When you first teach a horse something, it’s a concept lesson. From there, you’ll work on perfecting the exercise. Each time you work with the horse, you’ll look for a little more improvement.
People often complain to me about their horse leaning against the bit and pulling on the reins. “He has a hard mouth, Clinton. How do I fix him?” they’ll ask.
Training Tip: Incorporate Waiting Periods into Your Training
If you want your horse to wait for your cues and be patient, you have to practice. Whatever you practice with your horse is what he gets good at. I literally include periods of waiting into my training sessions.
Training Tip: Always Bring Your Horse Back to the Barn Relaxed
Let the horse walk the last hundred feet or so of the ride so that he returns to the barn relaxed. You don’t want him running back to the barn thinking that the faster he gets there the sooner you’ll get off his back. The best saying when working with a horse is, “A tired […]
The key to getting true collection isn’t in the horse’s head and neck, but rather from his withers on back. It’s about creating impulsion and then driving that energy from the horse’s back end to his front end. But, there’s no point in driving that energy forward if the horse doesn’t know how to give […]
Training Tip: Handling a Horse That Reacts to Other Horses on the Trail
It’s common for horses to get excited when they see other horses on the trail. Anytime a horse starts to use the reactive side of his brain and it feels like you’re losing control, redirect his energy in a positive way. When a horse uses the reactive side of his brain, the only way to […]
Create a fulfilling partnership with your horse! Learn groundwork and riding exercises to build confidence, to stay safe in the saddle and on the ground, and to increase respect and control. Get rid of frustration once and for all and learn to enjoy your horse!
You always want your horse thinking, “What’s next?” If you constantly keep him guessing about what you’ll ask him to do, he’ll be forced to tune into you. That means mixing up your training sessions so you don’t practice the same exercises in the same order. It also means that you’re conscious of being a […]
When you ride your horse outside for the first time, I’ve found that it is best if you can give him a path to follow so that you can just put some steady miles under his feet. Ideally, I like to take my horses out on a wide dirt road where I can walk, trot […]
Training Tip: Your Imagination is Your Greatest Tool
When it comes to training your horse, your imagination is your greatest tool. The more creative you can be in your lessons, the more interested your horse will be in his job. You’ve heard me say, “Consistency is your greatest ally and inconsistency is your greatest enemy.” And that’s absolutely true.