Greatest Lessons Learned

Transcription

Winter 2008
www.NoWorriesClub.com
Krista and Shana share the greatest lessons they have
learned as Downunder Horsemanship Apprentices........pg26
• DEVELOP SAFE, RESPONSIVE AND WILLING HORSES
• CREATE A TRUSTING AND RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP
• OVERCOME YOUR FEARS
• ACCOMPLISH YOUR HORSEMANSHIP GOALS
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8 8 8 - 2 8 7 - 74 3 2
Features
Grand Opening
Clinton Anderson and Downunder Horsemanship open
their doors to the Stephenville community
Winter 2008
Vol. 2, No. 4
www.noworriesclub.com
journal@noworriesclub.com
Relay For Life
Downunder Horsemanship supports
The American Cancer Society and Relay For Life
Clinton Anderson
Downunder Horsemanship
No Worries Training For
You and Your Horse!
What Is A Signature Horse?
2285 N US Hwy 377
Stephenville, TX 76401 USA
Clinton Anderson shares the How’s, What’s, and Why’s
of his favorite equestrian sport
Toll Free: 1-888-287-7432
www.clintonanderson.net
President: Clinton Anderson
Graphic Designer: Writer/Editor: Stacy Finley
Rachelle Wilhelm
Jessica Hendershot
Hannah Scott
The No Worries Journal is published
quarterly by Clinton Anderson and Downunder
Horsemanship as a benefit to its members.
Advertising is limited to Clinton Anderson
and Downunder Horsemanship sponsors,
programs, events, and affiliates.
Submission of freelance articles, poems,
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enclose a SASE.
Material from The No Worries Journal
may not be copied, faxed, electronically
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Requests must be submitted in writing.
© 2008 Downunder Horsemanship
Printed in the USA
A once in a lifetime opportunity presents itself in
Clinton Anderson’s Signature Horses.
An Inside Look At Reining
Shana and Krista share the greatest lessons they have
learned as Downunder Horsemanship Apprentices
C-Pattern Exercise
As a horseman or horsewoman it should be your goal to
never waste an opportunity to train your horse.
The Back-Up
An essential component in your horse’s training
Feel, Timing, and Experience
Second in A Three Part Series Three Ingredients to a Truly Great Horseman
8
11
13
20
26
32
38
44
Letters ....................................................4
Clinton’s Corner.......................................... 5
Ask Clinton................................................6
Readers Write.......................................... 48
Around the Barn....................................... 49
Member’s Spotlight.................................. 50
Member’s Corner...................................... 51
No Worries Journal | 3
Letters
Thanks Clinton!
We purchased a Clinton Anderson
Special Edition (Featherlite) trailer last
year when we were down to see his tour
in St. Paul. We’ve gotten alot of use out
of it this summer and this past weekend
(Sept. 19 -21) we took Spice and Rusty
to a Horse Poker Derby not too far
from where we live. We took our 8 yr.
old grandson Hayden with us & we all
roughed it by sleeping in the trailer for
the weekend. Here’s a picture of Spice
& Rusty headed home after the weekend......unfortunately we didn’t win the
poker derby but we all had a good time!
We love the trailer and plan on getting
alot more use out of it next summer.
Everyone commented on the trailer and
asked us who Clinton Anderson was and
we didn’t hesitate on telling them who
he was, how we found out about him,
what a great horse trainer he is, that
we belong to his club and how easy his
DVDs are to understand on how to work
with different type of horses. Thanks to
him we have some very well mannered
horses that have come a long way since
Clinton’s techniques and are no longer
“crack heads”!
Thanks Clinton, I never could have
had the horse I dreamed of having without your knowledge and you sharing it
with thousands of people like me!
Judy Manning
Manitoba, Canada
Letters from No Worries Club members
I’ve Got One Complaint
I got too much for my money! Bet
you’ve heard that before. I’m setting
here in my kitchen at my home in
the country reading the “letters” of
my Summer Editions of No Worries
Journal, that Clinton signed in
Hurricane, thank you very much. There
is the common thread running through
all those responses to the clinics, tours
and DVD’s. I just experienced the clinic
in Hurricane, UT. Wow would be a good
summation. I went really prepared
(on the ground), but as a 62 year old
“trying to be a want a be” good
horseman my ability in the saddle to
transition from a walk to a trot to a
cantor is pathetic and Clinton was in full
agreement. I was disappointed when he
told me I could not move on to the next
level. He did not want my money so bad
to put me in a clinic I could not handle.
That’s called INTEGRITY! Sadly I have
to repeat Level One Clinic. It’s not all
that bad though, Shaina and Krista will
probably be the clinicians and their darn
good and their half the price.
When Isaac Newton was asked
“Why is it that you seem to have seen
further than others?” he replied, “If
it is that I have seen further than
others it is because I have stood on
the shoulders of giants”. That’s character.
I have the greatest amount of respect
for Clinton when he pays homage to
the giants whose shoulders he has
stood on. Clinton was not born in a
vacuum and his recognition of Ian
Francis and Gordon McKinley speaks to
his integrity and character. You could do
worse by following someone else.
Here is something to think about.
The average person born today has
roughly 22,780 hours of life on Earth.
Spend as you will. But, it is worth
more than money. You will earn back
the money you spend on Clinton’s
tapes, clinics and tours, but you will
never re-live the time you spend at a
clinic, watching a tape in front of your
TV or working or riding your horse.
So make the very best of that time.
Love your wife and kids to death and
enjoy every minute in your mundane
chores day in and day out and make
your horse experience pay in rich
rewards. Clinton gave me 24+ hours in
Hurricane, Ut. Sure I paid him for it,
but those hours he spent we me and the
others he will never get to re-live ever.
That’s a debt I can never repay.
John Simmerman
Hurricane, UT.
Note to Clinton
Tuesday September 16, 2009 Clinton
Anderson Show. I am blown away by
someone finaly saying - on TV - that
horse training is not always a bed of roses. I have known horse people who still
think that they can love all their problems away. I love that Clinton gives the
bare unvarnished facts. If the horse (or
child) needs a wack. WACK ‘EM!! Then
immedialtly love them. No nagging, no
confusion on who is the leader (parent)
and what the relationship is all about.
Yes, your auathority will be questioned
again in the future. If foundation is laid
correctly, the discussion will usualy be
much softer and easier to settle. Other
clinicians tell you that ‘if you buy this
package, you will be able to read your
horses personality, this package and
you will be able to train your horse to
be your true blue partener, this package
and you can fly to the moon. And people
buy into this thinking it is the magic
answer. It is not. Tons of money does
not a horseman make. Tons of time,
with good instruction and a lot of sweat
a horseman makes.
Laurel,
Been there, seen it, done it, is now off the fence
on CA’s side. Still trying to make a clinic!!
Above: Spice and Rusty headed home and the Horse Poker Derby.
4 | No Worries Journal
Do you have something you’d like to share? Email
your letters to journal@noworriesclub.com, or mail
to: No Worries Club Journal, 2285 N US Hwy 377,
Stephenville, TX 76401.
Clinton’s Corner
MknowostKrista
of my No Worries Club members
Robinson and Shana Terry,
my two apprentices at Downunder
Horsemanship. This January, these two
girls will be the first and only apprentices
to complete my four-year apprentice
program. The reason the apprenticeship
is four years is because I believe it takes
a full, four years to become a great
horseman. Feel, timing and experience
is not something you get overnight,
and making my program four years
guarantees that whoever completes it
will have enough horse experience to
last a lifetime. I don’t want to unleash
someone on the world using my name
until I feel confident they can get the
job done. Let me tell you, I have total
confidence that these two girls can
do the job. I have no doubt that they
could go against any guy out there.
They’re every bit as good as any man,
and I would put them against anyone.
They talk like me, teach like me and
train like me. I want it done that way
because it gives consistency to our
training and clinics.
I’ve had lots of young people try my
apprentice program and the majority
quit and the rest I fired. The things these
girls possess that the others didn’t is
heart, honesty, an outstanding work
ethic, loyalty and a burning desire to
be the best. They want to be the best
horsemen they possibly can, and that’s
what they’re becoming.
Most people think the apprenticeship
at Downunder Horsemanship is all
stars and glamour and TV shows. That
perception couldn’t be any further from
the truth. When the real work begins,
those people quit or give up, but not
Shana or Krista. Neither one of these
Apprentices Shana Terry and Krista Robinson
girls are afraid of hard work. They start
at six in the morning every day and will
work ‘till ten or eleven at night if they
need to. They also work at least six days
a week.
I always tell the girls, ‘If you work hard,
you’ll never be looking for money’. This
country’s full of people who are lazy
and don’t want to work. They’re going
to come across a lot of trouble in life
simply because they don’t know what it
means to work hard. But if you have a
work ethic, you’ll never be out of a job.
Lots of the other kids that started the
program had talent, but talent’s not
enough. Hard work beats talent every
time. What is so special about Shana and
Krista is that not only are they incredibly
talented horsemen, they‘re also two of
the hardest working people I know.
Anyone who’s been to a clinic with
either Shana or Krista knows what I’m
talking about. These girls give 110% to
everyone there. If you ever hear someone
say they represent me or use my name in
some way to promote themselves, don’t
believe them because they’re a fake. The
only two people I give my name to are
Krista and Shana. If you get the chance
to come to one of their clinics, do it. The
girls are outstanding teachers. They are
professional and they are as good as
anyone you’ll ever get.
Krista and Shana have become truly
great horsemen, and I’m very proud of
them. I wouldn’t hesitate to put them
in the Road To The Horse and have my
name 100% behind them because I
believe in them.
Now that Krista and Shana have
finished the apprentice program and are
Professional Clinicians, they will be a
more visible part of Downunder
Horsemanship. They’ll be featured in
some of my TV shows, write articles
for the No Worries Club Journal, be a
bigger part of the tour and conduct
more of their own clinics. Be looking
for some of the great things involving
them that are coming up. Both of these
girls bring a lot to the table and I’m glad
they‘re going to add even more.
The families of Krista and Shana
should be proud of what these girls have
accomplished and who they’ve become.
I know I am.
Ask Clinton
What stage do you start riding?
My best recommendation for people
new to my training program is to focus on
the groundwork and not ride their horse
for at least the first week. Groundwork
will teach the horse to respect you and
listen to your commands before you get in
the saddle. If you don’t have your horse’s
respect on the ground, it will be hard to get
it from under saddle. The eight exercises on
Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground
Series I (Desensitizing to the Lead Rope,
Desensitizing to the Handy Stick and String,
Yield the Hindquarters, Back Up, Yield the
Forequarters, Lungeing for Respect and
Sending Exercise) will teach your horse to
respect your space and be responsive to your
cues. Once you can do all the exercises from
the first series of groundwork, you can start
riding the horse.
To complete all of the exercises on Gaining
Respect and Control on the Ground Series I,
it will take you roughly seven to ten days of
consistent practice, working with the horse
half an hour to an hour every day. When you
start riding the horse, don’t abandon the
groundwork completely. Instead, spend the
first half hour reviewing the groundwork
exercises and then ride the horse. That way,
you get the best of both worlds. You’ll increase
your horse’s respect for you on the ground
Questions from the NoWorriesClub.com Forums
and work on improving his suppleness and
responsiveness under saddle.
Although you can do all of the exercises
from Gaining Respect and Control on
the Ground Series I, II and III before
riding your horse, you’ll get the most out
of the program if you practice both the
groundwork and riding together. Keep in
mind that you’ll probably be further along
in your groundwork than your riding if
you spend the first week teaching your
horse the exercises from the first series of
groundwork. For example, if you’ve finished
the first series of groundwork and riding,
you might be working on the second series
of groundwork at the same time. The main
reason I tell people to do a week’s worth
of groundwork before they start riding is
because most people’s riding problems –
the horse wanting to buck, acting nervous,
getting scared, etc. is mainly because they
have problems on the ground. If you get the
horse respectful on the ground and get him
to use the thinking side of his brain, all that
transfers over to riding. But if your horse is
stiff and pushy and disrespectful and acting
like a real jerk, he’s going to act like a bigger
jerk when you get on him.
When I was in Australia, I used to be a
professional horse trainer, and never rode a
horse I got in for at least a week. I don’t care
Practicing groundwork is preparation for a successful ride.
if it came to me broke, kids were riding it,
etc. I spent a week with it on the ground for
several reasons. First of all, I wanted to prove
to myself that the horse was safe and reliable;
doing the groundwork was like preparation.
Keep that in mind – groundwork is nothing
more than preparation for a successful ride.
Every time I got bucked off a horse or fell
off, it’s because I didn’t prepare enough with
groundwork. Not only that, but it gave me a
chance to gain the horse’s respect, get him
used to using the thinking side of his brain
so that when I got on him a week later, I
didn’t have to fight him. When you get up
on a horse’s back, you ultimately give up a
lot of control. You want to make sure that
when you get on him you don’t have to go
through World War III. I want to get rid all of
that sorry attitude on the ground where I’m
relatively safe so that by the time I get in the
saddle, he respects me, he’s not frightened of
me, and he knows that I can move his feet.
