Ep 22: Clinic Recap with Carrie Arntson
This week, I had a chance to sit down with Carrie Arntson to get some insight into her training program and learn more about her horsemanship journey. Carrie is a very well-rounded young trainer who has hosted four of our clinics in Minnesota over the past few years.
Phil: As a trainer, what do you gain from participating and/or instructing in a clinic?
Carrie: During a clinic, there are so many different horses and situations to learn from. As I’m watching and helping others, it really helps me reinforce my fundamentals and remind myself of the correct things to do to. I always leave feeling refreshed and full of confidence.
Phil: What is something that you work on most as a trainer?
Carrie: I work on building my horse’s confidence. Confidence is what sets a horse up for success for the rest of its life. I try to focus on the things each horse is good at and avoid nitpicking on the little mistakes. My goal is always to build a little bit at a time. 1% better is a great rule to live by. I’ve found that my confidence and my horses’ confidence often grow together.
Phil: What is one of the main things you have changed/added to your training program that has made a big improvement in your horse’s performance?
Carrie: I’ve been focusing on improving my feel, timing, and balance. Getting confident in these areas takes lot of work and a lot of practice. Those are the things that you have to sit in the saddle and figure out through repetition. But when I feel confident in those areas, my horses get so much better so much quicker when I make that shift in my mind and really nail my timing and communication.
Phil: How do you help your horse perform well during competition?
Carrie: It is so much easier to train horses when you focus on their minds rather than their bodies. When I’m making a run, I never used to think about what my horse’s mind was doing. Now, I really want them reading my body language and responding off of that. Focusing on my body language helps keep me calm and focused, and it does the same for my horses.
Phil: What is your best advice for young trainers?
Carrie: Don’t give up. There will be new challenges every day, but always keep learrning. I listen to tons of podcasts, audiobooks, and training videos, and it is something that helps me get a little better every day. You have to put in the time and invest in yourself. The hard work is worth it.
Phil: What are your goals moving forward in your training career?
Carrie: I love my clients and the horses that I get to work with on a daily basis. Right now, I’m also working on raising my own colts, and I hope to raise a few futurity winners in the coming years.
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