Downunder News
Sort
Start Date Start Date
End Date End Date
Category All Categories
Reset
Search Search News

Training Tips

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
Training Tips
August 29, 2023

Training Tip: Horse Avoids Flexing

Question: When I do flexing from the saddle, my horse lowers her head to the ground and she will stay that way. At first, I thought she was just relaxing and stretching out her back, but now I wonder if it’s an attempt to avoid flexing? – Jaycee Clinton’s Answer: Good job on working on […]

Read More
Training Tips
August 22, 2023

Training Tip: Don’t Ignore Your Horse’s Spooky Behavior

Whenever you’re with your horse—no matter whether you’re on the ground or under saddle—anytime a training opportunity presents itself, don’t ignore it. If your horse uses the reactive side of his brain and spooks at an object, get him back to using the thinking side of his brain and build his confidence about the object. […]

Read More
Training Tips
August 15, 2023

Training Tip: Safely Leading Two Horses

Question: I lead both of my geldings at the same time next to a road to get to their pasture that’s 200 yards away from the barn. The one gelding is always in a hurry and walks faster than me and the other gelding. If I put a little pressure on his halter, he slows […]

Read More