2024 Clinician Academy
Learn More
April 1 - May 17
Location
Downunder Horsemanship Ranch
Farmington,
AR
Training Tips
Training Tips
November 21, 2023
Training Tip: Training at the Trot Puts Your Horse in a Teachable Mind Frame
When it comes to teaching your horse something new or going back and fixing an issue under saddle, there’s no better gait to work from than the trot. Reason #3: It’s a Steady Beat There’s something about the trot’s two-beat gait that just relaxes a horse and puts him in a teachable frame of mind. […]
Read More
Training Tips
November 14, 2023
Training Tip: Ex-Barrel Horse Won’t Walk on a Loose Rein
Question: I have a 10-year-old mare who was used for barrel racing in the past and now has a difficult time walking without me holding her back. I have the videos and have been following them; however, I can’t seem to get her to walk out on a loose rein. Maybe there’s something I’m missing? […]
Read More
Training Tips
November 7, 2023
Training Tip: Training at the Trot Helps Your Horse Mentally
When it comes to teaching your horse something new or going back and fixing an issue under saddle, there’s no better gait to work from than the trot. Reason #2: The Trot Doesn’t Mentally Override Your Horse When you need to go back and fix an issue or when you’re teaching your horse something new, […]
Read More
Training Tips
October 31, 2023
Training Tip: Mare Can’t Do the Sending Exercise
Question: When I try doing the Sending Exercise with my mare and don’t let her come up to me after each yield, she will go through the gap and yield and want to come up to me. I back her up and send her through the other way, but after about two or three times […]
Read More
Training Tips
October 24, 2023
Training Tip: Teach at the Trot to Keep Gas in Your Horse’s Tank
When it comes to teaching your horse something new or going back and fixing an issue under saddle, there’s no better gait to work from than the trot. Reason #1: It keeps gas in your horse’s tank. When you start a training session with your horse, you only have so much gas in the tank […]
Read More
Training Tips
October 17, 2023
Training Tip: Horse Weaves When Her Feet Are Picked Up
Question: Whenever I pick up my Quarter Horse mare’s feet, she weaves back and forth. A couple of times, I’ve had to quickly put her foot down because it felt like she was about to fall over. She never gives me any problems when I want to pick up her hoof, she never tries to […]
Read More
Training Tips
October 10, 2023
Training Tip: Understanding the Drive Line
When you’re studying the Method and working with your horse on the ground, you’ll often hear me refer to the “drive line.” If you imagine that your horse is wearing a saddle, the drive line would roughly be where the girth would lie, right behind the withers. Whenever you apply pressure or even stand behind […]
Read More
Training Tips
September 26, 2023
Training Tip: Why You Should Train Your Horse on the Trail
No matter what sort of horse we have in for training at the ranch (Performance Horse or Academy Horse), we always follow the golden rule: Long rides, wet saddle pads and concentrated training. A huge part of that formula is getting your horse outside the arena. Riding outside the confines of an arena just makes […]
Read More
Training Tips
September 19, 2023
Training Tip: Horse Reacts to Being Saddled When Not Worked Consistently
Question: We have a 5-year-old gelding that has been recently gelded. He has been through the Fundamentals groundwork and he did really well. If you ride him for consecutive days, he does not saddle up cinchy. If you leave him for a couple of days and saddle him, he bucks, he rears and he lies […]
Read More
Training Tips
September 12, 2023
Training Tip: Take Bending at the Walk to the Next Level
If you’re working toward getting your horse soft and supple throughout his body with the goal of achieving collection at all three gaits, the Intermediate exercise Bending With Vertical is an important stepping stone in your training program. I introduce this exercise toward the end of the Intermediate Series because it’s important that your horse […]
Read More
