Please check my Events page for location and contact person if you are interested in attending one of my clinics.
We have a few different formats for our clinics so please look through the following sections and decide what is best for you.
Groundwork: Blending and Balance Clinic
These are clinics designed for anyone who is interested in furthering their horses development through exercises on the ground which help promote leadership, willlingness and balance. Horses are able to do this effortlessly within the herd and that is how we teach our own groundwork. It is a blending of movement and subtle guidance from the lead human to the willing, calm and interested horse. This clinic is a combination of natural and classical groundwork with emphasis on emotional leadership for the horse owner.
What you can learn;
1) The three basic horsemanship skills;
a. Moving your horses feet where you want them to go.
b. The skill of recognizing when your horse is thinking.
c. Softness and how to preserve this.
2) On a long line and at liberty; keeping your horse forward with cadence. Learning relaxation in motion for the horse. Building tempo and balance without your horse falling or pulling from the forehand.
3) The beginning of lateral balance with Work in Hand exercises which help your horse engage his hind legs, lift his back and build upon his natural balance.
4) Longitudinal release of the back. For excited and tense horses who need to release their topline muscles and relax both mentally and physically.
5) Emotional Balance; In this clinic we work on the growth of the horseman or woman. We will work towards quiet contentment while working with our horses. We want to lead our horse with mental balance and create a high standard of emotional leadership.
Natural, Classical Horsemanship Clinics
This clinic is for those who wish to get better connected with their horse through slow deliberate exercises which encourage your horse to think and gather curiosity towards the rider. All too often we rush through our lessons to "get" somewhere with our horsemanship. This clinic sets a tone that allows for our horses to make big change with a soft and thoughtful curiosity. These clinics can be 1/2 day clinics combined with a variety of other clinic subjects in the afternoon. It is through horsemanship that everything is possible and that is why I continue to believe that all of us need to be reminded to slow down and revisit the basics.
What you can learn;
1) Connection to your horses mind through deliberate motion and good timing.
2) Refining your aids from the saddle to make them invisible and extremely effective.
3) Create cadence and the ability to rate your horse in a group of riders without relying on your reins.
4) Riding in a group of other horses/riders while maintaining complete connection between your horse and yourself.
5) Ride exercises in balance by using leg yields, transitions, reinback, and shoulder- in without relying on the reins and with educated aids.
6) Controlling the hind legs to get to your horses balance and his/her mind
7) Obstacle course work for confidence and relationship building.
Riding in Lightness Clinic
In this clinic we get to spend as much time as necessary just on the rider. We will work on balanced riding in the saddle with emphasis on position in the saddle and the correct use of hands and legs. This is a great clinic which can be combined with other clinic topics in the afternoon. It helps riders settle into the saddle and gives them the time to revisit the necessary components of classical balance, which is the only balance of the educated rider. One of the obvious missing links in most horsemanship clinics is the lack of focus on good riding position which enables the horse to move with more freedom.
What you can learn;
1) The balanced, classical seat
2) Educated and subtle use of your aids; seat, hands and legs.
3) Relaxation in the saddle; with your arms, shoulders, lower back and legs.
4) Self carriage; What is it, how does it feel and how to promote it through good riding.
5) How to perform transitions from your mind and subtle aids.
6) The best way to spend a few hours just thinking about your riding versus training the horse
Lateral Balance; Riding from the Hindend through the Back
This clinic introduces the rider to many of the classical exercises used for centuries to help horses bring their hindlegs further underneath the body and elevate the back. This clinic combined with Horsemanship Clinic or Riding in Lightness Clinic is a great way to keep the clinic material fresh for both you and your horse. This clinic is for riders who are comfortable at walk, trot and canter. Your horse does not need to be advanced for this clinic but it is best if your horsemanship is calm and clear for your horse before introducing him/her to this work.
What you can learn;
1) This clinic will introduce all the lateral work first on the ground to make sure both the horse and the rider can maneuver easily into this balance.
2) Shoulder-in, Counter Shoulder-in, Leg yielding, Traver and Half pass will be covered.
3) Transitions which ask the horse to keep themselves balanced on all four legs.
4) Longitudinal releases which allow the horse to stretch down and forward without running on to the forehand.
5) Transitions within the gaits and between the gaits to encouraged engagement of the hindquarters and lifting off the forehand (longitudinal balance).
6) Helping riders learn when their horse is on the forehand and what they can do to help their horse lift the shoulders.
7) All the exercises which help create balance and straightness; circles, serpentines, figures of eight and spirals.
8) Counter flexions; why and when they should be used.
9) Counter canter; helping people straighten their horse by using this fundamental exercise.
One on One Lessons
This is available depending upon the clinic organizer and the interest of the students. One on one lessons are a great way for me to see how things are going on an indiviudal basis and help teach the student new exercises which will help their horses' advancement.
Local students have access to one on one lessons in between clinics. Out of town students should be in touch with the organizer if they are interested in lessons.
Working Equitation Clinic
This clinic is for all riders interested in learning more about Working Equitation and what skills you need for yourself and your horse. Any rider confident at walk, trot and canter can participate. In this clinic I cover the novice and intermediate levels depending on the rider/horse. We will cover both the dressage and manageability sections of the Working Equitation course. This clinic illuminates what each horse/rider team needs to focus on inorder to advance their skills. We discuss the exercises necessary to develop more balance for each team as well as how their riding and horsemanship could also advance. To learn more about Working Equitation check my Services page.
What you can learn;
1) Working Trot and Working Canter; what is a " working gait" as performed in working equitation competitions and how to build up your horse to create this carriage.
2) Confidence and manageability around and through obstacles and patterns.
3) Learning to ride one handed with effective use of your legs.
4) Balanced and collected transitions within the gait as well as between the gaits.
5) The exercises to use to build up to a flying change.
