# What is your outlook on these horse trainers??



## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

You completely left out some excellent trainers Chris Cox, Craig and Cole Cameron, Ken McNabb and Steve Landvit.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

I liked Al Dunning


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

ksbowman said:


> You completely left out some excellent trainers Chris Cox, Craig and Cole Cameron, Ken McNabb and Steve Landvit.


Oh yes I knew a little about Chris Cox and Ken McNabb and really like what I have seen of them. Never heard of Craig and Cole Cameron or Steve Landvit. Thanks! Always like to hear about more great trainers!


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## dustyk (Nov 14, 2020)

I've seen Anderson, Roberts, and Cox in clinics. Of the three I thought Cox the best trainer, but in my mind for this clinic anyway he worked on this horse's behavior when it was pretty clearly caused by a physical issue. That could fall more on the person that provided the horse, but he never mentioned it as a possibility


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## baysfordays (Oct 14, 2021)

I used to love Carson James approach, I have his book and I still like his training methods/ approach. and then I liked Monty roberts.. someone I knew was trained by him but actually I was not a fan of how she worked with her horses. 
I use to like the Clinton Anderson method but I don’t like him anymore.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

baysfordays said:


> I used to love Carson James approach, I have his book and I still like his training methods/ approach. and then I liked Monty roberts.. someone I knew was trained by him but actually I was not a fan of how she worked with her horses.
> I use to like the Clinton Anderson method but I don’t like him anymore.


Same for me I used to love the Clinton Anderson method but now I don't anymore. Thanks!


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## baysfordays (Oct 14, 2021)

younghorsetrainer said:


> Same for me I used to love the Clinton Anderson method but now I don't anymore. Thanks!


Yeah I heard Clinton Anderson abuses his horses but that’s just what I heard


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

baysfordays said:


> Yeah I heard Clinton Anderson abuses his horses but that’s just what I heard


On his YouTube videos he doesn't reeeally abuse the horses but I do think that his methods maybe be a bit severe but I can't tell very well. And who know what he does when the camera is turned off...


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## dustyk (Nov 14, 2020)

Anderson works like a guy that has 15 more to work with today, he only asks once or twice then he makes it very clear.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

dustyk said:


> Anderson works like a guy that has 15 more to work with today, he only asks once or twice then he makes it very clear.


Yes he does! I read somewhere that when training a horse, if you act like you only have 15 minutes it'll take 1 hour, if you act like you have 1 hr it'll take 15 minutes. ( to fix the problem. )


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## Um...? (Aug 7, 2021)

I really like how Warwick Schiller trains horses.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

Um...? said:


> I really like how Warwick Schiller trains horses.


Oh yes Warwich Schiller! I keep forgetting some of the best horse trainers!!! Thanks! Yeah I like the little of his training that I have seen.


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## lovetolope (Nov 20, 2021)

Personally, I don't like Pat Parelli's methods at all. A good friend of mine has been a horse trainer forever, and she denies any horses that come to her to be worked with that were trained with the Parelli natural horsemanship. She just won't do it, as she's seen these horses turn into problems and become dangerous. It's like asking the horse "please load in the trailer, but if you don't want to that's ok too." 
Some may disagree, and that's totally fine, this is just my opinion. I've experienced this and actually had to sell my first horse that was trained with Pat Parelli's methods because he was actually putting me in danger. I just wasn't skilled enough at that point to retrain him, so I sold him. 

Clinton Anderson methods are similar, but I haven't watched too many of his videos so I can't say much about him. It's hard for me to follow along though because of his Australian accent. 😂

I don't know much about any of the others you've mentioned, but I would suggest looking into Buck Brannaman. He's absolutely amazing!!! He does lots of clinics, and has a lot of them on dvd that you can purchase. Kind of pricey, but well worth every penny. 
There's also a really good documentary you can watch. He's really amazing. I literally can't emphasize that enough. 
Another great thing about his methods is that it applies to any discipline, not just western. 