So when the owners would drop their
horses off to be trained, I would be polite
and listen to them describe all the horse’s
problems. In reality, I didn’t care what they
told me about the horse, I just assumed it
was a lie. Meaning that I was going to do
my own safety check – I wasn’t going to take
somebody’s word that the horse wasn’t going
to kill me. When somebody says, “Oh, just get
If you get the horse respectful on the ground and get him to use the
thinking side of his brain, all that transfers over to riding.
Questions from the NoWorriesClub.com Forums
on him, he’s safe,” they’re really warning you
to do your preparation. When I’m working
with a horse for the first time, and somebody
says, “Hurry up and get on him,” I just turn
around and say, “You get on him.” Usually,
when you say that, they change their mind
and say, “No, maybe we should spend a few
more minutes doing groundwork.” Nobody
believes in groundwork until they are flying
through the air.
I’ve had some horses in my career that
were so dangerous and disrespectful that
I’ve had to spend two weeks of groundwork
preparing them. When these owners would
come to get their horses from me, they
would always ask me, “Did he buck, rear or
bolt?” I’d say, “Actually, he never did any of
that stuff.” The owners always look confused
and truth be told, a little disappointed
because they didn’t feel like they got their
money’s worth unless the horse tried to kill
me as well. I’d explain to them that I got rid
of all that sorry attitude and behavior on
the ground. By the time I got on his back,
I already had the basics established – I’m
number one and the horse is number two.
I call the shots and you follow. If I would
have gotten on that horse the first couple of
days I had him in training, I guarantee that
he would have reared and bolted.
If every horse person could complete
all the exercises from the first series of
groundwork and riding, I swear you could
put me out of a job today. Most people start
my program because they have problems
with a horse, but once they realize that
their problems are nothing but symptoms
of a cause, and it comes from either a lack
of respect or fear, all those problems just
disappear by themselves.
Balance your young horse
A lot of 2 year olds have a tendency to
trip and stumble when you first start riding
them, especially if they’re cold-blooded
which means that they’re lazy and don’t
want to go forward. The horse tripping
and stumbling is just a result of him not
wanting to move forward when you ask him
to. What are the three cues to ask a horse
to move forward? Squeeze, cluck and spank.
First, you’ll gently squeeze the horse with
the calves of your legs and ask him to go
forward. If he doesn’t respond, then you’ll
increase the pressure by clucking with your
tongue, “cluck, cluck.” Clucking is warning
the horse that he better move forward. But
if he still doesn’t respond, then you’ll spank
and keep spanking until you get a reaction.
Spanking is making the horse pay a price for
ignoring your cues. Now, if the horse ignores
you when you spank, spank harder to make
it mean something. At first I’ll spank them
Ask Clinton
To balance your horse, hustle his feet.
lightly to make sure they’re not going to
buck. Then I’m going to whack on them and
get those feet moving out.
The best thing you can do for a lazy horse
is get them out cantering on a big dirt road
or go around the outside of a big pasture.
Get them outside the arena and keep their
feet moving. The more you keep them in the
arena, the more they shut down. The four
walls of an arena make a horse go slow and
mentally start to shut down. If your horse
is lazy, get him outside where he feels like
he’s going somewhere. Now, if you’re on a
hot, nervous crack head that wants to run,
run, run, then you want to bring him into
the arena because you want to shut him
down mentally. Nervous horses are always
thinking five miles ahead of themselves. Lazy
horses are always thinking five miles behind
themselves. Lazy horses you want them to
think further in front and hot nervous horses
you want them to shorten up.
You might have to be more aggressive
with your spanking. When I spank them,
I want them to figure out that it isn’t fun.
Squeeze is asking the horse to go. Cluck is
I’m warning you. And spank is I told you to
get moving now! Maybe you’re not spanking
hard enough or being aggressive enough.
You want the horse to think, “Man, I better
not trot because if I trot, she’s going to whip
my butt like you wouldn’t believe.”
If I have a lazy horse that keeps dropping
to a trot, you want him to have a conscience.
I want him to think, “Oh my gosh, if I drop to
a trot, I’m going to get a good old-fashioned
beating.” If every time he trots, you kind of
nag “Come on, you got to get cantering.” He
canters three strides, drops to a trot, has a
cigarette, reads Black Beauty three times
and then says, “OK, let’s canter again.” Make
him pay a price for ignoring you.
When you say unbalanced, a lot of lazy
horses get clumsy like that. If you got a
lazy horse and he starts tripping, whip on
his butt and make him hustle out there.
My recommendations are to get the horse
out of the arena and on a dirt road or in a
big pasture.
Stephenville, Texas
D
Grand
ownunder Horsemanship opened its doors to the public for
the first time in Stephenville, Texas on September 30, 2008.
Clinton and his staff had been preparing long and hard for
the big event since they moved into their new Texas-sized
facility in early August.
The days leading up to the occasion were hectic and
stressful at times, but all hard work paid off in the end.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 people were in attendance. The event
was the of the largest of its kind in Stephenville attracting
citizens from Stephenville, neighboring towns and states
such as Oklahoma and Louisiana and even New York. Guests began arriving around 5 p.m. and were greeted by
Clinton himself as they walked down the long driveway
along the meticulously landscaped grass. Many eager fans
waited for a chance to speak with Clinton and take a quick
picture with him before making their way to the sponsors’
tent in the parking lot. The sponsors’ tent included tables and
personnel from WW, Horse & Rider, Kent Feeds, Ritchie, 3M,
EZAll, as well as refreshments. Guests browsed the sponsors’
tables, enjoyed complimentary snacks, Dublin Dr. Pepper.
and entered a raffle for a chance to win several great prizes.
Kandace Underwood and Customer Service Representative
MacKenzie Davis were stationed at the No Worries Club
kiosk located in front of the building. They answered many
questions about the club and assisted those who applied
for a membership. The club gained several new members,
including many from the Stephenville area. “I was really
excited with the turnout and thrilled to gain many new
members. I thought the day was a success,” said Kandace.
In order to familiarize guests with Clinton and his products,
the Downunder Horsemanship staff set up merchandise
in the yet-to-be finished retail area of the building. Guests
flocked to purchase DVDs, ropes, halters, clothing and
more. At least 13 saddles were sold by Customer Service
Representative Kyle Wade with the help of Cole Donaldson
and Jay Shaffer of Equibrand. Sponsors Cetyl M, Pyranha,
WAHL, and Lexol-Corona offered their products in the
retail area as well. Tour Manager Stacy Harvick spent several weeks planning the
long awaited event, down to the tablecloths. Her efforts did
not go unnoticed. “Stacy was unbelievable throughout this
whole process and her hard work has definitely paid off.
This Grand Opening could not have been done without her.
I thank her very much for all her efforts.” said Clinton.
The event was emceed by Ben Clements, who kept
guests entertained and informed of the night’s events and
schedule. Local radio station KSTV was also in attendance,
broadcasting live from the parking lot. For those who wanted
Stephenville, Texas
OPENING
to tour the building, several staff members were waiting
inside to guide guests through the warehouse, rope shop
and offices, giving guests a look inside Clinton and his staff’s
working environment.
No Worries Club member Susan Gill attended the opening
with her husband Jim, and had great things to say about
their trip to new Downunder Horsemanship office.
“From the moment we parked the car and were given the
offer of the shuttle ride, to Clinton’s greeting on the driveway,
the sponsor’s tent, the tour (Wow! What a great working
environment) To the ribbon cutting, door prizes and live
music, everything was first class. Shana and Krista were
gracious as always, as was everyone associated with the event.
Smiles, handshakes, information... you all outdid yourselves.
Thanks for inviting your fans to join you in celebrating your
move to Texas.”
Amid the festivities, Clinton, his staff and the Stephenville
Chamber of Commerce moved to the other side of the
facility to conduct the official ribbon cutting ceremony.
Clinton was formally introduced to the community by
July Danley, President of the Stephenville Chamber of
Commerce. Clinton spoke of his love of Texas and adoration
of the community. “I fell in love with this area when I first
visited awhile back,” said Clinton. “I should have moved
here 10 years ago.”
Following the ceremony, the raffle drawing was held.
Clinton’s sponsors donated generous prizes, including a
pallet of hay from Anderson Alfalfa, a case of Fly Spray from
Pyranha, a Clipper Kit from Wahl, and two Wool ESP pads
from Classic Equine. The action didn’t end with the raffle,
as Clinton returned to his post for more autograph signing
and pictures. Guests that bought merchandise were able to
have Clinton sign their purchases, from T-shirts to DVDs,
and even saddles! To wrap up the evening, Jake Hooker and
the Outsiders entertained guests with their twist on Texas
Country music.
Clinton said the event was more successful than he could
have ever imagined, and he was excited to see so much of the
community involved.
“We strive to use as much local business as we can because
we want to stimulate the economy here in Stephenville,” said
Clinton. “It means a lot to me and Downunder Horsemanship
that so many of the community members came out to
support us tonight.”
With the Grand Opening under his belt, Clinton looks to
focus on 2009, and plans to celebrate his 10th Anniversary
of Downunder Horsemanship with many new and exciting
things to come.
Anderson
of Clinton
on behalf
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Tarleton State University students walk holding
certificates with names of cancer survivors who were
unable to attend the event.
Three year old cancer survivor, Philip Endres, his brother
Stephen McGinnis, Downunder Horsemanship staff
L to R: Jes
sica Hender
shot, Vikki
Pam DeFazi
Jacobs, St
o, Rick Smat
acy Harvic
he
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rs and St
Downunder
acy Finley
Horsemansh
of
ip attended
event with
the Relay
their Pink Ha
for Life
ndy Sticks
.
Jennifer Currie, MacKenzie Davis, and Kyle Wade
ff the
prepare to kick-o
Cancer survivors
aditional
event with the tr
Relay For Life
Survivors’ Lap.
Tour Manager Stacy Harvick, cuts the ribbon
during the opening ceremony.
Relay
For Life
O
n November 7, 2008 Clinton Anderson and Downunder
Horsemanship was the largest corporate sponsor for the 2008
Relay for Life event held in Stephenville, Texas and hosted by
Tarleton State University. Downunder Horsemanship donated
$1,500 dollars to the event garnered from the sale of its Pink
Handy Sticks.
As No Worries Club members know, Handy Sticks are an
outstanding horse training aid designed to help horse owners
better communicate with their equine partners. Extremely
versatile, the Pink Handy Stick is used as an extension of the
horse owner’s arm when doing ground work. It can also be
used as a tool to help cue and desensitize young or spooky
horses. The Pink Handy Stick was introduced by Downunder
Horsemanship in 2007, and proceeds from their sale support
the American Cancer Society.
The event started at 7:00pm and continued until 6:00am
the following morning as participants walked laps to earn
funds for the American Cancer society. A Downunder
Horsemanship team participated in the Relay for Life and
participants and supporters alike were not deterred by the
evening’s chilly weather.
As the event’s primary corporate sponsor, tour manager
Stacy Harvick was asked to speak on behalf of Clinton.
“Downunder Horsemanship is proud to be a part of this
community and its causes,” said Stacy. “Supporting the
American Cancer Society is something that Downunder
Horsemanship strongly believes in, and will continue to
support in the future.”
Stacy thanked the Stephenville community and the
organizers of the event. “Since we opened our doors to
the public in August, I speak for all of the Downunder
Horsemanship staff in saying that we are proud to be a part
of the Stephenville community. It has been a pleasure to
be a part of this event and an honor for us at Downunder
Horsemanship to be a sponsor for today’s Relay for Life,” said
Stacy. “Thank you to everyone who helped organize and plan
this event. Your hard-work, dedication and vision are why
Downunder Horsemanship will continue to be a supporter of
this event in the future.”
Jay Shaffer an
d Mary Rose St
alnaker
walk with canc
er survivor, And
i
Sh
affer
during the Care
Givers’ Lap.
Additionally, the Downunder Horsemanship staff brought
cookies and bottled water to the event for participants and
spectators alike to enjoy.
Clinton was unable to attend the event himself due to
being in Buckeye, Arizona for a Series I Horsemanship Clinic.
However, Clinton, the Downunder Horsemanship staff, and
participants wore pink on Friday to support and recognize
the Relay for Life event.
Since the opening of its new Stephenville facility in August,
Clinton Anderson and Downunder Horsemanship have
become active members in the community and were proud to
have been a corporate sponsor for such a wonderful cause.
Obtain specialized training information delivered to your doorstep
every month. Tips, tools and product deals are only a portion of the
advantages. Share and exchange ideas with other club members
through the exclusive No Worries Club forum. Join today mate!
Log on to NoWorriesClub.com
MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES
• 8 information packed
DVD’s per year
• Up to 5 free tickets to any
Wahl Walkabout Tour
• Subscription to the
No Worries Club Journal
• Access to exclusive NWC
member website
• 25% discounts for
participation in clinics,
reduced price for spectator
ticket purchases
• 15% off all tack and 25% off
all Clinton Anderson videos
• Access to Members-only
sales and discounts
N oJournal
wo R R I E S C LU B .Co M
12 | No Worries
•
All new members receive the No Worries Club welcome kit
D ow N U N D E R H o R S E M a N S H I P.C o M
•
8 8 8 - 2 8 7 -74 3 2
What is a
Clinton Anderson Signature Horse?
