This is on CA's website and must be signed to enter your horse into training with him. Very interesting reading.
I have read the Letter of Understanding
and I agree and accept the terms and conditions of the Academy Training Horse
Program.
Payment
Info
Total: $
500.00 (Deposit ONLY)
Please
thoroughly read the Academy Horse Program contract. After reading the contract
in its entirety and checking "I Agree" on all 9 sections of the
agreement, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "I Agree"
button to acknowledge your consent with all the terms and conditions of the
Academy Horse Program. After agreeing to the contract, you'll continue with the
registration process.
To exit without accepting the contract, press the "Cancel Enrollment"
button to the right.
Before
enrolling your horse in the Academy Horse program, please review the points
below to ensure we're all on the same level of understanding about what will
and could possibly happen to your horse during his stay at the Downunder
Horsemanship Ranch.
Once your horse has been accepted you'll be given a tentative assignment date
for a specific six-week training session. Your assigned date is tentative, is
not guaranteed, and may be subject to change perhaps even multiple times. We do
our very best to avoid rescheduling, but in training horses, Academy students,
and other unforeseen circumstances and commitments we may be required to do so.
We'll certainly do everything possible to avoid any such inconvenience, and
will only do so when truly necessary. Our foremost priority is to ensure your
horse receives our full attention throughout his training. We'd rather
withstand any potential inconvenience associated with rescheduling than
compromise on the quality of training our customers expect and Clinton demands.
I Agree
Your horse will receive the best care possible.
Downunder Horsemanship will ensure that your horse receives the best care and
nutrition possible during his training session. All horses in training will be
stabled on the clinic side of the ranch in 25' x 30' runs that are each
attached to a two-sided shelter. Runs come equipped with automatic waterers,
hay mangers and no-tip feeders. Your horse will be fed free-choice hay,
including both alfalfa and grass hay. Starting after the second week of
training, or when the horse is doing well mentally - he's not hot or nervous,
he will receive grain twice daily. If you feed supplements to your horse, we'll
be happy to administer them as long as they are provided. We'll also be happy
to put fly masks on and off the horse if you supply one.
In short, your horse will be treated just like Clinton's personal horses -
receiving the best care possible. However, it's inevitable, especially when
your horse enters the rigorous training schedule and is worked over the
obstacle course, that he's going to get a few cuts and scrapes. Or, if your
horse has been in the habit of pulling people around, he's probably going to
lose some hair on his face from the halter. While cuts and scrapes are
superficial injuries that heal quickly, it's important to understand that your
horse may be missing some hair when you come to pick him up. The majority of
the horses coming in for training will be here on a last-ditch sort of effort,
meaning that the horses are deemed problems and have been to other trainers
with no success. Look at your horse coming to the ranch like remodeling a
house. You can't remodel and have everything looking pretty all at the same
time. When you're remodeling, you're tearing wall paper off the walls, dust
covers the floor, paint is splattered everywhere, etc. Your house is basically
a disaster zone for several weeks. Then right towards the end, everything
starts to come together. The contractor puts the finishing touches on and spit
shines everything, and you're left with a product you're proud of. Your horse
is going to go through a similar process during the first three to four weeks.
He's going to lose some weight when he enters training fulltime; he'll rub hair
off his body and will have a few bumps and bruises.
It's also common for these horses to develop girth gall - sores from the girth
rubbing behind their elbow because they haven't been ridden very much. When
colts are started at the ranch, seven out of ten of them on average will
develop girth gall. The area behind the horse's elbow is soft and tender like a
baby's bottom, so oftentimes when the horse gets girthed up and really worked,
they get sore. It's not a major problem, in most cases you can put Vetericyn
and Corona on it and it'll heal just fine. In more severe cases, the horse will
have to be off work for a week or two to let the sore heal. In both cases, when
the horse is back to full health, they very rarely develop girth gall again because
the area has toughened up. It's kind of like if you are an office worker and
one day you're asked to dig ditches. Your hands would be blistered within an
hour from handling the shovel because they're not used to manual labor -
they're soft and tender. But after a few weeks of digging ditches, your hands
will be covered in calluses and not be bothered by handling the shovel at all
because they've toughened up.
We highly recommend that your horse gets shod before his arrival at the ranch.
