Clinton Anderson’s Training Tip of the Week: Teach your horse to soften to pressure.

Horses have a natural instinct to pull and push against pressure – not give and soften to it. So every opportunity you get, teach your horse to soften to pressure. You always want your horse thinking of how he can give and soften to pressure, rather than thinking of how he can resist, stiffen and get out of doing what you want him to do. I’m a fanatic about softness – I want my horses to be so soft that I can pick up on the reins with two fingers, and they instantly give. Or, I can barely touch them with the calf of my leg and they’re moving their ribcage or hindquarters away from it. Remember, the softer and more responsive your horse is, the more you’ll be able to accomplish with him.

This weekly training tip is brought to you by Clinton Anderson and the Downunder Horsemanship team! If interested, you can also become a fan of our new Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and we’ll keep you in the loop on all Wahl Walkabout Tour and Clinic updates, training tips and other promotions including half-price tickets to any of our 2010 Tour stops for online followers. For general information, visit www.downunderhorsemanship.com. Thanks!

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Comment by Dina Miller on April 22, 2010 at 9:13am: Its amazing how many people don't understand how soft a horse can be and never give them that chance to be so soft!

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