teaching him to move laterally off of your leg is a natural progression.

Frustration begins where knowledge ends. That's a statement I often find myself repeating at clinics and tours when teaching horse owners how to safely and effectively work with their equine partners. The more knowledgeable you are about your horse and understand basic horse psychology, the less chance you have of experiencing frustration. But being a great horseman isn’t just about being able to train your horse on the ground and under saddle, it’s also about providing the best care possible for your horse. Any successful horseman will tell you that the key to getting a horse to perform to the best of his ability relies on knowing the horse inside and out and looking out for his welfare.

Early in my horsemanship journey, I realized that the more you know about your horse, including his anatomy and how his body works, the better partnership you’ll have no matter if you compete or expect him to carry you safely down the trail. Unfortunately, the majority of horse owners are clueless when it comes to the anatomy of their horse. Thanks to the Horse 360 iPhone app, that’s starting to change.

When I discovered the Horse 360’s app last year, two things stood out to me - not only was the app very educational (it is jam-packed with equine anatomy information), but it was actually fun! Anytime you can learn in a setting that’s not only challenging but fun, the information sticks so much better. That’s true for horses and humans. Over the past several months, I've had fun playing the app and discovering all of its different levels that cover a variety of topics from basic conformation all the way to the horse’s teeth. There’s no doubt that the app has helped me brush up on my own knowledge of the horse’s body, and I’ve even learned new things about equine anatomy as the levels got more complex.

The app is a fun challenge, and I’m not the only one at Downunder Horsemanship to think that. I noticed that my Academy students, standout horsemen I’ve selected to train to certify as clinicians under my name, were often playing with the app as well. A born competitor and always looking for the opportunity to educate my students, I came up with a great idea. Why not turn playing the Horse 360 app into a friendly competition?

Starting at the end of this month, we’ll be holding a contest amongst our soon to graduate Academy students to see who the true Horse 360 app champion is. Each week, we’ll post the winner’s results on the Horse 360 Facebook page www.facebook.com/Horse360 so you can keep up on the scores. We even invite you to join our competition by completing a level and posting your score on Horse 360’s Facebook page and challenging your friends to do the same. You can even keep track of who has the best score in the world by posting your score to the World Leader Board. It’s absolutely free and a fun way to test your knowledge and see where you rank with other horse lovers around the world. Remember, the more we know about our horses, the better horsemen we’ll become.

This week the 30 participants in the Colt Starting clinic will arrive at the ranch for the 10-day clinic that begins Friday. Clinton will start by having each of the participants work with their colts in the roundpen and then move on to Fundamentals groundwork. Exercises on the ground will focus both on desensitizing and sensitizing to pressure so that the young horses are not only quiet, using the thinking side of their brains and prepared for a rider, but responsive and attentive to cues. Clinton’s approach to colt starting, which he learned from his late Australian mentor Gordon McKinlay, is focused on preparation and safety for both horse and rider. By the end of the clinic, the participants will have put 10 rides on their horses, including taking them on the trail and working over the obstacle course. Learn more about Clinton’s colt starting method in his comprehensive Starting Under Saddle DVD series.

After a year and a half of living and breathing the Method on the Downunder Horsemanship Ranch, the Academy students were given their final exam late this spring when Clinton had them each start a wild mustang. The students and Clinton traveled up to the Bureau of Land Management’s Pauls Valley, Oklahoma adoption center so each student could select their own horse to train. Following Clinton’s colt starting technique, the students each worked with their horse and within a month were cantering them on a loose rein down the road. While each student passed their final exam, training the mustangs put their knowledge and experience to the test. Clinton often says that unlike a domestic horse, a wild horse doesn’t allow you to skip steps. You have to be very thorough and follow the Method consistently. After starting the mustangs, the students have a deeper appreciation for the Method and the experience it takes to work with a wild horse. You’ll get to watch their challenges, successes and end results in an upcoming television series that chronicles the students selecting their mustangs through their final ride.

For the first time in Downunder Horsemanship history, a clinic was held in Alaska. Professional Clinician Magen Warlick brought the Method to the "Last Frontier" in May for a 3-day Fundamentals clinic. Magen helped participants refine the Fundamentals, become more assertive leaders and build stronger partnerships with their horses. Clinic organizer and participant, Jamie Kokoszka shared that the clinic filled immediately when her fellow horsemen learned Downunder Horsemanship was coming to the state, and said that they were all empowered by the Method and Magen’s instruction. "It was quite evident to everyone in our group that Magen has a gift for this line of work. She is professional, experienced, articulate and has great people skills. She is definitely the high caliber trainer we all hoped to meet," Jamie described. If you’d like to schedule a private lesson or clinic with one of Clinton’s Professional or Certified Clinicians, visit www.downunderhorsemanship.com/events.aspx to learn more.

When you apply pressure is critical when asking a horse to go over an object. Never pressure the horse when he is investigating the obstacle or thinking about going over it. Instead, pressure him away from the object. It’s a lot like loading a horse in a trailer. You put pressure on him away from the trailer and take the pressure away when he gets to it. Make the object look like the easy part of the day. So when he comes up to the object and is considering jumping over it, back him away - retreat. Then send him forward again by pointing and applying more pressure with the stick and string. You’re making being away from the object hard work and creating energy in his feet so that his momentum will carry him over the object. Try not to apply the pressure as he actually gets up to the object. Remember, make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult.

Last week’s Confidence Clinic participants might have come to the ranch unsure of their horsemanship abilities, but by the time the five-day clinic came to an end, they had the knowledge and tools to not only be leaders for their horses, but start enjoying the partnership that can be had between human and horse. Clinton spent the first two and a half days having the participants work with their horses on the ground, which not only gave them the confidence of being able to control their horses’ feet, but got the horses thinking and tuned in to their handlers. On Wednesday afternoon they began conquering their fears in the saddle starting in a very controlled setting and then moving to a larger arena. The smiles beaming from their faces by the last day of the clinic was the best testament that Clinton and the Method had helped them accomplish their goals. This group of horsemen’s courage to face their fears, hard work throughout the five days and dedication certainly inspired us, and we’re looking forward to sharing their individual stories of success in an upcoming club DVD.

Clinton says it’s important to start training foals in the Method at a young age so they grow up right. That theory is true for our younger generation as well! Let's share some adorable pictures (you know they all will be) of our children, grandchildren or other family members that are 15 or under learning the Method. We know our members are working very hard at shaping our future horsemen into being great equestrians, so show them off!

The Rules:

1. All photos must be posted here in this thread http://www.noworriesclub.com/showthread.php?p=612639#post612639 to be entered in the contest.
2. Only one post per member, but include as many pictures as you would like.
3. Photos must be of a child 15 or under.
3. Make sure to share a story about your picture.
4. If you would like your photo to be published in an upcoming Journal, please email your photo (with your story) to journal@noworriesclub.com, subject "Cutest Future Clinician Contest."

Timeline:
1. Post your photos to the NWC forum by May 31st.
2. The following day, we'll post a poll in a separate thread for members to vote on their favorite entry.

The Prize:
Kids Essentials package (Kids Handy Stick and String, Halter and Lead Rope)

Have fun, and we can't wait to see your photos!

The Downunder Horsemanship offices will be closed on Monday, May 28th in observance of Memorial Day. We hope you take time to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to grant us the freedom we enjoy today and get to spend the weekend with family, friends and horses!