One thing is for sure, life is too short not to have some fun with yourself and the people around you. When you take your horsemanship so seriously that you can’t laugh at yourself for making a mistake or you can’t laugh at a situation, life can get pretty darn boring.

My family has a great sense of humor. We love to tell jokes about ourselves, other people and our horses. I think that sometime people forget that when they meet me. When some people meet me, I think they’re a little shocked and possibly, offended about some of the stuff I say. They have to understand that that’s how I like somebody. If I make fun of your horse that means that I really like you. I really want you to make fun of my horse a little bit too. Or, if you make fun of the “face” I’m making, that’s just good humor.

The problem with the world right now is that we live in such a politically correct time that it honestly make me want to puke. Everybody is so hyper sensitive. Give me a break! Everybody needs to get off of their high horse and learn to take a good look in the mirror and laugh at themselves. Believe me, I may tell a joke about another country, your dog, your spouse, what you do for fun, but I’d love you to make fun of me, because that’s just the way I am.

One thing about me, is if you meet me and are around me for any length of time, if I don’t start making fun of you or joking with you, it means I don’t like you. It’s just that simple. When I interact with people I like to have fun. I like to tell a joke about them, and I like for them to tell a joke about me. It’s a shame when I’m traveling around the country that I see so many people that don’t have this play drive in them. You know what, I need to be myself and the people who do like me will like me and the people who don’t like my sense of humor, they’ll be drawn to somebody else. And that’s alright. It doesn’t mean that I’m right and somebody else is wrong. It just means that we only live once and we all have our special way of enjoying life.

Now sure, I want to be respectful of other people by all means, but at the same time, I have to be true to myself. Several years ago, I wasn’t true to myself for about 5 months. I tried to talk the way people wanted me to talk by being politically correct – never making fun of something controversial and acting how the real conservative people in the world wanted me to be. Or in better terms, being politically correct. And guess what? I got more complains then about how I spoke and how I acted then than what I do now because it wasn’t real. I wasn’t being true to myself. I’ve come to realize that I can’t make everybody happy. And the more you try to make everybody happy, the more complaints you get. When I’m at my Horsemanship Clinics I give people 110 percent and that’s all I can do. Some people are going to love me and some are going to hate me. I’ve come to realize that no matter what you do, somebody is always going to complain. So you might as well do what you want to do and have fun doing it, and let the people sort out what they like and what they don’t.

I think the reason why people are attracted to Justin Mundt Horsemanship and me is because they know that I’m just like them. We could have a BBQ, and we could talk about our horses and make fun of them and ourselves, and have a joke about what’s going on in the world. Life doesn’t have to be all that serious. There’s enough other things in life that are pretty darn serious that if we can’t make fun of ourselves, our horses, our dogs, our husbands and wives in a fun way – not to be mean, not to belittle somebody, or tear somebody’s confidence down or run them into the ground – but if we do it correctly, it can actually lift people’s spirits.

So you know what? When you come to one my Horsemanship Clinics your going to see the real Justin Mundt. You’re not going to get some watered down “persona” to try and impress you. And it is either going to be somebody you’re attracted to or somebody you’re not attracted to. If you’re not, that’s OK. But remember, you only live once. If  you’re not prepared to have a good time, life can get pretty darn boring. Keep that in mind and remember, a smile is always better than a frown.

What is experience? Experience means more than just having read about it, heard about it, or even seen it. Experience means that you can not only talk the talk, but you can actually walk the walk. You can actually do it.

Nothing beats hands-on horse training experience. I know people who can write five books about training horses. They know the theory, they understand it, they can talk it – they can even teach it! But if you were to ask them to actually do those things with a horse, they couldn’t. They’re not very coordinated and struggle to perform the exercises. Basically, they don’t have any hands-on experience. But if you ask them to explain it to you, oh my goodness they know what to do then!

I’m very selective myself on who I take advice from. I try my best to seek out those who I would like to emulate, learn what they do best, and forget the rest. Everyone you encounter can teach you something (even what not to do). The more you read, the more you study, the more horsemanship clinics you go to, the more aggressive you are about learning The Mundt Method, and the more you practice with your horse, the more experience you will get.

