Question of the Week

What was your most memorable clinic?

It was fascinating to read that many of you learned as much from a negative experience as a positive one. Negative experiences allow us to assess what we don't want in our lives, although when it comes to riding clinics, it can simply be a waste of money and time. It also does not allow us to move forward with new and valuable information. Web sites are great but cannot offer the hands-on experience of a one-on-one with your favorite clinician. Taking information in through articles and video, and THEN going to the same person's clinic can be one of the most inspiring and forward moves you'll make.

We had some interesting responses: here are a few that we found to be most inspiring:

Kathryn Watts (one of our Featured Writers)
My most memorable clinic was a bad experience, but in retrospect, it was an important step to my becoming a better horse owner. I was just starting to learn dressage, but I really didn't know enough at the time what 'good' dressage was about. My mare has a sensitive mouth and was very responsive to leg aids, although not as 'forward' as a dressage horse should be. The clinician had me push with my legs while holding firm with my hands. When that didn't work to get my mare more forward, the clinician told me to kick. the constant pressure was really confusing my mare. She got very tense and started doing canter departs every time I used my leg. The clinician said she was just trying to get out of working properly at the trot, and told me to use a whip and found one for me to borrow. The canter departs increased to a bizarre hop/trot/hop. By the time the lesson was over, I was in tears and my horse was a nervous wreck. I was too embarrassed to excuse myself from the lesson from this 'big name' trainer, but the guilt from not doing so has remained all these years.

I learned several valuable lessons from that clinic.

Not all clinicians are good clinicians.

Not all methods work for every horse.

No stranger knows my horses as well as I do. I am their guardian, and as such, I should remove them from the ministrations of any person who does them mental or physical harm no matter what their reputation, or the cost of their services.

Kathryn Watts

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Eusebia and 'Tequila'
A week before my clinic with Adiva Murphy I was ready to throw in the towel. Don’t get me wrong, I love my mare but after dealing with her antics for the past few months I was at my wits end. I’m sure the story of me and “Tequila” is not unlike most frustrated horse owners out there. I bought Tequila (6 year old TB mare) in August of last year. At the time it seemed like a perfect fit. I’d been around horses my whole life and Tequila well, she needed some work, but I thought I was up to the task.

I began seriously working with Tequila about 12 weeks ago. When I first started I rode her every day. I thought that if I could work her enough I could calm her down - how wrong I was. I tried everything – a different diet, more exercise, training techniques I’d seen, sheer force at the end – nothing worked.

I have a great riding instructor (Deb) who uses a lot of natural horsemanship techniques for our dressage lessons (which Tequila and I take fortnightly).  Last Saturday I walked into the arena with my tail between my legs. I had been fighting with Tequila for the better part of an hour, simply trying to get her to stand still so I could brush her and tack up for my lesson. I was crying out of frustration by the time I got to my lesson. I was anything but optimistic that Tequila and I were going to get any better.

I was so wrong.

After two days with Adiva my relationship with my mare has been transformed. Tequila’s ground manners have improved ten fold. Not only does she stand still – she ground ties! Now I can spray her, trailer her and approach her in the field without her trying to bolt in the opposite direction.

Tequila’s previous owners sold her to me with a tie down and double reigned snaffle bit warning me that her years on the track had made her quite headstrong. After riding her a few times last summer, it seemed to me that nothing was going to slow her down. I was so nervous about controlling her speed that I rarely rode her and certainly, I’d never attempted to canter on her. By the end of the second day not only did Tequila and I canter, we did it in a halter hackamore! Learning how to “shut my horse down” was one of the most valuable parts of the clinic.

Of course Adiva can’t fix all of our problems in one clinic but what she was able to do is teach me how to communicate with my horse, how to look for signals from her and most importantly how work towards creating a partnership with her.

My Mom bought me a three day trail ride in the Rockies for my birthday in July. I was very nervous and actually had considered cancelling. Now that I have done the clinic with Adiva I feel like the ride would be a great way to bond with my mare and my confidence has increased immeasurably.

Since Adiva caters to the horse and riders in her clinic, everyone’s experience will be different. I can only speak for myself and Tequila but below are some of the things that I learned from Adiva’s clinic:
•    Pulling back on a racehorse means “Go faster” – I learned how to stop Tequila using my body and not just the rains;
•    I learned how to help Tequila get over her fear of water (walking over ditches, spray bottles, bathing etc.);
•    She taught Tequila how to bend from the poll (not quite there yet but we’re working on it);
•    Tequila no longer tries to push me over – she stays out of my space and doesn’t pull me when I’m leading her to and from her enclosure;
•    You can’t force a horse to stand still but you can show them how;
•    Patience and consistency in working with your horse are key;
•    Reward the behaviour you want to encourage;
•    I learned how to play with Tequila ☺; and
•    Tequila lets me touch her face now – prior to the clinic she had always backed away

Coupled with all of her horse knowledge and natural horsemanship experience Adiva is also a great Adult Educator. She provided a demonstration of her abilities the night before the clinic and gave us all encouragement that we too could become horse savvy. Effective adult educators know that encouragement and respect are important when teaching adults.

Throughout the clinic Adiva was thorough, patient and supportive.  Adiva focuses on the positive and moves from there. She rewards the slightest attempts at a “try” - be it from horse or rider.
The process that she uses for ensuring that the students learn is founded on effective adult education principals: ask, teach, re-teach and test. Adiva explains the principle, demonstrated it on one of the horses, taught us how to do it, allowed us to practise and then had us all demonstrate it before we moved on.  The small class size made it a comfortable work environment for both me and Tequila and allowed us one on one time with Adiva that was very helpful.

And how wonderful that she brings her own sound system so everyone can hear!
 
I know how much work goes into presenting an effective training session (as I am an Adult Educator by trade).  Adiva is to be commended for her attention to detail, concern for her students (human and horse) and her dedication to improving the relationships between horse and rider. I would not hesitate to recommend Adiva’s clinic to horse owners everywhere.
Adiva , THANKS, from Eusebia and Tequila!

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April Reeves: Al Dunning
I can’t even begin to count the many clinics I have been to, so for one to stick out prominently is only a sign that the clinician was going above and beyond.

I go to as many Al Dunning clinics as I can. When I was younger, my Dad and I watched him for our first time. He was riding a gorgeous buckskin named Expensive Hobby.

I was a hunter/jumper/dressage fanatic back then, so going to a reining clinic was just to appease Dad. Had he known then, what impact it had on me, he may have changed his mind.

I could not get that man and his horse out of my mind. The minute I got home I dusted off my western saddle and plunked it on the back of my 16.2 HH dressage horse.

He did not perform quite the way Expensive Hobby did, so I immediately started searching for a buckskin Quarter Horse. I found one almost instantly, and from that moment on, I began the educational process of reining.

Al Dunning, you opened up a world to a young girl who today thanks you every time the western saddle comes out (that would be daily).

Al has a style that seems to really work for me. I ‘get’ it. His methods are clear and easy to follow. Even auditing I come away with enough material to use for months. I have every book, bit and video he has put out, and he never holds back on information.

Most importantly is the inspiration I get from attending. Al Dunning is one of the great reining trainers of our time, and if he ever comes your way do make the time to see him. We are blessed to have people like Al Dunning in this world for us to learn from.

Thank you Al Dunning.