# Clinton Anderson fans??



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I don't follow any NH trainer specifically and tend to stay away from the very public figures but from what I have seen of CA, I like his approach better than any others. He seems to explain things better and doesn't lean so much toward some idea or "personality profile" as much as the others. He is a true horseman and does not have a gimmick that he is trying to sell (that I have seen anyway). If you are interested, I would go ahead and just kinda see what he has got to offer. I know that I will get chewed for this one but others like Pat Parelli have perverted the original idea so much that their programs are not even really about the horse anymore.  They are more aimed toward merchandising now.


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## Got2Gallop (Oct 22, 2007)

Well see, I agree and I'm not really looking for the NH trainers specifically........I like to check out different people. Right now I have a Basic Groundwork DVD by Stacy Westfall that I think is great and that I'm using with my filly. I saw Cllint Anderson and want to check him out and a few others that I've found on YouTube. I've been a fan of John Lyons for years, but I think he is a more realistic horseman and not as into the "buy this whip and you will suceed" brand of horsemandship" I bought a soft cover book on Parelli's methods about 14 years ago and I thought he had great idea's. Had to get out of horses and then came back 10 years later and now it seems that Parelli is all about high priced training tools and higher priced clinics and I've heard much more negative than positive about the Parellli way. I don't want to judge but it just seems to me that Parelli has become much more complicated and about the $$$ than it once was.


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## zanyoutthere (Jan 31, 2009)

I use "Clinton Anderson" tecniques on my mustangs and it is very helpful.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I have CA's DVD's on training newborns weanling's and yearling's(I think thats what its called) I used it for all 3 of my baby's and they have turned out great so far 
I've only seen him in person once and that was at an expo not a clinic type atmosphere. He is very easy to follow and a good teacher. 
I think many of them are teaching the same thing, just chose one who you like and can understand and follow. 
Check for used vids on Ebay and craigslist. for the best prices. 
I saw Craig Cameron this weekend at a horse expo. He was doing a colt starting clinic. I found him very easy to follow as well, and full of great information.


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## RoosterDo (Feb 11, 2009)

I like a lot of what he says and does I do not follow one trainer because most have a lot to give and I love to mix and match. I will be going to a clinton clinic next week and will let you all know how it goes.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Actually smrobs, Pat Parelli was the leader in this "new age" of NH. You never heard of any of these other trainers until Pat came along. Now he's not the first one to do this, and he says so, he gives credit to his mentors all the time. And Clinton was a student of Parelli.

Mark Weiler, who owns 51% of the Parelli company, is to blame for the prices. He's a jerk who doesn't have horses and he is all about money. It's not Pat and Linda. Mark's done a good job getting the word out about Parelli, but with everything else, I think he will drive a lot of people away. I just tell people to look past all that crap and look at Pat's horsemanship skills. There is no denying the man is amazing, and those who argue that must be blind.


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## Rayzee (Feb 16, 2009)

Clinton Anderson is AMAZING. I love all of his methods, and they are very easy to follow and understand. He's very down to earth, and he doesn't baby his horses along. He is very firm, but only as much as needed, and his horses respect him for that. He's definitely my favorite trainer out there.


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## DixiesPaintedNova (Nov 18, 2008)

Alot of people at my barn are very clinton anderson based in their training, and their horses are very well-mannered I watched one of his videos and he seems like a good guy and explains things very well. He's also not too bad looking either


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

I actually just watched a 1 hour show on RFD tv that CA had. I found everything that he said easy to understand and very easy to follow.
I haven't tried any of his techniques but I think i will, along with a few others.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I got a Clinton Anderson book a while ago and it looked like it had a few good ideas in there. I'm not using his groundwork stuff on Lacey because I'm pretty sure it would completely backfire since she's so easily confuzzled, I am considering incorporating some of his ridden exercises into her routine. I think it depends on the horse. Some of the ideas in that book just seemed to be there to take up paper because I can't see how they would help anything at all....I can't think of any examples right now though. I thought of one: there's an exercise where I guess the end result is a horse that just kinda does exactly what you tell it to, like trotting straight along the rail, until you change the "order" then it does that until you tell it to stop. Which I suppose is good for some people but I like my horses to be a little bit more open to free thinking and less reliant on me to tell them every little thing than that. Sorry if this makes no sense, it's really late in my world. =P


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## cowgirlfitzy (Jan 27, 2009)

I love CA! If you have RFD-TV you can really see alot of his techniques for free. I think his methods are extremely easy to follow and work on every horse. 

