There are so many ways Clinton Anderson could be described, but asshole doesn't quite fit the bill.
Although he self-labels himself an asshole, “if your definition of an asshole is someone who tells the truth, speaks their mind, and is direct”, I think it misses the mark.
Besides calling himself an asshole, Clinton Anderson also sits down with his media crew to voice his support for abusing horses, abusing children, ass rape, the death of female riders who annoy him and calling anyone not pursuing competition delusional. I probably missed a few points but he covered a lot of bases.
Video Transcript (emphasis added):
Sometimes when I was doing the counter cantering there he was a little studdy. What do I mean by studdy? He was heavy in my hands, didn't want to get off my leg. You know. He was kinda pushing on me. Just being a, a, kinda a little bit, you know, beligerent.
This is just kinda what stud horses do. You know, he's a 3 year old stud colt with a bunch of testosterone running through his body. So, you gotta go through some of that ugly stuff to get to the good stuff.
And that's the whole point of this series is we're not going to cut that out. It would be easy for me just to cut that small section out and make Titan look like a hero and me look like the hero.
But that, that's not real. That's what misleads the public of what, how horses actually get trained. Okay? So, not that what he did was really that bad, okay, but you gotta be prepared to go through some of that stiffness or resentfulness and then when he comes in with the good attitude I reward him for that.
But all studs, from time to time, will test the limits. Stud horses are like teenage boys, every once in a while you just gotta knock the shit out of them. You know? It's just that simple. I could say it a simpler way, I could say it more politically correct. But every man watching this, this, video right now knows when you've got a 15, 16 year old boy and he's full of testosterone and he thinks he's the king of the house then every once in a while you just gotta knock the shit out of them for 10 seconds to, remember, remind them there's a pecking order in this deal.
You're dealing with a thousand pound animal, and when you let a thousand pound stud get the upper hand on you, it's not if he's going to clean your clock or rape your ass, it's just when and how many times. You get my, deal, here?
Now the women who are watching this, you know, I make fun of these tree-hugging idiots that ride in a bitless bridle, and you know, they trail ride, and and, they're close to nature. They hear what I just said and they say “that's barbaric”, they've never trained a stud horse in their friggin' life.
And I wish they would, cause they'd get killed and that would get rid of most of these people who bug the shit out of me. Okay? So they've never trained a stud horse in their life. They've never trained one. Their, their whole idea of accomplishment is the horse stands still at the mounting block. Like “oh my god, he stood still so I get three mounting blocks, one on top of the other and climb up with my fat ass up there and get on.”
They don't know how to train a horse. They're unrealistic. They're idiots. Okay?
So stud horses, you know, Gordon McKinley told me this one time, he said “Clinton, let me tell you something about training studs. Don't peck at a stud. Don't nag at them. One good whack is better than a thousand little taps. Because if you nag at them and nag at them, they get really annoyed by it. And when they get annoyed long enough they get very violent and dangerous towards you. One good whack is better than a thousand little taps.”
So, as a over, overall Titan's very good-minded. He's a great minded horse overall. But every once in a while I just need to give him an ass kicking for about 5, 6 seconds and just reinforce, “hey, I love you Titan, but daddy will kick your ass if you step out of line.” And he's “okay, I'm good,” and then we go on for a couple more weeks and I do it again.
And see, it'd be easy for me not to talk about this stuff, easy for me to hide it off camera and so forth. But again, people are attracted to genuine, ..ugh, people are attracted to genuine authentic people.
That's what I am. You might love me and you might fricken' hate my guts. But I promise you, my enemies will say “he's genuine and authentic. He says what's on his mind. Clinton Anderson is an asshole.” Well, depends on what your version of an asshole is. You know if your, if your definition of an asshole is someone who tells the truth, speaks their mind, and is direct, then yes I'm a complete asshole. If you have a different, definition of an asshole then I'd say I'm not that. Okay?
So. That's kinda how it is. But, overall Titan did real well. But you gotta go through some ugly stuff to get the good stuff.
