DOWNUNDER HORSEMANSHIP: THREE DAY CLINIC REVIEW
What a great experience! If you have never actually
PARTICIPATED in a Horsemanship Clinic you really should. Sitting in the stands
is all well and good but when you get that one-on-one real face time
instruction, it takes you to a whole other level! These clinics push you and
your horse outside your current comfort level and really show you where you are
RIGHT NOW and where you can go from this point. By the end of the clinic, if
you followed all the coaching and did the “homework” between the days (like
Backing all the way to the stalls or warming up with a review of the previous
day’s lesson) you WILL see some major transformations in your horse.
As was stated in the Clinic” If you are not uncomfortable
you are not growing.”
PLACE: Rolling Hills Casino Equestrian Center in Corning,
CA. Really unique site. Well maintained with a three 93) great arenas (all
covered), nice stalls and right off Highway 5. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
Day 0 - Thursday - We arrived on Thursday. Check in was
between 2:00pm and 5:00pm. We had three trees fall during the recent storm on
Wednesday night/early Thursday morning. Fence repair and log removal had to
happen so we left later than planned. About 4:00pm we got a call from Brittney
(Tour Manager) just making sure we were alright and if we needed anything. We
were about 10 minutes from the gate so it was cool. That is CUSTOMER CARE right
there! We arrived and the Clinicians (Jeff, Chris and Mitch) and Randy came out
to help unload the horse and our gear (can you say WOW FACTOR) and it was
raining! We got Ronan settled in, grabbed dinner and headed to the hotel.
One of the first highlights for us was when Clinton
addressed the “armchair quarterback syndrome” that happens when you have
spectators. The “catty” commentary that always happens was quickly put down as
Clinton told the folks in the stands that participating in a clinic, in a new
place, in front of all the spectators is TOUGH. There is real pressure at a
clinic that folks don’t have at home. The participants work REALLY hard and are
focused on improving their horsemanship. It takes courage and dedication to
participate and that needs to be respected. Loved that, big time.
Day 1 – Friday - the fun began! After taking care of Ronan’s
needs we sat down to cover what Clinton calls the Philosophy of Why We Do What
We Do. This is a great way to get your brain on the right track. Then we hit
Groundwork and covered lots of exercises and got lots of coaching! Clinton
Anderson and his Go To Team, Professional Clinician Jeff Davis, Certified
Clinician Mitch Gasson, Method Ambassador Chris Webb and Method Ambassador
Sarah Szymkiewicz helped the twenty horse/human teams everyone got all the
attention they wanted. If Clinton or one of the team saw a way for you to
improve they showed you. If you had questions or needed help they were right
there. If you kept your mouth shut and sat in the corner they left you alone. A
simple raise of the hand got you more help than you could imagine. Some folks
needed basic help while others needed a skilled pair of eyes and hands to help us
achieve refinement and higher levels of
performance for our horses (it is easy to accept a lower performance bar
if you don’t know if it can get better). Again with the WOW. Day1 1 had lots of
great wins and moments of learning. All the participants showed real
improvement and gained some serious knowledge! Many of us stayed after the day
wrapped to get some more pointers or ask that question that popped up while we
were working. The team was committed to everyone getting what they needed. It
was a good day. Hard drives were FILLED with information and we all needed to
process it. By the end of Day 1 all the participants were on the same team,
encouraging and supporting one another and cheering one another on. Clinton
does not allow comments from the peanut gallery and states very clearly that
these clinics are tough on the participants and their horses. New place, new
people and LOTS of new stimuli. The team creates a really great environment to
learn and grow in. Of course the humor level is high too! There was a nice
retail area set up for your essential horse needs, a nice food truck and the
always welcomed coffee/beverage truck! Laurie and I headed over to Chico to
stay with our good friend James and Hilarie once Ronan was all tucked in. Good
times right there.
Day 2 – Saturday- started with a quick review, then some new
stuff on the ground and then we saddled up. When you have twenty people in one
place doing the same thing on horseback the energy is crazy! Because of the
different confidence levels at this clinic the mix was fun and you saw folks
push themselves and their horses to new heights. The Clinicians would take over
if a person hit the confidence wall and would coach them through it or ride
their horse if needed. We ran through several exercises and gave our horses
some long rides, wet saddle pads and concentrated training. Refinement happened
and for those that needed it a huge boost of confidence and control happened. Everyone
headed back to the barn with big smiles and sparking eyes. It was a good time. Saturday
night the Brumbies organized a group dinner at the Rolling Hills Buffet. REALLY
good food and LOTS of laughter. Our good friends James and Hilarie joined in
the fun. Great way to end the day.
Day 3 – Sunday – Quick review and on to new stuff! Lots of
saddle time, lots of learning, sweating, reaching for new levels of skill, lots
of refinement and control and lots of really awesome improvements all around. To see the horses grow into themselves and to
see performance and confidence improve was inspirational. Everyone worked
really hard! New friendships were made and reconnections happened. Our horses
really stepped up to meet the challenges presented at this clinic too! By the
end of the three days the more hot blooded horses looked like 25 year old ranch
geldings – calm, quiet, respectful and willing to work. Those of us with more
mellow horses found new heights of performance. It was really something! When
you have someone as skilled as Clinton and his team coach you, look you in the
eye and tell you you are doing a great job…well the impact is pretty powerful.
At the end of the Day 3 we all got certificates which was nice. We also got
feedback from Clinton and his team. Knowing where we are really at and what we
can do to sharpen our skills is so very helpful. You felt like they all really
cared about our progression and really wanted everyone to succeed. Those little
conversations at the end of each day cemented the learned skills and helped us
all gain perspective and direction. It also validated all the sweat, hours, and
tears we invest in this Art we love. In short it was worth every penny spent.
Now….time to start saving for a 10 Day Clinic at the
Downunder Horsemanship Ranch! That is our goal for 2017!
You can see pictures at: https://www.facebook.com/michael.canfield.96/media_set?set=a.10205894219024047.1073741872.1515872876&type=3
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