International Polocrosse Council

Jenny Sheppard, August 3, 2010

AT THIS year’s World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, spectators will be entertained by a multitude of equine demonstrators.

Among them will be South Australian Clinton Anderson, who is known around the world for his training method, Downunder Horsemanship.

Anderson, who grew up in Australia, became infatuated with riding at a young age. His grandparents bought him his first horse, Casey, when he was nine. continue reading…

Clint Anderson

Buy a horse that will build your confidence when you first get into the horse business. When people who are just getting started end up buying the wrong horse, things go downhill in a hurry. I can’t tell you how many people buy their first horse, get into trouble, get bucked off, fall off, lose their confidence, sell the horse, sell their saddle, sell the trailer and never want to ride a horse again! Let me save you some trouble right now – buy a horse that will give you confidence. Don’t buy a horse based on emotions because all of those emotions aren’t going to mean a thing when you’re getting drug down the road by that shiny Thoroughbred or when that green-broke filly throws you head first into the dirt. Instead, buy a horse that’s seasoned and uses the thinking side of his brain. Remember, horses teach people, and then people teach horses.

Chris Irwin

Have you ever heard the equestrian term of using our riding “aids” when describing the use of the seat, legs, spurs, hands, whip, bridle, etc, etc, with regards to control of the horse? At first, it seems a bit far-fetched, perhaps just another sugar coated contradiction of terms to refer to someone as “aiding” a horse when we see them using various means of “pressure” to control a horse. In fact, whether a rider uses his or her various body parts and tools of the trade as “aids” or as “weapons” depends entirely upon their knowledge and skill with regards to how they “get through” to the horse and what the message truly is that they are sending to the horse. continue reading…

By Don Blazer

It’s a shame about dressage. Or at least to me it is.

I always thought of it as such a “pure” thing; such a “beautiful thing; harmony in union.”

For me, Dressage was practiced by those who wanted “art with horses.”

It was for horsemen and women who wanted to take a horse to his maximum performance ability, suppleness, flexibility, balance and grace. It was a work of art between a rider and a horse, and that is all that it had to be.

It was, but it is no more.

Dressage: a noun, French, originally meaning “basic dressing.”

The basic dressing was applied to all horses and at all levels and that was the extent of it. It was done with any horse that a nobleman (and only noblemen could afford both the luxury of a horse and the time to develop its gaits, grace, balance, suppleness and flexibility) saw fit to ride.

The idea originally was not to compare horses, but to enjoy the development of a single horse’s unique talents.

One horse and one rider, being all they could be.

And that was the original goal. continue reading…

There are a lot of heroes in the graveyard.

When I was studying under legendary Australian reining and cow horse trainer, Ian Francis, he used to remind me that there are a lot of heroes in the graveyard. What he meant by that was that too many people get on horses that aren’t ready to be ridden and get bucked off. They break their necks and die because they don’t use their heads. Preparation is the key. Groundwork exercises are designed so that you can get control of your horse’s feet on the ground before getting in the saddle where you have less control. Remember, there’s no shame in getting off your horse if you’re having problems or if you feel unsafe. continue reading…

By Chris Irwin
I remember a long time ago in high school seeing a sign behind the desk of my algebra teacher that read: The older we get the more we realize how much we don’t know . I also remember that at the ripe old age of sixteen that I thought this was a stupid statement. I naturally assumed that this was just another example of false humility designed as a politically correct manipulation of young rebellious minds like mine in yet another attempt to coerce us into minding our manners and conforming to the standardized norm of the educational system. That was thirty years ago when I was 16. However, it didn’t take me all these thirty years to realize the profound truth in the statement that I had once assumed in the wisdom of my youth to be so ridiculous. Years later, while coaching in a clinic, I heard myself spontaneously uttering the words the more I work with the horses, the more I realize how much I don’t know. That realization suddenly dawned on me when I was about 40. continue reading…

Learn the One Rein Stop for greater confidence in the saddle.
The One Rein Stop is the first thing I teach every single rider in my clinics as soon as they get on the horse’s back. Why? Because once they realize that they can stop their horses anytime, anywhere, whenever they want, you wouldn’t believe the amount of confidence it gives them. I often refer to the One Rein Stop as the emergency handbrake because that’s exactly what it is. If you can stop your horse anytime you don’t feel secure in the saddle, you’ve just given yourself control of the situation. Riders who are insecure have a lack of control – their horse is running off, bucking, etc., and they don’t know how to stop him. He’s in control of the situation. They’re not. Once you know how to slide your hand down one rein and bring the horse to a complete stop, you’ll be able to take control and be a leader before any of that bad stuff even happens.