You know, um, Diaz in his training, we had a few days that we had to have a few wrestle around conversations when he was a stud colt. You know what I mean? Um, even geldings, every, every once in a while you need to wrestle them around a little bit and have a little come to Jesus meeting where they come to the party and say, “okay, I have my hands up, I'm real good now”. You know what I mean?
And that's the stuff I think the general public, you know, what I'll call general public like trail riding industry that doesn't do any competing or showing. They think, they want the horse to look like it does on the Olympics, they want that beautiful Dressage horse, reining horse, blah blah blah.
But they, they're delusional about what it takes to get to this point. And their argument is, “well you shouldn't have to make a horse sweat, you shouldn't have to lope him very long, and you shouldn't stress him at all.” Okay? That would be like me saying to you, “hey, is a, is a 16 year old girl gonna to make it to the Olympics in gymnastics and never have a bad day? Is she never gonna be stressed? Is she, is her muscles never gonna be sore?” Of course she's gonna be sore at different times. Mentally she's gonna be stressed.
You gotta go through some of that to get to the next level. If you're not uncomfortable you're not growing. Okay? That's as simple as it gets. If you're not uncomfortable you're not growing.
Clinton Anderson
What is Clinton Anderson thinking?
I wonder, is Clinton Anderson speaking from experience about getting “ass raped” by a stud? Is that how he developed the novel training method to “knock the shit of them” before they have a chance?
I'm also pretty sure that most equestrians who've criticized Clinton Anderson are not arguing that a horse should never sweat, or lope, or experience stresses; actually I've never heard that argument from anybody in my life.
Maybe Clinton is really just a soft, squishy, sensitive soul who hates women and roughs up his horses because he's afraid to let the world know who he really is? Maybe.
Photo Credit: Elise Freed, Pearl Classical Dressage.
You can also follow Pearl Classical Dressage on Facebook.
Is Clinton Anderson planning on targeting a different demographic?
Mostly, what I find curious about his rant is that his main supporters are female riders whose primary goal is not competition, but likely pleasure/trail riding. I guess the people paying his bills are just so annoying he couldn't take it any more?
For all the women who posted in defense of him when I wrote about Clinton Anderson's abusive riding habits training a 2 year old horse: Isn't it great to know just how much the trainer you admire wishes your horse would kill you so you'd stop bugging him?
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Shaming, blaming and dominance never supports anyone to grow and expand their lives; equine or human, everyone has their opinions and reasons for their methodology. What I attempt to do in my life, is understand the old stone age ways had a place and learn new, more connected, softer ways to achieve my desired results. I am a tree hugging female equestrian that has rode since before I could walk, I have always had horses in my life, and trained horses for my own personal uses, work and pleasure. I have always had stallions, grew up around them and now have three of them in my small string of 7 horses. Stallions are yes, a raw energy, one that is to be respected for its power, and they are all different, with different personalities. I have never given the stallions in my life, an ass kicking for their behaviour. Yes, there are times when their behaviour needs to be addressed, but never with violence. Violence begets violence, no matter what species you are. Consistency and immediate positive feedback works wonders. Some people have difficulty evolving from their core behaviours and doing things differently than what was shown them. I watched my grandfather and mother train horses with shame, blame, violence and dominance. The horses behaved, out of fear. I was raised with the same methods, I behaved out of fear, not love. I remember the beating I was taking, when I made a pact with myself, that if I ever had children, I would never treat them this way, and I stuck to that pact.
I have chosen to actively seek out ways to do things differently, with my children and with my horses. It takes courage to do things differently and if we don’t know how to do them differently, to seek out support to learn from or ask for help. There is always another way if we look, starting with looking at ourselves and our behaviours that do not support us any longer. All of us could benefit from looking with in and changing behaviours. Thank you Clinton for showing me the contrast as it allows me to keep being agile in my methods and learning more.
