# Horse Trainers... who have you took advice from or methods from?



## Nmcowgirl26 (Mar 10, 2017)

Well I am just curious on what kind of methods ya'll use and who did you learn them from? I've been breaking horses since i was a lot younger but i learned a lot of my methods from buck brannaman and a man i just met lately named lew sterrett These men are amazing... i dont do anything rough with my horses unless they do try to harm me then all i do is tug the lead rope down and lunge them longer... i recently got me a 3 year old QH that was supposed to be broke and well hes not and the past few days i finally am able to get a saddle on him and put pressure only problem now is hes lifting his leg warning me not kicking though im hoping if i tire him out i can try to get in the saddle. but again just curious who ya'll got methods from


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## horseylover1_1 (Feb 13, 2008)

Well first off I see you're new so welcome to the forum! 

I kinda just follow natural horsemanship methods in general, I feel like most big name trainers do 90% of the same thing and then market the crap out of the other 10% in hopes you'll buy into their methods. 

That being said I like Clinton Anderson's videos. It's not so much that I like him or the methods _over_ other people's (I DO like his methods.. they have worked with every horse I have worked with so far), but I do think he has the most interesting, easy to understand resources.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I worked for two really good trainers and from there just went to clinics.

A lot of the groundwork I do came from Clinton Anderson, I'm not an avid follower but when I was a kid I found his DVDs the easiest to understand when I was teaching my horses their groundwork. So it just sort of stuck with me.

Skip Brown, NRCHA Hall of Fame, was one of the two trainers I worked for and he taught me how to really start colts and get them broke, broke, broke. He taught me a lot of the finer details.

Toni Mawhirter of TLM Training out of Oregon where I am is who I grew up with, I think she established a good sense of confidence, balance, and understanding of the foundation with me. 

From there, I started using a lot of the methods used by some of the great cowhorse trainers, like Les Vogt and Bob Avila. Being around Skip, who was in league with them, I got to kind of shadow and be a fly on the wall for a couple cool conversations, videos, and events. It was a great learning experience. 

Reined cowhorse is my love, but being a professional trainer I have to choose my business to tailor to success, so I have barrel horses. I love my barrel horses too, but there is no reward in the sport for someone who gets their horses as broke as possible before running them. I still do it, but some people find me difficult to swallow because I won't just run a horse into the ground. I have been lucky though that over the past couple years I have found really good clients who agree with my idea of having a good foundation and sound mind on a colt before getting them worked on the pattern, and that has been serving me well.


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## Nmcowgirl26 (Mar 10, 2017)

I do agree with the big names and all but ive watched buck since i could start walking. I have noticed a lot of the bigger names are a lot the same. I honestly never watched Clinton Anderson so i may have to watch some of his videos. this man Lew Sterrett though it was strange meeting him my other half and I were driving to his parents house and pulled over because we saw a man riding a beautiful horse at a local ranch and when he was coming up to the truck he told us about the demonstration he was having it was a sermon on the mount kind of thing very interesting. 

I take a lot of my own methods i even have my own videos etc and have taught a lot of younger girls in arizona.. new mexico.. colorado how to train there horses.. its just been awhile for me lol

I was a barrel racer as well and i trained a lot and never had a trainer i learn from watching. also when i was younger i didnt have the money so when i got older i helped a lot of the kids train that were in my predicament when i was younger. im hoping to start my training around here once i get my gelding trained lol

I have been around a lot of people here that have tripped out on me how i train as well here. I have been told there is no way you can put a halter on her and lead her around within a couple of hours i did just that just takes trust patience


