# Opinions On Neil Davies



## Tcmmyheart (May 2, 2021)

So I rescued a horse a while back, and he's just gotten to be a horse for a while. Now we are starting to train him and trying to figure out the best method. Most people know of the Clinton Anderson method. I'm not a big fan. Recently I found Neil Davies, and his fear free training method. What are your opinions on him. Or what training method do you really like?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

What draws you to him? have you watched many of his videos?


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## Tcmmyheart (May 2, 2021)

tinyliny said:


> What draws you to him? have you watched many of his videos?


I like that his training isn't fear based. We are also looking into Mustang Maddys training, and website.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

If you think most training is 'fear based' then you already are not understanding training accurately.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

I'm with you on CA. Never heard of Mr. Davies. But no fear training is the way I train my horses. It makes better equine partners. JMO.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I watched one video. It is odd the way he teaches the horse to come right up to him, facing him and walking so close in, as he backs away. I guess that is in building a foundation for something else, but could easily get abused by someone not doing it right and ending up teaches a horse to be overly pushy.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Have followed Neil Davies on FB for some time & watched a number of his vids. I really like his style. Tho recently met someone who was his student(& remember someone here saying same, could have been bsms) that he's rather over the top & very much my way or highway.

I kinda disagree with Avna, that I think it's the circles you move in, as to whether you might be correct that a lot of horse training is indeed fear based - I mean, just look at how popular CA is Avna. But there are a lot of great trainers out there too. Ken Falkner is a really great, respectFUL Aussie trainer who also has vids & remote learning stuff available.


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## Tcmmyheart (May 2, 2021)

Avna said:


> If you think most training is 'fear based' then you already are not understanding training accurately.


Not all training is fear based. But the Clinton Anderson method is. Which is a very popular method. You can't tell me that chasing a horse with a tarp until they are so exhausted mentally and physically, so that they stop, isn't fear based. In that situation a horse learns shutting down is the answer, and that's not how I want to train.


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## Tcmmyheart (May 2, 2021)

tinyliny said:


> I watched one video. It is odd the way he teaches the horse to come right up to him, facing him and walking so close in, as he backs away. I guess that is in building a foundation for something else, but could easily get abused by someone not doing it right and ending up teaches a horse to be overly pushy.


I definitely wouldn't do his method with out learning a whole lot mare about it!


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

loosie said:


> Have followed Neil Davies on FB for some time & watched a number of his vids. I really like his style. Tho recently met someone who was his student(& remember someone here saying same, could have been bsms) that he's rather over the top & very much my way or highway.
> 
> I kinda disagree with Avna, that I think it's the circles you move in, as to whether you might be correct that a lot of horse training is indeed fear based - I mean, just look at how popular CA is Avna. But there are a lot of great trainers out there too. Ken Falkner is a really great, respectFUL Aussie trainer who also has vids & remote learning stuff available.


I'm just saying I find blanket statements about training methods tiring.

Training is complicated, it is never just one thing. I happened to unpack a box of old journals yesterday that I hadn't seen in some years and reread about my experience with the person who started my Brooke for me. She was a Buck Brannaman disciple and I mean disciple literally. She didn't do a bad job with Brooke or anything, but she was so fixed on everything Buck said, did, used, wore, that she could not take in anything at all that deviated from her religion. I wrote down some of the more outrageous things she said and now I find them even more silly than I did then.

Stay flexible. Use what works, and try to understand WHY it works. Horses are a personal journey. There's no single answer. There's no single trainer. There's no single philosophy. In the end it is between you and your horse. 

Also, I don't really know much about Clint Anderson. He sounds like someone to avoid.


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## Tcmmyheart (May 2, 2021)

loosie said:


> Have followed Neil Davies on FB for some time & watched a number of his vids. I really like his style. Tho recently met someone who was his student(& remember someone here saying same, could have been bsms) that he's rather over the top & very much my way or highway.
> 
> I kinda disagree with Avna, that I think it's the circles you move in, as to whether you might be correct that a lot of horse training is indeed fear based - I mean, just look at how popular CA is Avna. But there are a lot of great trainers out there too. Ken Falkner is a really great, respectFUL Aussie trainer who also has vids & remote learning stuff available.


I will definitely look into Ken Faulkner!


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

I'm not sure what having the horse face you achieves, since the horse can see 350 degrees around him.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

A few years back I attended an open house at a prestigious equine rescue center. Its horse trainer was, or is, a disciple of Clinton Anderson. I wish I had taped her training demonstration. I don't know if the intention was to terrify this gorgeous, young Appy gelding. But terrified he was. And that is all that counts. I never adopted a horse from that rescue center.


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## Txshecat0423 (May 27, 2020)

I’ve never had an actual trainer but I watch videos and read books by different ones. I’m more of a
“take what works from each one and use it for the good of the horse” rather than a fan of just one. I like some of what John Lyons does..I like some of Buck Brannaman’s concepts. Not a
fan of CA or PP at all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Avna said:


> I'm just saying I find blanket statements about training methods tiring.
> 
> Training is complicated, it is never just one thing. I happened to unpack a box of old journals yesterday that I hadn't seen in some years and reread about my experience with the person who started my Brooke for me. She was a Buck Brannaman disciple and I mean disciple literally. She didn't do a bad job with Brooke or anything, but she was so fixed on everything Buck said, did, used, wore, that she could not take in anything at all that deviated from her religion. I wrote down some of the more outrageous things she said and now I find them even more silly than I did then.
> 
> ...



I went to a few Buck clinics, auditing only. the participants were many, too many to get any real individual attention. It was laughable to see how many of them had spent thousands on the 'Californio' look and gear. Definitely 'disciple' is the word.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I don't think good training is fear based. It's trust ,respect and pressure based, to me anyways. You don't bite or kick or charge the boss hoss, or you will get put in your place, quickly and effectively, and the boss hoss will not do that to you if we all respect each other and are fair. Boss hoss is always in charge because she knows best, she will feed you, keep you safe and make you feel good. Under saddle, there is no fear, there is pressure, and when a horse gives to pressure, it's gone. When done correctly, giving to pressure is just a cue. If a horse spooks at something, it should have a good boss hoss to reassure him its fine, and not be scared. I don't want a fearful horse, I want a respectable, trusting, brave horse.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

waresbear said:


> I don't think *good* training is fear based. It's* trust ,respect*...


Just needed emphasising... ;-)


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