A once in a lifetime opportunity presents itself in Clinton
Anderson’s Signature Horses. Whether you are looking
to further your horsemanship, achieve a higher level of
enjoyment, or attain peak performance in the show ring,
a Downunder Horsemanship Signature Horse is the right
choice for you.
Clinton Anderson knows it is important for you to have
the best experience you can have with your horse. That is
why Clinton is personally involved in t¬he Signature Horse
process; he wants you to have the Downunder Horsemanship
experience you have always wanted.
THE PARTNER YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED
Priced between $15,000 and $20,000, each horse has
been handpicked by Clinton and personally trained by his
Certified Trainers or apprentices: the equivalent to two years
of training! Your Signature Horse is far beyond customary
and will already know more than 60 exercises from Clinton’s
extensive horsemanship program, including all the exercises
from the Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground Series,
Riding with Confidence Series, Advanced Horsemanship,
Round Penning and Hobbling Series. These exceptionally
well trained horses offer you the chance to accelerate your
learning with ease. You will obtain the utmost confidence in
your horsemanship, and we guarantee you will have never
felt safer on a horse than you will feel on a Signature Horse.
By purchasing a horse from Clinton Anderson, you will be
among the elite of horse owners by owning an outstanding
partner and showpiece that your friends will envy.
A HORSE THAT WILL ADVANCE YOU
Everyone needs to start their horsemanship journey with a
well-trained horse that they can learn from. So why shouldn’t
you? Clinton is a firm believer that horses teach people and
people teach horses – in that order. When you first start
riding, you should pick a horse that will teach you and build
your confidence. The horse should be safe, respectful and
attentive to your needs. With their in-depth knowledge of
the Downunder Horsemanship program, Signature Horses
are perfect beginner horses, giving the confidence and trust
needed to further develop your skills and ensuring that the time
you spend together will be fun, safe and fulfilling. Signature
Horses are so properly trained that you will accelerate your
learning through the program. Once a rider has learned basic
skills, often they outgrow their first horse’s ability and move
onto a more advanced mount. But that’s not the case with
a Signature Horses. As your horsemanship knowledge and
ability increase, your Signature horses will be there to take
you to the next level. Owning a Signature Horse will help
you reach the highest levels of achievement of Downunder
Horsemanship. Whether you are a beginner looking for
your first horse or an experienced rider, a Signature Horse
can help you attain your goals and be the partner you’ve
always dreamed of. CLINTON’S PERSONAL GUARANTEE
Not only does Clinton personally guarantee his Signature
Horses, he wants to make sure he is involved in the process.
When you arrive to pick up your horse, Clinton and/or his
Certified Trainers and apprentices will be there to spend the
whole day with you helping you get to know your horse and
giving you personal hands on training experience – a $2,000
value! After your personal training session, Clinton wants you
to be sure of your compatibility with your horse, so take your
new partner for a ride! During your evaluation of the horse,
you’ll be offered the chance to trail ride him on Clinton’s
property, or even trailer him to a new location. You’re sure
to be impressed with the horse’s ability to handle a new
environment and negotiate obstacles on trails. A relationship
with your horse shouldn’t be rushed and Clinton wants you
to take all the time you need deciding if a Signature Horse is
right for you.
Clinton prides himself on his superior ability to pick
out a horse. He has an eye for choosing quality horses and
helping them mature and learn in ways unimaginable to
most people.
Because Clinton stands behind his products, a 30-day trial
period is provided to you after you take your horse home. At
the end of the period, you will receive a personal phone call
from Clinton to check in on you and your horse! If for any
reason you seem to be unsatisfied with your Signature Horse,
we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee – no questions asked.
We are sure you will be more than pleased with your new
partner and you will enjoy lifetime support from Clinton’s
apprentices. Anytime you have questions or concerns about
your horse you’ll have direct contact to an apprentice.
And in addition to this already wonderful package, Clinton
wants to feature you and your horse in the No Worries Club
quarterly journals!
ACT NOW TO OWN YOUR PIECE OF DOWNUNDER!
Don’t miss out on this exclusive opportunity to own a
Signature Horse from Clinton Anderson! Not only will you
find a trustworthy companion, but you will also become a
better horseman and have the chance to show your Signature
Horse off to members of the No Worries Club!
The process is easy. Contact Downunder Horsemanship
toll free at 1(888) 287-7432 with the specifications you are
looking for in a horse; we will place you on our waiting list,
and will contact you when a horse with your specifications
becomes available. But don’t wait too long! We have already
started taking names on our waiting list, and with less than
10 Signature Horses available a year, you do not want to
hesitate and miss out on an experience of a lifetime!
Love At
First Sight
W
hen it came time for her family to purchase a new horse, Kathy
Fulwiler knew just where to look. Wanting a safe, dependable horse, she
and her husband contacted Downunder Horsemanship looking for a new
partner. Although Kathy knew she would be getting a great horse, she
didn’t expect how wonderful the experience would be.
Stormy
A No Worries Club member since the spring of 2007, Kathy
had experimented with several other horse training programs
before deciding to stick with Clinton. She had watched him
regularly on RFD-TV and felt his programs and methods
were easy for her to understand and the lessons made sense
to her. Of course his reputation was a big selling point as well.
“In the past we acquired our horses from private individuals
with mixed results. With Clinton’s reputation we felt his
horses were solid, safe and dependable additions to our small
herd.”
With four aging Quarter Horses at home, Russ and
Kathy knew they needed a horse they could ride with ease
on the trail. Kathy enjoys riding Western and bareback,
and a younger horse that is soft and sane isn’t an easy find.
When Kathy saw that Clinton had Signature Horses for sale
she contacted Downunder Horsemanship immediately to be
placed on the waiting list.
“The process of purchasing a Signature Horse was very
easy. I called Downunder Horsemanship and put my name
on the waiting list for Signature Horses. Krista kept me
updated on all of the information on the available horses,”
said Kathy. “When I was finally at the top of the waiting list,
Stormy (5 year old Bay mare) was available.”
Kathy fell in love with Stormy at first sight. She and
her husband drove to the Downunder Horsemanship
ranch, formerly located in Belle Center, Ohio, to meet with
apprentice Krista Robinson and have a look at Stormy.
For two days Krista worked with Kathy and Stormy. Kathy
was shown how to work Stormy on the ground and under
saddle. “She even took me on a trail ride around the property.
Krista answered any questions I had and told me I can call
her if I have any questions in the future. Krista was great,”
said Kathy.
Russ and Kathy did not take Stormy home that weekend.
They arranged to meet the Downunder Horsemanship team in
West Allis, Wisconsin for the Wahl Walkabout Tour and pick
up Stormy. The Fulwilers had the opportunity to speak with
Clinton about their purchase and discuss training methods.
Kathy was anxious about getting Stormy home and riding
her, and says Stormy is a Cadillac compared to her other
horses. “She is very light and responsive and has a full set
of controls. She is a fun horse to ride and is teaching me
many things.”
In the few months since Kathy and Stormy have been
paired, Kathy has noticed a signif cant amount of growth
in her horsemanship. “It is a real confidence boost riding
Stormy because she is solidly educated in Clinton’s methods.
Her responsiveness makes me smile every time I try a new
technique with her,” said Kathy. “I am getting better at
working with the stick and string and Stormy and I continue
to work smoother together.”
Kathy says she is now ready to expand her horizons and
get out of her comfort zone with Stormy. Although they
usually just ride around in their pasture and small indoor
arena, Kathy says she is ready to go on a camping trip with
Stormy, her husband, and her husband’s horse, Wrangler.
For the Fulwiler’s, purchasing a Signature Horse from
Clinton Anderson’s Downunder Horsemanship was an
opportunity of a lifetime. Now Kathy and Russ finally have
the perfect partner they have always wanted. No Worries Journal | 15
Pint-Size Fan
Although fans of Clinton Anderson come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and breeds, it isn’t very often that you see an 8-year-old do a
One Rein Stop. But there is a young cowboy from Iowa who could be considered Clinton Anderson’s biggest pint-size fan.
C
hase Hutcheson hails from De Soto, Iowa, 21 miles west of
Des Moines. Growing up, Chase didn’t have much of a choice
when it came to being around horses. His father, Brandon,
worked during the day, and attended paramedic school at
night, so when his mother, Courtney, needed to go to the
barn, Chase was always a tag-a-long: willing or not.
When Chase was 3 years old, he received his first
pony, Misti. His passion for horses didn’t begin to grow
until he started watching Clinton’s DVDs with his mother
and grandmother three years ago. Chase mainly learns from
Clinton through the DVD series, but will take information
from Clinton however he can get it.
“Chase enjoys reading (looking at
the pictures) the monthly journals,”
said Courtney. “He gets so excited
when he gets the No Worries Club stuff
in the mail. He thinks Clinton makes
the DVDs and journals just for him.”
Courtney is a fan of Clinton’s methods
for several reasons. She likes the fact
that Chase can learn at his own pace
and not feel rushed or overwhelmed
by information. She thinks Clinton
is a great role model for kids because
there are not too many trainers that
can keep a child’s attention, let alone
appear interesting.
“His methods are easy to understand. He has them laid out step by step
so you have a plan to work with. For Chase I like them because he can
watch segments and not get bored as easily (he is a child
after all). It also gives him someone besides Mom and Dad
to listen/learn from,” said Courtney.
Chase has his own reasons for liking Clinton, but the two
that top the list Courtney says, are his humor and his ability
to train people to train horses. And of course the ability to
“show off” in front of his friends; he is one of the only kids his
age who rides his horse on a loose rein.
In 2007, on his seventh birthday, Chase was able to meet
his idol at a tour stop in Des Moines. Thanks to the help of
a few No Worries Club members he was able to sit through
one day of the tour while his mother was volunteering,
and even got to meet Clinton, who gave him several items
including a No Worries Club membership. Chase sat with
Clinton, signed autographs like Clinton, and was even able to
get a few pictures with Clinton after the day was over.
At 8-years-old, Chase uses all his young energy to
practice Clinton’s methods. His newest partner, Abby, a POA
type pony, is always up for the challenge. The Hutcheson’s
acquired Abby by chance, after seeing a post on Craigslist.
A larger pony, at 7-years-old, Abby is mostly quiet and willing
to go along with Clinton’s methods. Although unsure of her
training before they purchased Abby, Courtney doesn’t think
Abby knew much, including Clinton’s methods.
“I think she did have some training in the past but her
owners at the time felt she was too “spirited.” I told my
husband if she could have gone any slower she would have
been dead. We still have yet to see the “spirited” side of her.”
Chase gets to spend lots of time on the trail, riding with
his mom often, and with his grandparents or his cousin,
but he loves to run barrels and poles at local shows. He is a
member of his local saddle club, and will be starting 4-H this
year, but is too young to show horses. This hasn’t hindered his
love for horses though, he just recently
went on his first overnight trail ride
on Labor Day, and his mom says he
is hooked. She says he likes to camp,
eat s’mores and go under the trees and
over the water.
His favorite exercise to practice
with Abby is flexing, and Courtney
says she’ll often catch him flexing
in the warm-up pens at shows while
waiting. And like most boys his age,
the temptation to hit anything with a
stick is always hard to overcome, but
his mom says he is learning to only
whack when he needs to.
Most importantly, Chase has
adopted Clinton’s “no worries”
attitude. When he enters the
walk-trot competitions at local
shows, he chooses to use Abby even
though he knows she is too fast to win.
“When I asked him last time if he wanted to use Sis (she’s
much slower) his response was ‘Nope! It’s not about winning
mom!’ I got that “duh” look, ‘It’s about having fun!’ I hope he
keeps thinking that way,” said Courtney.
Chase explains why he is such a fan of Clinton Anderson
DUH: How old where you when you started riding?
CHASE: I don’t know. I can’t remember back THAT far.
DUH: What is your favorite thing to do with your horse?
CHASE: Trail ride, barrels and poles.
DUH: What have you learned from Clinton?
CHASE: How to do a One Rein Stop. It’s my emeeeeergency brake!!
DUH: What would you like to learn from Clinton?
CHASE: How to load my horse and how to do a sliding stop!
DUH: What do you think Clinton does best?
CHASE: Trains.
DUH: Trains? Yeah, he trains people how to train their horses.
DUH: What one of Clinton’s horses do you like best?
CHASE: Duh, Mindy.
English Rider
An English rider, schooling dressage, Janet Springer did not seem like the most likely
student of Clinton Anderson. But Janet proves how Clinton can help someone who
didn’t even know they were looking for it as the student in the No Worries Club DVDs.
We catch up with Janet to see how life with Rio is off-camera.
A
s a young girl growing up in Maryland,
Janet caught the horse bug. Like most
girls of her age, Janet dreamed of
owning her own horse and spending
days on the trail with her trusty steed.
Although her time and experience with
horses was limited as a child, when Janet
became a mother she knew she wanted
to give her daughter the horse experience
she was never able to have.