I always wondered about people who presented it as though the only options are kicking the shit out of a horse and letting it run all over you. There IS a middle ground, people. You just have to be SMART enough to find it.
Wow, I guess the stud I raised who was so quiet nobody knew he was a stud until I told them (even when riding in a crowded indoor arena) doesn’t count since I never “beat the shit out of him” but did set and hold boundaries from day one. We also rode a lot of mountain trails over the years without incident or mounting blocks 🙂 so I guess that also disqualifies us from being “serious.”
Seriously, maybe the studs he works with don’t like him BECAUSE he’s an asshole and they know it, so they respond in kind.
As a pro trainer for almost 40 years, I have found that the most important, most effective tool a trainer can have is patients. The ability to feel, IMMEDIATELY, when things are just too much for the horse. To take a breath, stop, wait, and proceed the second the horse has ” mentally regrouped”. It takes very little time for the process, and if you can see/feel/know what is happening you would know what I am saying. If a person is really good, they NEVER put the horse in a position to have to be uncomfortable with what you are asking of them in the first place. They should not have to be jerked or spurred or run around frantically.
Horse Expos have been both a blessing and a curse for the horse. Clinton Anderson is sadly sort of a curse. The greatest example he has to give is that he was fired from a successful reining barn and rather than quit he just found a great promoter. (the promoter screwed him financially, but he got his fame) I met them both in Sacramento Ca in 1998 at the first Western States Horse Expo. A whopping 3 people were in the stands watching Clinton. Equi Management Inc owner Pam Alfred, grabbed a hold of him because, and I quote, her words to MY own personal ears, “He will sell because he is good looking and foreign. He has a product to sell, and well, he of course has to know something.” Knowing something was the last thing on her list of important requirements. People are so easily duped! Just watch TV, it’s all the same. Anyone can make up a shit method and it will work. BECAUSE HORSES ARE INHERENTLY GOOD NATURED AND WANT TO CO-OPERATE WITH US. THEY MAKE US LOOK GOOD. WE MAKE THEM SUFFER FOR IT.
The “problem” horse situation lies in the fact that in todays horse industry, many, many owners are green. The green, well meaning owner anthropomorphizes the horse (and dogs and cats etc) to the point of danger. We are hurting them with our ignorance…. So, the neo solution is…. we go to a weekend clinic and come home “a trainer”.
When I was a kid we all apprenticed under someone for years! Horse phycology is not a weekend learning experience!
I gotta tell you, it’s not that I don’t agree with you…
But folks learn the difference between patients and and patience, you’re and your, there, their and they’re. And maybe throw in a little grammar too.
I’m going to respectfully disagree with all of you, while I’m at it. I believe he believes he is doing what’s best and right for horses. Don’t lecture someone on these manners, SHOW them. Make a video of you training a horse. Not you training a horse that’s already trained because that doesn’t prove anything, other than you can make a horse roll through the motions of training that he’s already been through. Find an aggressive horse and make your video of training it, and make sure you post a “video” response to one of his abusive videos online.
Wether you love him or hate him, agree with him or not, you gotta admire the fact that he is balls to the walls in that ring, sometimes with horses who literally hate people. I’d rather see someone train them either way than have them sent on and on forever and never have a home.
We’ve all been to a point with our horse that the sharpest, quickest, fastest discipline for a jackass move (or to block it), is to give them a whack. I’ve seen 4-H leaders actively teaching kids “never strike at your horse…”. WHACK!!!! “Unless he does that…”
If you have something better than offer it up. Otherwise you’re just doing a whole lot of bitching and barking at nothing. Do you think this guys cares what you think about his practices? He’s not going to sit and read your online opinion about him. A simple video response to “hey, I wanted to show you there is a better way” and give the proof. Show what YOU do when your horses get brave and want to kill you. Just a suggestion. I mean do what you do anyhow, but if you’re gonna complain about how someone else does it, and never give another option the. You’re going to look like a complete asshole online to the rest of the people who think you’re wrong. Again, I am not saying his methods don’t give me a little shutter and think he’s a little over handed, BUT, in his defense, I believe he has the best interest for horse and rider at mind.