Here's the documentary: 








Amazon.com: Buck : Buck Brannaman, Cindy Meehl: Movies & TV


Amazon.com: Buck : Buck Brannaman, Cindy Meehl: Movies & TV



www.amazon.com


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## My Salty Pony (Jan 1, 2022)

I think they are all great in their own way, they all have something to offer..
Edited: I forgot a word


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I’m not going to say what I think of any of the trainers, but I have a cool story about one of them (and a bad about another, but I won’t say).

When I was little I was around Martin quite a bit. I was this little tiny thing, and I refused to show anything but open, because that’s where you could make the money.

So, I was showing an open reining against a bunch of big shots, and I was probably 9ish. I had everyone beat, and Martin knew it, but hadn’t gone yet. So, he was last to go. When he went, he ran this excellent pattern, but he didn’t do his spins. Completely just left them out. When he came out of the arena, he explained to everyone that he was struggling on this particular colt with spins, and he just wanted to give him the experience without blowing him up, so he left them out.

Now, I didn’t know it at the time, but I learned soon enough that he was full of it. He knew he had me beat on that horse, and he left his spins out because he knew I had it won against everyone else. He wanted the little girl to win it. I’ve always liked him because of that. What a cool guy!

It was funny too, because when they announced the results and I won the money, a few of the trainers complimented me, but a few threw a fit, and tried to say they should have beat me. They didn’t, and everyone else knew it, but I tell you what, I remember the big shots who came and congratulated me and made a big deal of me winning, and I remember the whiners who threw a tantrum like they were the children.

I’ll never forget Martin did that though.


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## marymane (Feb 2, 2020)

I like keeping an eye on lots of different trainers and such. I don't necessarily "follow" any of them. I don't think it's a good idea to put them on a pedestal. And I like "cross-referencing" them against each other to see what is "standard" and what's their own stuff and where they may disagree. Learning about horse behavior from a scientific viewpoint is something I've also started to begin looking into so I can draw on that to think about if certain methods are correct/necessary/couldn't be "solved" better another way (for example: a trainer that doesn't recognize when a horse is fearful/anxious and writes it off to "disrespectful" behavior that needs to be trained out of them isn't worth much of their salt IMO. There is a big difference between working a horse through something that's scary to them and punishing them for being afraid.)

I like Pat Puckett because his is a perspective of a life working and he's very humble. You can tell watching his videos that he's not in it for the acclaim, there's no showmanship to it or anything, no gimmicks. Just his lifetime of work in the saddle.

I also like the channel Dry Creek Wrangler School with I think his name is Dewayne (?). I like it especially because it's down to earth stuff applicable to most riders. Very approachable and he also sometimes has videos on more philosophical tangents I like listening to.

I always try to keep in mind that not everything a specific trainer says/does is going to be useful or applicable to me since many of them are coming from a specific background of competing/showing and that can change how they'd think or go about certain things.

I also think, unless you're having issues that a certain clinic is specifically going to address, spectating a clinic would be more beneficial than being in it. Or having a private trainer work with you. A lot of clinicians are really good at what they do but many of them don't have methods that are so far outside the "standard" that you couldn't reasonably find someone else to help you with them. Just my thoughts on it.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

My Salty Pony said:


> I think they are all great in their own way, they all something to offer..


I totally agree. I never stick absolutely 100% to one single trainer, I watch a bunch of people and for one horse I use mostly one person and some others, then for another horse 1/2 one and 1/2 another, and it also differs on the situation. I don't like to think of being " stuck" with one certain trainer and not being able to branch out with other trainers' methods as well as " my own".


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

marymane said:


> I like keeping an eye on lots of different trainers and such. I don't necessarily "follow" any of them. I don't think it's a good idea to put them on a pedestal. And I like "cross-referencing" them against each other to see what is "standard" and what's their own stuff and where they may disagree. Learning about horse behavior from a scientific viewpoint is something I've also started to begin looking into so I can draw on that to think about if certain methods are correct/necessary/couldn't be "solved" better another way (for example: a trainer that doesn't recognize when a horse is fearful/anxious and writes it off to "disrespectful" behavior that needs to be trained out of them isn't worth much of their salt IMO. There is a big difference between working a horse through something that's scary to them and punishing them for being afraid.)
> 
> I like Pat Puckett because his is a perspective of a life working and he's very humble. You can tell watching his videos that he's not in it for the acclaim, there's no showmanship to it or anything, no gimmicks. Just his lifetime of work in the saddle.
> 
> ...


