Clinics

Clinics & Tips

Clinic 1: May 17, 2009	Clinic 4: Aug 16, 2009
Clinic 2: Jun 14, 2009	Clinic 5: Nov 22, 2009
Clinic 3: Jul 12, 2009	Clinic 6: TBD Dec 2009

Without knowledge, you lack skill. Without skill there is only confusion and frustration. Which leads to the 5 F’s fear, frustration, feeling like a failure, lack of fun, therefore lack of funds (the horse gets to be a yard ornament, then he becomes a money pit and then sold). A horse’s performance is only as good as the horsemanship skills of the person riding it. Once a rider chooses to gain more knowledge and develops a bigger "toolkit" of skills he can easily raise the skill level of the horse.

The perfect bit for a horse is a bit of knowledge

The 3 T’s
Training Technique and Timing

Training: The process of improving the skills of either yourself and/or your horse, through systematic graduated steps

Technique: Is the way that these skills are performed (human performance)

Timing: Is the ability to apply the correct skill at the correct moment. Reading the horse to get the best performance, you’ll need to learn to trust your “feel” – to act instinctively, and adapt immediately.

Make no mistake, you are learning and perfecting a sports skill that is complicated by the fact that another living creature has been mixed into the equation. Developing a feel for what your animal is doing will take time, but through trial and error you’ll become more efficient and skilled. Because training is a new experience to many riders, it is important to be critical and analytical of yourself and think about what you could have done to improve the situation. Are you being consistent with your cues? Do not blame the horse. Remember it is never the horses fault. It is the rider not giving the horse the correct or consistent information to handle the job!

Here are some helpful tips and highlights from lessons we've covered in previous clinics:

Ground Work Basics:
    - Back Up and Come Forward
    - Disengage the Hindquarters
    - Drop the Head
    - Lateral Flexion
    - Turning on the Forehand
    - Move the Shoulder
    - Turn on the Hindquarter or Haunches
    - Side-pass

Round Pen Rules
    - Goals
    - Developing Respect
    - Feel and Timing
    - Developing Confidence and Cooperation
    - Developing Consistent Cues
    - Putting Mechanics to Work
    - Turn Inward

Under Saddle
    - One Rein Flexing
    - Vertical Flexion/Poll Softness
    - Yielding the Hindquarters
    - Yield the Hindquarters (at the fence)
    - Side Pass
    - Two Track
    - Leg Yield
    - Half Pass
    - One Rein Stop
    - Draw to a Stop
    - Bending at the Walk
Clover Pattern

And God took a handful of southerly wind, blew his breath upon it, and created the horse. ~ Bedouin legend