Yep! My trainer charges too little imo but she’s a little more laid back anymore. She has a few clients that show but nobody is super serious into it (like they have gone up the levels but no one is die hard about showing.) She has two kids so I think she prefers it to be kind of laid back at this point in her life. It works for me for now!
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If you are paying for instruction, people with actual qualifications are very important. Most every experienced rider knows this, but it’s shocking how many people don’t. So many beginning, or ready to learn more than the basics riders, seem to be taken in by unqualified trainers.
Whether for their egotistical gratification, or for greed, this type of “trainer” reflects badly on the industry as a whole. There are so many excellent trainers out there. I wish that people would do their due diligence and choose a qualified trainer.
It’s good that COTH members have the experience to spot an unqualified person purporting to be a trainer. No, we don’t have to see you in person to realize that you are not qualified to teach, it’s clear from your riding.
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For lower level riders that are struggling with basics having a trainer like Cody (I don’t know him) just might be better than an upper level rider. Especially if he has a good way explaining what the rider should be feeling with each movement.
I’ve done a few clinics that cost a lot because the clinician is a dressage star and came away feeling like I not only wasted money but both my horse and I were confused and or frustrated.
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You can get that kind of basic instruction for a hell of a lot less than a $600 clinic.
$600. can buy many lessons with a qualified Dressage trainer or even more with a basic qualified riding instructor.
Maybe.
I really hope so. Your only opportunity to be taught basic dressage (which is, at the lower levels, what this person may be qualified to teach) is a $600 clinic taught by a person with no Dressage credentials?
No. There are many decent, qualified, trainers in Colorado who have verifiable credentials charge accordingly. Unqualified people charging $100. per lesson? Not happening for most people who take the time to research.
Not in New England…a 100.00 lesson is a bargain around here. I want to challenge you a bit on this qualified to teach thing. I can name a few clinics I attended or rode in that were “taught” by people with show records etc. that sort of sucked. Some people can’t ride but have a lot of money and pay for these clinics and the clinician comes across as totally bored because it IS boring for them to be teaching someone the basics.
On the other hand I have seen some low level trainers really get in to teaching someone the basics.
So I don’t get the Cody bashing unless you didn’t like what you saw and he was an NPeronce type.
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While expensive, I think there probably are people doing a lot worse damage around. Granted, I only saw a few (basic, kind of boring but pleasant) lessons. I have no idea what happens outside of an audience (which was small.) I have no idea how things were during the Barbier years. I specifically never attended anything put on by him then because of the Barbier influence years ago.
But my impression yesterday was he was really teaching people the basics, very thoroughly. That he himself was interested in the details.
He also talked a lot about cross training with cavaletti and stuff. There’s galloping track on the property and it sounded like one of the clinic participants took their horse on it the day before. I just don’t think it’s THAT bad. Should he be more upfront to people that at a certain level, a wall might be hit in progress because of his lack of experience past that level? Yes. Too expensive? Yes. But there are so many more damaging people I know in Colorado.
I got my start in Colorado in dressage (good golly, 20 years ago) with a Gold Medalist. Honestly she LOVED my horse and was foaming at the mouth to get us in the show ring and in her words, “You two will make the training level championships guaranteed. And if we stick within this horse will eventually go PSG.” Which was wonderful how excited she was but I had no idea what I was doing. I was coming from a different discipline and it was so foreign to me. I had no idea why she was barking the orders she was barking.The pressure and lack of clear teaching almost ruined dressage for me. Not to mention my happy horse started to get really sour acting. She might have been a gifted rider but not teacher. And I know MANY people who felt the same about her. She ran a few people I know away from Dressage forever.
I totally get your frustration about how anybody can hang a shingle and charge money in the US. Unfortunately that is how the United States is. But I also think if people aren’t doing anything dangerous or harmful they can spend their money however they want.
Isn’t Nahshon Cook the same deal? I haven’t seen him person either. But seems similar. Or Amy Skinner (not sure her background?)
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Maybe Cody has skeletons or maybe people have gotten into trouble but I can only comment on what I saw. Basic but not harmful instruction over the course of 4 or 5 riders. Every horse was happy and relaxed. What happens with long term training with Cody? I don’t know and I do think past a certain level the inexperience bites you. Having a good seat and timing can get you to a certain level but then experience is needed, imo
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I’m late to this thread but remember a Gerd Heuschman clinic a few years ago that Cody showed up to audit. Seemed very genuine.
Since I’m local to Brighton, I follow him on FB and am pretty impressed by the whole “teach the horses to move forward, to reach out, to extend their strides” while on a gallop track. They just posted a video of the Iberian import out being asked to canter forward … horse was loving it but like, “I can do this for a bit then I’d prefer less effort mode.” But they thundered along for a bit - pretty, pretty horse.
I’ve recommended a few people to check him out due to location and have spoken to his folks at some of the expos. But since I have been (forcibly) retired from all things riding/handling in person, I haven’t kept up other than watching online.
They do host GH clinics there - which I definitely advocate auditing, just to see the biomechanical lecture. It’s fascinating! Although, it does seem that 99% of horse issues in the ridden part result in lack of seat and feel from the riders (GH doesn’t say this, just keeps correcting) and the riding portion with GH focuses a lot on getting the horse to yield the poll at the correct vertebra … the axis joint, not C3. The riding does tend to be a lot of “back to basics” rather than upper level (I don’t think upper levels come to these clinics - that’s an essay right there!)
Anyway, it’s interesting to see your review of CH - if you’re ever trailering in for a reason, or just in the area - ping me, I’d still love to meet up!
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Thank you for your thoughts! I definitely will reach out when things are less hectic or if we are in the area 
Chiming in a little late. I knew Cody before he made the switch to dressage, which was only about 10 years (maybe a little more) ago. I’m not aware of any skeletons or other notable detractors. I remember him as a naturally talented rider and being kind and positive to horses and humans alike.
Yes, there are other trainers in the area with more extensive show records and a barn full of upper level horses but very few of them are good instructors. I don’t think a trainer can coach a rider beyond their own beyond their own competence but a trainer with a good eye might spot some tiny detail others have missed and provide that “aha” moment. I don’t know if CH is that trainer but I truly don’t believe he would do any harm.
I know the clinic has passed but thought I’d throw in my 2 cents for the next person who lands on this thread.
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