Yes me too! Thanks! 
My grandmother keeps sending me links to Dry Creek Wrangler School, and I watch them but never have paid a lot of attention to them. But I did notice that he does have a lot of good points in his videos.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

lovetolope said:


> Personally, I don't like Pat Parelli's methods at all. A good friend of mine has been a horse trainer forever, and she denies any horses that come to her to be worked with that were trained with the Parelli natural horsemanship. She just won't do it, as she's seen these horses turn into problems and become dangerous. It's like asking the horse "please load in the trailer, but if you don't want to that's ok too."
> Some may disagree, and that's totally fine, this is just my opinion. I've experienced this and actually had to sell my first horse that was trained with Pat Parelli's methods because he was actually putting me in danger. I just wasn't skilled enough at that point to retrain him, so I sold him.
> 
> Clinton Anderson methods are similar, but I haven't watched too many of his videos so I can't say much about him. It's hard for me to follow along though because of his Australian accent. 😂
> ...


 Wow that's interesting about Pat Parelli. I love to hear all things about trainers that help me to know if their methods work or not. 
Yeah, Clinton Anderson does have a thick accent. 😂
Thanks! I will look into Buck Brannaman. Hmmm. That's interesting a few months ago I randomly ran across that movie Buck I think it was on YouTube or something like that but I was thinking about watching it but never got around to it. ( the trailer was on youtube I think)


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

I think that I just found the full movie on YouTube for free!!


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

I haven't heard of a few of those trainers, but for the ones I have:
I really dislike Clinton Anderson. I hate it when people are showy, and he's _so_ showy! All the dramatic music!
But anyway, I think he's way too hard on horses, and although he does get results, it takes longer than the gentler trainers.
I haven't seen Stacy Westfall's training methods, but obviously they work and her horses are very willing.
Monty Roberts seems pretty good, I haven't seen much of his training. I'm not a fan of trainers chasing horses around to make them tired so they want to come to you for a rest, but Monty Roberts does it in a pretty fair sort of way and horses do seem to like him.
I used to follow Warwick Schiller and some of his methods work quite well, but I'm not into the energy stuff and he's heading further and further that way as time goes by.
I'd recommend checking out Ryan Rose on Youtube, he is very fair with horses and gets good results.
Oh, and then there's also Jim Anderson, he doesn't have much on Youtube but I've seen one video of his on breaking a colt, and he did that really well.


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## Aliagen (4 mo ago)

younghorsetrainer said:


> On his YouTube videos he doesn't reeeally abuse the horses but I do think that his methods maybe be a bit severe but I can't tell very well. And who know what he does when the camera is turned off...


Exactly, I don’t like Clinton Anderson at all. I‘ve seen YouTube videos of Clinton Anderson riding horses way behind the vertical. I‘ve also seen a video of him tying a horse to a fence and intentionally creating a reaction from the horse even when it was standing still. He seems to create a reaction form the horse for the video.

That’s just my opinion, I am more than happy to share the videos I just talked about.


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## Aliagen (4 mo ago)

A trainer I really really like is Luke Gingerinch, He uses a mix of R+ and R- but in a really nice way. He does liberty and bridleless western riding. He does very advanced liberty techniques. Like mirrored flying lead changes with two horses! You should definitely look him up! He’s probably my favorite trainer. He trains everything at liberty, he does everything from complex’s dressage movements all the way to western spins and stops at liberty.

this video is liberty sliding stops, I’ve never seen this before! He also does western spins from the ground!


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

Aliagen said:


> Exactly, I don’t like Clinton Anderson at all. I‘ve seen YouTube videos of Clinton Anderson riding horses way behind the vertical. I‘ve also seen a video of him tying a horse to a fence and intentionally creating a reaction from the horse even when it was standing still. He seems to create a reaction form the horse for the video.
> 
> That’s just my opinion, I am more than happy to share the videos I just talked about.


