Clinton Anderson Clinician Academy Turn Your Passion Into A Profession

The Academy will take place at the Downunder Horsemanship Ranch in Farmington, Arkansas. The facility is built to Clinton’s specifications and offers world-class amenities. Participants will work in roundpens and arenas, on the ranch’s obstacle course and will have the opportunity to train on the trail.

All horsemen who apply to the Academy will begin the Method Ambassador program. If you complete the Academy, excelled in your training and horsemanship skills, and exhibit the four core values of Downunder Horsemanship, you may be invited to continue your training to become a Professional Clinician.

Unfortunately, Downunder Horsemanship cannot accept applications from anyone under the age of 18.  You will need to wait until you are 18 years of age before applying.

Yes. We encourage you to submit your completed Academy Application and pay the Application Fee and Initial Payment as soon as possible to secure your slot in the Academy.

THE APPLICATION FEE, INITIAL PAYMENT, AND ANY PAYMENT TOWARDS THE ACADEMY FEE ARE NON-REFUNDABLE REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Once we receive your Academy Application, Application Fee, and Initial Payment, Downunder Horsemanship will send you an Academy Agreement to review and sign. Once Downunder Horsemanship receives your signed Academy Agreement, you will be sent written confirmation that you have secured participation in the Academy and your money will then be non-refundable. Applicants have 14 days from the date of receipt of the Academy Agreement to return the signed document or the slot will be released to the next applicant. Because Downunder Horsemanship can only accommodate a select number of participants a year, the Application Fee and any payments towards the Academy Fee are non-refundable to ensure only those committed to participating in the Academy are guaranteed the opportunity to participate. Downunder Horsemanship limits the number of Participants in the Academy to ensure that each Participant receives the individualized attention necessary to learn the Method.

The Method Ambassador program is seven weeks in length.

Participants are required to secure their own housing. RV hookups and/or dry camping are not available at the Ranch. Farmington, Arkansas offers numerous housing options. Participants may stay in an RV park, lease an apartment or home, or reside in a short-term hotel.

During the Method Ambassador program, all participants receive four hours of instruction, five days a week. When not in class, participants will train their second horse, study for the theory exam, and care for their horses. Don’t be fooled into thinking the Academy is just a four-hour day, five days a week. You’ll need to care for your horses seven days a week and will spend full days at the ranch between attending class and ensuring that both of your horses receive training, are making progress and are in good condition.

Food will not be provided and there will not be a kitchen or other area to prepare your food. Your best option is to pack your lunch or plan to run into town or to the place you’re staying to grab something to eat. The nearest fast food restaurants are approximately 8 minutes away from the ranch.

Be sure to bring plenty of water to drink throughout the day so that you stay hydrated. Many participants bring small coolers with them in order to always have a drink on hand.

Yes, you may leave the Academy at any time; however, your payment of the Application Fee and Academy Fee are non-refundable. Absolutely no exceptions will be made, regardless of the circumstances.

Yes, when training for the Method Ambassador, you must bring two horses to train during the Academy. The horses:

• must be under 10 years of age;
• must be geldings or mares (no stallions);
• must have had at least 60 rides (no colts or horses that have not been started under saddle);
• must not have any previous training in the Method;
• must be currently sound and have no history of lameness; and
• is not a gaited horse or an Arabian.

Downunder Horsemanship VERY HIGHLY recommends that your horses come in shod on all four feet. This helps to prevent horses from going lame because of sore feet. We do a lot of riding outside on hard terrain, and most horses that start the program barefoot will get sore.

Downunder Horsemanship highly discourages participants from bringing any type of gaited horse or Arabian. Every horse has a job he is bred to do—work cows, slide to a stop, pull carts, etc. Gaited horses are bred to go fast in a straight line. A large part of the Method is teaching horses to become soft and supple throughout their whole bodies. Gaited horses are not designed to be supple throughout their bodies and are not designed to be athletic enough to do maneuvers such as rollbacks, circles or tight turns. As a general rule, Arabians are hot, reactive and bred to go long distances. In general, they do not have the natural disposition to be quiet, safe trail horses that a beginner could ride. Can you take a gaited horse or an Arabian through the Method? Absolutely, we’ve taken many gaited horses and Arabians through the Method here at the ranch; but, when you’re first learning the Method, it would be wise to choose horses that will help you succeed in your training, rather than make your training more difficult.