I try to mix up a lil bit of everything. I take a lil bit of Parelli but I'm not really a fan. I think he makes things more complicated then they have to be. I really don't care for Craig Cameron (someone mentioned him). He doesn't follow through with his techniques and is way to "cowboy" for me. Plus I've never seen him do anything super great with a horse. Everything just looks rough. Not rough handling but like he tries to make a horse spin and it doesn't paint a pretty picture. I like Tommy Garland if your into Arabs. I think he does a good job. 

There is so many of them out there. I have found Clinton to be the most benefical!


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

I am not trying to start a fight but I am the one who mentioned Craig Cameron, when I first started riding as an adult. I was adviced to watch Clinton Anderson and I will admit, he is very good. But for me Craig Cameron makes more sense to me as does Chris Cox.

My advice is mix and match and use what works for you and your horse, everyone is different.


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## Velvetgrace (Aug 17, 2008)

I have been fortunate to attend the Horse Expo in Sacromento, CA in 2003 and watched Parelli, John Lyons, and Clinton Anderson all perform different styles of training. I personally like all three, but Clinton Anderson kinda just keeps coming to the top. 

Well, also he will be doing a Clinic in Oklahoma in the same town that I live in. It will be in August, but I cannot not wait!


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## cowgirlfitzy (Jan 27, 2009)

I like Chris Cox as well.


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## Sara (Jul 6, 2007)

Ha, I just recently attended the Wahl Walkabout in Lexingon, VA (they've been sending out lots of free tickets to these events...I'm guessing the economy must be effecting them as well!). Anyway, have to give Clinton kudos on his presentation: he is a very good speaker. Entertaining, engages the crowd, good at explaining what he's doing while he's doing it. A lot of fun to watch live.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I don't know his past background but I always wondered if he was once a high school teacher. He talks like he's trying to teach kids, "So you want to train your.......What?... Your horse, Right!:lol:


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

LOL Vida!! I've noticed that too.


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## circleck (Jan 16, 2009)

well i've made this type of comment before on another horse forum and most of the women seem to have crushes on mr. anderson and just go off on me, but i'm gonna spout off anyways...i'm pretty sure if he didn't have that accent he'd be mucking stalls someplace. if you feel like you have to watch someone "famous" (on RFDtv) then you should watch Chris Cox, if you want to learn from someone a little lesser known but even better, look up Curt Pate, if you want to learn from someone completely unknown, but possibly better than all of them, look up Kevin Wescott.

don't get me wrong, i think a person can learn from nearly every trainer - even if it's learning what NOT to do...but if you were going to try to mimic one trainer, he isn't the one, and for your own sake IGNORE ALL the Parelli stuff!! 

ok...i'm ready for the rotten tomatoes and beer bottles to be thrown...just please don't start your argument with "i don't care what he looks like..." it's a dead give-away!! lol


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## cowgirlfitzy (Jan 27, 2009)

circleck said:


> well i've made this type of comment before on another horse forum and most of the women seem to have crushes on mr. anderson and just go off on me, but i'm gonna spout off anyways...i'm pretty sure if he didn't have that accent he'd be mucking stalls someplace. if you feel like you have to watch someone "famous" (on RFDtv) then you should watch Chris Cox, if you want to learn from someone a little lesser known but even better, look up Curt Pate, if you want to learn from someone completely unknown, but possibly better than all of them, look up Kevin Wescott.
> 
> don't get me wrong, i think a person can learn from nearly every trainer - even if it's learning what NOT to do...but if you were going to try to mimic one trainer, he isn't the one, and for your own sake IGNORE ALL the Parelli stuff!!
> 
> ok...i'm ready for the rotten tomatoes and beer bottles to be thrown...just please don't start your argument with "i don't care what he looks like..." it's a dead give-away!! lol


 

Everyone has their own opinions. I prefer Clinton to Chris Cox but I like them both. I think Clinton is just really easy to follow and his methods really do work. Like they said like kids could do his techniques. I'm sure the people really into Parelli hate him because he is too rough or something!