Exactly. He cares more about his show than the horses, so he needs it to be as dramatic as possible.


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

Aliagen said:


> A trainer I really really like is Luke Gingerinch, He uses a mix of R+ and R- but in a really nice way. He does liberty and bridleless western riding. He does very advanced liberty techniques. Like mirrored flying lead changes with two horses! You should definitely look him up! He’s probably my favorite trainer. He trains everything at liberty, he does everything from complex’s dressage movements all the way to western spins and stops at liberty.
> 
> this video is liberty sliding stops, I’ve never seen this before! He also does western spins from the ground!


Love the flying lead changes!


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## Aprilswissmiss (May 12, 2019)

DollyandAya said:


> I used to follow Warwick Schiller and some of his methods work quite well, but I'm not into the energy stuff and he's heading further and further that way as time goes by.


Can you elaborate on this? I'm very curious. I really like what I've seen of Warwick Schiller but I haven't kept up with all of his videos and have missed lots of recent ones. What I have seen of him recently, and what I think you mean by energy-focused but I could be wrong, doesn't really bother me. It seems like he's focusing on human self-improvement in order to better refine communication with our horses, which I quite like the idea of.


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

Aprilswissmiss said:


> Can you elaborate on this? I'm very curious. I really like what I've seen of Warwick Schiller but I haven't kept up with all of his videos and have missed lots of recent ones. What I have seen of him recently, and what I think you mean by energy-focused but I could be wrong, doesn't really bother me. It seems like he's focusing on human self-improvement in order to better refine communication with our horses, which I quite like the idea of.


He talks a lot about channelling energy and that kind of thing, which I'm just not into. I know a lot of people are, like with equine acupuncture and whatnot, but I'm not.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I don't think a person should rate trainers with stars, on a public forum, unless they have a LOT of training experience themselves. Most of the trainers out there will NOT dis any other trainer on a public forum. They just don't.

I have been open about some stuff that Clinton Anderson does that is , in my opinion, is missing vital points in its approach to horses. His personality is what it is. . I think it's best to keep one's criticisms on individual training actions , not on persons. I agree that CA is abrupt and focuses too much on building reactivity in a horse. Most riders aren't really ready for that, and it gets them too rushed for their own horses. That doesn't bear fruit in the long run.

Trainers that teach the human to be observant and patient, those are my types.


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## puff (Jan 18, 2021)

To all of them NO


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## Elessar (Dec 28, 2011)

So many of the trainers out there are presenting the same methods and ideals with their own small twist and technique. Like others have said here, I follow a few whom I respect and admire. Most are using -R methods because they produce the fastest results. However, even those trainers that profess to use +R are presenting their content in such a way to make money as a career for themselves. Producing that revenue stream doesn't make them right or wrong but is another thing that makes them similar.

I used to follow Warwick Schiller until he added too much of what he refers to as "Woo Woo." There is too much life philosophy for me. Don't misunderstand me when I say this because I believe in everything he is presenting in his philosophical perspective. I just don't think he should be using his status as a world renowned trainer as a podium for presenting his belief system.

I follow Pat Puckett more than any other because he is the best "teacher" of people I have met in years. His down-to-earth style of presenting materials makes sense to my brain and I enjoy his "history" lessons too. I called Mr. Puckett once to ask a personal question about a bit and he answered his own phone and took five minutes to discuss bits with me. I was impressed and appreciate his "regular guy" personality isn't put on. All of his training lessons are free on YouTube. He has a store for selling stuff and most of it isn't cheap, but you won't need any of those thing to use his methods.

Another one of my choices for real life trainers is Ryan Rose. Mr. Rose is also uses training methods that work and is a pretty good teacher as well. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of trainers that I enjoy and many I wish I could afford to patronize and learn more about. Mustang Maddie comes to mind. I think that +R has many benefits but most of it is shrouded in a mist of confusion for me. I've looked into some of the books and videos out there but I simply can't understand the core of the technique.

