REGULAR FEATURE
TC
Trainer’s Corner
Retraining the Arena Sour Horse
by Clinton Anderson, Downunder Horsemanship
Train your horse to look forward to getting inside the arena
T
here are few things as frustrating—or as Some exercises you can use are serpentines,
embarrassing—as having to deal with rollbacks and trotting or cantering circles. Keep
a horse that refuses to in mind that you’ll be wasting
go into the arena. Chances are your time if you let the horse drag
you or someone you know has his feet and daydream about his
had to deal with an arena sour next meal. Make him hustle and
horse, especially if you compete give him a reason to want to go
in timed events. into the arena and relax.
Think of the situation from Work the horse for 5 to 10
the horse’s perspective: outside minutes away from the arena,
of the arena he gets to relax and then take him into the arena
with his buddies, while inside and let him rest. In the begin-
the arena he has to work hard ning, you might only be able to
and hustle his feet. As soon as he bring the horse within 90 feet of
Clinton Anderson, A native
leaves the arena, he’s allowed to the arena. While he’s resting, rub
Australian, began his quest to
rest and be with his friends again. him and give him a chance to catch his breath.
become the best horseman he
Horses are basically lazy creatures, meaning After letting him rest for fi ve minutes, go back
could be by apprenticing under that they always pick the option requiring the to working him 150 feet away from the arena
nationally acclaimed Australian least amount of work. When an arena sour horse again for another 5 to 10 minutes.
trainers Gordon McKinlay and Ian is walked toward the arena, his only thought is Each time you work the horse, take him
Francis. In 1996 Clinton moved how he’s going to get back to your original
to America to continue training
out of having to go in Drape the reins down his starting point—the
horses and apprenticed under Al
and work hard. That’s place he wants to be.
Dunning, winner of multiple AQHA
neck and dare him to move
when he rears, spins Each time you let him
World Championships, before
around and backs up—anything he can do to rest, bring him closer to the arena. The second
beginning to train under his
not go into the arena. When a horse is misbe- time you might get him 60 feet from the arena
own name. Clinton loves training
having, he uses the reactive side of his brain; gate. The third time you might get him inside.
reiners and cow horses and has
he’s energetic and wants to go somewhere. The When you
been successful in both competi-
more you try to force him to behave and go into let the horse
tive arenas. Clinton is the host of
the arena, the more upset and nervous he gets. rest, drape the
Downunder Horsemanship TV, the
number one rated RFD TV program,
reins down his
Conquer His Fear
which airs at 10 and 12 p.m.
neck and dare
When you’re working with an arena sour
Eastern Standard Time on Tuesdays
him to move.
and 3 p.m. on Sundays.
horse, don’t think, “How can I make him get in
If he wants to
the arena?” Think, “How can I make it uncom-
move, let him.
To fi nd out more about Clinton fortable for him not to go into the arena?” You’ll
Take him back
and how you can transform your
do that by working the horse hard where he
to where you
horse into the partner you’ve
wants to be (outside the arena) and letting him
were working
always wanted, log on to www.
rest where you want him to be (in the arena).
him and hustle
downunderhorsemanship.com.
Depending on how arena sour your horse is,
his feet. Instead
you might only be able to get him within 150
of sitting on
feet of the arena before he starts misbehaving.
the horse and saying, “Don’t go!” let him move,
That is your starting point. Using one rein at a
and then offer him the chance to stand still and
time to direct him, work the horse hard, hustling
relax. You have to give him a reason to want to
his feet and constantly making him change
be in the arena and to relax.
directions. The more you change directions, the
more he’ll use the thinking side of his brain.
14 March 2010 The Northwest Horse Source www.nwhorsesource.com
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