Horses have certain ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting, and when you work with them long enough, these patterns start to become predictable. You can start to make sense of these things in ways you could never understand just by reading about it in books or watching it on tapes. As helpful as tapes and books are, there is no substitute for getting some hands-on practice with a variety of horses.

When I first started training horses (and by training I don’t mean just riding, I mean training horses for sale or for the public), I was rather limited because I lacked good ol’ fashioned experience. There was one horse that a customer of mine brought me to train, but “forgot” to tell me that this horse bucked off seven other trainers before he got to me! And since I was just starting my horse training services, and lacked the experience to properly teach this horse, I’m sure you can guess what happened. You got it….he bucked me off. Four times a day for 30 straight days! This horse knew how to buck, and loved doing it! I would literally shake in the morning while eating my Lucky Charms Cereal (thinking it would help!), because I knew I had to ride this horse. This horse added to my experience. I learned from him exactly what I did wrong (as well as what the other “trainers” did wrong too), and am now able to properly instruct any other horse that comes into my place. I was able to refine my feel and timing, make some mistakes, learn from them, and then move on.

Every horse you encounter will add to your experience. Each horse is an individual, and as a horse trainer, you must be willing to adapt to each individual horse. Each horse will teach you a new way of expanding on what you already know. In order to train your horse, you must first train yourself. The techniques and tools are available to you. All you have to do learn to use them and then put in the effort. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, and at times it will be frustrating, but the more you practice, the better your feel, timing and experience will get.

There is an Arabic quote that rings true; “Ask the experienced rather than the learned.” These people might be book smart, but lack the actual experience to get the job done. Getting experience isn’t hard, it’s just about putting in the effort. Why do professional horse trainers with years of experience charge more than, say, a “backyard” trainer who does it just for giggles? Because the professional has put in the time, the years, and has worked with many more horses than the other trainer; therefore, since the professional has more experience, their services are worth more, because they can get better results.

Make an investment in yourself! Get out there, attend clinics, read books, watch videos, spend more time with your horses, take private lessons, learn learn learn. Knowledge is power, and the more you learn, the more experience you will get, and the more you can help. As Financial expert Dave Ramsey says, “the weak can’t help the weak”.

Justin has used his deep understanding of the equine mind gained from training hundreds of horses to develop training tools, tack and equipment that get the job done! Working with horse owners at expos and clinics across the United States, Justin has had the opportunity to develop and refine products that make training easier for both horse and rider.

This is Justin’s #1 Horse Training Aid!

To get specific results from your horse, you need to be able to give clear and specific cues. The JMH Training Stick and String provides unparalleled effectiveness in letting your horse know exactly what you want him to do. From the very first time you use it, you’ll appreciate the Stick’s balanced feel, ergonomic, padded grip and versatility as a training tool. Use it as an extension of your arm, with or without the string, and discover for yourself the immediate difference it will make in your training.

Price for Training Stick and String: $52.95

Check out this Training Essential from JMH!

Justin has used his deep understanding of the equine mind gained from training hundreds of horses to develop training tools, tack and equipment that get the job done! Working with horse owners at expos and clinics across the United States, Justin has had the opportunity to develop and refine products that make training easier for both horse and rider.

Once you try this halter and lead rope you’ll see why Justin is so particular about the “feel” and “energy” it provides. With a stiffer feel and strategic knots, this specially designed rope halter will help make your cues clearer and teach your horse to give to pressure by making it uncomfortable to resist. Made of high-quality yachting rope, each lead has a leather popper end.

Halters available in the following sizes: foal, weanling, yearling, small, average, large and draft.

Available in the following colors: blue, purple, red, burgundy, brown, hunter green, tan, and black.

Price for Halter and Lead set: $82.95

Justin Demonstrates His “Leadership Lunging” Technique

We all want the same thing, respect without fear. But how do we get it?

It’s simple: In order to get your horse to respect you, you need to show him that you “wear the pants” in the relationship. And you do this by moving his feet forward, backward, left, and right!

You’ll always know who the Alpha Horse is in the pasture, because that horse makes the other horse’s feet move. They lay their ears back, shake their head, or turn to kick the other horses if they refuse to listen. The more that horse moves the other horse’s feet, the more respect they get.

