When you’re working with an arena-sour horse, don’t think, "How can I make the horse get in the arena?" Think, "How can I make it uncomfortable for him not to go in the arena?" You’ll do that by working the horse hard where he wants to be (outside the arena) and letting him rest where you want him to be (in the arena). You’ll do the complete opposite of what he is expecting.

Using one rein at a time to direct him, you’ll work the horse hard hustling his feet and constantly making him change directions. The more you change directions, the more he’ll use the thinking side of his brain. Make him hustle his feet and give him a reason to want to go in the arena and relax.

Work the horse for 5 to 10 minutes away from the arena and then take him into the arena and let him rest. In the beginning, you might only be able to bring the horse within 90 feet of the arena, which is normal. Your first goal is establishing a starting point, and then you can work on increasing your horse’s comfort being in the arena. While the horse is resting, rub him and give him a chance to catch his breath. After letting him rest for 5 minutes, go back to working him away from the arena again.

Each time you work the horse, you’ll take him back to your original starting point - the place he wants to be. And each time you let him rest, you’ll bring him closer to the arena.

When you let the horse rest, drape the reins down his neck and dare him to move. If he wants to move, let him. Take him back to where you were working him and hustle his feet again. Instead of sitting on the horse and saying, "Don’t go!" let him move, and then offer him the chance to stand still and relax. The key to this exercise is that you have to give the horse a reason to want to be in the arena and to relax.

With the Fresno Walkabout Tour just days away, Clinton and crew are ready to take on the fourth tour of the year. Our California crowds are always high energy, and we’re expecting a big turnout at the Save Mart Center at Fresno State University. The two-day action-packed event will kick off at 9 AM Saturday, August 4th and will wrap up Sunday evening. Clinton will work with several problem horses throughout the weekend, including a horse that is hard to catch, a spooky horse, a disrespectful horse on the ground and under saddle and a horse that’s hard to load on the trailer. The most anticipated demo of the weekend is always the advanced riding where Clinton shows off the partnership he shares with his Quarter Horse gelding Diez. In between the training demos, Clinton will give away great prizes from Downunder Horsemanship and our incredible lineup of sponsors.

If you’re at the tour, don’t forget to help support a great cause and take part in the Ritchie Ball Charity Toss. Clinton and feature sponsor Ritchie Industries are teaming up to help Stable Hands, a therapeutic riding center, raise funds for their program. Be sure to visit the nonprofit group’s booth and purchase a tennis ball or two for your chance to win incredible prizes, including a complete collection of Clinton’s DVDs, a mecate set and more!  

Tickets are still available for the Fresno tour and may be purchased on the Downunder Horsemanship website www.downunderhorsemanship.com or by calling the office 888-287-7432. Please note that all tickets are now electronic and will be sent to you via email to print off. To gain admittance at the tour, you’ll need to present the ticket at the front door. No Worries Club members remember to take advantage of your free tickets!

A Walkabout Tour the first weekend of the month in Fresno, California will start August rolling for Clinton. From there, he’ll travel to San Mateo, California to work with a search and rescue group that uses the Method to train their horses. Clinton’s lesson with the group will be filmed for an upcoming television show. In the middle of the month, Clinton will join his media team in welcoming several national equestrian publications to Downunder Horsemanship as they establish a 2013 media plan. Clinton will finish the month by presenting two horsemanship demonstrations at the Stars in Service Classic that benefits the Joe Foss Institute at the Copper Spring Ranch in Bozeman, Montana.

Downunder Horsemanship has been airing on RFD-TV since 2001 and will continue to educate and inspire horse owners in 2013. Clinton committed to airing his popular show on the station for the 13th year this summer, and sent Downunder Horsemanship employees Pam DeFazio and Terry Arrington to RFD-TV’s annual Programmer Seminar. Held in Nashville, Tennessee in mid-July, the seminar provided an excellent opportunity for Downunder Horsemanship to mingle with the station’s other programmers, get a sneak peek of what RFD-TV has planned for the upcoming year and offered innovative ideas to bolster the Downunder Horsemanship show. But it wasn’t all work, RFD rolled out the red carpet and treated seminar attendees to special guest seating at the Grand Ole Opry, a Shotgun Red Show and a tour of their filming studio.

