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Downunder Horsemanship - General

Downunder Horsemanship - General Training Tips
December 23, 2014

Training Tip: Great Horsemen are Open to Change

That is the most important concept you can understand when it comes to training horses. When I was an apprentice for Ian Francis, he often said to me, “To change your life, you must first change your attitude.” Ian believes, as do I, that if you’re unhappy with the current state of your life, you […]

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Training Tips
December 16, 2014

Training Tip: Get Your Horse Backing Well

I back my horses up every chance I get. In fact, I very rarely just lead my horse somewhere. Like most of you, I have a limited amount of time to actually spend with my horses, so as long as I’m with them, I figure I might as well be teaching them something. So I […]

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Training Tips
December 9, 2014

Training Tip: Assume the Worst to Stay Safe

When it comes to saddling a colt for the first time, I always assume the colt is going to break in two. I would say that 50 percent of colts buck the first time they’re saddled and 50 percent don’t. It’s almost impossible to tell which colts will buck and which ones won’t. Sometimes the […]

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Training Tips
December 2, 2014

Training Tip: Understand Trailering From Your Horse’s Perspective

To help your horse overcome his trailering fears, you have to look at trailering from his perspective. As prey animals, with a flight or fight response, horses prefer to be in big open spaces where they can easily see predators approaching them and then be able to make a quick getaway. You’ll never see a […]

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Training Tips
November 25, 2014

Training Tip: There Are No Shortcuts

Too often, I meet people at tours or we’ll receive letters in the office saying that they have a problem that needs fixed. Everyone wants a quick fix, a magic cure that they can give their horse to have their problems disappear. Believe me, if I had such a magic cure, I would sell it […]

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Training Tips
November 18, 2014

Training Tip: A Tip for Trouble-Free Blanketing

The biggest mistake people make when trying to blanket a spooky horse is sneaking the blanket up on the horse. If you reach the blanket up towards the horse and he has a heart attack, repeat the same motion another hundred times. When he relaxes, retreat and rub him.

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Training Tips
November 11, 2014

Training Tip: Conquer Your Horse’s Fear of the Arena

When you’re working with an arena-shy horse, don’t think, “How can I make him get in the arena?” Think, “How can I make it uncomfortable for him not to go in the arena?” You’ll do that by working the horse hard where he wants to be (outside the arena) and letting him rest where you […]

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Training Tips
November 4, 2014

Training Tip: Move Those Feet

Horses establish dominance by being able to move each other’s feet. The most dominant horse in a herd can make all the other horses move their feet forwards, backwards, left and right. Horses use that same principle when they are around us. Anytime you can move your horse’s feet forwards, backwards, left and right, you […]

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Training Tips
October 28, 2014

Training Tip: Three Ingredients to a Truly Broke Horse

Many horses are rideable, but few are truly well broke. I define a well broke horse as one who is quiet, dependable, soft and responsive, in any situation – in the arena or on the trail. Of course, many factors go into how far a horse’s training can go, including breeding, temperament and the method […]

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Training Tips
October 21, 2014

Training Tip: Stay a Step Ahead of a Barn Sour Horse

One way to deter a barn sour horse from wanting to rush back to the barn is to come back to the barn from different directions or on different paths. In other words, try not to always come back to the barn from the same trail. Or, when you do come back to the barn, […]

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