Clinton Anderson from Downunder Horsemanship has a method for training horses. He always says that getting horses to behave is simple; training people is the real trick. Join him on his weekly endeavors of tackling some of the most challenging situations with problem horses, and with problem owners. Learn how to communicate with your horse, earn their trust and respect, and gain control of their body using the Clinton Anderson training method.
On today’s show, Clinton works with Joe Trygar and his horse Blue—a 5 year old, American Paint mare with more than a few problems. Joe got Blue only about three months ago, but it’s been the longest three months of his life. Blue constantly charges Joe, shows signs of extreme aggressiveness, and exerts dominance. She refuses to listen and hasn’t shown any signs of respect for human beings. It’s a miracle that Joe hasn’t been killed yet, so it’s time to get professional help before it’s too late.
Joe tells us that the main problems happen right when he steps through the fence and starts to gather his halter and rope. Blue can sense what’s coming and starts showing signs of aggressiveness like she’s going to charge him, which is absolutely terrifying to Joe. Luckily, he’s brought Blue to Clinton Anderson to get some help and hopefully turn Blue into a great companion.
Clinton starts by telling Joe that Blue needs a leader she can respect and trust. Since she’s turned charging and aggressiveness into a full-grown habit, fixing her problem will not be easy. Clinton starts working with Blue in the roundpen because it’s a safe and controlled environment. Here, he establishes direction and works with Blue so that when he says go, she goes. Initially, Blue lashes out aggressively, almost like she’s in a cage fight. It goes back and forth for a while and it’s clear how dangerous Blue has gotten. Clinton focuses on making her feel uncomfortable anytime she lashes out and work on gaining her respect and getting her to use the thinking side of her brain.
Clinton focuses on speaking a language that Blue understands by nature—making her feet move. Whenever she tries to assert dominance, Clinton hustles her feet—much like how horses act toward each other when they’re sorting out their pecking order.
After some rigorous training, Clinton reminds us that standing still and relaxing for horses is a reward. He tells Joe that when Blue doesn’t pin her ears or become aggressive, it’s a good time to catch her eye, walk away from her and let her relax. When Joe works with Blue, he prevails and asserts himself as a competent leader and number one in the pecking order.
When he’s earned Blue’s respect and trust, she started to want to follow him around the pen and give him two eyes; she wanted to be his partner. But this only happened once he got her respect, which is an important thing to remember as a horseman. Respect leads to trust and those are the two qualities you ultimately need.
Joe tells us that he feels like he has the tools and knowledge he needs to go forward and use the Downunder Horsemanship Method to move her feet more effectively and strengthen their bond. Clinton leaves Joe with some take-home points and reminds him that he needs to be consistent if he wants the lesson to stick. Joe needs to head home and continue working with Blue. You really can fix any problem horse in the world, as long as you follow the right horse training methods.
Clinton Anderson is dedicated to helping horsemen everywhere understand how to gain their horse’s respect. To learn more about the Clinton Anderson training method, view more horse training videos or to get information on any of the products seen on today’s show, head over to Clinton’s website!
Master your horsemanship training through Clinton’s step-by-step method videos by joining the No Worries Club today. Becoming a club member ensures you get VIP pricing on all of Clinton’s must-have training tools and resources. Plus, you’ll enjoy all the phenomenal benefits that come with club membership!
