Tracey crossed into new territory in this episode of ‘Hitting Your Stride’, as she welcomes Caleb Clingen to the show. A well-known and highly respected multi-discipline horse trainer who also happens to be an elite barrel racer, this first-generation horseman provides the foundational training horses will eventually need, regardless of which discipline they are ridden in.
A horse is a horse; different breeds may have different conformation, but they all start the same way and Caleb focuses on the development of fundamentals with each to build them from the ground up. He goes into detail about the work he does with each horse, how he develops ‘buttons’ for each because every horse communicates the same way, whether they are a Warmblood or a Quarter Horse.
One of the biggest topics Tracey and Caleb talk about is leadership and how all horses respond to it – as Caleb says, a leader has to lead and not force the horse into anything. By giving it that crucial element in the horse/rider relationship, allowing the horse to think it’s ‘their idea’ to do something, the bond deepens and the mindset is forged as a future building block.
Involvement is also a big deal for Caleb, as he encourages owners to check in and see how the development of their horse is coming along. By seeing that change in their charge, it gives Caleb the opportunity to go over that progress with the owner and help them build their connection and communication towards taking it to the next level.
And as anyone who has dealt with horses can attest, Caleb talks about the lessons he’s learned in his work and what they’ve taught him – patience being at the top of the list. As he puts it, gaining just one per cent a day will go a long way over 100 days. Tracey brings the conversation to a close by asking Caleb for three simple things owners can do to better their relationship with their horse, with Caleb restating the importance of leadership, providing encouragement and, most importantly, working on the ability to gain an understanding of who their horse is.
Caleb Clingen can be found on social media under Clingen Quarter Horses (Facebook) and @calebhwc (Instagram).
Listen to the episode here:
