# Clinton Anderson's "Tools"



## fkonidaris

Hey everyone, I joined CA's No Worries Club! I LOVE IT! My only question is, do you HAVE to have Clinton's halter, lead rope, and handy stick/string? 

I have a rope halter and a lunge line and a small lunge whip that is the same length as Clinton's, but many people on the forum kept suggesting to get Clinton's stuff. I just wanted to hear your opinions on this as $64.99 is an awful lot of money for a rope halter and lead rope in my opinion. 

Also, do you (from experience) find the 14' lead rope to be long enough or do you recommend the 23' long line?


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## BBBCrone

:shock:

$65 bucks for a rope halter and lead? Holy expensive batman!

No way .. I wouldn't spend that, don't care who's name is on it. I love good equipment and often it doesn't come cheap. But to me, there's a difference between buying good quality tack and just getting crazy about it.

Then too .. I know nothing about this No Worries club either so *shrugs*


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## usandpets

No you don't need to buy "brand name" items. Yes, some cheaper brand may not be the best quality but they are cheaper because you're not paying for having his name on it. 

Just like buying tools, you could pay more for Snap-on tools or you could pay less for Craftsman. Similar quality but big difference in price because of the Snap-on name. 

Just use what you have or get what you need at a local tack store.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## fkonidaris

Thank you usandpets! I was about ready to let the shopaholic side of me be in control again and go nuts buying everything all over again...lol. I didn't know if there was much difference between his "tools" and everyone else's "tools".


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## tinyliny

I was going to say no, but in all honesty, 65$ for a rope halter and a good quality lead is actually a fair, if not good, price. a long rope lead of the kind that is used (the very heavy kind, and 15 ft) is very expensive. A good rope halter, somewaht stiff with metal coverings on the ends to stop fraying, will cost about 35$ here, just by itself. the lead would be about 50$ on it's own, around here. So, from my perspective, the cost is not the issue.

If you have a good quality rope halter and lead, use the one you have.

the "handy" stick , I don't know. I just prefere a dressage whip, and the lower teh quality the better, for this use.


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## fkonidaris

Well, it's actually $89.99, but for NWC members it's $65.99. I've just never spent that much on a halter or lead before...lol. I think my rope halter was $8.99 and my lead rope was $14.99.


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## joseeandjade11

I just use a regular rope halter that i bought for like 10$, recently bought a 14' lead for 14.99 and waiting on a 4'' clinician stick at 14.99. I can't afford Clinton Anderson's stuff so i just buy anything similar for cheaper and it does the trick  Hope that helps


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## tinyliny

Well, the rope halter you have,. as long as it's strong and fits , is fine. If the lead you bought is the typical one that I see so much, it will not do for training purposes. Maybe just get the CA lead. 

I prefer a lead without a metal snap on the end (clonks the horse under the jaw during some training moves) but I dont' know what CA wants. I am NOT a CA follower.


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## tinyliny

this lead rope is really nice. a good quality lead rope is a joy to have in the hand.

Lead Ropes & Longe Lines ~ Training ~ Leading ~ Lead Rope


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## usandpets

I forgot to comment on your question of length. It's what you prefer. I don't care for the shorter 8' ropes at the tack stores. Those are good for tying and leading. I like a 12' rope to work with the horse. Anything longer seems to get tangled up or around my feet. 
I hate using our lunge line. I spend more time messing with the line than working the horse. However, I like having the horse close to me when working. Close so I can be accurate where I apply pressure and have control. I don't do much loping/cantering on the line. But like I said, it'll depend on what you prefer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## joseeandjade11

The lead i have does not have the snap it has leather strings on the end and my rope halter has held up pretty well considering the price


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## fkonidaris

Thanks Joseeandjade and tinyliny! I think I'm going to stick to my rope halter and maybe get the lead line!