It’s the same with your horse. The more you move your horse’s feet, the more respect you get. The more the horse moves YOUR feet, the more respect HE gets. The more respect you get, the more options you have, and the safer you’ll be.

Justin currently has limited openings for Horse Training Services.  Along with Training, the owner receives a 4-6 hour Private Lesson with Justin on how to continue with your Training once you get home. This Private Lesson is like getting the keys to your brand new Cadillac. Hurry before spots fill up!

Making excuses and special allowances for an abused horse’s bad behavior will only limit him; treating him the same as any other horse will accelerate his progress.

I was holding a Clinic a few years ago, and this very timid lady walked up to me and said, “Hey Justin, I wanted to come and talk with your for a little bit before we get started about my horse.” I already knew what she was going to say before she even said it. She had a “special” horse, and wanted to chat a bit about what we should do.

Sure enough, she said, “I just want to spend a little bit of one-on-one time with you before we get started. My horse has been abused. And because she’s been abused, she has these little “fits” every now and then.”

I nodded.

“So since my horse has been abused, I just wanted to let you know that she may not be able to do what the other horses can do. So we may need to make some special adjustments to these exercises, and you may want to change what we do at this event a little bit to allow for her needs.”

I said, “I’m very sorry your horse has been abused. But you know what? Today is a good day, because your horse is no longer being abused. I’ll tell you what we’ll do…”. She leaned in to not miss a word of the special instructions I was about to tell her.

“I want you to act as if you just bought this horse today, and you have no history whatsoever on this horse.” She looked kind of confused. I said, “What your doing is carrying around all these excuses for why your horse acts the way she does, and as long as you keep carrying these excuses around, your horse will not get any better.

She nodded in agreement.

“Think of it this way. Even though your horse was abused, if you go and turn her out into a pasture of 10 new horses – horses that she never met before – would those horses treat your horse any differently? Would they say, ‘Okay everybody listen up. This mare has been abused before so she gets the hay and grain first. Hey YOU! Get out of that shelter, she needs that shelter because she’s been abused. Everybody leave this horse alone. She needs caring. She needs cherishing. She needs love.” The lady was laughing by now. “Would the other horses do that?”

She said, “Well, no, they wouldn’t”. So I said, “Then why would we treat her any differently? The other horses would kick her, bite her, chase her around…or even SHE may be the dominant one. She may be the alpha horse!”

She took my instructions very well. She went out there and did the exercises just as I had instructed, and I watched her amazement grow over the next three days as her horse quickly responded, and soon began to behave just like all the other horses.

Have you seen the Justin Mundt Horsemanship Channel On YouTube?

Justin Mundt Horsemanship has currently added a segment of Justin’s Advanced Horsemanship Demonstration to YouTube!

Check out this video and all the others by clicking here.

Justin Mundt Horsemanship will be heading to the Minnesota Equestrian Center in Winona, MN for the North Central Reining Horse Association (NCRHA) show on April 2nd-3rd. Hope to see you there!

“Frustration ends where knowledge begins.”

You’ll hear Justin repeat that axiom many times when you attend one of the many Horsemanship Clinics he conducts every year. The more you learn, the more Clinics you attend, the more books you read, and the more DVDs you watch, the more knowledgeable and less prone to frustration you’ll become.

That is Justin’s main purpose: To help horse owners learn about Horsemanship, and to teach them how to successfully train their own horses at home. And what better way to do that than Hosting a Justin Mundt Horsemanship Clinic! Hosting a Justin Mundt Horsemanship Clinic has never been easier. Simply contact Justin through his email by simply clicking on the “Contact” link on the bottom of the site, or simply call Justin to speak to the Man himself! In so doing, you’ll be sent a Clinic Host Information Packet, which will lay out for you all of the details and BENEFITS of becoming a Clinic Host.

Among the many incentives that Justin offers, the clinic host gets to participate for free! (if they meet the requirements). So if you’d like to get a jump start on your Horsemanship this year, and take your knowledge and skill to the next level, let Justin Mundt Horsemanship give you the knowledge firsthand. Schedule your Horsemanship Clinic or Private Lesson today!

“The more complicated you make horse training, the harder it is.” – Justin Mundt