Training Tip with Clinton Anderson: There Are No Shortcuts

Written by Clinton Anderson

Too often, I meet people at tours or we’ll receive letters in the office saying that they have a problem that needs fixed. Everyone wants a quick fix, a magic cure that they can give their horse to have their problems disappear.

Believe me, if I had such a magic cure, I would sell it and make millions! But there’s no such thing. However, there’s something that’s pretty close and that’s the Method. By starting from the beginning of the Method and following it step by step, you can fix almost any problem your horse is having. The sensitizing exercises get rid of the lack of respect and the desensitizing exercises get rid of the fear. So regardless of what your problem is, whether it’s bucking, not being able to pick up the feet, not crossing water, buddy sour, etc., it will be solved by following the Fundamentals Series.

People don’t like that answer because it sounds like a lot of work, and it means they have to buy the right tools and equipment to get the job done. Unfortunately, there are only three ways to get a horse trained: buy it trained, pay someone else to train it or train it yourself. So pick your poison. Regardless of how it happens, a well-trained horse is one that someone has spent a lot of time with.

That’s why our Signature Horses are so expensive; we’ve spent A LOT of time with each one of them. Remember something, there are no shortcuts in horsemanship. It takes time, dedication and a step-by-step training method to accomplish your goals.

About Clinton Anderson:

Born and raised in Australia, Clinton grew up with a love of horses. Although he lived in the city with his father, Rob, mother, Cheryl, and sister, Andrea, he looked forward to the weekends he got to spend on his grandparent’s farm where his grandmother would give him rides on her old Thoroughbred mare. By the age of 12, he began playing polocrosse and was eventually chosen for a national team representing his state. 

In 2001, he became the first clinician to create a made-for-TV horse training program that aired on RFD-TV. The use of untrained horses and a variety of topics covering common problems faced by horse owners quickly made Downunder Horsemanship the network’s number one equine program. Nearly 15 years after establishing Downunder Horsemanship, Clinton continues to instruct horsemanship clinics, presents Walkabout Tours across the country, produces two television shows, hosts an internet TV website and is constantly creating comprehensive study kits and training tools to make learning horsemanship as accessible and easy as possible. Clinton and Downunder Horsemanship are recognized as world leaders in the equestrian industry and continue to offer the very best in innovation, inspiration and instruction.