No. The Method Ambassador program is dedicated to teaching you how to train a horse through the Fundamentals level of the Method. All the horses will progress through the training at the same rate. If a horse goes lame after three weeks of training, you will not have time to bring a new horse up to speed with the program. This is why we require all participants to bring two horses. If one horse goes lame, you’ll still have another horse to continue working with and test with.

Yes, but it is STRONGLY DISCOURAGED and should be avoided if possible. Participants must understand the HUGE risk they are assuming by bringing someone else’s horse to the Academy. If the owner of the horse decides to back out at the last minute or pull the horse from training halfway through the Academy, you’re out of luck. Downunder Horsemanship will not refund any payments made to participate in the Academy.

If you do make the unwise and risky decision to bring someone else’s horse to the program, the owner of the horse is not permitted at the ranch to watch the training classes. Further, we highly encourage you to partner with someone who has your best interests at heart. That means that you know each other personally, they are familiar with how you work with horses and care for them, they are familiar with Clinton and the Method, and perhaps most importantly, they want you to succeed in the program and have a successful future as a trainer.

Choosing to work with a person who has no interest in your success in the program or your future as a trainer and/or is looking for a free or discounted option to get their horse trained will get you into trouble EVERY SINGLE TIME. Do not do it. If an owner does not understand or is not happy with how you train or care for their horse—even if you do a great job—they can ruin your name and career before it even gets started.

The best option is to buy a couple of inexpensive horses to use for the program so that you’re the sole owner and can avoid the inherent risks that come with working with someone else’s horse.

All horses need a current Coggins (within the last year) and a Health Certificate (within the last 30 days).

You must bring your own tack and it must all be Downunder Horsemanship product, no exceptions.  The following is a list of required equipment that you must bring to the start of the Academy:

• Two rope halter and 14-foot lead rope sets;
• Two handy stick and string sets;
• Aussie saddle with horn;
• PRS pad;
• Breast collar;
• Bridle with Mecate rein set;
• Smooth snaffle, twisted snaffle, and square snaffle;
• Two sets of legacy boots (front);
• Two sets of legacy boots (hind);
• Extra stick tips;
• Plastic bags to attach to Handy Stick for desensitizing; and
• Stock whip (optional).

It is also HIGHLY recommended that you bring three girths of different sizes. Horses will lose weight with the intense workload.

If you graduate the course, you’ll be required to have a like new (meaning clean and presentable) halter and lead rope set, stick and string, and legacy boots to put on your horse for the promotional photo shoot.

Participants will be given two 10’x10’ stalls for their horses.

Downunder Horsemanship will provide the following for Participants:

• • A wooden pallet on which to store their hay and feed. Pallet will be placed in front of each Participant’s designated stall area. Plan on being able to keep about a week’s worth of feed in your stall area.
  • Community-use wash racks
  • Community-use hoses for watering and bathing horses
  • Community-use wheelbarrows

You’ll need the following items:

• • Shavings for your stalls. There are no restrictions on the type of shavings you use.
  • Pitchfork to clean stalls
  • At least 4, preferably 6, buckets to use to feed and water your horses. (Stalls will not have mangers or waterers.) One bucket should be used for feed and two buckets to provide water for each horse.
  • Straps to hang the buckets in the stalls
  • 2 hay bags
  • Saddle rack to set up outside your stall
  • Bridle hooks/rack to hang outside your stall
  • 2 Aussie Tie Rings and chains to connect the rings to the stalls to tie your horses. There will be no Patience Poles.
  • Lawn chair to use during classroom sessions
  • 10’x10′ tarp to cover feed or tack and equipment
  • Coolers or Snuggies for your horses

You must bring the following common medicines and doctoring agents to be used on your horses if necessary:

• Vetericyn
• Bottle of Penicillin
• Bottle of SMZ (Sulfamethoxazole) tablets
• Tube or bottle of Bute (Phenylbutazone)
• Tube of eye ointment
• Corona or other multi-purpose ointment
• Thermometer
• Vet Wrap
• Poultice bandages
• 60ml syringes
• 35ml syringes
• 12ml syringes
• 16 gauge needles, 1″ long
• 20 gauge needles, 1 1/2″ long
• Scissors
• Elasticon (medical adhesive tape)
• Nonstick medical pads/bandages
• Grooming and bathing supplies

Participants may board their horses on the ranch for no additional fee, subject to the terms of the Academy Agreement and Equine Boarding Agreement. Participants will be responsible for providing shavings for bedding and feed for their horses. You are solely responsible for the care and welfare of your horses, including feeding and watering your horses as well as cleaning stalls, doctoring, and all necessary action to ensure the safety and welfare of your horses.