I have read a lot of books and believe that you should take what you need and leave the rest to create your own style and presentation. That's what I do. Chris Cox said something, years ago, that I remember and use daily, "Make the right things easy and the wrong things hard." Makes sense to let the horse choose which path to a desired outcome and you'll get a better result. I'm still looking for information about +R that explains the application to me in nuts & bolts simplicity. Until then, I guess I've blended Buck Brannaman, Chris Cox, Pat Puckett and Ryan Rose into some kind mash up style that works for me.

Good luck with your horsing around.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

And you left out PHIL HAUGEN.


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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

beau159 said:


> And you left out PHIL HAUGEN.


Phil Haugen and Al Dunning


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## lovetolope (Nov 20, 2021)

Ryan Rose is great too. Here's his YouTube channel: 


https://youtube.com/channel/UC5JSKOgyoJCX53KOUaRkBhg


I also want to mention Sid and Jacqueline Zacharias of Zacharias Horsemanship- they are both really amazing and have some great videos! I absolutely love thier training style. 


https://youtube.com/channel/UCceHIlDfqff0SD1MAEe-kMA


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

Thank's so much everybody! And thanks for mentioning all the other horse trainers that you knew of, I will go check them out.


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

The best trainers always use a mix of +R and -R. 
Just use -R, and your horse will end up scared.
Just use +R, and your horse will end up pushy.
Obviously for a shy horse you'd need more +R and less -R, and for a pushy, dominant horse you'd need more -R and less +R, but all horses need a mix.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

What does -R and +R mean??


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

younghorsetrainer said:


> What does -R and +R mean??


Negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement.


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## Aliagen (4 mo ago)

younghorsetrainer said:


> What does -R and +R mean??


R- is pressure and release, so taking away something aversive ( leg aid) when the horse respond.
R+ is asking the horse to do something without touching the horse then giving a treat. So you add something the horse wants when he does good.


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

Aliagen said:


> R- is pressure and release, so taking away something aversive ( leg aid) when the horse respond.
> R+ is asking the horse to do something without touching the horse then giving a treat. So you add something the horse wants when he does good.


+R is positive reinforcement - for example, giving a horse a treat or pat (something it enjoys) when it does the right thing.
-R is negative reinforcement - doing something it doesn't like to get the desired reaction. 
For example, you cluck and point at a horse's rump to get it to yield its hindquarters. It doesn't move, so you tap its rump (-R). It moves over, so you give it a pat (+R).
Pressure and release is a form of -R. +R is something the horse enjoys. You can combine the two (like in my example), they don't have to be seperate.
I hope that makes sense.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

Thanks! I see that makes sense! Yeah I use -R and +R all the time.


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## ChieTheRider (May 3, 2017)

The best trainers are the ones who will use whatever the horse needs to communicate and "talk" on their terms. They don't stick to a particular method, they just use what works. There are of course a few core principles most trainers understand, but there's also a few ways to skin a cat. There's a few of them out there. Not all horses think the same way and the best trainers know this and work with the horse on the horse's level in a way the understand. 

I personally like Schiller. He lets his horses be horses. He allows them to think and feel and act like horses and creates a symbiotic relationship. Anderson creates a domineering relationship where the horse can't so much as flick an ear the wrong way without him telling them off. Even if it's not roughly, there should be no dramatic flag-flapping or backing into a corner over a horse simply thinking about something. 

Let them be horses. That's why I love Schiller. If anything, he trains people to think like the animal and work on their level, not the other way around. I'd rather a horse who thinks for themself than a horse who's been so mind-numbed they just stand there and wait for orders.


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## Aliagen (4 mo ago)

DollyandAya said:


> +R is positive reinforcement - for example, giving a horse a treat or pat (something it enjoys) when it does the right thing.
> -R is negative reinforcement - doing something it doesn't like to get the desired reaction.
> For example, you cluck and point at a horse's rump to get it to yield its hindquarters. It doesn't move, so you tap its rump (-R). It moves over, so you give it a pat (+R).
> Pressure and release is a form of -R. +R is something the horse enjoys. You can combine the two (like in my example), they don't have to be seperate.
> I hope that makes sense.


your example of R+ is not fully correct. If you point at your horse’s hindquarter and cluck and then they move AWAY it’s still pressure and release even though you didn’t physically touch the horse.