Most of the training will be done outside - on the obstacle course, through the
woods, around the ranch, down the road, etc. and most horses' bare feet cannot
hold up to so much riding on hard ground. If your horse comes in with bare
feet, there is a good chance that he will at some point become sore. At that
point, we'll have to put shoes on him anyway, plus he may need time off to
recover from the soreness, which will interrupt his training process. If your
horse doesn't normally wear shoes, keep in mind that 6 weeks of being shod will
not affect the well-being of his feet. You are more than welcome to remove them
when he gets back home, and it will help ensure that the training process goes
as smoothly as possible. Besides going through all of the Fundamentals exercises
on the ground and under saddle, your horse will receive additional training
including work over the obstacle course, trail riding and general tasks Clinton
expects all horses to be able to do such as hobbling and ground tying. It's
common for horses to struggle when first hobbled because it feels unnatural to
them. If the horse struggles, he'll lose some hair around his pasterns. After
the second week of training, the horses will be taught to ground tie - a great
respect and patience building exercise, in which the horses are tied to a tire.
Besides patience, ground tying teaches the horse not to panic if he gets his
leg over the rope in a safe, controlled setting. If the horse struggles at
first, he will get rope burn. Any bumps, bruises or rope burn will be treated
promptly and doctored well with Corona. As stated before, your horse will
receive the same care Clinton gives to his personal horses. It's far better to
teach a horse not to panic now and have him potentially get a little rope burn
than it is for him to get his legs caught up in a fence a year down the road
and seriously injure himself. Clinton firmly believes that prevention is better
than cure and teaches all of his horses on the ranch to hobble and ground tie,
including Mindy and Diez, all his Signature Horses and performance horses. If
the horse was at the ranch for 12 weeks of training rather than 6 weeks, his
hair would be grown back and you'd never be the wiser. The fact is that the
horse is only here for 6 weeks and it's not enough time for his hair to grow
back.
If you're the kind of owner that wants your horse to learn while not losing a
pound of weight and keep an immaculately shiny coat, you're unrealistic. That
would be like saying we were going to remodel your house without inconveniencing
you - it's not going to happen. Remember, your horse is only in training for 6
weeks. If you're the type of owner who is a worry-wart or gets upset if your
horse is missing a bit of hair off his back foot, this program isn't for you.
The reality is most of the horses in for training have existing problems or are
coming with baggage. Our commitment is to teach your horse the Fundamentals
Level of the Method, bringing out a respectful partner who is safe and
enjoyable to be around. It's a given that it's taken him longer than 6 weeks to
develop his bad habits, but we're only going to have 6 weeks to turn him
around.
I Agree
The possibility of extended training.
As a horse owner, you know that illness and lameness are a reality when
training horses. While we don't foresee your horse becoming lame or getting
injured, and will do everything in our power to ensure he doesn't, horses are
horses - you can never bet on anything. You can be assured that if your horse
does become ill or lame, you will be contacted immediately and the best care
possible will be given to him. If we feel veterinary care is required, we'll
notify you and see to it that he is treated. In the event of an emergency,
you'll always be contacted, but if we can't get in touch with you immediately,
we'll go ahead with care. You will be responsible for covering all veterinary
expenses.
Each horse will be treated as an individual and progressed at his own rate of
learning. With that being said, we can't guarantee how quickly each horse will
learn. The majority of horses will be able to complete the Fundamentals within
6 weeks; however, if the horse came with really bad behavior or goes lame and
needs time off, it'll take longer to get him to that level.
If the situation arises in which your horse does experience a learning curve or
becomes ill or lame and can't be worked, his time on the ranch will be extended
by two weeks to ensure that he receives his full training through the
Fundamentals Level of the Method. While the training fee won't increase (you'll
receive an extra $1,500 worth of training), you will be responsible for paying
for his additional board and care, which the clinician training your horse will
discuss with you.
Your horse's training could also get extended if there's a clinic at the ranch.
Where Academy students are concerned, assisting at clinics takes priority over
training horses. Therefore if the Academy students are helping in the clinic,
their training horses will not be worked during that time. When that happens,
your horse's board will be reduced to $10/day rather than the regular $17/day.
This reduction actually costs Downunder Horsemanship money, but we offer it as
a gift to offset the horse's time off. Keep in mind that any time missed during
the training period will need to be added to the end of the session.
