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Training Tips

Training Tips
February 17, 2015

Three Great Training Tips from Top Trainer Clinton Anderson of Downunder Horsemanship

Tip #1: Fix the cause, not the symptoms. The majority of horse “problems” (such as bucking, rearing, biting and pawing) aren’t really problems at all, they are really just symptoms of a cause. Seventy to eighty percent of all the problems you will ever have to deal with as a horse owner will fix themselves […]

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Training Tips
February 17, 2015

Training Tip: Turnout Safety Tips

#1 – If you’re turning your horse out with other horses, get the other horses away from the gate before leading your horse through it. People often suffer serious injuries turning horses out because they’re unaware of herd dynamics of horses. When you throw your horse into a herd, the other horses will react, and […]

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Training Tips
February 10, 2015

Training Tip: Two Sides to Every Horse

Horses have two sides to their brains: the left brain and the right brain. Each side of your horse’s brain is like a completely separate horse. You’ve got Lefty and you’ve got Righty.

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Training Tips
February 3, 2015

Training Tip: Bring a Horse Back to Work Safely

If your horse had a break in his training, his mental attention and physical fitness aren’t going to be up to par. The biggest mistake people make when bringing horses back to work is getting straight on them. They drag the horse out of the pasture, yank the girth up as hard as they can, […]

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Training Tips
January 27, 2015

Training Tip: Light Hands = Light Mouth

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Light hands, light mouth.” I disagree with that. I say, “Light hands that pick up softly and hands that release quickly make a horse’s mouth light.” For example, you could pick up gently on the reins and be very light, but if your horse roots against that pressure and flips […]

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Training Tips
January 20, 2015

Training Tip: An Important Ratio

To balance your horse so that both sides of his body are equally relaxed and responsive, you’ll spend 2/3 of your time working on his bad side (the side that is stiffer, pushier or more reactive), and 1/3 of your time working on his good side. If your horse is spookier on his right side, […]

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Training Tips
January 13, 2015

Training Tip: Establish Your Leadership Role

Horses challenge their own pecking order daily, and they will do the same to you. It’s nothing personal – it’s just business. Horses are natural followers, but they want a leader they can respect and trust.

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Training Tips
January 6, 2015

Training Tip: Does Your Horse Have a Phobia of Gates?

Sometimes horses get frightened of going through gates because they’re tight, narrow spaces and make them feel claustrophobic. As prey animals, horses hate being in narrow spaces that make them feel trapped. This can be especially true if your horse has gotten “bit” by a gate – a gate hit him while he was being […]

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Training Tips
December 30, 2014

Training Tip: The Sacred Hula Hoop

As a trainer, you need your horse’s respect and attention in order to teach him and gain his trust. Establishing your personal space will help you stay safe while doing just that. The first thing your horse has to understand is that you are fragile and he needs to be careful around you. I honestly […]

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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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