Dress is casual. During the summer months, we highly recommend wearing lightweight, long-sleeve shirts and a straw hat to keep the sun off of you. Don’t forget the sunscreen! Wear comfortable boots that have a heel. We also recommend bringing a rain slicker and pair of mud boots for when it rains.

Yes, you will need spurs with a rowel from Tom Balding purchased through Downunder Horsemanship. As soon as Downunder Horsemanship receives your application and deposit to attend the program, you’ll be sent an order form to get your spurs. The spurs are about $350, and are one of the most important investments you will make in your career. We are very picky about what kind of spurs you wear because they are one of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll have as a trainer. Spurs can mean the difference between getting your job done well and not getting it done at all. Your spurs, as well as your final balance, must be paid in full in order for you to officially be accepted into the Academy. All participants in the Method Ambassador program must order a pair of spurs.

Your friends and family are welcome to visit you on the weekends (Saturday and Sunday only) if training sessions are not being held. They are not allowed on the ranch during the week or anytime that training sessions are being held. Any visitors who disrupt training or behave in a manner Downunder Horsemanship deems inappropriate or unwelcome, are prohibited from being on ranch property at any time.

If you score at least a B+ on the theory test as well as the practical exam and consistently demonstrate the four core values, you will be recognized by Downunder Horsemanship as a Method Ambassador. This recognition is not, however, guaranteed. Not everyone who participates in the Academy successfully completes the Method Ambassador program.

All participants will be tested on their knowledge of Downunder Horsemanship’s horsemanship philosophy. To demonstrate mastery of the philosophy, you must score at least a B+. All participants will also take a practical exam during the last week of the Academy. You will be evaluated on every Fundamentals exercise with one of your horses and must earn at least a B+ to be recognized as a Method Ambassador.

Method Ambassadors and Professional Clinicians pay an annual licensing fee each year in order to keep their certification.

No. A licensing fee is due each year.

Yes, both Method Ambassadors and Professional Clinicians are required to assist Downunder Horsemanship at one event each year. This provides the opportunity to increase your horsemanship knowledge.

No, there’s no requirement to teach the public after receiving the ambassador training. Many individuals have participated in the Academy because they want one-on-one instruction from Clinton for an extended period of time.

You may instruct private lessons, teach small clinics, and train horses for the public.

You may instruct private lessons, teach clinics, train horses for the public, work with Clinton in the arena at tours and clinics, and teach the whole Method, including Intermediate, Advanced, Foal Training, Colt Starting, and Trick Training.

Yes, Method Ambassadors may use Clinton’s name to promote themselves, purchase booth space to promote themselves at Walkabout Events, and purchase marketing materials, such as business cards, shirts, and posters, from Downunder Horsemanship. Downunder Horsemanship’s website will also include your photo and contact information and Downunder Horsemanship will publish a half-page profile in the No Worries Journal introducing you to club members and advertising your availability.

Professional Clinicians may also use Clinton’s name to promote themselves and purchase marketing materials from Downunder Horsemanship. Downunder Horsemanship will also include photo, biography, videos, and clinic schedule on its website, advertise you as a Professional Clinician in every edition of the No Worries Journal, and provide you the opportunity to promote yourself and work with Clinton in the arena at Walkabout Events.

There are two things that Downunder Horsemanship recommends doing to prepare yourself for the Academy.  First, work with as many horses as possible through the Fundamentals. Every horse will teach you something different. Many people are really good at working with one particular horse that they’ve gotten to know inside and out, but when you give them a new horse to train, they struggle and fail. A good horseman knows how to adjust to working with a hot, reactive, sensitive type of a horse and also one that is lazy, dull, and disrespectful. The more feel, timing and experience you develop before arriving at the Academy, the more likely you will succeed as a Method Ambassador.

The second thing you can do is to study the Fundamentals Kit—know it, memorize it, and understand every word of it. There is a direct correlation between how well someone knows the Fundamentals and how successful they are during the Academy. So use any time you have before arriving at the ranch to study. A great tip is to download the Downunder Horsemanship app and listen to the lessons as you’re going about your day — while you’re working horses, driving, working around the barn, etc. The more you read it, hear it, and experience it, the more you’ll understand it and remember it.