It is ‘shudder’, not shutter. And I don’t believe he has the best interests of the horse in mind. Only his own. I fully agree that he is abusive to people and horses. Show you proof? I’m not a trainer, and never claim to be. But have you ever critiqued a movie? Have you made a better one? Just because I can’t replicate the ideal I carry in my head doesn’t mean I don’t know the relationship between horse and rider that I am striving for when I see it.
I can not believe this person stating that “she is not a trainer, and never claim to be” that sounds like someone who has children is not a parent. Point, when you become a parent you are a “teacher” whether you want to be or not. You teach them to either respect or disrepect others. Or you teach them to set a table, wash a dish, do laundry. when you become a horse owner you are automatically a teacher. a “teacher”and “trainer” are the same thing. I wonder why there are so many Juvenile detention centers? If their parents were better teachers/trainers they might not be in the predicament that they are in. Horses think so simple minded like a child. horses like people understand yes and no not shaded or grey areas. to many people give the horse “maybes” and they do not understand that. watch horses in a herd they will show you just how they communicate with each other. if man would watch and learn how to communicate with them on their level not ours. stop micro-managing your children and horses. in a herd if a horse gets out of line the one of the horses above him in the pecking order will correct him and sometimes pretty violently at times. I have witnessed two mares fighting over dominance, going butt to butt and kicking hard enough to break bone. Horses are “prey” animals, we are “preditors” as humans and horse people/lovers it is our moral duty to earn their trust and teach them how to carry us. if you don’t tell him “NO” to an action that he does then to him the answer is “YES”. then the next time he rears he will go higher and higher until he could go over backwards and hurts someone or even himself. So, before anyone starts condeming anyone elses ideas or methods learn how horses communicate with each other and duplicate it. you will then have a shot at a good solid relationship with your horse.
Totally agree. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Excellent!!!
People have problems with their horses because they don’t know how to handle them. Women bring their horse into the arena at his seminars…the horse is pushing and pulling them all over…It’s so obvious that their horse has no respect for them…That’s their problem.. .Clinton tells people this all the time…The horse has a people problem…Some of these people bring their horses to one seminar after another and they never get it….I don’t blame him for being irritated with them!! You have to have respect, and you don’t have to beat them to get it…Move their feet…
I think it’s natural and normal to get frustrated with situations like this, but it is something else to publicly berate the people who pay to keep him employed in his chosen profession. If he can’t stand them, then turn them away at the arena instead.
People have to understand that if you want a good riding stud, you do pretty much have to “get the shit out of them” so they listen and respect you. And quoting Vee Berney ‘ I will NOT chase my horse around the pen, or hit her, or in any way “send” or “chase” her away. That is asinine.’
You are taking his methods wrong! Sending a horse is not cruel, it is just an exercise to get them to use their thinking brain. Clinton doesn’t chase his horses at all. The horses he works with are (sometimes) dangerous and don’t respect their owners. If you don’t believe me, watch this YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6c8VW95SOg
I don’t know how many studs you guys have handled but there are times when they need to know who’s boss. People do get killed by studs because IMHO they underestimate what studs can do when angry or horny sometimes both. Don’t always agree with CA but you get around enough studs, some of them are the kindest and there are ones that will pick you up by an appendage and carry you around and by the grace of God won’t kill you,(wasn’t me but true story). CA is absolutely right that people romanticize horses and people get hurt or killed in the process. There is a middle ground in training that encompasses patience and feel but that are times with horses where you need to do what it takes to get it done.
In rebuttal, why keep stallions with that type of nature intact? Why not geld them? Playing devil’s advocate here, but to me that seems like the most logical answer. No stud is that good to keep and risk the lives of the people around them, IMO.
A MILLION TIMES THIS. If a stud is dangerous it should not be breeding anything. There are plenty of horses on slaughter trucks. Get thee to a veterinarian for a snip, and quickly go.
