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Training Tips

Training Tips
June 25, 2019

Training Tip: Head Carriage on a Loose Rein

Q: My horse, a 4-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter, gives quite well when asked for vertical flexion at the standstill, walk and trot. However, when I put him on a loose rein, his head and neck come up more often than not. I’ve heard you say that if a horse’s poll is above the saddle horn, […]

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Training Tips
June 18, 2019

Training Tip: Are You Ready to Use Spurs?

Before making the decision to use spurs when training your horse, you should have a secure, independent seat. That means that you can confidently walk, trot and canter on a loose rein without holding on to the saddle horn or gripping the horse’s sides with your legs. Spurs on an inexperienced rider can lead to […]

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Training Tips
June 11, 2019

Training Tip: Back Circles to Improve Your Horse’s Overall Performance

A large part of training performance horses focuses on ensuring your horse’s entire body, from his nose to his tail, is soft and supple. You should be able to move any part of his body off a feather-light touch. If you can’t shape your horse for a maneuver, there’s no hope that he’ll be able […]

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Training Tips
June 4, 2019

Training Tip: Horse Acts Snarly Around Food

Q: I have a 4-year-old Quarter Horse filly. When I approach her with the grain bowl, her ears go flat back. If I walk away with it, her ears come back up.

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Training Tips
May 28, 2019

Training Tip: Broaden Your Young Horse’s Education

If you’re like a lot of people, you may not know what to do with your young horse from when you weaned him until he’s ready to start under saddle. You’ve taught your foal all of the exercises in the Foal Training Series, and now you’re not sure what more you can do with him […]

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Training Tips
May 21, 2019

Ask Clinton: Mare Turned Aggressive Around Foal

Q: My mare has become very aggressive about protecting her foal to the point that she’s lunged at me and bitten my shoulder. Before the foal, she was a gentle mare. Will she begin to lose her aggression?

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Training Tips
May 14, 2019

Training Tip: The Lightest Amount of Pressure Possible

No matter what you’re asking a horse to do you must always ask with the lightest amount of pressure possible. Even if you know the horse isn’t going to respond correctly at first, you still need to give him the benefit of the doubt by asking lightly. If he ignores you, then you’ll gradually increase […]

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Training Tips
May 7, 2019

Training Tip: Trail Challenge: Draw to a Stop

Goal: To move the horse forward on a loose rein at any gait, then pick up on the reins with the lightest degree of pressure, causing the horse to immediately come to a complete stop and soften vertically to the bit. Why it’s important: Most horses’ first reaction when you pick up on two reins […]

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Training Tips
April 30, 2019

Training Tip: Why and When I Introduce Spurs to My Horses

When I start a horse under saddle, my first two goals are to establish a gas pedal and a brake. A gas pedal refers to the horse increasing his speed as soon as you gently squeeze his sides with the calves of your legs and maintaining that speed until you cue him otherwise. If a […]

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Training Tips
April 23, 2019

Training Tip: Ask Clinton: Horse Drags Her Feet

Q: I have an 8-year-old Quarter Horse mare that barely moves. She is cutting bred and is very athletic, but she drags her hind feet and if I’m not constantly pushing her on, she walks and trots at a turtle’s pace and will break down to the trot from the canter. I try to use […]

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