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## tinyliny

this is the kind of leadline I see a lot. Is fine for just leading but does not work well as a training tool, and is too short for the most part. It simply lacks the weight and "feel" of the heavier rope leads, which tend to be more like yachting rope (used on yachts)


Amazon.com: Hamilton Poly Lead With Bull Snap For Horses/Cows: Sports & Outdoors


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## usandpets

tinyliny said:


> Well, the rope halter you have,. as long as it's strong and fits , is fine. If the lead you bought is the typical one that I see so much, it will not do for training purposes. Maybe just get the CA lead.
> 
> I prefer a lead without a metal snap on the end (clonks the horse under the jaw during some training moves) but I dont' know what CA wants. I am NOT a CA follower.


I believe CA recommends the rope that is tied to the halter. I have had no issues using one that clips or interfering with training. I actually like having it there. Yes it is extra weight hanging on the halter. But if slobber straps help give a better release with the reins, why wouldn't the clip. Also, just like the popper on a whip, the clip can add an extra pop if needed. Not much different than having a stud chain lead rope.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SorrelHorse

I don't have the tools personally, but my trainer has four handy sticks because we keep breaking normal lunge whips :rofl: I have to say, I LOVE THEM. I never thought I would, I thought it would just be a "buy all mah stuffz" but seriously it is so much easier for me to manuever than a normal lunge whip. Length is perfect, weight is perfect, string is perfect, maneuverability is perfect.

I don't have the rope halters though. I can find the Professional's Choice knotted rope and lead at my store for half the cost, and $5 rope halters there too. If I'm going to pay more than $20 for a halter and lead, it'd better be a bronc halter. (That's the barrel racer side of me coming out)

On a side note CONGRATULATIONS on your NW club membership! I LOVE this club, it really is helpful and a cool thing to have. I love the DVDs, watch them if I get stuck, particularly the foal training ones.


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## tinyliny

It can indeed add more "pop", but in many cases, learners do not have the skill to manipulate the lead line, at a disance, without applying too much umph to the rope and popping the horse too much under the jaw. Then, one goes right past the spot with the soft feel and straight into a very strong bop on the underside of the jaw. hard for beginners to find the place that is getting the message across wiht the littlest amount possible. Some horse's get fearful of that bop under the jaw and end up throwing their heads up even more .

however, it's not a huge deal either way.


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## tinyliny

I guess you mean this:










that is too short (8') and has no weight to it at all. Will not be a good tool for the work you will be doing with CA.


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## gypsygirl

i trained my horse [from when she was 3 and couldnt even lead] with CA methods and i used a rope halter off ebay, a heavy 12ft lead [similar to the "NH" ones with the popper on the end], and a lunge line. i didnt ever use a stick or whip or anything like that. 

as long as you understand the concepts, the specific equipment you use is pretty unimportant.


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## jaydee

I'm afraid I'm terribly 'cheap' when it comes to basic stuff. I always shop around to get the best deals and would never pay extra for a 'label' unless it was absolutely so much better than anything else However when I want quality if I have to pay more for it then I will.


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## usandpets

gypsygirl said:


> As long as you understand the concepts, the specific equipment you use is pretty unimportant.


Exactly! ^^
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## fkonidaris

Oooh...I like those lead ropes! ) Thank you!


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## joseeandjade11

This is the lead i bought that i'm using to do my training at 14.95$, im sure it's not the best and not better than Clinton Anderson's leads but it works for me 







POLY BRAID 14-FT LEAD - Leads & Lunge Lines - Halters & Leads


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## twp

If you're gonna do it like Clinton, you need his stuff.. lol.


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## tinyliny

You can manage with those leads. Once you have become accustomed to the weight of a good lead line you will hate the feel of the lighteweight cheap ones. I have two heavy ones, and love them, but my 15 ft got a bit abraided by baling twine loop I tied to. I shall have to tape off the torn spot.


