Lunging is one of the most used and abused exercises in the horse world. You can go to any horse show or training facility to see what I mean. Often you’ll see someone in the middle of an arena lunging a horse on a 60- or 70-foot lead rope. The horse is galloping around, he’s […]
“It was like Disneyland for horse people!” That’s how clinic participants often describe their experience at the Downunder Horsemanship Ranch. When you sign up for a clinic at the ranch, you become part of the Downunder Horsemanship family and get to utilize Clinton’s world-class facilities to jumpstart your horsemanship. Equipped with a 300′ x 150′ […]
Noble Outfitters™: A Wave Fork® Customized for Fans of Downunder Horsemanship
Downunder Horsemanship cares for 60-plus horses at the ranch, which means manure forks get some heavy-duty use. Until Clinton and the team discovered the Noble Outfitters™ Wave Fork®, they were constantly pitching away inferior forks that couldn’t stand up to the workload. The Wave Fork® is designed to handle tough jobs and comes with a […]
When you are desensitizing your horse to a new object, keep in mind that resistance is normal. Often, the reason for resistance is related to the horse’s desire for safety and comfort. Imagine a bull’s eye on a target.
According to Clinton, teaching his horses tricks has made them happier in their jobs because of the variety and challenge it provides. Here’s what the clinician has to say about incorporating tricks in your program: “Consistency in a training program is key to getting a well-broke horse. I often tell people, ‘Consistency is your greatest […]
Raising foals is a lot of fun. The thing to remember when you’re raising a foal is that the little things make a big difference – both good and bad. Using the Method to work with a foal just 10 to15 minutes a day for the first six weeks of his life will lay a […]
You’ve seen good performance horses work. They move with supreme athletic ability – sliding, turning back a cow, spinning or effortlessly executing a lead change. It’s clear they’re in the right job – they have the conformation, the bloodlines, the attitude and the training to do what’s asked of them, and they do it well. […]
When horses feel safe, comfortable and have enough food and water to sustain them, their next need is stimulation. Your horse needs to be stimulated both physically and mentally on a daily basis. As with many other things when working with horses, you need to balance between the mental and the physical. You have to […]
Horses have a natural instinct to pull and push against pressure – not give and soften to it. So every opportunity you get, teach your horse to soften to pressure. You always want your horse thinking of how he can give and soften to pressure rather than thinking of how he can resist, stiffen and […]
A few more horsemen can join Clinton at the ranch in Stephenville, Texas for instruction in the Fundamentals level of the Method in this spring’s 10-day Fundamentals Clinic. The life-changing clinic that has helped hundreds of horsemen create a partnership with their horse and progress their training is being held May 8th – 18th. If […]