When Janet’s daughter was eight, she
enrolled her in English riding lessons.
Though a good rider, her daughter
preferred the summer months, and did
not do much with horses in the winter.
But Janet was more intrigued than ever
and couldn’t stand a few months off.
At the age of 40, Janet began riding and
was hooked from the start. She received
her first horse at Christmas of that year,
an Arab by the name of SS Sendo.
Janet was lucky enough to have a barn
owner/trainer that cared about her and
her horse’s well-being. She helped Janet
make her first experiences with her horse safe, memorable
and full of valuable lessons. Not only did Janet have a passion
for horses, she had a great foundation of knowledge in her
beginning stages of horsemanship.
Janet started out with the basics of horsemanship until
she was introduced to dressage. Sendo wasn’t as willing a
dressage participant as Janet, so she searched for a horse
that shared her passion for dressage. With a family to care
for, Janet couldn’t afford to spend top dollar, but was able to
find a steal with Rio. An Appendix Quarter Horse; he was well
started, tall and the perfect blend for Janet. Rio and Janet
practiced dressage for a few years, working with trainers
and attempting constantly to improve. A few years into their
training and showing, Janet discovered Clinton’s methods,
and life with Rio would change significantly.
Primarily an English rider, Janet was skeptical of Clinton
and his program. When she participated in a clinic with
her barn she was very surprised. Janet was used to riding
with contact, and when it was time to canter while only
holding the buckle, she was more than blown away. She says
her work with Clinton’s methods have significantly changed
her and her horse.
“I am a total convert. I was able in a short time from
practicing Clinton’s methods to move forward in my dressage
practice significantly,” said Janet. “My dressage instructor
was impressed with our progress, progress that came because
of a new suppleness!”
Janet also commends Clinton on his ability to help her and
Rio with their extended trot work, a maneuver that is critical
in higher level dressage tests. Before Clinton, Rio wasn’t able
to achieve the collection needed for the extended trot, but
with Janet implementing Clinton’s techniques, she was able
to help Rio get soft and supple and improve his collection.
Janet says Clinton’s philosophy is what resonates with her
the most. She has learned to trust herself, as well as Rio and
forget the past. Like most owners who work with Clinton
for the first time, Janet was called out for being a Nagging
Mother – repeatedly asking Rio for the correct response.
Under Clinton’s instruction, Janet learned about the
different stages of pressure and the importance of body
language when asking Rio to listen
to her. As she progressed through
the monthly DVD lessons, it wasn’t
long before Janet went from a
Nagging Mother to a confident and
in control leader.
“I surprise myself sometimes when I
correct him. I remember how I use to
nag him repeatedly and then find a way
for us to go forward without him giving
in,” said Janet. “Now I ask once, if I don’t
get the right answer - I ask with gusto. I seldom get the wrong answer twice.”
Janet attributes their ability to train
at the fourth level and show at the third
to Clinton’s methods. Though since
retired, Janet still practices both
Clinton’s training and dressage, but
now prefers to spend her time with Rio
enjoying the outdoors, which before
Clinton was a nightmare.
“Much of our time is spent enjoying
the outdoors with each other. I have
to say that that may not have been an
option before I started working with Clinton. I was always
afraid that Rio would ‘save me’ from some unknown terror in
the fields,” said Janet. “Now I feel I have complete control of
his movement, his mind and the reaction side of his brain. It
is amazing to me when I look back, how calm I am now with
him and in turn he with me. He trusts me now - I trust him. What a great place to be. “
Being featured in the No Worries Club DVDs has its perks, but
also can require hard work and concentration. We talk to Janet
to get a behind the scenes look at filming with Clinton.
DUH: “How do you like filming with Clinton?”
Janet: “Love it!”
DUH: “Were you nervous at all?”
Janet: “Yes, definitely. But he really puts you at ease.
His banter is fun!”
DUH: “We want to take a behind the scenes look at filming
the DVDs; what was the process like?”
Janet: “It amazes me that we filmed all those episodes in
only about 4 days!! But he and his crew really know what they
are doing. They are efficient to the max. My darling horse was
a great pupil – giving us just the right amount of resistance
for Clinton and just the right amount of obedience for me.”
DUH: “What was the scariest moment from filming?”
Janet: “The day he made me chase the buffalo nearly gave me
a heart attack. I made the mistake of saying in passing that
Rio was afraid of the buffalo on the west side of the outdoor
arena…could we, I asked, film at the east end? What a mistake!
He immediately took that innocent question and made it into
a lesson. Rio and I stepped up – but only reluctantly. But then
we were totally into it.”
DUH: What was it like being with the camera?
Janet: “The first day we filmed, I had to have a lesson
off camera about how to face the cameras; stay within
a short distance from Clinton, don’t let Rio get between
myself and the camera…could you see how my mind was
reeling with all the instruction? There is more to this
filming than meets the eye!”
An Inside Look
At Reining
Clinton shares the How’s, What’s and Why’s of his favorite equestrian sport.
T
he minute I saw a reining pattern it was love at first sight,
and from there, it’s turned into nothing short of an obsession.
Gordon McKinlay took me to the Queensland Quarter Horse
Championships in 1988, and I distinctly remember watching
the open reining class. I remember a guy riding into the arena
on a jet black Clover Pinaroo mare that Gordon had bred and
this mare galloped down the arena, and as soon as the rider
said whoa, she just attacked the ground and slid to a stop.
Then he spun her around four times really fast to the left
and then four times to the right. She was just so controlled
and fast and exciting, but at the same time, it was so refined
and precise. At that exact moment, I knew I would never be
satisfied unless I gave reining a try.
Up to that point, I had done some western pleasure
and horsemanship classes, and honestly, I thought they
were boring. I had also played polo-cross which was exciting,
but compared to reining, it was very crude. There’s not a
lot of horsemanship involved. Reining is the ultimate in
horsemanship – it’s like driving a Ferrari with one finger.
Imagine being able to control every inch of your horse off a
feather light touch set in a fast paced environment. From
there my passion and knowledge of reining just kind of grew.
I got books from the states and worked with Australian
Reining Futurity Champion Ian Francis who showed me his
techniques that have helped him win titles. These techniques
have helped me earn $35,201.40 in the National Reining
Horse Association (NRHA).
Judging System
No matter which pattern competitors decide to ride, they
all start with a score of 70. Each maneuver in the pattern
is then given a score ranging from minus 1 ½ points to plus
1 ½ points. Points are taken away from any maneuver if
the horse shows any sign of resistance. If the maneuver is
done correctly, but isn’t exceptional, then the horse and rider
are given a score of 0 for average. If the particular maneuver
shows quality the horse is soft, supple, responsive and has
a pleasant expression on his face, then points are added.
At larger shows that are held on the national or world level,
multiple judges are used to decide classes, which helps to
keep the competition level. Depending on how many judges
are used, the highest score and lowest score are dropped
and the remaining scores are tallied together to produce the
end score. So for example, when I was showing at the NRBC
Derby this past summer, there were five judges critiquing
my pattern. After my run, they dropped the lowest scoring
card and the highest scoring card and then put the remaining
three judges’ score cards together to get an average. What
I really like about reining competition is that it’s all about
progress. You’re riding for perfection, which no one can
ever really achieve, but it gives the rider a goal to improve no
matter what level you’re at.
Signature Moves – Circle
The circle is the foundation of reining horses because all
maneuvers are built on the horse’s correct body alignment. A
horse can’t run a round circle if his body isn’t properly aligned.
Every problem that your horse has in the circle will affect all
the other maneuvers throughout the pattern. When a horse
keeps his head and hip tipped to the inside of the circle
and his ribcage bent out, he’s in proper alignment. When
running a pattern, it’s ideal for the horse to lope a large fast
circle, then a small slow one, leave the circle and still continue
loping in proper alignment with the rider’s rein hand never
leaving the middle of the horse’s mane. It goes without
saying that getting a horse that broke takes a lot of hours
spent in the saddle teaching him how to soften and supple his
body and respect your cues.
During a run, judges give the highest marks to riders who
keep their horses on a loose rein while the horse takes the
responsibility to do his job off of very subtle cues. They
want to see that the horse can keep his body aligned correctly
throughout the circle without help from the rider. That means
that as he’s circling, the horse doesn’t lean his shoulders in or
out of the circle. Once the horse completes the fast circle, the
rider is expected to sit down in the seat of the saddle to slow
the horse down to a slower lope and complete a smaller circle.
Judges are looking for horses that keep a pleasant expression
on their faces and willingly listen to the rider’s subtle cues.
Lead Changes
Every reining pattern, no matter what level you’re showing
at, requires the horse to do a set of circles in each direction,
and to get from one circle to the other, a transition is needed.
That transition comes in the form of the flying lead change.
Judges want to see the flying lead change executed at the lope
with no change in gait or speed. A common problem for a
lot of horses is anticipating the lead change and moving their
shoulder into the new circle before actually bringing their
hip over and changing leads, which results in a missed lead
or crossfiring (changing in front, but not behind). To stop
a horse from anticipating, I never ask him to change leads
when changing directions in the middle of the arena. Instead,
I practice changing leads all over the arena on my horses.
I want them to change leads whenever they feel me lightly
press with the calf of my leg that way they learn to wait for
my cue and not anticipate the lead change. In fact, I don’t
recommend practicing your reining pattern as a whole
before showing because it teaches horses to anticipate what’s
coming. Instead, I spend most of my time working on the
five body parts (head and neck, poll, shoulders, ribcage and
hindquarters) and getting them soft and supple.
Sliding Stop
Watching that black Clover Pinaroo mare in Australia
attack the ground while sliding to a stop was what got my
blood pumping and sparked my interest in reining. To get a
dynamic stop where the horse goes down on his hocks and
leaves long marks in the dirt, he has to be driving forward
with his hindquarters. If a horse is leaning one direction or
another or he’s not running forward, the chances of him
getting a good stop are slim. Judges are looking for stops that
are 8 to 10 feet in length, but also watch the horse’s expression
to see if he’s happy and willing to stop or if he’s resistant and
gaping his mouth. The horse with a pleasant expression on his
face will score higher than a horse with a sour look.
Rollback
As soon as the horse comes to a stop, the rider turns him
180 degrees over his hocks in the opposite direction. When
the horse comes out of the rollback, he has to come out at a
lope on the correct lead. Here again, it’s common for horses
to anticipate the turn after the sliding stop so riders have to
be ready for it.
Spin
When done correctly the spin can be nearly as exhilarating
as a sliding stop. During the spin, the horse has to pivot
360 degrees around his inside hind leg for a set amount of
turns (usually four). A good spin starts with the horse
obediently pivoting on his inside hind leg and building speed.
In order to do a spin correctly, the horse has to be back on
his hocks and learn how to hold the shape of the spin
himself. The rider shouldn’t have to keep him in the turn.
When you’re first teaching a horse to spin, you’ll have to help
him, but as he gets better, he’ll learn to keep the shape by
himself. Like with everything else you do with your horse,
it’s important to teach the horse to be accurate in his spin
before adding speed. Judges will not give high scores for
speed if the spins are not performed correctly.
Back Up
The backup is the ultimate test to see if the horse is truly
soft and supple. Every pattern includes asking the horse to
go in reverse on a straight line for at least 10 feet. Judges
are looking for horses that can back up with energy while
remaining light in the bridle. That means that the rider
should be able to back the horse up off a loose rein.
Save the date
Clinton Anderson has a lifetime earning of $35,201.40 competing in the NRHA.
Although I love to train reining horses and working cow
horses, I don’t get to train as much as I’d like because I’m
on the road giving clinics and tours. For example, this year
I’m gone 45 weekends out of the year. You can’t get a horse
trained being gone 45 weekends out of the year. Next year
I’m hoping to cut back to only being gone 25 times a year
so that I feel like I can be competitive with other trainers
across the country. With my schedule how it is now, I’m not
on even footing with them. They’re riding their horses six
days a week and I’m riding mine maybe two or three days.
I feel like my horses are as talented, and I’ve got the ability,
but unless I can ride them and train them, I can’t expect peak
performances out of them. If you were a marathon runner
and only practiced running three times a week, your stamina
and strength wouldn’t compare to a runner who’s practicing
six days a week.
Since I have limited time to spend training and showing
my horses, I can only go to several events throughout the
year. When I take time off from traveling the country and
sharing my horsemanship advice, I like to make it to all the
major reining events. I always make it a point to compete at
the NRBC Derby, the NRHA Derby and the Reining Futurity.
Each of these events showcases the best of the best and always
proves to be an inspiration to become a better horseman.
Each spring, professionals and amateurs alike gather
in Katy, TX for the NRBC Derby. The event offers top prize
money and international recognition to 4, 5 and 6 year old
reining horses. The NRHA Derby is held in early summer
and is also for 4, 5 and 6 year old horses. The last big
event of the year is the NRHA Futurity that is held in
Oklahoma City, OK and is for 3 year olds only. Whenever
you see the word futurity, it usually means that there’s an age
limit on the event.
