Find It on the No Worries Club: Understanding Horse Limitations

NWCfind

I leaned forward and tapped the air in front of the gelding’s nose again. Although the expression on his face and his perked ears told me he was taking my cue seriously and trying to please me, he dragged his feet backwards, shuffling his lanky, 17-hand frame away from me. After he’d taken a few steps, I stood up straight, relaxed my body language and rubbed his face. I couldn’t contain the deep sigh of frustration that escaped me. Why could I not get this horse to pick up his shoulders and back up with energy in his feet like my other training horses? I’d been trying to get the Thoroughbred to back up for the past two weeks, and though he’d made an improvement from where he started during the first lesson, he wasn’t backing up well compared to the Quarter Horses and brumbies I’d trained.

As Gordon’s apprentice, I was responsible for training his clients’ horses. At the end of the horses’ training, Gordon invited the owners to come back to get their horses and I’d show them the horses’ progress. Needless to say, if I didn’t do a good job of training the horses, it reflected badly on not only me, but on Gordon as well. So there was a lot of pressure to do the best job that I possibly could with each horse that came through Gordon’s.

Looking at the bay gelding, I just knew that if I were a better horseman, if I had better feel and timing, I’d be able to get him to back up brilliantly.

Learn what this particular experience taught Clinton about respecting a horse’s ability in the article, “Horse Limitations,” in the 2014 summer edition of the No Worries Journal.

Read the article now by logging on to the Downunder Horsemanship app or the No Worries Club website.

A complete library of our quarterly No Worries Journals is available for viewing and downloading on the No Worries Club website and the Downunder Horsemanship app. If you’re not a club member, learn more about the many benefits of being a club member and join our community on our website.

More News

Back to all news

See All
FILES2f20142f062f0602_Tip.jpg.jpg

12 years ago

Training Tip: Break Every Exercise Into Steps

It wasn’t until I started attending clinics and apprenticing under Australian horseman, Gordon McKinlay, that I realized that horses are…

Read More
0623_Tip

6 years ago

Training Tip: Don’t Get Stuck at the Arena Gate

At some point or other, almost all horses develop a magnet to the arena gate. To deter your horse from…

Read More
0818_04

5 years ago

What is Oat Grass Hay and How Can it Benefit Horses?

By Dr. Tania Cubitt, Performance Horse Nutrition and Standlee Premium Western Forage® Oats are a type of cereal crop grown…

Read More
FILES2f20152f062f0616_05.jpg.jpg

11 years ago

The Feel You Need to Communicate Effectively

Clinton is particular about the tools he uses to train his horses. That’s why he designed his own lead rope…

Read More