Well you are not going to make any money from a slaughterhouse stud? Not to many Derby winners end up a slaughterhouse! You have to deal with the “hot heads” if you want to make money.
Well, duh.
I love Clinton’s Fundamental series and his older videos. He has really helped me a lot. I still get stuck from time to time but he has enough redundancy in his videos and the method that if one is into it they know that they need to go back a step if something isn’t working. I gotta say though, I HATE the Titan videos. I really do. It’s not what he says about stallions, because I agree with him 100%. I’ve seen enough people mauled by stallions to know that working with a stallion is horse ownership on steroids. It’s Titan’s over flexed head and neck. I really hate it and I don’t think horses enjoy working when they have to travel like this. It’s just not natural to them. The other thing I don’t like is riding two-year olds. It takes just a rudimentary study of equine growth physiology to learn that the musco-skeletal growth of equines is not adequate for work until they are four or five. No wonder I see so many broken down reining and futurity mares as brood mares because that is all they are good for. Keeping a deaf horse as a stud is got to be one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard. When I made a comment about this on FB I got replies from reiners saying that Titan’s line has deafness in it and deaf horses actually had an advantage in this sport because they aren’t distracted by the noise of a crown. When a handicap becomes an asset for a sport that is when the sport is ruined in my opinion. I think Clinton has way too much on his plate an he probably drinks too much from the looks of his puffy face on that video. I think he says stupid things because he is afraid of loosing that summit he has worked so hard to get to. He needs to chill out and perhaps lay off the sauce. He’s one of the best functional alcoholics I have ever seen. I’ve been one and can spot another ten miles away. I still enjoy his older tapes when he had crooked teeth and a nice behind. I’ll never part with those.
Lynn, I absolutely love your comment. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
I Think you’re right on the mark, Lynn. I entered “Clinton Anderson titan over-bending laterally and longitudinally am I the only one who sees this???” and this blog came up. His training methods drive me crazy. I DO train horses for a living, started getting paid at 25 and am 60, so I have a bit of experience. I had free tickets to attend one of his seminars a while back, and it became patently clear why I’d had to retrain so many clients’ “Methodized” horses……That said, I’m sure many of his techniques are very useful when applied with a compassionate understanding of both that horse’s individual temperament and with respect to equine anatomy, in general.
For all of you horse people out there: if you ever watched Clinton Anderson’s training videos. Now comes a new phenomenon. Introducing American Made horsemanship. I’m going to be going through training myself to become better than Clinton Anderson. I will be posting when I am done with my training.
I have recently ‘rehorsed’ after a five year hiatus; I trained, owned, bred, imprinted, taught handling and riding, and sold well-trained trail horses for years.
Now I have a 6-yr old mare who was handled and taught basic groundwork, even had a saddle and rider on her, but she doesn’t know what the cues mean. I started with her as if with an un-schooled horse. Had her for six months now.
The manager of the place where she lives (along with seven other horses) is an old-timer who uses Clinton Anderson’s method. He calls himself a “Horse Whisperer.” He’s never once observed my style or a training session with her. He advised me the other day (while I was at work! But then again, that’s how I met him) that she needs to be “TRAINED!’.
I was mildly insulted by his lecturing me (having had great success with several horses and learned from other local old-timers) when I am an accomplished and semi-pro horsewoman myself. I have been paid to train (even a stallion!), and I know my stuff.
So he’s proud of his Clinton Anderson method. And he does get results….he has a two-year old already under saddle who he sends around in the pen at full speed, gets on and has him step up on a flat rock in the center. I decided to review some of Anderson’s videos again.
He IS an asshole. I told the barn manager that I had watched the videos and even tried some of the techniques (groundwork), but I found Anderson’s method to be too aggressive. It’s just not my style.
Thankfully he was respectful about that and he has not ever tried to “train” my mare, only to handle her at feeding time, and with the farrier when I couldn’t make it to the trimming.
