Horse Training
Horse training by the masters is a gift, a passion and skill honed into mastery and art. As prey animals, horses most often view humans in a predatory sense, and this makes approaching them from a training standpoint rather precarious. However, we have thousands of years of history of horse training knowledge with our equine friends to draw upon, and some of today’s greatest horse trainers have mimicked the training techniques of the past, and introduced new modern techniques. It’s rather amazing when you think about it- a puny human, weighing less than a couple hundred pounds, training and managing an animal ten times as massive. There are many different types of horses, and many disciplines to go along with them. This means that there have been numerous training theories and practices that have developed through the centuries. Today, these training methods are easily propagated through the internet and other means of easy communication that we enjoy. Because of this, a select group of individuals have become known worldwide as impeccable and highly respected trainers capable of amazing feats of equine communication and discipline. Listed below are seven of the most famous trainers of our time that make themselves and their methods available to fellow equestrians all over the world.
Monte Roberts
Roberts is the founder of the Equus Online University that teaches non-violence and natural communication methods with horses. Roberts stresses the building of trust with your horse as the foundation of any training program. Without trust, he believes that a horse will invariably defy its owner or handlers, and become a “problem” horse. He teaches principles of building trust that are easy to understand, in conjunction with comprehension of proper communication methods. In fact, his teachings of trust and communication building have transcended the equine world, and are used today by governments, corporations, and organizations to help employees and members work more effectively together. Roberts authored the book: From My Hands to Yours, which has received great acclaim worldwide, along with 6 additional equine-related books. Roberts successfully retrained the infamous horse Lomitas- one of the most successful thoroughbred stallions in the world, when all other trainers and training methods had failed. He practices a very specific method of “turning away” equines, which has reverse psychological effects on horses. Using this philosophy, he successfully trains or retrains over 500 horses every year.
Chris Cox
Cox is a world-renowned horse trainer who has practiced his equine arts in many disciplines. His primary belief is that a horse’s sense of dignity must be maintained by rewarding it for work or services performed well. Cox believes that training should only consist of the minimum of whatever it takes to teach the horse, then to leave the horse alone. This “less is more” theory has worked well for Cox and the animals he has trained. Cox offers 3 and 6 day clinics that teach students and handlers his methods, and he also offers fully trained horses for sale. He began working with horses at a very young age, and was educated at Longreach Pastoral College. He focuses on teaching horses and handlers to know their own limits, and to respect those limits. Still an active competitor in addition to being a well-respected teacher, Cox won the 2007 and 2008 Road to the Horse Colt Starting contests. He competes at very high level cutting competitions, and is always a crowd-pleaser.
Pat Parcelli
Parcelli began working with horses at the age of 9. He worked with cattle and horses, and during his teens he participated and competed in rodeos and bareback competitions, winning regularly. This included his win of the Bareback Rookie of the Year in 1972. He then studied under world-famous trainer Troy Henry, and began to perfect his technique of horse training. Parcelli believes that safety and comfort are the only true incentives to offer a horse, especially considering that they are a prey animal. His practice of these techniques has allowed him an intense understanding of horse behavior that even the most seasoned horseman might lack. Parcelli trained hundreds of horses for his clients, but would often become frustrated that when back under their owner’s care, the horses would revert to their pre-training ways. For this reason, Parcelli has now become a teacher rather than a trainer, and helps equestrians to understand their horses and offers detailed guidance on how to train horses for nearly any discipline.
Gawani Pony Boy
Pony Boy is possibly one of the most famous of all modern horse trainers. Being Native American, he draws on principles of natural and mutually respectful training that his ancestors were experts at. He is the founder and president of Lyuptala University, a college that encourages horse owners to learn as much about their animals as possible. Through this University, students can earn a Bachelor of Arts in Equine Studies. His primary objectives in horse training are to gain the horse’s trust and understand their natural behavior. Pony Boy has authored numerous books, including Horse, Follow Closely, and 9 others- all of them bestsellers. He is a rather accomplished public speaker, and has the ability to easily convey his message to any equestrian, and nearly any horse.
Clinton Anderson
Clinton Anderson grew up on a cattle farm in Australia. At a very young age he became an accomplished roper and driver, and eventually apprenticed under horse trainer Gordon McKinlay. His training technique stresses the understanding of equine physiology and understanding the meaning of horse behavior. Anderson won the 1997 Australian National Reigning Futurity and the 2003 and 2005 Road to Horse Colt Starting Challenge. In addition to being an accomplished and respected horse trainer, Anderson has also designed and developed horse training tools and equipment, such as the Down Under Handy Stick, and a type of pack that attaches to the arm or ankle and carries such supplies as maps, a cell phone, first aid supplies, and a flashlight. He is the founder of the Down Under Horsemanship website, www.downunderhorsemanship.com.
Dennis Reis
As a horse trainer, Reis is exceptional in that he has worked in nearly every discipline, and with all breeds of horses. His primary training theories state that a horse is only as good as its owner, and that, given a choice, a horse will always make his own decision. Therefore, Reis teaches to set appropriate but respectful limits on choices, and concentrates on training without the use of restraints or force. Reis teaches his students to mimic the behavior of horses, and to establish themselves as the definite leader of the herd. Reis stresses the importance of natural horsemanship, and helps his students to allow the horse to “be itself,” while still being under gentle control of the student- the herd leader.
Ray Ainsworth
Ray Ainsworth is a unique horse trainer. His philosophy is to speak to horses in their own language. This technique places an emphasis on understanding horse body language, and being able to correctly interpret and imitate it where necessary. Ainsworth became a successful horse trainer by plying his equestrian trade as a jockey, trainer, and competitor by working with and understanding behavioral issues. He believes violence or forced techniques only serve to impede training and reduce the effective ability of the horse to retain what it has been taught. Ainsworth offers clinics to equestrian students, and has a television show that teaches people how to communicate directly with horses.
Most of the horse trainers listed above can be made available for lessons or education. However, there are thousands of competent horse trainers throughout the world, and if you do a little research, chances are great that you will find one that can help you with your horse. Even experts can learn a lot from teachers of other techniques and disciplines, so if you’ve been around horses for a long time, you might still benefit from contacting one of these horse trainers listed above. If they are unavailable to you, they can still be a valuable resource of recommendations to others in your area that may be able to help you with issues, teach you something new, and make you a better equestrian, and your horse a better equine.