If you're on a strict schedule, where if your horse had to stay on an extra two
weeks you couldn't do it, then it's highly recommended not going forward with
the program. If Clinton feels it's in the best interest of the horse, and
ultimately your satisfaction and safety, to keep the horse an extra two weeks,
he'll ask that he does. Our number one concern is to bring out your horse's
full potential and make sure you're happy with the results.
I Agree
The training program is intense.
Horses learn best with consistency and repetition, and your horse will be
worked two hours a day, six days a week. So if your horse has been worked very
little leading up to his stay at the ranch, or if he hauled in a long distance
and is sore from the trip, he may need an extra week or two to get with the
program. If your horse isn't used to being worked on a regular basis, don't be
surprised if when you come to pick him up he's lost some weight. His
nutritional needs will be met with the best quality hay and grain, but if he
was overweight, he certainly won't be when he's completed his training. He will
however have gained muscle and be physically fit.
In fact, to best ensure horses leave the ranch in good weight, we encourage you
to generously feed your horse before bringing him in for training. Due to the
program's intensity, it is best if the horse is fleshy and a little fat coming
into the program. If you've underfed your horse and he's skinny, he'll have a
much harder time gaining weight while in training. Remember, the horses are
worked six days a week, for at least two hours a day. While your horse will
certainly be fed a high quality forage and grain, he'll burn a lot of calories
during training. If the horse comes into the program a little fat, by the end
of the 6-week course, he'll have a perfect body condition score and be in good
weight.
I Agree
Seasonal Effects and Transport Illness Exposure.
During Texas' summer months when temperatures reach 100 degrees and higher,
it's common for horses to lose their appetites, not eat as much and drop a
little bit of weight. Horses are much like human beings in that regard.
Typically we don't want to sit down to a three course meal when it's hot
outside. We prefer to drink more fluids and eat light meals. Clinton
experiences this with his own performance and signature horses that are in
intense training during peak summer months, and can count on 1/3 of them
consuming less food and losing a little bit of weight. As soon as the weather
cools down, the horses' appetites pick right back up and they start gaining
weight. It's nothing to worry about, but just something to be aware of.
In addition to consideration of the summer's heat, the weather here during the
winter may be quite chilly even bitter cold for brief periods. It is certainly
not uncommon for horses to develop a mild cold or runny nose particularly when
shipped to us during the cooler months. If this does occur we’ll treat the
symptoms with the appropriate medication(s). If improvement doesn’t occur
within a few days and certainly if the symptoms worsen, we'll contact you in
the event we believe an examination from the veterinarian is warranted. Just as
with we humans, horses tend to get runny noses and have cold-like symptoms most
often during the winter months, and as a general rule it's of little or no
serious consequence. Also, regardless of the season please be aware if your
horse is delivered to us via an equine transport company there’s a chance he
may be exposed to and/or contract an illness during the trip. Though uncommon
this does happen from time to time, and in the few instances where it has
occurred our experience has indeed proven the illnesses to be minor, with mild
symptoms, the horses have recovered quickly, and had little if any effect on
their training.
I Agree
We'll bring out the best in each horse.
Our goal is to get each horse to perform the Fundamentals Level of the Method
to an A-level, and we will make every effort to meet this expectation. However,
each horse is an individual. Not all horses are good-minded, having willing
attitudes and possess the athletic ability to reach an A-level. If a horse has
a sorry attitude and can't move well, he might only get to a B-level, but he'll
certainly be improved from when he was brought to us. Just keep in mind we're
not magicians - we can't turn a lump of coal into a nugget of gold. We'll give
it our best effort, but reality is reality.
I Agree
Keep up to date on your horse's progress.
Throughout his training, you'll be kept up to date on your horse's progress
through the Fundamentals every two weeks by the Academy student training your
horse. You'll receive your first phone call two weeks after the horse has been
in training, and then four weeks into the horse's training you'll receive
another phone call. During this call, the Academy student will indicate whether
the horse will be ready to complete the course in 6 weeks or whether he may
need additional time to get to the desired level of performance. If additional
training is required, you won't be billed for the training, but you will be
responsible for the extended board ($17/day). Additional training would be
necessary if the horse came to the ranch with extreme training issues, has a
bad attitude and/or had time off due to lameness or illness.