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## Buellboy

*Oh Yes!*

I used the generic brand for a year. They were OK. Then I used my wife's CA Halter, Lead, and Stick and they are wayyyyy better.
The Halter is a nice stiff rope (easy to put on) with 5 nose knots instead of 3 or none that most rope halters have.
The lead rope is weighted and moves and flexes smoothly without tangling.
The stick and string are used together and individually for a variety of exercises. They are the right length and combination for following the CA method.
You don't have to use his stuff but it is sooo much easier.
I use wal-mart brand tools on my car. A mechanic uses snap-on tools.
They both work, but his fit better, last longer, and are more ergonomic to use.
If you could do one lesson with a set of CA tools you wouldn't be able to get your wallet out fast enough.:wink:


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## DixieKate

This is what I use with my Clinton Anderson book and I've loved all of it. 

12' Lead with Twist Snap Soft Rope Halter for Parelli Training Many Colors | eBay

I also found a carrot stick or handy stick or whatever he calls it on ebay for $25. If I were to purchase that over again, I'd go with the parelli style carrot stick over the one I bought, because although they are both made of fiberglass, the one I have is more flexible, and I like the rigidity and strength of the carrot stick better. However, I use it daily and still love it and it comes in purple which matches all my other stuff


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## FaydesMom

Even Clinton himself says you DON'T need his stuff, but does recommend them because they have been designed with his methods in mind. 

I hand tie my own halters and buy 1/2 inch yachting rope in whatever length I need.


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## fkonidaris

Thank you everyone for your advice, opinions, and ideas! I like the look of some of those lead ropes! Definitely going to look into them more today!


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## HorseCrazyTeen

I agree with you all about $65 being way too much. I looked this up on the internet a few months ago and found this website:Half Circle Ranch, For All of your Natural Horsemanship Needs The stuff is the same quality for a whole lot cheaper! They don't appear to be knock-offs.


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## fkonidaris

Oh nice! Thanks Horsecrazyteen!


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## LesandLily

HorseCrazyTeen said:


> I agree with you all about $65 being way too much. I looked this up on the internet a few months ago and found this website:Half Circle Ranch, For All of your Natural Horsemanship Needs The stuff is the same quality for a whole lot cheaper! They don't appear to be knock-offs.


Another nod for Half Circle Ranch. Their stuff is great and their prices are too. Everything I have gotten from them is top notch and a fraction of the price of the clinician's. However, I did get a CA handy stick for Christmas and I love it. It is RED.  Seriously it is a nice tool but not any more effective than the 5 others I have built. 

Merry Christmas!
Les


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## EmilyJoy

LesandLily said:


> Another nod for Half Circle Ranch. Their stuff is great and their prices are too. Everything I have gotten from them is top notch and a fraction of the price of the clinician's. However, I did get a CA handy stick for Christmas and I love it. It is RED.  Seriously it is a nice tool but not any more effective than the 5 others I have built.
> 
> Merry Christmas!
> Les


 What type of material did you build your stick out of? I've made a couple myself, just wondering what you used.


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## sewsmarty

*Nwc member and leads*

I do have CA leads, haters, stick n strings and lunge line and I LOVE them...at first I think I only bought the halter and it has 4 knots on top not 2 and it makes a huge difference...honestly my horse is a lot different with the hep alter on and I leave it on when riding, but not doing much of that lately,....the I bought the stick and string a kids and adult..the kids is easier for me to handle sometimes, depending on the exercise...I LOVE the lead lines..I have 3...he just had a huge sale where all rope,products,were 35 percent off NWC member prices and the kits were $267 each and all other DVDs were 50 percent off all NWC prices....

I honestly love everything of his....he can be somewhat arrogant and very pushy to people he trains but...his method does work!,,, I also like Chris cox he is good at teaching how to ride where Clinton doesn't do much of that...some of us simply have not learned HOW to ride right.....

I would,save your money for it..I have purchased a lot of,the other stuff and wasted my money....the rope halter is not expensive and it is really good...well everything is.....I know he obviously makes money on everything but a lot of,thought went into the proper making of everything and it is made in house....


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## ligoleth

I like CAs handy stick for sending exercises. I hate hate hate using whips because I am just so uncoordinated. Chance respects the handy stick when I take the whip part off and he does very well with it. 

