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Training Tips

Training Tips
April 12, 2022

Training Tip: Handling an Aggressive Mare in a Group Ride

Question: I have a mare that tries to go after any other horse that rides near her; she even threatens horses at the opposite end of the arena. I spur her on and correct her as soon as I feel her intentions. Is there any way to overcome the problem without always having to be […]

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Training Tips
April 5, 2022

Training Tip: Check In With Your Horse on the Trail

One of the best ways to deter a horse from bolting or doing any other dangerous behavior on the trail is to check in with him every once in a while by asking him to move his feet and soften his body. As you’re walking down the trail, ask him to two-track or sidepass. Do […]

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Training Tips
March 29, 2022

Training Tip: Training a Show Horse With the Method

Question: I’m starting a yearling Quarter Horse filly with the Method and will prepare her for competitions such as western pleasure, showmanship and lunge line. I’ve noticed that she has a lack of horsemanship skills and I would like to know how to train her. Do I start the Method exactly like it’s programmed, or […]

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Training Tips
March 22, 2022

Training Tip: When to Work on Collected Lead Departures With Your Horse

If you want to know how truly broke a horse is, watch him do a lead departure. Horses with no training flip their heads and necks up and pull themselves into the lead with their front legs when asked to canter. Well-trained horses, on the other hand, effortlessly step into the canter while remaining soft […]

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Training Tips
March 22, 2022

Transition Your Horse From a Hackamore to a Snaffle Bit

Between a horse’s 10th and 14th ride, Clinton switches him over from a hackamore to a bridle with a snaffle bit. “When you decide to switch your horse from a hackamore over to the bridle really comes down to the individual. If your colt is doing well in the hackamore, it doesn’t hurt to leave […]

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Training Tips
March 15, 2022

Training Tip: Handling a Reactive Horse on a Group Ride

Question: I have been working through the Fundamentals course. My horse obeys my commands when working in the roundpen and when we’re out on the trail alone. When I ride with someone or in a group, she gets really nervous, and at times I cannot control her. I know the answer is not to use […]

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Training Tips
March 8, 2022

Training Tip: Horsemanship Test: Backing Your Horse in a Circle Around an Object

Here’s a fun challenge you can test your horsemanship with the next time you ride your horse. See if you can back your horse in a smooth, even circle around an inanimate object, such as a tree or cone, without him getting sticky feet or throwing his head up. You should tackle this challenge after […]

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Training Tips
March 1, 2022

Training Tip: Handling a Nervous Horse on the Trail

Question: My horse is very well-behaved and level-headed. I was on a ride last night with a friend whose horse is also very well-behaved. We rode past a pasture and the lone horse in the pasture came running to the fence.

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Training Tips
February 22, 2022

Training Tip: Understanding Horse Height

My experience in the horse world says that at least half the riders out there do not understand horse height in relation to a human’s height and weight. And most of those people believe that a bigger horse is better. It’s not. My mentor Gordon McKinlay used to tell me all the time: It takes […]

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Downunder Horsemanship - General Training Tips
February 22, 2022

Correcting a Horse’s Problematic Behavior at Feeding Time

If your horse turns into a bully when you bring feed into his stall or pasture, you don’t need to be told you’re putting yourself in a dangerous situation. Horses that are aggressive around food get pinny-eared and kick out, strike and even run people over. It’s behavior that’s not only dangerous but life-threatening. You […]

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