Putting my name on the line
When I compete at reining events around the country,
it’s inevitable that I’ll be asked at some point if I’m at all
concerned about competing and not doing well. I’m
constantly asked, “Are you worried people will drop out of
your program because you didn’t win, or won’t think you’re
the best?” I’ll be the first to say that no one wants to lose,
but I’m not scared to lose. I think by going out and competing
against some of the best riders and horses in the world and
holding my own says enough about my training techniques.
There aren’t a lot of clinicians who put their name on the line
like I do. Most of them don’t compete because their egos
won’t let them get beat. I’ve never told anybody that I’m the
greatest horseman in the world, in fact I openly admit as a
horseman I’m relatively average. My true talent is getting
people to understand how to work with their horses. I do
aspire to be the best horseman in the world. I know that
I’ll never be because there is no such thing, but you should
always be developing your skills and trying to get better.
When I head out to an event, I always keep one thing in
mind – everybody is beatable, everybody can be beaten
on any particular day, any horse and any person. I love to
compete because it’s a challenge. It keeps you humble and
active in your horsemanship to get better. In any industry
that you’re involved in, any time you start thinking you’re
God’s gift, you’re going to go downhill.
Preparing the horse
Before I go through the bother of taking a horse to an event
to show, I make sure he’s riding really well at home first and
he’s ready for the test ahead. If he isn’t riding well at home,
he’s only going to be worse at the show. Not only that, but I
pay special attention to the horse’s ability. If he’s not quite
ready, meaning that he’s a little green and insecure, I’m not
going to put him in a situation where he fails. I always want
to set my horses up to succeed, not fail.
Think of your reining prospect like a talented high school
football athlete. Even though the high schooler is athletic
and very talented, it would be stupid to jump him up to the
NFL because you’d be taking him out of his level of expertise.
In other words, you would be setting him up to fail instead
of succeed. First he makes it through high school, then
college and then on to the NFL. With each stage that he goes
through, his skills and ability will improve so that by the time
he’s in the pros, he’s the best of the best. The same thing is
true of horses, even if you have an extremely talented horse
that you know will one day be able to compete in some of the
biggest competitions, if you push him too hard, he’ll amount
to nothing. So I always take my time developing my horses
and never push them beyond what I feel they can handle.
One of the best ways to test to see if your horse is ready
to handle the pressures of showing is to take him to local
school ‘em and fool ‘em shows and practice your pattern. Not
only will this get your horse used to the sights, sounds and
commotion of the show grounds, but you won’t be wasting a
lot of money on entry fees just to school your horse. These
types of shows are also good for seasoned show horses that
can get smart about misbehaving during a run. Horses can
tell the difference when you’re actually showing them and
2008 NRBC Limited Open Champion Clinton Anderson and his horse Princess on the Prowl. They collected $11,455.89 for their score of 222.50
when you’re just riding around the arena and know when
they can get away with not performing at their best. Mindy
and Diez are no different. They know that they can get away
with things that I normally wouldn’t let them get away with
at home when they’re out on tour. They may not back up as
fast or they may not be quite as soft. That’s just horses for
you; they’re nothing but maintenance with legs. Local shows
will help keep your horse honest so that he has no idea if
you’re going to stop and correct him when he does something
wrong, or if you’re going to leave him alone.
Once at an event, I train the horse exactly the way I do at
home. I try to get to the facility two or three days before the
show so that the horses have a chance to settle into their new
surroundings and I can ride them in the arena a few times.
When I’m riding my horses, I don’t let what other trainers are
doing to their horses dictate what I do to mine. I follow my
same game plan that I do at home, which includes focusing on
softening and suppling the five body parts and insuring the
horse has his attention on me. One of the biggest mistakes
you can make is overtraining your horse at a show, meaning
that you keep picking at something until the horse becomes
so frustrated that he mentally shuts down. Usually at shows
nothing gets better, but instead worse because tensions are
high and there are a lot of distractions. Now, that doesn’t
mean that I don’t expect my horse to perform well, because
I do. If he isn’t doing something as good as I want, I don’t
go overboard on correcting him because I want him perfect
for the show.
Mental Preparation
Your horse isn’t the only one that needs to be prepared for
your run, you do too. I’ve found that one of the best ways to
prepare for a run is to visually memorize and ride the pattern
in my head. I’ll lay in bed at night and I’ll close my eyes and
visualize the perfect run I could do with my horse. I visualize
the perfect stop, the perfect spin, the perfect rollback. I’ve
gotten a lot of my mental preparation ideas from a book by
Dr. Maxwell Maltz called Psycho-Cybernetics. I recommend
it to everyone because it’s a phenomenal book that will
teach you how to stay positive in your thinking and how to
stay ahead of the game.
Get Involved
Not only will reining improve your horsemanship skills and
develop your sense of feel and timing, but it’s also a lot of fun.
If you’re interested in the sport, I encourage you to try it out.
There’s a level for everyone who’s interested, from local green as
grass events to world championships. There’s a class for every
level of ability, which makes for a level playing field. So if you’re
a novice, you don’t have to feel intimidated to compete against
a professional. The best way to get involved is by visiting the
NRHA web site www.nrha.com to find a trainer near you. The
association will be able to refer you to local trainers in your
area that will be able to help you get started.
Greatest
Lessons Learned
Shana
Terry
In January 2009, Downunder Horsemanship
will graduate its first Professional Clinicians:
Shana Terry and Krista Robinson
Shana and Krista have spent four years apprenticing under Clinton Anderson, learning the ins and outs
of his extensive training program. Along the way they discovered a Downunder Horsemanship Apprentice
learns more than just how to train horses. You also learn how to effectively communicate with horse owners
and how to run a successful business. Whether it was breaking in wild mustangs or helping participants
at clinics, both girls absorbed an infinite amount of knowledge from Clinton. Each Professional Trainer
shares the greatest lesson she has learned from her mentor.
Krista
Robinson
ShanaTerry
Never Be Afraid
of Change
S ince I have known Clinton, he has always said that change is a good thing, and he has always encouraged
us to have an open mind no matter what we’re dealing with: – horses, life or personal issues. Having an open
mind doesn’t mean that you have to like or believe everything that you see or hear, but it does mean that
you can take what you like and leave the rest. Clinton has been a good role model by always being open to
learning new things from anyone he can, and by being willing to take on new challenges.
Learn to embrace change
Unfortunately, nobody likes change. We don’t like it and
horses don’t like it either. It’s never easy leaving what’s
comfortable and trying something new. During my time with
him, Clinton has helped me learn how to embrace change
instead of being afraid of it. A year and a half ago when he
appointed me the head apprentice, it was a huge challenge
and a little frightening. I had never been the leader of
anything before, and for me to be thrown into a leadership
position like that took me out of my comfort zone. But I
reminded myself that Clinton has always told us that change
is a good thing, so I tried to make the best of the situation
and embrace it for what it was worth. It ended up being
a great experience and helped me grow as a person. When
things start to get comfortable, that’s when you know it’s time
to change. When you come out on the other side, it’s always
going to be better. If it’s not, then you’re not done changing.
To change your horse you have to first
change yourself
Throughout my career at Downunder Horsemanship, and
especially since I’ve been doing my own clinics and helping
at Clinton’s, I’ve noticed that a lot of people fall into the rut
of not wanting to change. They’re not happy, but they’re not
willing to change either. They aren’t willing to take a leap of
faith and do something to change their lives. This is especially
apparent at clinics. Some people show up having practiced the
exercises the same way for years and their horses will never
get any better because they aren’t willing to change.
Change requires resistance
If you want to change your horse and take him up to the
next level, it’s inevitable that there’s going to be resistance.
People don’t like to hear that though. Everyone wants their
horse to move through the levels quickly with no resistance.
Unfortunately, because they don’t want to go through the
resistance to get to the next level, they stay in the same rut
forever. Whenever you challenge a horse to go to the next
level and perform better, it gets worse before it gets better.
At clinics, our main responsibility is to raise people’s
standards. If people’s expectations of what their horses could
accomplish were measured on a scale from one to ten, with
ten being the highest expectations, most people would only
be at a two or three. If you don’t expect more out of your
horse, he’s never going to get better. Horses don’t raise their
standards by themselves.
Constructive Criticism Leads to Change
One of the reasons that Clinton has been so successful is
that he enjoys receiving constructive criticism from those
he respects and isn’t afraid to embrace change. The only way
we’re ever going to get better is to listen to criticism and learn
from it. If you think about it, it’s a lot like desensitizing a
horse. When you’re desensitizing a horse, Clinton always says
that you’re trying to scare him. If you scare the horse, that’s
a good thing because it gives you the opportunity to make
him quieter. In the same way, criticism is good because it’s
the only way you’re going to get better and improve yourself.
Krista Robinson
Knowledge is Power
T he greatest lesson I learned from Clinton is what he always preaches – knowledge is power. By working for
him the past four years, I’ve gotten to experience many new things and learn more information than I ever
thought possible, not just about horses, but life in general. Before I started my apprenticeship with Downunder
Horsemanship, I didn’t have a lot of hands-on experience training horses, teaching people or understanding
how a business runs. I previously had just boarded my horse and when I went out to the barn I was able to
saddle up and have fun. I didn’t have to worry about feeding, vets, cleaning stalls or the daily maintenance of a
working barn. When I came to live on Clinton’s ranch, it was a huge learning curve for me.
Every opportunity is a chance to learn
While helping Clinton at his clinics and also teaching my
own, I find that I learn something new every single weekend.
At every clinic there are always different horses and different
people each encountering or working through various
situations. Working with so many horses and people has
helped refine my sense of feel and timing. It’s been a great
way to get more tools in my tool box in order to help a certain
rider and horse through a problem.
Learn from as many different people
as you can
Clinton has taught me so much and it’s incredible how
much information is in his head. He is very willing to share
all of his information with us and I love listening to him
talk about his experiences both as a horseman and as a
businessman. One thing he is adamant about is trying to
learn from as many different people as he can. We’ve worked
with trick horse trainers, farriers, vets, breeding programs,
circus trainers, eventers, world champion reiners, etc. the
list is endless really. I’m just lucky enough to be along for
the ride and get to learn from so many people. It’s a once
in a lifetime opportunity that I know I would never get
anywhere else. I hope to carry this lesson Clinton has
enstilled in me and always be willing to learn from other
great people and their experiences.
Learning is a never-ending process
There are times when I still get frustrated training horses.
Even after four years of working with Clinton, new situations
come up that I’ve never had to deal with before. Clinton has
recently given both Shana and I reining horses to finish, which
is completely new for me. Every day that I work the horses,
they’re getting a little better and their ability is starting to
exceed mine. So every single maneuver I do every day with
them allows me to learn something new. There are times
when I can’t figure out how to get them to do what I want,
so I have to ask Clinton for help. He’ll pack my brain with
more knowledge and show me what to do with them. I’ll feel
confident again and then a few days later, a new problem will
present itself. I’m constantly learning and always striving to
get to a higher level. This has taught me never to be afraid
to ask for help or say you don’t understand because the
explanation you will get will just expand your knowledge and
help you conquer the next obsticle.
Always ask why
I try to ask as many questions as I possibly can. Clinton is
a big “why” kind of guy and I try to let that characteristic rub
off on me. He’s forever asking people why they’re doing what
they’re doing, even if it’s just the electrician fixing lights out
at the ranch. He has such a craving for knowledge that you
can’t help but pick up on it. So whether John Deere comes
out to fix the tractor, I take a horse to the vet or the farrier
comes out to work on the horses, I always ask questions. If a
similar situation presents itself later on, I’ll have a head start
on it. The more knowledge you can acquire, the more people
you can meet, the more questions you ask, the more you’ll
grow and be able to achieve.
C-Pattern
Exercise
s a horseman or horsewoman, it should be your goal to
Anever
waste an opportunity to train your horse. No matter
what you’re doing with your horse, whether you’re leading
him to the pasture, taking him to his stall, going to the arena
for a lesson, etc. it is always the perfect time to train him.
All too often, people waste valuable minutes with their horse
by just leading him from one point to the next without
teaching him anything. By doing the C-Pattern Exercise you
can enforce the importance of your hula hoop space and
having the horse move his feet with energy off the lightest
cue. This exercise is especially good for horses that have a
tendency to drag you from place to place because it quickly
reinforces your leadership role. Anytime you can make your
horse’s feet move forwards, backwards, left and right, take
the opportunity. You’ll still get to where you want to go, and
the horse will have learned something along the way.
Goal: To be able to send the horse to one side of you
to the other while you walk in a straight line. The horse
should be responsive enough to come off the halter pressure
without resistance.
Why: You’ve already established your personal hula hoop
space and taught the horse to stay out of it unless you invite
him in. Now, you’re going to teach the horse that not only
do you have a personal hula hoop space, but that space also
moves with you. The C-Pattern not only gets the horse moving
left and right while respecting your space, but he’s also got
to stay out of your space while you’re walking forward. That
makes him constantly gauge how close he is to you. This is
just another exercise to get the horse to move his feet without
making him go around in the same boring circle. The more
variety you can include in your horse’s training, the happier
and more interested in his work he’ll be.