But for trying to get any kind of snap out of it when lunging, I'm a failure, haha. For that I use regular lungewhips. Lighter and they have a cracker on the end. I find them more useful for that stuff.


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## LesandLily

EmilyJoy said:


> What type of material did you build your stick out of? I've made a couple myself, just wondering what you used.


I have made 4 of the now and the best material I have found is fiberglass electric fencing posts. I cut them down to the length I want (about 4 feet) and I wrap one end in leather or buy the same material they wrap tennis racquets handles with. You could also use a golf club grip but I don't have anyplace close to me to get those so I haven't tried it. Should work good though. In the end I drilled a hole for a loop of parachute chord and use that to loop my string on and off with. Above that (closer to the end) I made a leather tab so when I rub it on their body it is rubbing with the leather and not the end of the stick. Al told depending on what I use for the handle, the cost runs around $8.00.

That all being said, I got one of CA's sticks for Christmas and it is a WAY better tool than mine. Mine work and I will continue to use them and it is nice to have several, but the commercial stick is a much better tool.

Cheers!
Les


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## TheAQHAGirl

As much as I LOVE Clinton Anderson you don't need his stuff to do what he does.

I do suggest a rope halter and a stick like his.

I've found a stick exactly like his (but a lot lighter!) for only $12, and a rope halter for $10. $22 compared to $60 sounds like a deal to me!

A lot of NH horse trainers are over-priced.


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## 2muchcoffeeman

TheAQHAGirl said:


> As much as I LOVE Clinton Anderson you don't need his stuff to do what he does.
> 
> I do suggest a rope halter and a stick like his.
> 
> I've found a stick exactly like his (but a lot lighter!) for only $12, and a rope halter for $10. $22 compared to $60 sounds like a deal to me!
> 
> A lot of NH horse trainers are over-priced.


Meh. A lot of celebrity-signature brand _anythings_ are overpriced, not just tack. :? 

One thing he uses a lot is a mecate rein, which he sells for $85 unless you're a club member. I really like and prefer the mecate rein for a lot of reasons, and I like many of his techniques — one thing that I've noticed (y'all may have, too) is that he's really good at training horse _owners_, which is an undervalued skill :lol: — but I'm not paying $85. The aforementioned Half Circle Ranch has 'em in the US$28 to US$24 range, with the tassel an extra US$2 (looks like if you get the store brand at 30 bucks you get the best color choice, too).


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## EmilyJoy

LesandLily said:


> I have made 4 of the now and the best material I have found is fiberglass electric fencing posts. I cut them down to the length I want (about 4 feet) and I wrap one end in leather or buy the same material they wrap tennis racquets handles with. You could also use a golf club grip but I don't have anyplace close to me to get those so I haven't tried it. Should work good though. In the end I drilled a hole for a loop of parachute chord and use that to loop my string on and off with. Above that (closer to the end) I made a leather tab so when I rub it on their body it is rubbing with the leather and not the end of the stick. Al told depending on what I use for the handle, the cost runs around $8.00.
> 
> That all being said, I got one of CA's sticks for Christmas and it is a WAY better tool than mine. Mine work and I will continue to use them and it is nice to have several, but the commercial stick is a much better tool.
> 
> Cheers!
> Les


 Is his any lighter then the ones you made?


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## LesandLily

EmilyJoy said:


> Is his any lighter then the ones you made?


NO, actually if anything it is heavier...particularly near the tip. his is kind of weight forward where the ones I have made are pretty well balanced. I do really like the rubber grip handle on his and if I make any more I am definitely going to go with a rubber golf grip. That will add a little to the cost but as of now, since I use them so much (and my daughter tends to forget them in the RP where they get wet) I end replacing the leather wraps about 2-3 times a year so it will probably even out. 

Half Circle Ranch has a stick and string combo for $14 that probably would negate the need to build one unless you like the process of making it yourself...something kind of satisfying in that. Training Stick with String - Sticks

Everything I have bought from them has been top notch so I would expect their stick to be as well. I get my lead rope material from them in bulk as well as their halter material and make my own lead ropes and halters too. WAY cheaper and more fun than buying them. Makes great 4H kids projects too.

