Train Your Horse to Move Forward Willingly

It’s impossible to train a horse without forward movement. “Having a horse that doesn’t move forward would be like if I handed you the keys to a brand new BMW with no gas pedal—other than being pretty to look at, it’d be useless to you,” Clinton says. “I like to compare the basics of training a horse to building a car. First, you have to establish a gas pedal— teaching the horse to move forward at the speed and gait you ask. Once you can move the horse forward at all three gaits—walk, trot and canter—then you establish a brake.”

In the training guide, “How to Establish a Good Gas Pedal,” Clinton explains the importance of teaching a horse to move forward willingly and covers four tips to put to use if your horse’s gas pedal is not working.

Read the article on the Downunder Horsemanship website.