My Training Begins...

Like I said in the previous blog post, someone must have trained Max well.  (I wouldn’t have him if he wasn’t.)  And, like I said previously, I don’t know if his trainer used Clinton Anderson’s “method” or not.  I understand that pressure and release methods are what many trainers use.  

I could tell Max had been desensitized at some point.  Neither the rope nor the stick and string seemed to bother him.  I could also touch, pat, rub all over his body and head.  He was a little sticky with his ears, but after watching Clinton’s approach and retreat technique on an RFD-TV episode, and trying it out on Max, he was soon okay with his ears, too. 

Max is pretty easy to catch.  He just about always comes to me and lets me put a rope or halter on him.  I’m working on those kinds of things, too.  I have a Clinton Anderson dvd on Problem Solving that I thought might help me gain some confidence in just being in the company of horses while working around the barn, etc.   It has great tips and techniques for handling everyday-type “horse business”, like catching them, bridling, worming, etc.

But, back to our lesson in Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground-Series I (GRCG-I)   

Max seemed adequately desensitized so we moved on to yielding hindquarters.

I watched the segment on yielding hindquarters a few times to really memorize what the teaching looked like.  I wanted to give clear signals.  I followed the directions as exactly as I could. 

I’m a bit clumsy with the equipment and the movements, but I guess it was clear enough to Max.  He moved his hindquarters.  He was a bit clumsy at first, too.  But we practiced and he got it and he crossed his hind foot in front of the other.  We did one step first.  Then, went on to two steps and three. 

I am definitely not as fast as CA.  But I’m pretty sure that’s normal!  I’m not used to using the tools and I’m just learning about handling horses.  We didn’t perfect it today, but we got a good start.

It’s pretty amazing that if you do what these folks tell you to do just like they do it, it works!  Hopefully, it will keep working like that as Max and I move forward.

I feel a little better…

Have a good ride,

Greenhorn

#1-What Is TVhorsetalk?

So, what is TVhorsetalk?  I like watching all the horse trainer shows on RFD-TV.  A few years ago I discovered that there were several popular horse trainers with regular shows.   (I know I’m a little behind everyone else.)  Clinton Anderson, Chris Cox, Craig Cameron, Julie Goodnight, Ken McNabb and Ryan Gingerich are a few. 

Who knew that while I had been working and living in the big city all these years that there was a whole horse world of trainers and clinicians going on out here?  They’re all good.  I have watched all of their shows and have learned from each one. 
We didn't get RFD-TV in the city.  Now I don't get enough of it! 

TVhorsetalk is about the experiences I’m having as a BEGINNER using the techniques I learn from the TV horse trainers.

            Did I mention that I’m a lifelong horse lover?  I love everything about them.  I like watching shows about them, reading about them, talking about them, watching them, watching others work with them and ride them, and I love riding them myself, too.  Badly, but happily, riding them. 

            And a few years ago, when I knew getting my first horse was going to happen, but was still a little way in the future, I saw the clinician (new word for me) on RFD-TV named Clinton Anderson.  He was really good, both training the horse and explaining how he did it.  At the end of his show they listed locations of his upcoming tour stops.   
             I went, I saw it live, and I loved it.  I boldly ventured to think, “Boy, when I get a horse, maybe I can do some of this!”  I mean, who knew?  I never knew all this stuff about horses, but it made absolute sense.  That’s been a few years ago. 

            Fast forward to now.  I have moved to the country, out in the woods, with plenty of space, and I acquired my FIRST horse.  (The one my family had when I was a kid was really my brother’s horse.)

            And I still love to watch all the horse people on tv train horses… and train people who ride horses…

Last September I got Max.  I wanted a ten to twenty year old dead broke beautiful golden palomino quarter horse about 14 to 14.2 hands high.  Max is a six year old, pretty darn broke, (more on this later) pretty nice-looking, pinto grade quarter horse about 15.2 hands high. 
And I love him.

I decided I'd use the information and techniques I'd been watching on RFD-TV in order to become the leader of the pair of Max and me, and to improve my practically non-existent skills. 

I have a few background entries first so you'll know where I'm coming from.  And Clinton Anderson is the first one I'll explore because he's the first one I connected with.  (See later posts for explanation.) 

I’ve been keeping a log as I have been following Clinton Anderson’s Round Penning, Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground-Series I and Riding with Confidence-Series I.  I’ll post one or two entries per day until I get caught up with “real time”.  You're welcome to share our journey through TVhorsetalk as Max and I follow Clinton Anderson's method.  I'm looking forward to extraordinary results! 

Have a good ride!

Greenhorn