Teaching
Stage:
Take the string off your Handy Stick and tie it loosely
around the base of the horse’s neck.
This will show you where the drive line is, and the stick will
be easier to use without the string attached.
Stand at one end of the arena so that your belly button is
facing the opposite end, and the horse is facing your shoulder.
The C-Pattern is basically the Sending Exercise on the
move. So it’s important that the horse already knows how to
do the Sending Exercise well.
Hold the lead rope on the duct tape with your knuckles
facing up, and place the Handy Stick in your opposite hand,
holding it as if you were going to shake someone’s hand.
Make the OK sign with your hand so that you’re holding
the lead rope between your thumb and index fingers.
Then fold all of your fingers around the rope so that your
knuckles are on top. Your thumb should be pointing towards
It is important that your horse knows how to do the Sending Exercise well
before you begin the C-Pattern.
your chest and your little finger should be the closest to the
horse’s head. With your other hand hold onto the stick like
you’re shaking its hand.
Ask the horse to go past you by holding your hand high in
the air and pointing in the direction you want the horse to go.
Ideally, the horse should come off of the pressure behind
his ears on his poll and immediately move forward. If he
doesn’t move forward, use the Handy Stick to tap the air
by the horse’s neck with rhythm to create pressure and
encourage the horse to move forward. If the horse still doesn’t
respond by moving forward, start tapping with the stick
with a one, two, three, four rhythm. Ideally, you want to be
tapping the horse in front of the drive line first to establish
direction.If the horse is facing you,taptowardhisheadand neck.
If he’s not facing you, tap behind the drive line.
As soon as the horse’s tail passes by your belly button, stab
your belly button with your hand that holds the lead rope and
Tie the string of your Handy Stick loosely around
your horse’s neck.
Hold the lead rope on the duct tape with your knuckles facing up, and
place the Handy Stick in your opposite hand, holding it as if you were
going to shake someone’s hand.
Ask the horse to go past you by holding your hand high in the air
and pointing in the direction you want the horse to go.
crouch forward and stare at the horse’s hindquarters to yield
them. Be conscious to keep walking in a straight line. Your
feet should never stop moving.
In the initial stages of the Sending Exercise when you asked
the horse to yield his hindquarters and face you with two eyes,
it was important that you stepped towards him with one foot
and swung the Handy Stick at the same time to encourage the
horse to disengage. Later on, as the horse got better at the
exercise, you stopped moving your feet and could get
the horse to yield his hindquarters off just a look. Your
horse should be far enough along in the program to yield his
hindquarters off just a look. However, if he gets lazy or
ignores you, don’t be afraid to take a step towards his tail and
swing the Handy Stick at the same time to get his hindquarters
to disengage.
Once the horse has disengaged his hindquarters and given
you two eyes, pass the stick under the lead rope so that each
of your hands switches tools. The hand that held the Handy
Stick should now hold the lead rope and the hand that held
the lead rope should now hold the Handy Stick. Remember to
keep moving your feet forward the entire time.
Passing the Handy Stick under the rope is much quicker
and easier to do rather than picking the stick up and over
the rope. Also remember do not change hands on the Handy
Stick or lead rope until the horse has yielded his hindquarters
and given you two eyes. You need to have your tools ready in
case the horse gets lazy or ignores you.
Point up in the air in the opposite direction to ask the horse
to move forward and then create energy with the stick if the
horse does not move.
Tap the air first—one, two, three, four—with rhythm. If
the horse doesn’t move, tap in front of his drive line ONE,
TWO, THREE, FOUR. And if he still doesn’t move, tap him
harder ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! Keep increasing the
pressure with rhythm until the horse moves his feet forward.
As soon as he does this immediately stop applying pressure
with the stick and lower it to the ground in the neutral
position. If he stops moving his feet again repeat the steps
described above increasing the amount of pressure with each
set of four numbers.
When the horse’s tail passes your belly button, stab your
belly button with your hand and crouch forward. Stare at his
hindquarters to disengage them.
As soon as the horse’s tail passes by your belly button, stab your belly
button with your hand that holds the lead rope and crouch forward.
Stare at the horse’s hindquarters to yield them.
Work your way towards the opposite end of the arena sending the horse from
one side of you to the other.
Make it clear to the horse what you’re asking. Exaggerate to
teach and refine as the horse understands.
Work your way towards the opposite end of the arena
sending the horse from one side of you to the other.
Try not to have a big long pause each time you send your
horse from one side of you to the other. You want him to
turn, yield, and face you. Then immediately go back the other
direction.
When you reach the opposite end of the arena, spend a
couple of minutes sending the horse between you and the
arena fence practicing the Sending exercise.
Practicing the Sending exercise gives the horse the
opportunity to relax and think about what he’s doing. Some
horses will get nervous and reactive when you first start the
C-Pattern, but the if you do the Sending exercise at the end of
the arena, you’ll help them calm down and relax.
Then turn around and start sending the horse back
down the arena.
Common Handler Mistakes:
Not keeping the horse’s feet moving
Try not to have a big long pause each time you send your horse. You want
him to turn, yield, and face you. Immediately go back the other direction.
If you send the horse past you and he stops moving, ask
him to yield his hindquarters by tapping the air with the stick,
then start walking forward again and continue the exercise.
Not passing the stick underneath the lead rope.
Taking the stick under the rope is the most efficient way to
get the stick in your other hand. Lifting the stick up and over
the rope takes more time and it’s awkward. Taking the stick
under the lead rope makes the transition much smoother and
easier on you.
Not keeping the forward motion
If you have to, put the stick and string out behind the horse
and point, cluck and spank to speed him up. If you have to
spank his hindquarters with the stick and string to speed his
feet up, do it. Remember do what you have to do to get the
job done. Do it as easy as possible, but as firm as necessary. In
this exercise, do the opposite of what your horse wants to do.
If he’s fat and lazy and wants to slowly jog around you, do the
opposite—make his feet hustle. If he’s hot and nervous, keep
doing the exercise until he relaxes and slows down.
Not walking in a straight line
You want to do the opposite of what your horse wants you to do in this
exercise. If he’s fat and lazy then make his feet hustle.
In this exercise, you’re teaching the horse that when you
walk, your personal hula hoop space goes with you and
he has to stay four feet away from you the entire time. To
help the horse realize this, it’s important that you walk in a
straight line as you’re doing the exercise. Pick out a post or an
object in front of you and walk straight to it. A lot of people
make the mistake of walking on a straight line until the
horse comes past them and then they step sideways to yield
his hindquarters. By this stage in your horse’s training, he
should yield his hindquarters off just a look. If he doesn’t, you
can swing the Handy Stick forward towards his hindquarters
without moving your feet off the straight line. Always keep
your feet moving forwards on a straight line.
Walking too slowly
The C-pattern is designed to get your horse’s feet moving and for him to use
the thinking side of his brain.
Don’t walk like you’re going to your own funeral. If you walk
a steady pace, you’ll find that the horse will pick up his pace to
match yours. Horses are really good at making us slow down
to their speed, and most of them prefer to drag their feet on
the ground. The C-pattern is designed to get your horse’s feet
moving and for him to use the thinking side of his brain, but
that only works if he’s got some hustle to his feet. If you have
to, use the Handy Stick to create energy in his feet by first
pointing, then spanking the ground behind his hindquarters
and then spanking his hindquarters if necessary.
Not holding the rope correctly.
Always have your hand over the top of the rope so that
your knuckles are facing up. Your thumb should be poking
you in the chest and your little finger should be the closest
to the horse. When you hold the rope incorrectly with your
palm facing up and your thumb closest to the horse, you’ll
have a tendency to grip the lead rope too tight. That in turn
will encourage the horse’s feet to lock up or for him to run
backwards.
Using the stick too much.
Ask the horse politely to move forward by first pointing
with your finger up in the air in the direction you want him
to move. If he doesn’t respond, tell him to move forward by
reinforcing your action with the Handy Stick and string.
You’re trying to get the horse to follow the feel from the
halter and your hand, and to yield his hindquarters from just
a look. It’s not a problem if you have to use the Handy Stick
to reinforce you’re request, but keep it as Plan B. Always ask
before you tell.
Not stopping when you reach the fence
When you reach the opposite end of the arena, send the
horse in between you and the fence until he relaxes. Some
horses will get nervous and worked up as you walk from
one end of the arena to the other, so it’s important that you
spend some time at the fence doing the Sending exercise until
the horse relaxes.
It is important that once you reach the opposite end of the arena that you spend
some time working on the Send Exercise at the fence until the horse relaxes.
Common Horse Problems
Horse runs behind you
As you yield the hindquarters, pull the lead rope up
and over towards the fence instead of towards your belly
button. This will lock up the horse’s front feet and help the
hindquarters disengage. If the horse is ignoring you, bump
the lead rope rhythmically, using driving pressure instead
of steady pressure. It’s much harder for a horse to lean on
driving pressure than it is for him to lean on steady pressure.
Horse pushes into you
If your horse pushes into you or crowds your space, tap his
neck away. If he is really belligerent and disrespectful use the
stick to tap the edge of his jaw. Do whatever it takes to get
the job done. Be as easy as possible and as firm as necessary.
You don’t want the horse to step inside your personal hula
hoop space. It’s important that you drive the horse’s front
end away from you before you send him forward, or he’ll run
over you.
Horse is lazy
Always ask the horse to move forward by pointing your finger first. It is ok to use the
Handy Stick but always keep it as a plan B.
Instead of the horse bringing his hindquarters around and
pivoting, he just kind of moves around real slow in a circle.
Bring the stick forward and whack the horse’s butt if it is
under the stick as you bring it down. Remember, one good
whack is better than a thousand little taps. This will cause
the horse to wake up in a hurry and jump his hindquarters
away from you and give you two eyes. Remember, do what
you have to do to get the job done. So if he’s lazy and lethargic,
you may have to whack him pretty darn hard with the stick
on his butt. If the horse is very sensitive and feely, you won’t
have to use anywhere near the degree of pressure with the
stick to get the same result.
Horse pulls back when yielding the hindquarters
Keep your belly button facing forward, and follow him
backwards with your hand pointing in the air and tapping
the air with the Handy Stick until the horse takes a step
forward. If the horse is backing up lazy and heavy, start
tapping him with the stick. If the horse is backing up like
he is scared and worried, don’t tap him, just keep tapping
the air and wait for him to find the answer. The main thing
to remember is to not stop pointing with your hand in the
air—you have to keep the same shape in your body to let
the horse know where to go. You can’t stop a horse from
backing, but you can make him feel uncomfortable for it.
The key here is to only release the pressure of the stick when
your horse actually moves his feet forward. Over time your
horse will realize that backing up is not the right answer.
The right answer is moving forward.
Troubleshooting
Advice
Horse continuously pushes into you when you
change directions
If your horse pushes into you continuously, back him up
aggressively and yield his forequarters. Work on exercises
that force the horse to move away from you and out of your
personal space like backing up and yielding his forequarters.
Once the horse is respecting your space, then you can come
back to the exercise and try again. If he starts pushing on you,
go back to backing up and yielding his forequarters.
Success Tips:
Look where you want to go
Challenge your horse by runing with him.
Your most important task in this exercise is to pick out a
focal point and walk straight to it. If you’re not looking to
where you want to go, you won’t travel in a straight line.
The most important point in this exercise is to find a focal point and walk straight to it.
Exercise Snapshot
Slap and Walk
This desensitizing exercise will help to make the horse quieter and calmer. If you
can slap the stick and string on the ground as you walk 360 degrees around him,
there aren’t too many things that are going to spook him.
1 Double the tail of the lead rope and throw it over
the horse’s back. Begin the exercise on the left
side of the horse’s body. Stand with your shoulder
parallel to his jaw so that you’re facing his
hindquarters. Place your left hand on the horse’s
side. Hold the Handy Stick in your right hand like
you’re shaking someone’s hand.
Begin to spank the ground with the Handy Stick
in a circular motion about a foot away from the
horse’s body. When you swing the stick, be sure
to use your whole arm—rotating at the shoulder.
2 As
you swing the Handy Stick and slap the
ground, slowly walk forward toward the horse’s
hindquarters. Keep your left hand on the horse’s
body the entire time. Once you reach the horse’s
hindquarters, continue to walk around behind
him slapping the ground with the Handy Stick
the entire time. Be sure to keep your left hand on
the horse.
3 Continue walking around the horse 360 degrees
until you reach the point where you started. Then
turn around, switch hand positions and walk
360 degrees around him the other way.
4 If
at any point, the horse moves or raises his
head and looks worried, keep your feet still and
continue slapping the ground in that exact spot
until he stops moving and relaxes. If the horse
moves, follow him while continuing to slap the
ground with the stick.
The Back-Up
An Essential Component in Your Horse’s Training
A
good back up is the foundation for everything you do
with your horse – stopping, collection and being able to
rate the horse’s speed to name just a few. Most people
teach their horse to back up by picking up on the reins and
applying pressure to the horse’s face. Usually, that is the
only cue they use to ask the horse to back up; and the more
they pull, the more the horse resists and lifts his head and
neck. You enter a tug-of-war that is very difficult to win.