Cheers!
Les


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## Saddlebag

I don't know how I manage with a thin branch from the nearest willow, leaves removed and a length of sisal rope and a cheap rope halter. With the willow I can touch the horse like a fly or motivate him to move by making the tip sing. It weighs next to nothing and there's an inexhaustable supply when each gets too dry.


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## Nakiska

Do you NEED CA's tools to get the job done...NO

Are CA's tools nice and effective....YES!

I've been owned by horses for 23 years and I've never been one to go with the "rave" products from anyone. I rarely got/get new stuff and if I did, it was because it was on sale, some how fixably defective, or a few times I was lucky enough to find something "amazing" at a yard sale and the person just didn't know the value of what they had. "Score for me!"

I took my daughter whom saved her money for "something special" to a CA Walkabout tour about 5 years ago. At that tour she purchased a halter, lead and handystick for her horse. Spent every dime she'd saved.

I was skeptical. I had tried many different styles of rope halters, I didn't have any success with them, they stretched, they frayed, they didn't seem to be very effective in my opinion. I didn't know what all the rave was....until I used my daughters CA Halter and Lead.

I have been completely converted! They are REALLY nice! It took us 3 years and finally we had a halter and lead for EACH of our 4 horses and then last Christmas, someone broke into our barn and stole 2 sets, my daughters and my husbands, mine was "hidden" under some dropped hay and obviously not seen and my ponies set was at a friends house.

I've been "making due" with the one horse size we have left but fully intend on replacing them in the near future. 

I'm thinking who ever stole them either knew their value or knew how amazing they are to use...They didn't take anything else, none of the knockoff rope halters, none of the other lead ropes, none of our saddles (and I have a nice crates) Nothing else was taken. Thankfully! 

If you decide to buy a set, they ARE nice and in my opinion, totally worth it. But you CAN get the job done without them. 

As for the handy stick...that's one tool I rarely use. It's cumbersome to me, we have a standard and child size one. However if they were stolen, (luckily they were in our house) I wouldn't be so anxious to replace them as I am the halters and leads. 

Several years ago at a walkabout tour that I took my husband to, I bought a bridle/bit/mecate rein set. I've been very happy with it...I love the look and feel and quality of it, however if it had been stolen (phew) I'd have been upset, certainly...but I wouldn't be as anxious to replace it as I am the halters and leads.


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## wausuaw

There is a place online, sunset haters, I got my halter, lead, stick, etc from there. I find that they have exceptional quality. I use 14' line, I use it for training and regular use (I'm all about multi purpose, I even have rope halter that has attached loops to convert to a bridle) . They aren't cheap, but they have way more options if you are looking for quality, durability, feel and strength. I don't know how they hold up to the ca stuff. They have multiple types of rope for different feels, so I would suggest researching the rope types. I got my lead as a 7/8 (I believe) using one of the softer, heavier types so its not prone to rope burn and transfers energy well.


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## farmpony84

I bought the halter, lead rope, lunge line, and stick. I don't use the stick. Never have. It's in the barn and my son runs around smacking flies with it. I could never figure out exactly how to make it work. 

The halter was really nice but one day when I must have been tired or in la-la land I actually forgot to take it off when I turned him out. (I never turn out with halters). He chewed it off over night....

I bought one the same color that works just as good (can't remember where I got it, tractor supply maybe?).... I do like the heavier lead and lunge but you can make it yourself w/ that boat rope or whatever it's called...

Professional's Choice Rope Halter - Halters from SmartPak Equine


You don't need his stuff to get the results but I really found his methods useful for what I needed help in....


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## Gaited07

There are less expensive training halter and leads that is "close" to quality of the CA set. Its a Professionals Choice training halter and lead combo. Runs around $39.00

I will say about the CA training halter and lead combo's are well made and well worth the money.
As for the training stick, well a nice knock off is just as good or buggy whip IMO. In fact I prefer the buggy whip myself  I do however own the training stick because it was a gift from a very good friend.


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