Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Horse/Rider training clinic

Hosted a "horse trainer" this past weekend. Amazing what one can learn from a good teacher. Both horses and more importantly the riders.

Two activities stuck with me- the change in attitude of the horse when laid down and the benefit of a good "patience" pole.

For us recreational riders a clinic or two is the best horse money spent on our hobby.

I will have to wholeheartedly agree Dan. I have attended several clinic's over the year's, and my life with horse's has improved significantly because of the help and direction I recieved.

Amen, Dan!

The fact that my horse trainer lets me live with her is a BIG plus!

Ed

Probably the clinics for the rider are more important than ones for the horse.

8 cornerstones of a well broke horse is the theme of his clinics. Way more to do with rider training - three days will help get a horse on the way, but won't if one does not know how to continue the process.

Those of you that use horses for real work are the envy of a novice like me. Doing something besides going in circles in an arena would speed the learning process up for sure.

I am talking about horsemanship not just riding down a trail.

I figure the clinic's I've attended were for both the rider and the horse. Dan, If you can where you are. Try the cutting or reined cowhorse. Especially the reined cowhorse. You WILL improve your riding skill'sand horsemanship, and have one heck of a good time.

Allison Trimbol is doing the "Great Alaska Horse Expo" this next weekend. I plan on giving ranch sorting and some of the cow work modules a go.

Often if not usually the riders upon receipt of said horse from trainer need more schooling than the horse.

There's nothing that can replace repetition and just going out and doing it. Often it is finding the time and will to do so.

Case in point. The wife has been working on a great mare. Now it was my turn to take her to the hills. As this horse seemed bored with arena stuff. I was tired and it was getting hot. But I'm sure glad I did. I put the time in and realized she's gonna be a good one. She "learned" me (the rider) that all I needed to do was my job so she could prove to me her worth. She's a country covering "chick" who loves to do just that, cover country. We put in a solid 8 miles in no time.

Here we are coming out of a watering hole before we head up higher into the hills.

Sometimes it's hard weeding out the entertainers and those who want to sell thier tack vs the ones who want to teach folks something.

Lots'a folks go to these things and then go home and wonder why it doesn't work tat home like the clinician did at the clinic.

However, if you connect with a good one, they are very helpful to young and old.

Thanks guys - I have been trying to get some pics up but not having much luck.

Nice looking ride Cocadori!

She's a good un! 16 HH and a puppy dog personality with a no quit attitude.

She might a mentioned something to me about seeing the last frontier... ;-)

Point her north & west - will have a place at thanksgiving dinner set for ya.

All the point's about clinicin's are true to one extent or another imho. However I have found that most have at least one or two thing's that are useful. As for the participant's, a lot of people seem to be looking for a magic bullet that's just not there, or they just do not have ability to convert information to actual practice.

Information overload really will detract from the learning experience.

You are right about people wanting a magic bullet to cure their or their horses problems. Once in a while the bullets do come along. There has been a dramatic improvement in one horses behavior since laying it down at the clinic.

It helps that the group that showed up for this clinic was familiar with the clinician and each other.

a

Here's a spin on it.

OK the "magic bullet" is it that or is it something else. Since all this horse whispering started ..what about 12-15 yrs ago.

You now have all these people re-inventing the wheel, this idea that idea, touchy feely this touchy feely that.

There are times when you need to "shut up and train the horse"

While I agree horse training has come a long way but only in the media. These idea's and methods have been around for a while there was just very mediocre ways of getting it out there. Introduce the internet and now it's out there instantly.

OK back to my point. What if perhaps to get a horse to respond or show a dramatic change is all you do is change your routine, change your method a bit. For example in athletic training both strength and endurance if you alter your typical regiment or routine you often notice a dramatic gain.

I've been around a lot of horse trainers and have been fortunate to have a mentor who knows many of "the" old timers and current trainers. One thing they will ALL tell you. Just go do it. You cannot replace the value of time spent. Also, you may be able to find a magic bullet every now and again. However, the effects of the bullet aren't permanent. Nothing is more frustrating after training a horse for someone only to have that phone call a few months later that the horse isn't acting or performing the way it was when you showed it to me. ..."Oh really when the last time you worked with it?" "Well, I rode it one or two days after you delivered it but I havn't had much time lately.. I guess its been 6 or 8 weeks."
Well ma'am our fee is still $$$ to train horses and re-training or refreshing the memory isn't any cheaper.
"Don't you still have the DVD we made you so you could continue to enforce the things we trained?" "Well yeah but I haven't had much TIME lately."

the way I see it. In the end the magic bullet recipe looks like this

Primer = Will to do it
Brass = Place to do it
Powder = The skills to do it/Knowing what to do
Bullet = Time and Repetition

wow.. this reply just evolved... hmmm need more coffee...

Like the bullet analogy...

Find a place to add "knowing what to do" and you covered all the bases.

Like to buy you a cup of coffee some day!

Fixed.... ;-)

Would very much enjoy a chat with you.

Truth be told. My wife is the one to chat with. She's got the "horse gene" I merely repeat and apply what she does. I'm constantly in awe of her abilities to communicate with these ponies.

In our relationship she's the trainer and I'm the mileage guy.

I've see enough trails and situations to know "what the pony needs" before it can be "tagged" a trail horse.

Funny how a lot of people think "oh it's just a trail horse" when in fact a true trail horse has much more than any "show horse"

I have always subscribed to the "little bit of training and a whole lot or ridng".

Funny how those little thing pop into place over time.

I do mules and the training, although like a horse, is done over time.A mule will usually pick something up when shown or asked 3-4 times and then there is little back sliding, but they so seem to want to ask why you want to do something and see no sense in running around in a round pen.

I have been at it since about 69-70 and still find little techniques that work on some animals and not on others.

There are several here that I would like to take a "clinic" from!

Thanks to all for the discussion and pointers.

+1



Sounds like my marriage as well

I too like your bullet theory, can I use it....of course giving the credit where it is do.

I agree time is an issue. What you said goes back to the old saying....Good horses are made with wet saddle blankets. And I believe a large percentage should be out there covering miles, nnot circles in an arena.

I got my 3YO mare with 30 days of basic training. Made sure she would listen, and headed out. 3 years and several hundered miles later, my daughter is starting to use her as a jumper. Willing, eager, great attitude and quick to pick up what is asked of her. If I just arena rode her I don't think it would have been nearly as good a horse for my daughter as she is now.

When we started:





Now: