Horse Expo Clinics

On February 5, 2016 I went to horse expo and saw two clinics and saw one clinic at horse expo on February 7,2016. Two of the clinics I went to were instructed by Clinton Anderson who is a trainer I have wanted to meet for close to six years and finally got to meet him! The other clinic I attended was instructed by Pat Parelli who unfortunately I didn't get to meet afterward. I have been using both articles and videos from these trainers for research checks and learned more when seeing them in person than through the articles and videos.

Pat Parelli- "How smart is your horse? Read your horse and encourage his inner genius." 2/5/16
(I only got see the last 20 minutes of this clinic)

• push a horse weight is corrected
• focus is willpower(what you want not what the horse wants)
• push around the horse not pull them around it is easier to get your way
• lower energy=slowing/stopping/stop ridding
• sticks help lengthen our body
• become the lead horse
• use your seat more when riding
• give the horse a chance to do the right thing
• goal is to think like a horse to know how they will react/do in a situation

Clinton Anderson-"Trailer loading T&T" 2/5/16

• getting a horse in a trailer requires experience & feel
• horse wants big open space to see everything(prey animal instinct)
• views trailer as death trap on wheels and makes them feel threatened
• make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult
• approach & retreat
• make them think it is their idea
• start easy and soft then get more firm as horse resists
• ask then tell
• problem is usually a result of fear or disrespect
• can be both but very unlikely
• start with working on the fence then move to trailer
• horse will practice what they know(if disrespectful they will not show respect easily)
• leave trailer when they are calm and respectful/minding personal space/thinking
• find starting point then build off of it
• starts off ugly then becomes pretty stuff
• get them on the ramp then back them off and keep repeating but get them to get farther on every time(builds confidence to get on the ramp)
• when backing off get 10-15 feet away to get a release of pressure
• rest in trailer and make them move and run around outside of trailer
• makes them tired and want to rest so they become willing to get into the trailer
• when lunging(running on a line) switch directions to get them on the thinking side of the brain not reactive side
• greatest reward a horse can get is to be left alone
• approach & retreat = getting in trailer
• moving feet = staying in trailer
• do multiple days before closing the ramp/door and riding in trailer
• break it into steps
• most trouble on basic manners not trailer

 Clinton Anderson-"Spooky Horse" 2/7/16

• need to do both desensitize and sensitize
• desensitize = stay
• sensitize = move
• for calm horse needs many things
• take pressure away when spooking teaches they to spook when that pressure is applied
• take away pressure when the horse shows sign of relaxing or stands for 15 seconds
• danger for horse = anything they don't know
• new side = new horse so treat that side different than other side
• do one part til finished then move to next part
• horses learn from release of pressure
• horse holds breath when scared = tight lips
• something new for first time go a little longer

Pat Parelli instructing his clinic.

I finally got to meet Clinton Anderson!