Today I spoke to him again and reminded him that the method I am using is one I paid for and I have combined it with my own experience and style, and that I am not in any hurry. I will NOT chase my horse around the pen, or hit her, or in any way “send” or “chase” her away. That is asinine.
So yes, Clinton Anderson is an asshole. I won’t follow his methods.
Wow, I’ve been reading and doing a little investigating and I think I’ve found where Clinton has learned his trading methods.Lets analyze those methods.1) he is eithier coming out of nowhere or was once famous and lost all his money and needs a source of income.2) The talent he once used to make vast amounts of income is no longer in demand or their public has moved on or grown older3)They are basically smart individuals,some what attractive.and finally 4) if not from they have moved to Texas where their overbearing,some what abusive technique will be accepted.I do believe Clinton Anderson is a graduate of the TED NUGENT SCHOOL OF SELF PROMOTION. He says these outrageous things and uses questionable training techniques to get your attention to sell his cheap low quality training tools like ted uses his Schtick to sell his hunting garbage.Ted hasn’t had a hit since the 80’s how else would a guy with that big a ego sell his crap and remain relavent. Just my theory.
Having been threatened to be killed repeatedly by a teen and knowing that studs and some geldings go after women when they are on their period and having been put in the ER by a horse who attacked me, I support his comments. The more respect I have earned by acting like the lead mare the more love and affection my horse and I have for each other, years before I knew about Clinton Anderson.
I’d love to see the science showing that stallions attack women who are on their period… SMH.
There’s already so much systematic abuse in the horse industry in general, at least in the US and Germany as far as I’ve seen.
If horses had the same cultural impact as dogs or cats people wouldn’t tolerate all the bullying and the smacking and this koo koo concept that horses need to be ‘bossed’ around.
Honestly, horses aren’t the problem per se. It’s people and their ridiculous insecurities and control issues being projected onto their horses that causes so many issues. There’s a lot of male riders/trainers in the equine world who are misogynistic, cruel weirdos – I avoid them like the plague. They’re always the first ones to run good horses into the ground and then belittle women for at least, trying to treat their animals humanely and with respect. Men like CA feed into this stereotype that horses are raging monsters waiting for that one moment to eviscerate their handler unless you bully them into submission. He is not the first male trainer I’ve heard of who picks on female riders for being ‘soft’ and insinuating their horses will go rogue and kill them because they don’t do XYZ.
Like another commentator stated, the Western discipline on a whole suffers from cruelty. Dressage has its own issues but it isn’t as insidious with these wannabe cowboys. Horses are what they are, but they are still a living breathing creature, not robots. They’re not human, but that doesn’t give us the right to treat them poorly or take their lives for granted.
Oh, yes, he is absolutely a disgusting, chauvinistic, condescending asshole on several levels. Personal experience at a *show*. I told him to his face.
to his face? you got some guts. im shocked he didnt chase you around with his stick and string beating your butt or just flat out beating you.
Everybody just leave the man alone..he did nothing wrong…horses are horses..well its people that make a big deal out of something..don’t even make sense at all..and this what that is..who would do what his doing..nobody..Clinton just keep doing what your doing..its the people that never been yell at and its the people that been pampered
This is pretty interesting. I think people have become just as divided on horse training as they are when they go to the polls and vote..
It’s kind of cool to see the horse whisperers go full circle.. they all bring something to the table and they all steal from everyone else and label it theirs.
I grew up with the best horseman I will ever know..
One of the last real cowboys that this world will ever produce. He would ask me ‘ hey do you want to go visit an old work mate.. we would drive an hour to visit a horse he worked with for 20 years..
When the horses saw him they would run to him. I have yet to see the same type of respect and love from any horse for an individual as his had for him..
It was amazing, the change any of them had when he got on one. Rating horses on a scale from Volkswagen to Lamborghini,, I would say he never put me on a Volkswagen.. haha
Pull back, give slack and never relax or sleep on the horses.