An example of yielding hind quarters with R+ is using a target. For example you hold out the target by the horses hip, the horse moves it’s hip TOWARD the target you click and treat.

What you describing is negative reinforcment with a cherry on top. Which is okay but that would not be using R+ then. Hopefully this makes sense. 

I agree that using both R- and treats in training is helpful, thats what I do.


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

Aliagen said:


> your example of R+ is not fully correct. If you point at your horse’s hindquarter and cluck and then they move AWAY it’s still pressure and release even though you didn’t physically touch the horse.
> 
> An example of yielding hind quarters with R+ is using a target. For example you hold out the target by the horses hip, the horse moves it’s hip TOWARD the target you click and treat.
> 
> ...


It's a bit hard to think of an example that only uses -R or +R!
I don't quite see how punishment can be positive?
But I guess the names kind of explain it anyway - you're reinforcing something either negatively or positively.


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## Aliagen (4 mo ago)

DollyandAya said:


> It's a bit hard to think of an example that only uses -R or +R!
> I don't quite see how punishment can be positive?
> But I guess the names kind of explain it anyway - you're reinforcing something either negatively or positively.


positive punishment isn’t actually referring to it being positive. It’s refering to adding something.

postive : adding something 
negative : removing something 
reinforcment: increases likelihood of that behavior 
punishment: decreases likelihood of that behavior 

for example: a horse comes up at bites you, typically the person would react and hit the horse back. That would be positive punishment, adding something (your hand hitting the horse) and that decreases the likelihood of that biting behavior happening again.

hope that clears it up, lmk if you have any more questions!


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I think they come up with new gimmicks to keep selling cds and books and tv shows. Do any of these guys actually go compete in the Quarter horse congress or other large big time expensive shows?


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## Diazwoman61 (Sep 25, 2017)

I am restarting a horse doing the ground work and fundamentals from Clinton Anderson 
I think,much of your information on him and the method are outdated..most people when they talk of his method have never been members and base it on 10 year old videos which were snapshots into the method..for example I never hear anyone talking about how Clinton always talks of identifying each horses starting point and keeping the horse out of the red zone…all synonymous with thresholds and not flooding..but you don’t know all of that if you just look at the free stuff…
I like many of the trainers Cameron,cox, Monty, Warwick, goodnight..I am trying to steal all their best ideas to use with this horse  but specifically chose the method for the fundamentals because I like the flow


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## DollyandAya (4 mo ago)

Diazwoman61 said:


> I am restarting a horse doing the ground work and fundamentals from Clinton Anderson
> I think,much of your information on him and the method are outdated..most people when they talk of his method have never been members and base it on 10 year old videos which were snapshots into the method..for example I never hear anyone talking about how Clinton always talks of identifying each horses starting point and keeping the horse out of the red zone…all synonymous with thresholds and not flooding..but you don’t know all of that if you just look at the free stuff…
> I like many of the trainers Cameron,cox, Monty, Warwick, goodnight..I am trying to steal all their best ideas to use with this horse  but specifically chose the method for the fundamentals because I like the flow


Have Clinton Anderson's methods changed since, let's say, 2 years ago? Just interested to know.


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

I think a lot of people are put off Clinton Anderson because of his arrogance, showmanship and hype. He has built his business using modern tools and brilliant marketing. He has probably earned the right to his conceit, but it would go down better if he toned it down. I have liked what I have seen of some of his videos.


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

> I think they come up with new gimmicks to keep selling cds and books and tv shows. Do any of these guys actually go compete in the Quarter horse congress or other large big time expensive shows?


@stevenson does it matter? They are all just trying to make a business out of what they love. Either you like their method or not.


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## Diazwoman61 (Sep 25, 2017)

DollyandAya said:


> Have Clinton Anderson's methods changed since, let's say, 2 years ago? Just interested to know.