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Those big'name trainers, that capitalize on training people to train horses, really, a title most NH trainers fall under, have had the least influence in my growth in training horses over the years
Much of my early horse training and riding was self taught, a lot through trail and error
I then started raising hroses, thus needed to learn how to promote them successfully myself. Thus, I took clinics, as many as possible, from local trainers that had done well in any discipline i was currently interested in. Often, some club or oragnization would laso offer clinics with well known trainers, they brought in, like Jack Henning, Al Dunning, Craig Johnson. Lucky to have had Les Timmons, a well resecpted working cowhorse trainer, in the area
You learn to take from each what works for you and your horse, and then test that learning curve, by competing against your peers
Not saying you have to compete in order to learn to train good horses, as I also trai ride a lot. When you train horses that you can trust to put your kids on, who carry you with trust, over many mountain miles, horses you in turn have trust you, thus forming a partnership, then something is working
I really can't even list all the trainers that I have taken clinics from, over the years, but they all taught me something-even the bad ones, far as being to become capable of recognizing those trainers that just get results, no matter how, from trainers that create horses who remain sound in body and mind, trained with the correct amount of 'balance,feel, timing and empathy


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Les has changed to cutting, from working cowhorse, as there is more money there.
When he was heavily involved in working cowhorse, if a tough cow came into the arena, 'it was declared to be a 'timmons cow!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I am not a horse trainer. just an adult amatuer rider. My trainer is a student of Harry Whitney. she , my trainer, doesn't do public videos or books , or sticks or that stuff, and neither does Harry. Harry's approach to horses is different from any that I have seen or heard, but since he does not do videos or books, I can't just direct you to any site or youtube.
but, you asked for names , and that's one I can offer.


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## jgnmoose (May 27, 2015)

Such a deep question. 

Well, first of all I would have to say I'm influenced most by people who actually uses horse to get something done. That can go either way. My personal hero is a heck of a horseman, "Thomas B. Saunders". He is from my country, and he knows what a good horse is and how to make them. 






I like all of that Californio/Great Basin stuff which really goes back to the Dorrance Brothers and Ray Hunt. I will get some flack for this, but I don't imagine the horsemanship in that country was as kind and patient as folks like to pretend before these men and their best student, Buck Brannaman came along and showed them how to start and train a better horse.

A very pretty young lady in my area that is one hell of a colt starter. Seriously, this young lady could be a model. She chose the life of Cowboying for a living, starting colts, helping with brandings, roping cattle and just being really handy on a horse whether that horse is green as grass or an old salt. From my talking to her she is from a poor family, no money for horses, she just had a passion to be really good at handling livestock and being a good horseman. I'd call her a genuine Cowboy for sure, she is better at that than most men. If I were twenty years younger I'd have a serious crush on her. 

You see a lot of stuff when you spend time around horses. The people I admire take the time to look for the best way. The interesting thing about horses and livestock is that there are ways to get things done, ways to get things done fast, and ways to get things done right. I think all of the people I greatly admire, including guys like Martin Black do the latter, getting things done right.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Far as the Vaqueros of old, and if 'hackmore Reinsman By Ed Cornnel is any indication, you are quite right that bridle horses are trained in a kinder manner today
I think Carol Rose went into that fact somewhere

Carol Rose | National Reined Cow Horse Assocation


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## Nmcowgirl26 (Mar 10, 2017)

I have watched and heard a lot of Ray Hunt my grandfather talked about him a lot. I have learned a lot growing up around horses. Thru trial and error as well. Honestly with the QH i have now he was brought up a different way... The man i am buying him from is from mexico and my other half wants to train him the same way.. the Charro way... and i refuse.. to cruel... i am not talking bad.. train how you want i dont want to start a fight with anyone, but thats just not how i do it and i am for darn sure will not do that with MY horse. lol I am actually not very old but my mind and knowledge is from times of the past.. my other half says he swears i am supposed to be born in the 50's or the 60's lol

I love the videos thank you all and i hope to hear more. The names dont have to be famous nor do they have to make books or have youtube channels. its great to hear everyone's methods though on how they learn and what they learn from trainers. Like i said i have been around horses.. rodeos.. races EVERYTHING since i could remember. Trial and error and learning from everyone else mistakes and all of there achievements are also a great thing as well.


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## cruiseforever (Apr 26, 2015)

I like Craig Cameron. After I saw him at the Horse Expo a couple years ago in Minnesota. I liked how he presented the material and seemed to have very little attitude. Last year I attended a clinic at his ranch. I found it to be a great experience and I am now signed up for one in April.

But I will take any method or advise under consideration and if I feel it will benefit my horse or me. I will try it.


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