Lying flat on my back looking up to the sun, I remember his shadow and the words ” gotta be smarter that the horse son!”
I remember actually the day I realized the
difference in horses.. my family had rented some to outfit some dudes who were at my family’s ranch to drive cattle in new mexico. I saddled and warmed up the horses for them as they did their city slickers weekend.. I couldn’t believe how blessed I was to have known some of the horses I had and to have someone like my grandfather to teach me.
I like Clinton Anderson.. he is better than most, but I think you can get something from all of them.. afterall they stole it from each other and from the old timers like my grandfather who most of them swear were the barbarians.. there are bad people in every trade and in every generation. Clinton Anderson is entitled… probably sick of the monday morning quarter backs..
I will never need all the chrome that he teaches, but I will always teach what I need..
Alright here I go. A defence for CA, though I don’t think he needs one. He’s not attacking women. He’s not saying his method is the only way. And he does not abuse his horses. To preface, I am a woman. I started out riding on my grandpa’s ranch and working. I moved to training when I was pretty young and interned with different trainers to try and learn as much as I could. I am in no way the expert, but I do get paid to work with horses. Do I use his methods on every horse? Yeah no. But a lot of what he says is very helpful and does, clearly work.
He does not abuse horses. People who say this have no worked with abused horses. Have not seen neglect, have not seen an aggressive horse come at them because people have hurt it so bad it decides to get mean because that’s what keeps the bad people away. While you may disagree with his method, calling it abuse is unfair and untrue. Horses can be dangerous, they can be deadly. Studs have a lot of testosterone running through them and while there are exceptions, they usually push boundaries, they like to show who’s the big man. Horses are a partnership, you need to respect them. But when they don’t respect you it gets dangerous. And even if you don’t agree with tapping a stud on the butt while lunging when it shows disrespect, that doesn’t mean abuse.
He isn’t an asshole. He’s actually a super nice guy. He cares about the people and clients he works with. He doesn’t want them to get hurt. Yeah he’s brash. Yeah he’s honest. Yeah it’s okay to not like him. I wouldn’t use the word asshole and I would never use the word uncaring. If you’ve seen him work with people he does want the best for them. I don’t love how he said the things he did. They were harsh. But he’s right, when you don’t t ask difficult things from a horse it won’t pick a fight with you. My little stud colt was the sweetest thing in the world but would run you over in a heartbeat. Since asking him to do work and actually demanding respect he is extremely sweet still, but wouldn’t dream of running me over. Speaking of,…
His horses are not scared of him. They respect him. When he breaks a horse he isn’t harsh in the mouth, he is actually extremely light. He uses the words soft and supple constantly, and you don’t get that from tugging at his mouth. With horses he works with you rarely see him being harsh, and if you have dkne any research on the method, especially when you go from foal to advanced, you see that teaching respect isn’t always harsh. Once again with studs and any horse, they will test your limits. It’s better to shut it down immediately.
I’m not a Clinton anderson follower, honestly I like a myriad of trainers and like to learn from anyone I can. I don’t think everything he does is perfect. But honestly I think people are way unfair to him without really researching him. It’s fine to dislike him, can’t like everyone, but let’s at least be fair y’all. Sorry for any mistakes, my phone isn’t letting me scroll…
I have read two articles now it is clear you have never owned a real horse or perhaps never owned or even ridden a horse, perhaps the closest thing is a carousel or merry go round, you have not the faintest clue about horsemanship and you haven’t the faintest clue about comprehending what he has said. He is 100% correct every colt reaches an age where they will test you to see what they will and can get away with, mostly they have no venom its simply a test but it can be a very dangerous test (because they have many times the strength we have play to them is life and death to us.) in fact it can kill you if you are unlucky, you can’t ignore it, reality you have to deal with it in terms they understand which are terms you clearly do not have the slightest comprehension about, it can be a nip or it can be a kick, my horses only ever did it once and never again. My horses all ended up on the right side of the tracks well mannered well behaved they understood their boundary’s and where they stood in the herd.