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Training Tips

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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Training Tips
February 15, 2022

Training Tip: Picking Up the Correct Lead From a Standstill

As you and your horse work on leads and learn to communicate better, you can increase the challenge of picking up the correct lead by asking the horse to do so from the standstill. Asking a horse to pick up the correct lead and canter collected from the standstill requires precise cues on your part […]

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Training Tips
February 8, 2022

Training Tip: Counterbend for a Softer, Suppler Horse

A step-by-step approach to training that focuses on suppleness as well as impulsion, addresses your horse’s fitness from head to tail. Whether you cut cows or trail ride, a well-balanced training program can improve your horse’s athleticism, achieve a deeper level of communication and responsiveness and enhance his overall well-being—a fit, flexible horse has greater […]

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Training Tips
February 1, 2022

Training Tip: Creating Draw With a Hard-to-Catch Horse

Question: Heinz is an older horse, and I used to have to chase him to catch him. I’ve worked with him to teach him that when he sees me, he needs to turn in toward me, instead of me chasing him. I started with roundpen work so he will give me two eyes and respect […]

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Training Tips
January 25, 2022

Training Tip: Raising an Orphan Foal

Question: We are unexpectedly raising an orphan foal. How do I teach him to be a horse? I don’t want him to be a brat like some tend to be.

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Training Tips
January 18, 2022

Training Tip: A Horse’s Age is Just a Number

When someone tells me how old a horse is, I never make a correlation between the horse’s age and how well-trained and experienced he is. Nothing will get you into trouble faster than making an assumption about a horse’s training based on his age. The horse industry as a whole generally lumps all young horses […]

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Downunder Horsemanship - General Training Tips
January 18, 2022

How to Introduce the Snaffle Bit to Your Horse

Like all pieces of equipment you use to train your horse, care needs to be given when introducing a bit to your horse. When starting a horse under saddle, Clinton recommends using a hackamore. “The hackamore gives horses a chance to learn how to give and soften to pressure while I’m on their backs without […]

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Training Tips
January 11, 2022

Training Tip: Your Horse’s Frame of Mind is Important

Whenever you’re working on desensitizing your horse – getting him to stand still and relax while you approach him with an object or stimulus – set the situation up so that your horse is in a good frame of mind. That means he’s using the thinking side of his brain and is wanting to stand […]

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Training Tips
January 11, 2022

Teach Your Horse to Stand Quietly While Being Groomed

If your horse constantly fidgets and paws the ground while you’re trying to groom him, he’s telling you that you need to evaluate how you’re interacting with him and brush up on the basics. Behavior like fidgety feet, pawing, rearing and running backwards, can quickly make grooming impossible. Clinton explains how to correct behavioral problems […]

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