Lunging For Respect.

Lunging is one of the most used and abused exercises in the horse world. You can go to any horse show or training facility to see what I mean. Often you’ll see someone in the middle of an arena lunging a horse on a 60 or 70-foot lead rope. The horse is galloping around, he’s got his head turned, looking out of the circle and he’s dragging the person halfway across the arena. Most people use lunging as a way to tire a horse out. After making him run around in a 60-foot circle for forty-five minutes straight, they hope he’ll be tired enough to start paying attention to them instead of the other horses or the activity going on around him. That’s the complete opposite of what lunging should be. Notice I call it Lunging for Respect. It’s not called lunging to get the buck out of the horse or lunging to tire him out. It’s called Lunging for Respect. You earn a horse’s respect by moving his feet forwards, backwards, left and right and always rewarding the slightest try. The purpose of lunging should be to continuously ask your horse to change directions and focus on you. The more you can get his feet to move and change directions, the more respectful the horse will get and the more he’ll use the thinking side of his brain, which will make him safer and more trainable.

There are few things as frustrating, or even as embarrassing, as having to deal with a horse that refuses to go into the arena. Chances are you or someone you know has had to deal with an arena-sour horse, especially if you compete in timed events.

Think of the situation from the horse’s perspective. Outside of the arena he gets to relax with his buddies while inside the arena he has to work hard and hustle his feet. As soon as he leaves the arena, he’s allowed to rest and be with his friends again.

Horses are basically lazy creatures, meaning that they always pick the option of the least amount of work. So when an arena-sour horse is walked towards the arena, his only thought is how he’s going to get out of having to go into the arena to work hard. That’s when he rears, spins around and backs up – anything he can do to not go in the arena. When a horse is misbehaving, he uses the reactive side of his brain, he’s energetic and wants to go somewhere.  And the more you try to force him to behave and go into the arena, the more upset and nervous he gets.

Conquer His Fear

When you’re working with an arena-sour horse, don’t think, “How can I make him get in the arena?” Think, “How can I make it uncomfortable for him not to go in the arena?” You’ll do that by working the horse hard where he wants to be (outside the arena) and letting him rest where you want him to be (in the arena). You’ll do the complete opposite of what he is expecting.

Depending on how arena-sour your horse is, you might only be able to get him within 150 feet of the arena before he starts misbehaving. That will be your starting point. Using one rein at a time to direct him, you’ll work the horse hard hustling his feet and constantly making him change directions. The more you change directions, the more he’ll use the thinking side of his brain.

Some examples of exercises you can use are: serpentines, rollbacks, trotting or cantering circles, etc. Keep in mind that you’ll be wasting your time if you let the horse drag his feet and daydream about his next meal. Make him hustle his feet and give him a reason to want to go in the arena and relax.

Work the horse for 5 to 10 minutes away from the arena and then take him into the arena and let him rest. In the beginning, you might only be able to bring the horse within 90 feet of the arena. While the horse is resting, rub him and give him a chance to catch his breath. After letting him rest for 5 minutes, go back to working him 150 feet away from the arena again for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Each time that you work the horse, you’ll take him back to your original starting point – the place he wants to be. And each time you let him rest, you’ll bring him closer to the arena. The second time you might get him 60 feet from the arena gate and the third time you might get him in the arena.

When you let the horse rest, drape the reins down his neck and dare him to move. If he wants to move, let him. Take him back to where you were working him and hustle his feet. Instead of sitting on the horse and saying, “Don’t go!” let him move, and then offer him the chance to stand still and relax. You have to give him a reason to want to be in the arena and to relax.

Do the Opposite of What He Expects

The horse thinks that as soon as he steps one hoof in the arena he’s going to have to work hard and sweat. Instead, once you get in the arena, let him relax and get off of him. Put him in the barn and take the saddle off. Do the exact opposite of what he expects.

With repetition, he will soon learn that he has no reason to fear or resent the arena. Whatever you do, don’t get the horse in the arena and immediately start working him hard because then you’ll have to start the whole process over again.

Consistency is Your Greatest Ally

Practicing this exercise one day isn’t going to cure an arena-sour horse. On the first day you may get the horse inside of the arena, but that’s just the start of the process. Remember, when training a horse, consistency is your greatest ally and inconsistency is your greatest enemy. You have to consistently chip away at his fear and resentment of going into the arena every day. If you do that, eventually, you will be able to eliminate the problem.

Author’s note:  A native Australian, Clinton Anderson began his quest to become the best horseman he could be by apprenticing under nationally acclaimed  Australian trainers Gordon McKinlay and Ian