Is that Curt guy the one that did the AQHA video? I never heard of the other guy?

I take bits and pieces from just about everyone and make some of my own techniques as well. Whatever works for you.


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

We got the respect on the ground CA DVD used on E-bay. Can't imagine paying full price. We have practiced the beginning stuff alot! When we have needed it with my daughter's young horse it has worked like a charm. for example one time he was getting himself all wound up, when he was having to stand and some other horses were working cows and my daughter flexed him for a minute the way we taught him from the video and he let out a big sigh and pretty much forgot to be worked up and half went to sleep. We originally got the DVD's from the library. Had to put a hold on them a wait a month but got to see if we liked them at no expense.


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## circleck (Jan 16, 2009)

cowgirlfitzy said:


> Everyone has their own opinions. I prefer Clinton to Chris Cox but I like them both. I think Clinton is just really easy to follow and his methods really do work. Like they said like kids could do his techniques. I'm sure the people really into Parelli hate him because he is too rough or something!
> 
> Is that Curt guy the one that did the AQHA video? I never heard of the other guy?
> 
> I take bits and pieces from just about everyone and make some of my own techniques as well. Whatever works for you.


yes, Curt Pate did an AQHA video i believe. i think he may have done a series of articles in their magazine also (he may still, i haven't read it for awhile, my wife runs of with it and i never have a chance to see it!  )

Kevin Wescott is a trainer from Nebraska who learned NH from Tom Dorrance (the REAL father of natural horsemanship - sorry, whoever said Parelli is). Kevin is a real unknown because he's never searched out the spotlight, he's seemed very content doing some small clinics here and there and helping out his friends and their friends. he has enough "cowboy" in him that he isn't too soft, but again, he has an incredible understanding of the "natural" methods.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I agree circleck, there are better teachers out there but then there are better teachers then those teachers as well. Does that make sense? 
I don't think anyone expects perfection in a trainer, just someone who they feel comfortable with, can easily understand and can fix their particular problem. 
I heard someplace that Pat Parelli worked with Tom Dorrance in his early years by the way. I'm not a Parelli fan just thought I would point that out :wink: We all have to start someplace.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Spirithorse said:


> Actually smrobs, Pat Parelli was the leader in this "new age" of NH. You never heard of any of these other trainers until Pat came along. Now he's not the first one to do this, and he says so, he gives credit to his mentors all the time. And Clinton was a student of Parelli.
> 
> Mark Weiler, who owns 51% of the Parelli company, is to blame for the prices. He's a jerk who doesn't have horses and he is all about money. It's not Pat and Linda. Mark's done a good job getting the word out about Parelli, but with everything else, I think he will drive a lot of people away. I just tell people to look past all that crap and look at Pat's horsemanship skills. There is no denying the man is amazing, and those who argue that must be blind.


Actually PP was NOT the first. He just had the right agent to get him out there.

No CA did not study under PP.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

I never said Pat was THE FIRST. The term "natural horsemanship" never really took off until Pat started using it. And yes, he did study with Tom Dorrance, he was one of Pat's greatest mentors and he gives credit to him all the time.

And yes mls, Clinton did study under Pat, he was a Level 3 student before he went out on his own


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Spirithorse said:


> And yes mls, Clinton did study under Pat, he was a Level 3 student before he went out on his own


 About Clinton Anderson

I can't find where he says so.


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

nicely said Vidalco.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Of course he won't say he studied with Pat, he's one of his "competitors" in the training world. We have a friend who personally knows Pat and Linda (darn them! lol) and she asked once about Clinton and Pat told her that he used to be a student of the program. When I was participating in a clinic once one of the ladies in the class asked the instructor about Clinton (she had previously been studying his program) and the instructor told her the same thing. This instructor has been with Parelli since the beginning of the instructor program when it came out in the 90's.