Sure, you might get the horse to back up; but it will be a very
sluggish, lazy back-up with the horse dragging his front feet
rather than picking his back and shoulders up and backing
up soft and collected. A good back-up is one where the horse
has energy in his feet and is soft at the same time.
As a general rule, the harder you pull on the reins when
you back him up, the slower he gets. The softer you pick up
on the reins, the lighter he will get and the faster he will
back up. What you don’t want to do is try to make him back
up by strictly pulling on the reins. I like to teach my horse
to back up by getting his feet to move, then redirecting his
feet backwards. As you’re teaching your horse how to back
up, keep in mind that when the feet stop, the head and neck
go up. When the feet move, the head and neck come down.
It’s pretty simple. So, what you are going to do - instead of
just pulling back on our horse and making him back up - is
get his feet to move, redirect his feet backwards and teach
him to back up.
Teaching Stage
1. Yield the horse’s hindquarters
Yield the horse’s hindquarters. Get both hands up short
on the reins, holding them in front of your body. Pull one
rein up to your hip to flex the horse’s head. Then press with
your inside leg back by his flank to encourage him to yield
his hindquarters. If you’ve done your preparation, your
horse should already know how to yield his hindquarters
well before you teach him to back up. The better your basics
are, the easier it is to teach more difficult exercises. If your
horse ignores your leg, you can use a dressage whip or the
end of the mecate to spank him off your leg with driving
pressure. If you’re having trouble getting your horse to yield
his hindquarters and pivot on his front legs, watch the Yield
the Hindquarters lesson on Riding with Confidence Series I.
2. When the horse yields 360 degrees, redirect his
energy backward. Before his feet stop moving, straighten
his head out by picking up on the outside rein. As soon
as his head is straight, tap with your legs, one and then
the other, up near the horse’s shoulders.
The key is to let the horse’s head and neck straighten out,
but not to allow his feet to stop moving. Your legs create
energy in the horse’s feet and encourage him to step backward.
If you just pull on his mouth to make him go backward, he’ll
just get heavier. Your hands ask the horse to back up, and
your legs give him a reason to move his feet.
3. As soon as the horse takes one step backward,
immediately release all pressure from your reins and
legs and let him stop and relax.
It’s important that you let the horse stop and relax before
asking him to yield his hindquarters and back up again.
Remember that the release of pressure and resting are the
horse’s reward for doing the right thing.
4. Once the horse takes one correct step, then ask for
two. And when he can consistently take two correct
steps, ask for three and so on.
Remember to find a starting point. Don’t ask for too many
steps in the beginning.
5 Once the horse is taking a couple of steps backward
well, you don’t have to yield his hindquarters before
asking him to back up every time.
I like to yield the horse’s hindquarters in the beginning
because it makes the horse softer and it’s easier for him to
understand the concept. Once he knows what you’re asking
him to do, you don’t have to yield his hindquarters first.
Once the horse has taken a couple of steps backward, you don’t have to yield his
hindquarters before asking him to back up every time.
Get both hands up short on the reins, holding them in front of your body.
Pull one rein up to your hip to flex the horse’s head. Then press with your
inside leg back by his flank to encourage him to yield his hindquarters.
When you ask the horse to back up, make sure that your legs are bumping in front
of the girth up by his shoulders.
Rider Mistakes
Trying to pull the horse back with the reins.
The idea is not to pull the horse backward. You want to just
make contact on both reins, and then drive him back with
your legs. If he’s not moving well, use more leg, not reins.
Not using your legs up by the horse’s shoulder
There are three buttons on the horse’s side: one up by the
girth which controls his shoulders; a second in the middle
of his side that controls his ribcage; and a third back by his
flank that controls his hindquarters. Tapping the horse up by
the girth encourages his shoulders to pick up and for him to
move backward. If you tap him in the middle of his ribcage,
he may get confused and try to go forward.
Not having the reins short and even
If the reins are too long, it’s harder to pick up and redirect
the horse’s energy backward. Hold the reins out short in
front of you so that as soon as he yields you can easily pick up
and ask him to back. It’s just as important that the reins are
even. You don’t want to pull on the horse’s mouth unevenly
or otherwise, you’ll confuse him and knock him off balance.
Asking for too many steps in the beginning
When teaching the horse, especially if he is resistant about
going backward, only look for one or two steps at first. Once he
understands the concept, you can start asking for more steps.
Remember to always find a starting point. One good step will
soon turn into two goods steps, then three and so on.
You don’t want to pull the horse backward with the reins. The idea is make contact on both reins and drive the horse back with your leg.
Horse Problems
Horse stops after yielding his hindquarters and
won’t move his feet back.
Make sure that you don’t let the horse’s feet stop after
yielding the hindquarters – it’s much easier for the horse to
move backward when there’s already energy in his feet, than
it is for him to go backward from a standstill. If he does stop
moving his feet, just disengage his hindquarters 360 degrees
and try to back up again.
Horse puts his head in the air and braces his neck
when he moves backward
Just ignore this for now. Once his feet move, his head
will come down – concentrate on putting energy in his feet
– as soon as he takes a couple of steps backward, release all
pressure. You’ll often find in a few days that his head will
come down by itself anyway. The main focus is his feet going
backward. Remember, horses don’t learn perfectly.
Horse tucks his head in and locks his feet up and
won’t move
You have two choices: 1) keep applying rein pressure and
keep tapping with one leg and then the other from side to side
on the horse’s elbows, and wait for him to find the answer and
take one step back. As soon as he does, immediately reward
him. 2) Disengage his hindquarters again and get his feet
moving and then try to back him up.
Troubleshooting
The horse wants to run forward when you start
bumping with your legs.
When you ask the horse to back up, make sure that your legs
are bumping in front of the girth up by his shoulders. If you
bump too far back, the horse will think you want him to go
forward. If he wants to go forward, take more contact with the
reins and pull back on two reins until he no longer wants to go
forward. As soon as he takes one step back, drop the reins and
reward him. In time, he will learn that leg pressure doesn’t just
mean go forward, but it can mean backward as well.
Hold the reins out short in front of you so that as soon as he yields you can easily pick up and ask him to back up .
Success Tips
Prepare with groundwork
If the horse is being really resistant about moving backward,
go back and practice backing up on the ground. Get him really
good at going backward with energy in his feet. He should be
especially good at the exercise Backing Up Off Steady Pressure
from both the halter and bridle on the ground.
Make sure the horse is good at Vertical Flexion at
the Standstill.
You want the horse to be really good at giving to the bit
vertically before picking up on the reins and asking him to
back up. That way, he understands how to give to pressure
from the bit when you pick up with both reins.
The key to backing up is good preparation. If your horse understands how to pivot on his front legs and give to the bit, then teaching him to backup is
relatively easy.
Sidebar
Preparation Equals Success
The key to backing up is good preparation, meaning that
your horse is good at yield the hindquarters, lateral flexion
and vertical flexion. If your horse understands how to pivot
on his front legs and give to the bit any time you pick up on it,
then teaching him to back up is relatively easy. All you’ll have
to do is get his feet to move by yielding his hindquarters, and
then redirect that energy backwards. Most people run into
problems because they try to cheat and start at a level too
high for them or their horse to handle. Make sure you follow
the steps laid out in the DVD series, complete the basics and
do your homework. Most problems arise when resistance is
encountered, and training methods fail because of a lack of
preparation and a lack of understanding. The more you ride,
and the more consistent and patient you are, the better your
horse will become. If you only practice once a week, don’t expect your horse to become much better. Remember, children
are sent to school five days a week because they learn best
when they have repetition on a daily basis. You don’t expect
a child to be very smart if he only goes to school one day a
week. Keep this in mind in all of your horse training activities
because the basic principle is the same.
It Doesn’t Come Naturally
Backing up is very unnatural for a horse to do. Think about
the number of times you’ve seen a horse backing up across
the pasture? It’s rare isn’t it? Other than taking a few steps
backwards to warn the horses near to him to get out of his
space, most horses don’t practice backing up on their own.
They’re addicted to forward movement. That’s why teaching
them to back up on the ground and under saddle is one of the
best things you can do. Teaching a horse to back away from
you on the ground reinforces to him that he needs to stay out
of your personal hula hoop space and respect you. Backing
from under saddle teaches the horse not to run through your
hands and respect your cues while laying a foundation for
more advanced maneuvers.
Backing up is very unnatural for a horse. That’s why teaching him to back up on the ground and under saddle is one of the best things you can teach him.
Second in a Three Part Series: Timing
Feel, Timing
and Experience
Three Ingredients to a Truly Great Horseman
T o be a truly great horseman you have to have three things:
feel, timing and experience. The only way to develop good
feel and timing is through experience. The more horses you
ride, the more clinics you go to, the more DVDs you watch,
and the more books you read, the more experienced you get.
The hardest things for me to teach people are feel and timing.
I wish I could bottle them up because I’d be a billionaire five
times over, but I can’t because it’s not something that you can
physically touch. I may not be able to sell you feel and timing,
but what I can do is share with you my experiences that have
helped me develop my own feel and timing.
While it’s hard to teach people how to develop feel and
timing, it’s even harder to explain it. But in the next three
Journals, I’m going to attempt to do just that. In the second
part of the series, we’re going to concentrate on timing.
What is Timing?
In its simplest definition, timing is the ability to release
pressure at the exact moment the horse does what you’re
asking him to do. I realize that sounds pretty vague but
timing applies to everything that you do with your horse,
from groundwork to riding. Without good timing, it’s next
to impossible to teach a horse anything.
The Role Pressure Plays
In order to understand timing, you first have to recognize
the important role pressure plays in your training. In the
first part of the series on feel, you learned that pressure is
similar to electricity, and is used to get a response out of the
horse. You’ll always start by applying the lightest amount of
pressure possible, and gradually increase that amount until
the horse gives you the response you’re looking for. Pressure
is basically used to make the horse feel uncomfortable so that
he looks for a way to make the uncomfortable feeling go away.
When you’re first teaching a horse a lesson, you’ll immediately
release all pressure when the horse gives the slightest try at
Timing is the ability to release pressure at the exact moment the horse does
what you are asking him to do.
finding the correct answer. For example, if I’m teaching a
horse how to flex laterally to the halter and lead rope, even
if he drops his nose down half a centimeter toward his girth,
I’ll release the pressure. That release of pressure is his reward
for doing the right thing. Once you have a starting point,
it’s easy to build off of it. The next time, I won’t release the
pressure until the horse drops his nose down an inch. Always
establish a starting point and then build from there.
Knowing when to release that pressure is where timing
comes in. Since horses learn from the release of pressure, it
is critical that you remove that pressure at the right moment.
If you remove the pressure too early, too late or when the
horse isn’t responding correctly, he’ll never learn to do what
you’re asking of him. The instant he responds the way you
want, you have to immediately recognize it and reward him
by releasing the pressure.
When you first ask a horse to do something, he doesn’t
automatically know what to do. In fact, he’s probably going
to do everything but what you want him to do. For example,
if you want the horse to back up, he’ll probably stick his head
up in the air and ignore you at first. Then he might turn left,
he might turn right, but the very last thing he’ll try is taking
a step back. If you release the pressure as soon as he does
take a step back, he’ll look for that answer again. However, if
he takes a step back and you don’t release the pressure, he’ll
go through that whole cycle of options (rearing, ignoring you,
turning left, turning right, etc.) again. Then he’ll come back
to taking a step back and try it again. If you miss releasing the
pressure the second time, it’ll get even worse. Every time a
horse does what you want or even tries to do what you want,
you’ve got to release that pressure and reward him for the
effort. I’m so obsessed about it that if my horse even gives
the impression that he’s thinking about doing what I want, I
still release the pressure. Remember that a thought will soon
turn into an action.
Every time a horse does what you want or even tries to do what you want,
you have got to release the pressure and reward him for his effort.
If you think timing seems tricky from your standpoint,
think about it from your horses. If you don’t have good timing,
finding the correct response can be very frustrating for your
horse. Every time he tries to do what you want, you must
reward him by instantly releasing the pressure or he won’t
know he did the right thing and he’ll continue to search for
the answer.
The Training Scale
When it comes to applying pressure to horses, there are
two types of people in the world. The first group of people
belongs to what I call the Nagging Mother’s Association.
They nag and nag the horse to do everything. On this end
of the training scale are the people who beg their horses to
do things by using treats, grain or hay as a bribe. Sometimes
the horse will perform just to get the treat. However, he
may also choose not to perform because he feels that doing
whatever is asked of him isn’t worth the treat. Usually
horses that are owned by people in the Nagging Mother’s
Association are very disrespectful, pushy and constantly roll
their eyes and flick cigarette butts at their owners. And even
when a Nagging Mother does get the horse to do what they
want it is usually inconsistent at best.
Then there’s the Barbarian’s Association. The barbarians
just go over and whack the horse without first giving him a
chance to respond. As a result, their horses are frightened
and constantly looking for the next whack making them very
inconsistent. You don’t want to be a wimp and you don’t
want to be a barbarian. You want to be right in the middle.