When Clinton was invited to attend the second annual Stars in Service Classic that benefits the Joe Foss Institute, he was honored to be considered and is excited to support a cause he believes in. The JFI is a nonprofit organization that focuses on educating youth nationwide about American history and civics through its materials, programs and veteran presentations. By the end of 2012, the institute will surpass 1,000,000 students served since its creation in 2001.

Along with NBC News special correspondent, Tom Brokaw, Clinton will be a featured guest at the second annual event held at the Copper Spring Ranch in Bozeman, Montana. On August 25th, he’ll put on two training demonstrations focusing on desensitizing a spooky horse and working with a horse that’s fearful of the trailer.

Following the day’s training demonstrations, there will be a dinner and auction with proceeds benefiting the JFI. Downunder Horsemanship is donating product and personal items of Clinton’s to support the institute’s work. To learn more about the JFI and the Stars in Service Classic, visit http://www.joefoss.com/events/2012-montana-stars-in-service.

Letting foals get pushy and dominant is the biggest mistake I see people make with young horses. Someone will raise a foal in their backyard and treat him like a big dog. That’s all well and good when the foal is little. When he rears up, nibbles your clothes, kicks out or squeals and runs away, it’s all kind of cute. That behavior soon turns into being dangerous when he’s 500 pounds and eventually 1,000 pounds. That’s when the owner shows up at a tour and says, "My horse bites me and attacks me. What should I do?" The answer is the same thing they should have done with the horse when he was a foal - move his feet forwards, backwards, left and right, but now that the horse is an adult, they have their work cut out for them.

If you gain the foal’s respect when he’s young, he’ll never have a chance to develop those bad behaviors. He’ll never learn that it’s OK to bite, kick or run away from you. I like that people get their foals quiet, I just don’t like when they try to turn them into lap dogs with no respect for human beings. Because in that situation, it’s not if you’re going to get hurt, it’s just a matter of when and how bad.

"Horse problems are nothing but symptoms of a cause. Any problem a horse could possibly have is caused by either a lack of respect or fear, or in some cases, both. Fix the cause and the problem will often disappear on its own." If you’ve listened to Clinton talk about handling a "problem" horses, you’ve no doubt heard him repeat that phrase a time or two. Those new to the Method are often amazed how earning a horse’s trust and respect by making his feet move forwards, backwards, left and right and always rewarding the slightest try can solve their problems. For a shot of inspiration (with a side of entertainment), check out our newest video about Clinton and problem horses.

At the end of August, some of the biggest names in equine publishing will be coming thru the doors of Downunder Horsemanship to meet with our media team. Along with publications like Horse Illustrated, Horse&Rider, Western Horseman and Cowboys and Indians, we’ll be plotting and planning how we’re getting more of Clinton and the Method to you in 2013.

Even though November and Black Friday are a long way off, in the scheme of sales planning, they’re right on top of us. Our marketing and sales teams are knee-deep in preparation for the busiest time of year, planning the sales and streamlining processes to make the day as customer-friendly as possible. We’re excited that this Black Friday will mark the first time in the company’s history that club members will be able to take advantage of their exclusive discounts online instead of having to call into the office. Of course, our knowledgeable sales team is always available for those who prefer to call into the office or have questions. Be looking for our Black Friday sales announcements in early November.

The August DVD offers a lesson in the dedication it takes to turn dreams into reality. Featuring the newest Certified Clinicians, the DVD delves into the day-to-day running of the Academy and highlights the clinicians’ histories and hopes for the future. Clinton also shares his vision for Downunder Horsemanship and how the Academy and Certified Clinicians will help him reach his goal. The monthly NWC exclusive will be on its way to members the first week of August.