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Training Tips

Training Tips
June 27, 2023

Training Tip: Practice Handling a Spooky Horse in a Controlled Environment

Knowing how to handle when your horse spooks and actually getting in the saddle and doing it are two separate things. If you want to get good at handling a spook, you have to put yourself and your horse in the situation to practice. You do that by introducing your horse to as many spooky […]

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Training Tips
June 20, 2023

Training Tip: Horse Bites When Asked to Flex

Question: My horse either grabs the reins, bites the stirrup or tries to bite my boot when doing lateral bending. I have tried kicking him in the mouth when he goes for me, but that doesn’t stop him! I am riding him in a sidepull currently until he gets his teeth floated. My mom bought […]

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Training Tips
June 13, 2023

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
June 6, 2023

Training Tip: Catching a Loose Horse

Question: While leading my mare, I had to let go of the lead rope because I got stuck in the mud. At first, she stayed close by me and nibbled on scraps of hay. However, as I approached her, she took off running and bucking and didn’t stop until she found more food. I did […]

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Training Tips
May 30, 2023

Training Tip: Training and Handling Deaf Horses

It always surprises me how many people think deaf horses are useless and untrainable to the point of thinking a deaf horse should be put down, or, at the very least, shouldn’t be ridden. It’s ridiculous. I know plenty of deaf horses that are athletic, have great minds and are great partners. A few years […]

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Training Tips
May 23, 2023

Training Tip: Trailer Loading a Blind Horse

Question: My horse is blind in one eye. We finally got him to go in the trailer, but when we went to tie him up, he freaked out. What do you suggest for me to do so I can get him in the trailer and for him to stay still when he’s in there? We […]

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Training Tips
May 16, 2023

Training Tip: If You Want Your Horse to Lope Well, Practice Loping

Everyone wants to ride a horse that lopes with cadence, follows their focus and listens to their cues. It’s no fun when you ask your horse to pick up the lope and he constantly speeds up and slows down and zigs and zags all over the place. Unfortunately, you can’t expect your horse to lope […]

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Training Tips
May 9, 2023

Training Tip: Horse is Afraid of Clippers Near His Ears

Question: My horse Winchester, a 6-year-old Quarter Horse, is afraid of the clippers by his ears. How do I teach him to accept the clippers and let me clip his ears? – desalenatallman2002 Clinton’s Answer: You’ll use the Approach and Retreat Method to desensitize your horse to first your bare hands moving around his head […]

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Training Tips
May 2, 2023

Training Tip: Hands That Release Quickly Make a Soft Horse

When it comes to horsemanship, you’ve probably heard the saying, “Light hands, light mouth.” The person sharing the adage is under the impression that as long as your hands stay light and gentle on the reins, your horse will be soft and supple in return. My years of experience training a wide variety of horses […]

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Training Tips
April 25, 2023

Training Tip: Horse Rocks the Trailer While Going Down the Road

Question: I have a 5-year-old ex-racehorse that I have been retraining since he was 3. He has been hauled thousands of miles all over the country for trail riding. In the past six months, he has started to throw his body, all of 1,300 pounds, into the wall of the trailer while it’s moving down […]

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