Unfortunately, just because we want to be in the middle
doesn’t mean we get to stay there all the time. The middle of
the training scale is like a line drawn in the sand. If my horse
is disrespectful toward me and doesn’t pay attention, I step
toward the harder side of that line. Once I get his attention,
I can jump back to the easier side. My horse may not be
perfect, but as long as he’s trying, I’ll stay on the easier side of
the line. I don’t have a problem with people being gentle—I
want people to be gentle—except if you’re being gentle and
the horse is ignoring you and flicking cigarette butts at you,
it’s time to turn up the heat and add more pressure.
Most people want to start with a low amount of pressure,
which is fine, but when their horse ignores them, or doesn’t
move his feet, they don’t increase the pressure. I teach
people to apply pressure with rhythm and have them count
out loud at first, “One-two-three-four, one-two-three-four,
One-two-three-four!” With each set of numbers, the
amount of pressure applied increases. Always start off gently, “one-two-three-four,” and if the horse doesn’t respond,
then become more assertive, “one-two-three-four” and so on
until you get the response you’re looking for. Many people
have too much of an inconsistent rhythm which will give
unclear cues to the horse. For example, if you ask the horse
to move away by applying pressure, one, two, and then have a
two second pause before applying three and four, technically
the horse got a two second reward. Horses learn from the
release of pressure, not the pressure itself. So I don’t want to
release the pressure at all until the horse gives me a correct
response. By using steady rhythm when the horse is doing the
wrong thing, it will motivate him to look for another answer
because he can’t escape the pressure.
Timing is also important because whenever you release
the pressure, you are rewarding whatever the horse did the
split-second before. So if you’re backing the horse up and he
takes ten energetic steps, then two lazy steps, and you release
the pressure, you are not rewarding the ten good steps, you
are actually rewarding him for being lazy. If you continue to
release the pressure at that point every time the horse will
actually start to get lazier and duller.
Horses learn from the release of pressure, not the pressure itself. You don’t want to release the pressure at all until the horse gives the
correct response.
Develop You Sense of Timing
To get good timing you have to be very clear on what you
want the horse to do. If you don’t understand exactly what
you’re trying to ask the horse to do, you’ll never recognize
when he does the right thing. Study videos and read articles
before going out to the barn to work with your horse so that
you know in your mind what you’re looking for and what to
do if something goes wrong. It’s inevitable that your horse
is going to make mistakes the first time you ask him to try
something new, so if you know what to expect and how to
recognize a try, you’ll help him catch on to the lesson much
quicker. If you don’t have a distinctive plan of what you want
the horse to do, you’re only asking for trouble. When the
horse responds correctly, you won’t even know that he did it,
and in turn you have no hope of releasing the pressure at the
correct time.
Just like with feel, the only real way to develop your sense
of timing is through experience. The more horses you work
with, the better your sense of timing will get.
That may seem frustrating and slow, but in order for the horse
to understand what you’re asking of him, that’s what you have
to do. And the better your sense of feel and timing are, the
quicker the horse will learn what you want him to do.
You have to establish a starting point and then gradually
build on it. By the end of the week with consistent practice,
I could get Diez to stretch his leg out. That’s all related to
timing. If I would have demanded he stretched his whole
leg out the first time I tapped him with the dressage whip,
it would have been a wreck because he would have gotten
frustrated and upset and just given up. In his mind, he
wouldn’t have been able to find any relief. When horses don’t
get relief, they get frustrated and eventually they give up.
Some horses will actually get aggressive toward you if you
continue to nag at them and never give them any relief from
the pressure. Being able to recognize when a horse gives and
tries to find the right answer is very important.
As Good As It Gets
Understand that as good as you want the horse to be, he
probably won’t meet your expectations the first time you
teach him something new. I’ve started teaching tricks to
some of my advanced horses like Mindy and Diez – something
I’m new at. One of the tricks I taught them was the Spanish
walk – having the horse really exaggerate picking his front
legs up, stretching them forward, and placing them on the
ground as he walks forward. When I was teaching Diez the
Spanish walk, I would tap him on the front of his leg with a
dressage whip to encourage him to pick his leg up and stretch
it out. Even though the end goal was for him to be able to
hold his leg up off the ground for an extended amount of time
and really stretch it forward, that certainly wasn’t my starting
point. I started by tapping his cannon bone and every time he
would pick his hoof up and bring it forward, even half an inch,
I’d immediately release the pressure and stop tapping him.
By the end of the week with consistent practice, I could get Diez
to stretch his leg out. That’s all related to timing.
Terms to be Familiar With
Pressure – invisible electricity that you apply to your horse
in order to get him to respond in a certain way. Anything that
moves creates pressure. There are three stages of pressure,
low, medium and high. Whenever you apply pressure to your
horse, you’ll always start with the least amount of pressure
possible and gradually build up to high pressure until he
responds the way that you want. Do it as easy as possible,
but as firm as necessary.
Reward – the release of pressure. The horse knows that
he found the right answer when you take away all the pressure.
Pressure makes a horse feel uncomfortable and motivates him
to look for the right answer. The instant he even thinks about
doing the correct thing, immediately reward him by releasing
all the pressure and making him feel comfortable.
Give – when the horse tries for you or moves off of pressure.
When I was teaching Diez the Spanish walk, I would tap him on
the front of his leg with a dressage whip to encourage him to
pick his leg up and stretch it out.
Readers Write
How Do You Celebrate the
Holidays with Your Horse?
W
e feed ‘em just like any other day! (LOL) Actually we
hang stockings for them and our dogs. Fresh carrots and
apples around. Dogs get some raw hide and everybody seems
happy.
BruceT
W
e make lots of photos, hang stockings and last year I
made “horsey cookies” for them for Christmas. We usually
do some little treat of some sort for their birthday but that’s
about it.
DixieGrace
W
e have a few pairs of sleigh bells. We string them around
our horse necks and ride them like that. We used to do it for a
week and now we’re lucky if we do it for 2 days. That constant
jangling kind of wears on you after a couple of hours. But everybody we see gets such a kick out of it. Last year we rode
in the Sagauro Monument in Tucson and the guests from
Tanque Verde guest ranch were out there riding and I think
they really liked the crazy local color of the natives. And it’s a
great desensitizer for your horses. It’s a good practice for the
Tucson Rodeo Parade. Happy Holidays!
Skuser
Happy
New Year!!
as
ristm
h
C
y
r
Mer
Around the Barn
Winter Care Tips
The days are shorter and temperatures are dropping, but that doesn’t mean that you
still can’t spend quality time out at the barn with your favorite equine. As you go
about your daily routine, keep these tips in mind while battling winter weather.
1. Provide adequate shelter – a place where your horse
can get out of the wind and precipitation. Most horses
do fine being turned out in the winter as long as they
have protection against blowing winds and snow.
2. Keep an eye on water tanks and buckets – they
should be clean and ice-free. Decreased water intake
increases the risk of colic.
3. Perform regular cleaning and maintenance on
blankets. Dirty blankets harbor fungi and bacteria that
could cause skin diseases. It’s a good idea to remove
and check your horse daily for blanket rubs, weight
loss or any injuries that may be hidden by the blanket.
4. Warm your horse up well before asking him to
perform advanced maneuvers or strenuous exercises.
Not warming a horse up properly in cold weather
increases his chances of injury.
5. Plan extra time to cool your horse down after a
training session – this will prevent him from catching a
chill and from his muscles getting stiff.
6. Check that your hay is stored properly – placed on
a wooden pallet in a dry place. Pallets let air circulate
under the bales so they won’t get wet or moldy.
Member’s Spotlight
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gelding. Sha
bian mare, a
na has supe
saddle and
nd Flash Da
rb horsemansh
took both hors
ncer,
ip
bo
th on the gro
es
and me to th
knew the g
und and in
e next level.
roundwork co
the
Because both
ncepts, Sha
(I like to th
na was able
horses alrea
ink of it as
d
to
y
take them to
the “Horse, d
of sending,
o it NOW” leve
that next le
backing, fle
l)
ve
in the key g
l
xing, the for
stage 1, and
roundwork ex
equarter turn
the circle exer
ercises
,
th
e
hi
ci
ndquarter tu
se. Shana co
the groundw
rn, lunging
rrected mista
ork so my sk
kes I was m
ills were muc
Shana rode
h
a
im
ki
pr
n
g in doing
ov
ed
both horses
, too. I got
teaching th
lots of grea
cloverleaf wit
em
t
th
ti
h them and
ps.
e squeeze, cl
teaching th
uck, spank a
a bit of a kn
em to stay
nd doing th
ot in my stom
by
the fence, et
e
ach knowing
horse wreck,
c. I watche
I’d be ridin
I hadn’t ri
d
w
it
h
g
B
d
op
d
en out and
and Flash, to
being on a
about in the
o. Since my
horse. Where
countryside
I used to ju
had begun
or
f
el
st
t
co
sa
making up
mfortable
ddle up, rid
all kinds of
e, and enjo
muggy, too
y my horse,
excuses why
windy, too ho
I
I shouldn’t
t, the neighb
I told myse
ride. Like it
ors might sp
lf I’d be
’s
to
oo
o
k
m
y
ri
ding again
horse, etc. E
my saddling
, but summer
ach summer
up and goin
a
f
ter summer
g for some
enjoyment
passed witho
rides. Tired
horses had a
ut
of missing ou
lways broug
confidence
t
ht
on
m
the fun and
e and knowin
back, I dec
g I needed
ided to have
Downunder Ho
help to get
private lesson
rsemanship Pr
my
s
th
rough the
og
ram.
Although I
had healed
physically, I
mental hurdle
still had the
to get over. S
hana got me
Before I kn
ov
er
ew it and wit
that hurdle!
h Shana’s en
expertise, I
couragement
was riding a
and
nd doing on
three gaits,
e-rein stops
riding the cl
a
t all
ov
erleaf, stay
and trail rid
ing by the f
ing with Sha
en
ce,
na. When we
was even con
went trail rid
fident enoug
in
g
,I
h to lead the
rush to be rid
way. Wow, wha
ing again a
t a
n
d
feeling comf
I can contr
ortable know
ol my horse.
ing
Thanks a mill
ion, Shana!
Thanks a m
illion, Clinton
, for offerin
Shana is a su
g private le
perb teacher
ssons!
,
horsewoman,
Lynn Bruba
and friend.
ker
Congratulati
on and Best
Wishes on you
r move to Tex
as!
Member’s Corner
Photos from our club members around the world...
Karen Lowe of Morongo Valley, CA and her mustang yearling,
Sammy, who she adopted just four months ago.
“Thanks to Clinton, we are calm as can be!”
Cathey Blakey’s 10 year old grandaughter
and their 12 year old mare took
Reserve Grand Champion Halter Mare
at the county fair, and placed in
Pleasure and even Poles.
Thanks to Clinton,
I Have “ NO WORRIES.”
Beverly Pyron showing her weanling Big Gun’s Fancy Lady at
the Tulsa State Fair, this September.
Gina Thesing and her horse Lass.
“We were at Belle Center along with
another club member to film a series
on seniors and their horses last July.
Even though the two days we spent
there where unbelievably hot, I must
say that this was the turning point in my
life along with Lass. Even though I had
her since January of 2008, it wasn’t until
Clinton got a hold of us that I really
began to understand what Lass needed
of me and I lost all fear of making it
happen. I absolutely adore this horse
now and couldn’t imagine my life
without her. I don’t think I could ever
thank Clinton, Shana and the DUH crew
enough for giving me the confidence I
was lacking in leading Lass.
Thank you so much!”
Bonnie and her horse is “C.C.” a 9 year old
Paint gelding. “I’ve been working on trailering
him out to different places. This is the first time
that he has come across a herd of cows. I didn’t
know how he would react. He just looked and
kept on going . . .We work alot on Clinton’s
groundwork and riding exercises. It has made
a big difference in his attitude and responsiveness.”
Thanks!
“I attended the recent Wahl tour in West Allis with a couple
of friends, including Hailey (above) who is 9 years old. We
bought quite a few “goodies” over the course of the two days
and had a great time, but the highlight of the trip for Hailey
was meeting Clinton in person and getting a copy of the Ride
Safely With Weaver DVD. Her mother (Missy Landphier) says
Hailey watched the DVD as soon as she got home Sunday
evening and even took notes! Thanks to Clinton and all the
staff for a wonderful weekend in West Allis.” -Patti Huber
DISCOVER THE METHOD
IT ONLY TAKES TWO DAYS TO BECOME A BETTER HORSEPERSON.
BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TOWARD REAL HORSEMANSHIP, ATTEND A WAHL WALKABOUT TOUR STOP NEAR YOU.
NEW FORMAT, NEW PRODUCTS, SAME GREAT TRAINING METHODS
$25 ADVANCE TICKETS
OVER $6,000 IN PRIZES GIVEN AWAY AT EACH TOUR STOP!
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JUNE 6-7
OGDEN, UT
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C L I N TO N A N D E R S O N . N E T
JULY 11-12
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NOVEMBER 7-8
NOVEMBER 21-22
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ARDMORE, OK
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Greatest Lessons Learned

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