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## circleck (Jan 16, 2009)

the Parelli studying under Dorrance angle is WAY overblown, it is NOT what PP makes it out to be - I'm a nobody in the horse world and I'm not pretending that I'm important or know "the right people", but I've heard from people who i believe know this as a fact, it's just another marketing trick of the traveling tent revival PP puts on.


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## Mtrider96 (Oct 21, 2008)

I went to one of his clinics in October and it was sooo cool!
I worked with my horse the next day and she was already acting better!
It was amazing!
(I even got my picture taken with him, he touched my arm! SQUEE)
http://www.horseforum.com/members/5448/album/horses-dogs-144/3-d-shoot-468-1258/
(UGH! bad picture of me)


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## Got2Gallop (Oct 22, 2007)

circleck said:


> well I've made this type of comment before on another horse forum and most of the women seem to have crushes on Mr. Anderson and just go off on me, but I'm gonna spout off anyways...i'm pretty sure if he didn't have that accent he'd be mucking stalls someplace. if you feel like you have to watch someone "famous" (on RFDtv) then you should watch Chris Cox, if you want to learn from someone a little lesser known but even better, look up Curt Pate, if you want to learn from someone completely unknown, but possibly better than all of them, look up Kevin Wescott.


Clinton Anderson may be a good looking man but I sure as hell am not so superficial that I would decide to follow his training practices because of that. I like Chris Cox, John Lyons and others as well and I think picking and choosing what works for you and your horse among different trainers is a good approach. I could care less if someone is famous, as long as they are a good trainer but obviously the "famous" ones are the ones we all hear about and have easy access to because they have around the country clinics, DVD's, books etc. (as long as you have the money anyway)


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Personally I've never understood all the excitement over his looks....I don't think he's that good lookin at all! lol!


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## wildhorses018 (Feb 10, 2009)

My boyfriend just bought a set of Clinton Anderson's DVD's for us to use and I think he is great. I know everyone has their own opinion and everything. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. I just think he is a great teacher. I can't wait to try some of the things I've learned this weekend. I use to follow Parelli when I worked at a stable a long time ago. However, everyone I worked with stopped using Parelli and started to use Anderson. I guess you just have to see what works best for your horse.


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## fireinthedisco (Feb 17, 2009)

I don't really do alot of parelli I just go with the flow and use a few methods I have picked up from exp. But different things work on different horses luckily I have a few tricks up my sleeve!


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

I agree with Kentucky. Craig Cameron and Chris Cox work better for me, but I'm like Smrobs and use bits and pieces of all. I think for me anyway, Cameron and Cox do most of their training from the saddle rather than on the ground. Where I do believe in ground work as the foundation of a good horse you have to do the framework from the saddle. Parelli and Anderson spend a little too much time on the ground for me. They are all great horseman and I do learn from all of them. 
Richard Winters is a good mix of both Parelli and Cameron-Cox.“Being a horseback rider is simply the art of not falling off,” says Winters. Winters credits the late Troy Henry with setting him on the trail from rider to horseman. “He was one of the first to take me past the mechanics of riding and toward understanding the higher levels of horsemanship.” Henry also played a big part in the formation of fellow natural horseman Pat Parelli’s ideas. Winters worked for Henry while Parelli was leasing stalls and working with the Clovis-based reined cow horse trainer. United by their common pursuit of horsemanship, Winters and Parelli formed a friendship and common bond that continues today without any formal affiliation. There is much common ground in their approaches. “Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult;” “Be as firm as necessary and as gentle as possible;” and “Reward the slightest try” are among the founding philosophies of both trainers’ programs.
As to how he differs from the many trainers and clinicians with similar approaches, Winters says, “I’d like to think I’m not a cookie cutter of one particular individual, but instead a product of many great horsemen.” In addition to Troy Henry and Pat Parelli, Winters counts Bill and Tom Dorrance, along with Ray Hunt among the many like-minded horsemen who’ve influenced his approach to horses and their owners. And the learning and influences continue. Today Winters says he’s thrilled to be advancing his own skills with help from legendary reined cow horse trainer Ted Robinson. 
Winters is also the head trainer/clinician at the Thatcher School.
The Thacher School is a private boarding school for exceptional young people with strong academic backgrounds from around the world. Thacher's extensive horse program is second to none and is the centerpiece of their 117-year history.
Richard’s credentials include World Championship Titles in the National Reined Cow Horse Association along with being an A rated judge. Richard’s most recent accomplishment was making the Limited Open Finals at the World Championship Snaffle Bit Futurity in 2008. Richard also earned the Reserved Champion Title, in the Limited Open Derby, in Stephenville, Texas, in 2008. In 2007 Richard was named champion of the West Coast Equine Experience “$10,000 Colt Starting Challenge.” He was also presented with the 2007 Monty Roberts Equitarian Award for outstanding achievements in Horse/Human relationships.
Now if you want to talk who was the first Natural Horsemanship trainer I would check out "Dr. William Key". I will make a post in the "Famous Horses" sub forum on Doc Key and his horse Beautiful Jim Key.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

