3 Keys to Success
Clinton Anderson says there are three keys to his success:
1. A life-changing book. When he was a teen, Anderson read How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. This classic, first published in 1937, has advised millions of readers on how to reach pinnacles of success, always treating people with appreciation and respect. "It's easy for a trainer who's good with horses to neglect either the people or the business side of his work-or both," he says. "The book inspires me to work hard and work smart."
2. An excellent mentor. When Anderson was 15, he left school to apprentice with renowned Australian trainer Gordon McKinley. "For two years, I worked seven-day weeks, and started over 600 Brumbies, which are Australian wild horses," says Anderson. "I learned important lessons from them, especially how to work with a horse, instead of fighting with him."
Anderson also noted the positive influence that horses had on the lives of McKinley's two handicapped daughters. Today, he donates a percentage of his earnings to the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (www.narha.org).
3. Time in the saddle. What does the turbo-charged trainer do with his rare time off? "I ride," he replies. "It's my passion. It keeps me sound between the ears."
Exercise #2: Teach the whoa.
Does your horse get so excited on the trail that he ignores your request to stop? At home, use circles to get him calm, supple, and responsive. Then, teach him to stop on a loose rein when you say "whoa." If he'll stop quickly and calmly on a loose rein at home, his behavior on the trail should greatly improve. Good horsemanship is all about you doing less and your horse doing more.
Step 1. Warm up. Circle your horse for about 10 minutes to get him soft and supple on both sides. Then do trot-to-walk transitions to prepare him mentally for the lesson.
Step 2. Trot/whoa. Trot down the fence, posting as you go. Hold your reins loosely-you'll dare your horse to stop on a loose rein. After about 20 or 30 feet, sit down, and say "whoa." Then physically stop riding. Drop your weight down, put your legs slightly out in front of you, and over-exaggerate the movement of stopping. Keep your hands down, and let him decide whether or not to stop.
Step 3. Apply lateral cues. If your horse has always relied on a pull on the reins to stop, he'll likely keep trotting straight ahead. If this happens, slide your left hand down the left rein, and turn him into the fence. Then quickly initiate a lateral flexion exercise to the left (see Exercise #1), and bend him around. That is, pull and release on the rein while using your inside leg; this will make it uncomfortable for him not to stop. This tells him that he needs to listen to you, that he needs to get soft, and he needs to pay attention to you. Pull and release him for at least seven or eight small circles or until you feel that he's soft and supple again. Then allow him to flow back out to the opposite direction (clockwise) at a trot.
Step 4. Ask for the whoa. Now, on a very loose rein, trot your horse down the fence another 20 to 30 feet; make sure the rail is on your right. Say "whoa," sit down, drop your weight, and leave him on a loose rein. Wait about two seconds before you correct him and remind him to listen to you. If he doesn't stop, immediately slide your right hand down the right rein, and bend him into the fence.
Step 5. Repeat the whoa cue. Repeat Step #4 until when you say "whoa" on a loose rein, your horse begins to stop. At first, it may take him 10 feet before he actually stops moving his feet; consider this a starting point. Let him rest there for 45 seconds to a minute. Still on a loose rein, let him enjoy being stopped there and realize that he's done something right. Rub his neck.
Step 6. Repeat the lateral exercise. After the brief rest, slide your hand down the rein, turn him back in to the fence, and repeat the lateral bending exercise. Then turn, and trot off. This time, your goal should be a stop on a loose rein in nine feet after you say "whoa."
Expert tip: Horses are professional people trainers. They're also professional cheats. We'd be in trouble if they played cards! When you say "whoa," from the first time your horse listens to you and stops, he has to stop that good or better for the rest of his life.
Exercise #3: Gain your horse's focus.
Is your horse beautifully behaved at home, but turns into a basket case with a group of horses on the trail? Horses are reactive by nature. When you take them to a place where there are new sights, sounds, and other horses, they're likely going to react. And, like kids, they have an abundance of energy that can intensify when they get into groups. If your horse behaves this way, here's how to get his focus back on you.
Step 1. Perform groundwork. Before you climb into the saddle, perform 10 or 15 minutes of groundwork - as long as it takes - to get the fresh off your horse, and get him mentally back with you. Longe him, then perform the lateral flexion exercise described in Exercise #1 on the ground. Stand at his left side, slightly behind the cinch or girth, and flex his head gently to the left side. Repeat this exercise on his right side. Refocus his attention onto you, then mount.
Step 2. Keep him busy. Once you're in the saddle, don't be just a passenger! Keep your horse busy mentally. Give him a reason to listen to you. Every time you ride him, he learns from you, so consider how you'll train on the trail. Weave through trees, circle bushes, walk over a fallen tree branch - then stop on a loose rein and walk back over it. There's no limit to how you can make a trail ride interesting and educational. The more you engage your horse, the better partner he'll be and the more fun you'll have.
