Pro-trainers

[Iwasbornonahorse]

Anyone here who has experience with the "pro" trainers (in person or dvds etc) such as Anderson, Lyons, Parelli, Cox etc, which did you like best and why? Thanks

[teddy]

I get most of my info by reading, and I have had an easier time finding John Lyons in print than some of the others.

"Bringing up baby" is an excellent book and I get his magazine which is generally helpful.

[beth55051]

The commercialization and "gadgets" that so many of them promote really turn me off.

I'm more into the "old" school guys. The Dorrances, Rashid, etc. Those who are all about the horse and show up with using tack and well used equipment, not fancy new shiny gadgets and gizmos.

I love Mark Rashid's books. They hardly qualify as training manuals but yet I can come away with so much more useful information and methods than reading the other guys books that are step by step training manuals.

[Nynx]

I like John Lyons from what I've read of his magazine. It's easy to understand and there are no "carrot stick" type things that I recall...He seems like an all around nice guy.


Plus, its unlike other magazines in that it doesn't make me feel bad about me and my horse like Horse and Rider does with its complicated trail patterns and other things I couldn't do even in my dreams!

[lopintoo]

I like Pat Parelli for his entertainment qualities and a few of his training techniques...He's fun to watch but I'm not too much on game playing. One that I truly dislike is John Lyons. Have you ever sat and really watched his videos? Our neighbor had his videos - the whole collection. During a particularly nasty bought of weather we borrowed them and watched them one after the other....if you notice and watch closely he will be doing something with the horse and then suddenly the horse will be really sweaty or things around the arena moved or other things similar to this...it kind of seems like he needed to "fix" things...there is definitely things "missing" in the videos that the viewer doesn't see. I believe in editing, but there were an awful lot of edits during a timeframe that he was showing you how to do something and it takes forever for him to get to the point. His philosophy may be good but I personally think his videos are awful. On a whole I think Clinton Anderson has the most useful techniques that nearly everyone can learn from. But my favorite for being able to understand and actually apply what he teaches is Larry Trocha. The videos of his that I have seen he covers more of the actual how to of different manuvers. He shows you how to do something on a horse that is not completely trained so you do see mistakes and how to correct it. He says things in real life terminology...no nonsense, no gimicks, no flash, just true working horsemanship.

[Luvridn]

I have watched almost all of the above on RFD....I really like watching Chris Cox but he is more reining/cutting based, also clinton anderson but his methods generally call for you to bring in a bull dozer and relandscape your property to use his obstacle course, but overall his methods seem good and are entertaining as well.

I am using the parelli program currently and intend to go through level 3 before I switch to someone else. It is recommended generally that you get all you can from one trainer by doing the bulk of their course before deciding to switch.

My favorite to watch though, (and I intend to take his course when done with parelli) is Dennis Reis. He uses alot of the same components of parelli and anderson, but is a little more down to earth and 'old school.' But what really really tickles me is that when he is starting a colt or working with a problem horse and they do something he finds amusing, he giggles. I love to watch a trainer who still looks like he loves what he does.

[AlwaysAppy]

I love Jonathan Field. He is absolutly amazing to watch. This video is not a great quality but is awesome non the less. I first learned of him at a horse expo (this is where this is filmed).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIf1FzED5C8

[ahlihaff]

I have attended clinics by Dennis Reis, Clinton Anderson, Parelli. I've watched the others on RFD. I've watched Clinton and Parelli's DVDs. They all use pretty much the same methods - same tools with different names.

I like Dennis and Clinton a lot; do not like Parelli at all. I feel he is arrogant, and that he "badgers" the horse with his games.

I do agree with beth about the "gagets". They are a bit of a turnoff. I also like Bill and Tom Dorrance as well as Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman. The Dorrances' practiced NH a long time ago.

[EquineAlberta]

Nevzorov is really neat to watch, but he isn't really someone you can learn from unless you join his school...and you have to give up riding for 6 months to do that...

But I love watching him and his students work their horses!

He has a very interesting concept. And his documentary Horse Encyclopedia was eye openning.

Karen

[libbytn]

I really like Dennis Reis. He's easy to understand and talks about what he's doing at the moment and doesn't get sidetracked talking about other things. The parelli's seem to talk too much about things that don't matter. I don't want your life's story --I just want to see what you do to fix a problem with a horse. Clinton Anderson is okay but he's def. easy on the eyes.

[Iwasbornonahorse]

Originally Posted by libbytn

I really like Dennis Reis. He's easy to understand and talks about what he's doing at the moment and doesn't get sidetracked talking about other things. The parelli's seem to talk too much about things that don't matter. I don't want your life's story --I just want to see what you do to fix a problem with a horse. Clinton Anderson is okay but he's def. easy on the eyes.

Hahaha...No wonder he's doing so well in the poll