I can’t compare to 2 years ago, just the difference between now and about 6 or so years ago, I think like many people including the trainers, when we know better we do better and the industry became aware that flooding was not necessarily effective or optimal and they all began to identify the concept of thresholds and learning..
Clinton and the majority of trainers follow the same core principles when working with horses the difference is Clinton is a masterful marketer and he admits this freely he did not come up with the ideas himself he too learned from the greats he just knew how to present it and market it..he is not so great as a person but I think a great marketer and a good teacher


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## vitamixlady (Aug 15, 2014)

Knave said:


> I’m not going to say what I think of any of the trainers, but I have a cool story about one of them (and a bad about another, but I won’t say). When I was little I was around Martin quite a bit. I was this little tiny thing, and I refused to show anything but open, because that’s where you could make the money. So, I was showing an open reining against a bunch of big shots, and I was probably 9ish. I had everyone beat, and Martin knew it, but hadn’t gone yet. So, he was last to go. When he went, he ran this excellent pattern, but he didn’t do his spins. Completely just left them out. When he came out of the arena, he explained to everyone that he was struggling on this particular colt with spins, and he just wanted to give him the experience without blowing him up, so he left them out. Now, I didn’t know it at the time, but I learned soon enough that he was full of it. He knew he had me beat on that horse, and he left his spins out because he knew I had it won against everyone else. He wanted the little girl to win it. I’ve always liked him because of that. What a cool guy! It was funny too, because when they announced the results and I won the money, a few of the trainers complimented me, but a few threw a fit, and tried to say they should have beat me. They didn’t, and everyone else knew it, but I tell you what, I remember the big shots who came and congratulated me and made a big deal of me winning, and I remember the whiners who threw a tantrum like they were the children. I’ll never forget Martin did that though.


 That was a wonderful story - thanks for sharing!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Thank you @vitamixlady! I don’t want to say anything about the trainers, because everyone has their own styles and probably something can be taken from anyone, but that was the coolest thing of him to do!


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## vitamixlady (Aug 15, 2014)

I like your style. Better to brag on someone good than rag on someone you don't like.


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

I think this thread could use a clarification. There are hundreds of superb trainers out there you‘ve never heard of. They don’t write books or do clinics or sell tack and videos. They just train horses. My aunt is one. She has spent her whole life training barrel horses. 

Then there are people trainers, who help the rest of us train our horses. Of those, Clinton Anderson is far and away the best, both because he’s the easiest to follow and because the breadth and depth of his Fundamentals or Colt Starting series are beyond anything anyone else offers.

And as far as “overpriced tack”, I have a Clinton Anderson rope halter that is 14 years old now. I have left it outside In sun and snow, and it’s the only piece of tack I’ve put on my horse’s head in the last ten years. If I lost it I would immediately replace it with the same thing.

Whether it’s Julie Goodnight or Stacy Westfall or Pat Parelli or any other celebrity trainer, the tack they sell is ultra premium equipment that can’t be compared to the crap they sell at Tractor Supply. (And I love Tractor Supply, but there horse stuff is marketed to people who won’t pay for quality.)


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

Joel Reiter said:


> I think this thread could use a clarification. There are hundreds of superb trainers out there you‘ve never heard of. They don’t write books or do clinics or sell tack and videos. They just train horses. My aunt is one. She has spent her whole life training barrel horses.
> 
> Then there are people trainers, who help the rest of us train our horses. Of those, Clinton Anderson is far and away the best, both because he’s the easiest to follow and because the breadth and depth of his Fundamentals or Colt Starting series are beyond anything anyone else offers.
> 
> ...


I agree. Though I don't agree totally with all of Clinton's methods, I might buy some of his halters because I like the 2 knot style and I don't know if I could find a foal rope halter anywhere else. Foal rope halters don't seem that common.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

ShirtHotTeez said:


> @stevenson does it matter? They are all just trying to make a business out of what they love. Either you like their method or not.


Read the original question on the first. What is your opinion of them. I gave my opinion. IF you did not wish to see opinions then you should have just rolled by the post. So Yes it does matter.


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## Barrels and reins (Apr 21, 2020)

I like warwick schiller and clinton anderson best


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