I've been really on the fence trying to decide wether I wanted to buy clinton anderson or parelli training dvds for my horse, and so I have been watching a lot of both trainers on rfdtv. I love clintons more stern ways but love the at liberty stuff with parelli too. One thing really disturbed me while watching Linda parelli teaching people the sideways game. She said that if your horse is trying to intimidate or bully you...get behind the fence that you are trying to get him to sidepass so that you will feel safer. That really bothered me, because sooner or later...you gotta come out from behind the fence...if you have to train your horse from there...your gonna be in trouble. I like the fact that clinton anderson goes right to teaching you how to gain your horses respect. Im not really the person to ask since im having horse troubles...but I just thought I'd add that tidbit.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

If you are confident enough to tackle the horse's bullying head on, then you don't HAVE to get on the other side of the fence. But some people are more reserved and they need to feel safe, so you need to do whatever it takes to keep yourself safe. And even if you are on the other side of the fence, the lesson you are teaching your horse doesn't change....he will still learn to get out of your space and once you have more respect from your horse and your confidence is up, then you can move to the same side of the fence.


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## karey397 (Feb 16, 2009)

I have got 2 of his dvd's a xmas gift to myself hehehe. The one dvd bored to tears out of me its called Correctiong proublems on the trail. It pretty much goes over the same thing over and over again. Hwever the second dvd I got Riding with Confidence Series 1 is so helpful and easy to follow I have decided when I am done it I will buy the next. His dvd's are $$$ so I thought I would start with these 2 before I get more. I agree with one of the comments above in he does not baby his horses but only disiplins when needed and he is not hard to look at either. As well he is fun to watch unlike some who you end up bored because of the mono tone voice.

Cheers Karey


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## Horsegma (Dec 1, 2008)

Here is my 2 cents! 

I love how CA does his easy to follow instruction videos.

He shows you a finished horse, and then he shows you unfinished horses.

Not only are they unfinished, but he will show you how a lazy horse AND an energetic horse will react to the training. Big help.

Then he shows you any and all "trainer" problems and "horse" problems that may come up and how to overcome that.

I have seen CA in person a couple of times. I was shocked to see the welts on the horses!  That's his black and white theory. Be as firm as you need to... theory. 

I myself don't agree with that much force while training and have personally never have done that to my horses. 

Even so, his dvd's are the reason why I was able to keep a young horse I had just purchased. His dvd's gave me the confidence.

It was only after learning from CA that I understood any of Parelli. 

I am/was a dvd junkie so I have tons of them from PP, C Cox, Ken McNabb, Stacy Westfall and religiously watch all of the trainers on RFDTV. I love C Cameron's shows that teach me how to use my body/legs/hands. 

So, I definitely incorporate several styles in my training. Because of this I took a horse that I thought I would have to sell and made him into the best horse I have ever ridden! 

Oh, and btw, while I don't think CA is ugly by any means, neither do I think he's a hunk! :lol: That would fall to another Aussie guy in my opinion, Keith Urban! :wink:

Hmm, I wonder if I could get Keith Urban to put out a horse training dvd? Now that I would buy! :lol:


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Ohhh, Keith Urban, now that's more like it! lol!


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