Other than the phone calls listed above, you will be contacted if your horse
becomes ill or gets injured and veterinary attention is needed now or possibly
in the future. That means if the horse is injured beyond a basic cut or scrape,
you'll receive a call notifying you.
Because of Clinton's and the ranch staff's rigorous schedules, all phone calls
will be by appointment only. Please do not call the Academy student training
your horse every other day or stop by the ranch on your own accord.
I Agree
Your horse's training is between you and Downunder Horsemanship.
We ask that you do not blog about your horse's training at the Downunder
Horsemanship Ranch on the NWC site or elsewhere, either positively or
negatively. Your horse's training is between you, Clinton and the clinician
training your horse. Other people do not know your horse's history, the
condition he arrived at the ranch in or his training progress. It's far too
easy for someone to take two or three sentences out of context, especially when
they don't know the whole story. Then Clinton and his staff are left putting
fires out that are caused by simple misunderstandings. Quite frankly, Clinton
and his clinicians would rather focus their energies on training your horse
rather than dealing with a blog entry that's been misunderstood. We ask that
you please keep your horse's training between you, Clinton and the clinician
working with your horse. Of course, we can't stop you from blogging online, but
we hope that you respect our wishes and understand where we're coming from as a
business.
I Agree
Your lesson day and taking your horse home.
Once your horse has successfully completed his Fundamentals training, you will
be invited to the ranch for a day's lesson with the clinician who trained your
horse. During this lesson, the clinician will work with you one-on-one, showing
you exactly what your horse knows and helping you refine your application of
the Method. The date of your lesson and when you'll pick your horse up will be
finalized during your horse's fifth or sixth week of training. (Lesson and pick
up dates depend on the horse's progress and therefore can't be scheduled until
he's completed his fifth or sixth week of training.)
Please note that this lesson day is meant for you and your horse in training.
It's not meant to be a social occasion for your friends, or an opportunity for
you to bring another horse to the ranch to receive lessons on. Throughout his
training, you have been kept up to date on your horse's progress, his
strengths, his weaknesses, etc. By the time you arrive at the ranch for your
lesson and to take your horse home, you thoroughly understand where he is in
his training and what he has gone through. Others who aren't privy to the
horse's background can be quick to make judgments or jump to conclusions based
on what they see during the private lesson. Rather than spending time answering
others' questions or concerns, Clinton would rather the clinician concentrated
on helping you learn how to work with your horse. Having one of Clinton's students
at your disposal for an entire day is a great learning opportunity, and we want
you to take full advantage of it! The clinician will take you and the horse
through both the groundwork and riding exercises as well as over the obstacle
course and riding outside the arena.
I Agree
Set yourself up for success with the Fundamentals Kit
It is highly recommended that you own the Fundamentals kit so that you can
continue to understand and train your horse after you've gotten him home. Think
of the Fundamentals kit as your owner's manual for your horse. It wouldn't be
practical to invest $3,500 into your horse's training and spend this much time
to get him trained without really understanding what he knows or how to operate
him. It is absolutely crucial to your success. In fact, if we have a choice
between taking in a horse whose owner has the Fundamentals kit and one who
doesn't, we will always take the one that does. Even though you receive an
entire day's lesson at the ranch, you won't possibly be able to remember
everything the clinician taught you. Being a No Worries Club member is
encouraged and you can receive valuable information through the club, but the
information from the club alone is nowhere near as thorough as the Fundamentals
kit.
If you purchase the Fundamentals kit at the time you sign your horse up for
training and he's selected to come to the ranch, you will be offered a one-time
10% discount off the kit, whether you're a club member or not. This is an
exclusive bonus Clinton wishes to offer those who believe in the Method and
send their horses to the ranch for training, because he believes the
Fundamentals kit is absolutely vital to the horses' continued success and the
owners' enjoyment.
On behalf of your horse congratulations in your decision to apply for his
acceptance in our training program. If accepted, this once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity will put a solid foundation in place on which you can build, and
with a willing respectful partner you will have a chance to experience all of
the joy the journey toward achieving your horsemanship dreams can bring. We’re
very confident you're going to be amazed at the level of softness and control your
horse will acquire.
I have read, fully understand, and accept the terms of sending my horse to
Downunder Horsemanship for the Academy Horse program to be trained by Clinton's
Academy students.
© 2012 Downunder
Horsemanship
