Just watched this (thank you for the tip!), interesting - I thought his comments were fair and spot on. And Jon Holling is a lovely rider!
I wish he came to our area, I would love to ride with him. Exacting but fair, with an emphasis on the correctness of the rider - sounds good to me. Many clinicians focus primarily on the exercises without providing a lot of feedback on “how to improve” other than a few comments on straightness or pace. I would love more detailed, insightful feedback.
Just watched this (thank you for the tip, Bensmom!), interesting - I thought his comments were fair and spot on. And Jon Holling is a lovely rider!
I wish he came to our area, I would love to ride with him. Exacting but fair, with an emphasis on the correctness of the rider - sounds good to me. Many clinicians focus primarily on the exercises without providing a lot of feedback on “how to improve” other than a few comments on straightness or pace. I would love more detailed, insightful feedback.
I have ridden with Peter 3, or 4? times over the past several years. I really enjoy him. I find he gives a lot of specific, honest feedback is excellent if you are realistic about your riding, open and willing to learn, and try to do what he is saying. Attitude is everything, I know a few people who came away from rides with him just saying “He’s a dick” but knowing those riders I can see why they would say that, haha. He is great with both young/green and experienced combinations, focuses on correct basics and proper progression like most good instructors, but is definitely honest and calls you on weaknesses and holes, which I expect and appreciate 100% when I ride with someone. And if you are higher level or wanting to move up the levels, he definitely expects more from you.
If you want to go to a clinic where you can show off a little and want to be patted on the bum and just be told “Ok very good, now go do that…”, he will probably not be the person for you. If you want honest feedback, specifics and things broken down, you will love him.
I find his personality absolutely hilarious. He seems so nice and kind but I know behind that is someone who is very tongue in cheek, and is sometimes thinking “Omg what the heck are you doing??” while talking nicely and putting on a smile, lol. I get along great with people like that though. Some do not.
Also I am a larger rider as well (and my current horse is a small ottb that was free), and I never felt he had any sort of bias or preference towards horse/rider shape or size, or whatever financial background you came from. If anything he definitely paid more attention to those riders who were open to what he was saying, tried hard, and asked questions. The ones who showed they appreciated his feedback and wanted to learn.
I found him to be a great clinician and he is also really great to scribe for (educational and more relaxed than many dressage judges). He expects you to listen and focus on applying his instructions as others have commented, but I’ve never heard him offer anything other than constructive criticism (e.g. no body shaming, but positional corrections). I found he offered a good balance of criticism and compliments when warranted. Exercises were appropriate for the level with just the right amount of challenge without overfacing horse or rider.
He also really does have a great memory! I scribed for him 20+ years after I rode with him back at his farm in southern Ontario. I mentioned this and he remembered my mom had made and sold jewelry at a trade fair that accompanied one of the events he ran back then! I don’t even remember that (although my mom does!)!
Had a wonderful morning yesterday watching Peter teach a clinic in my area. 6 riders with a huge range of ages and skills sets on 6 horses with again a huge variety of shapes, sizes and training. Everyone seemed thrilled with the instruction and walked away with a new tool in their tool box. Highly recommend riding with him - or auditing if he is in your area at any point!
I actually just hosted Peter for a clinic in Maryland! I met him at the FEH championships last fall, and then interviewed him for my Grid Pro Quo column and wanted a lesson. So he was kind enough to stay for an extra day after judging at MDHT earlier in the month.
Agree with what everyone says about him in terms of toughness. But he’s also extremely fair and accommodating when needed. One of our riders was recently getting back into jumping after time off from several foot surgeries, and he made sure to check in with her throughout the lesson.
I loved his old school style and that he spent time to explain everything. Everyone really enjoyed him and we’re hoping to have him back whenever he’s in the area for officiating commitments.
Guess who pulled a HIND shoe RIGHT before the clinic… I’m keeping my fingers crossed my amazing farrier can somehow pull a miracle and come today since we are scheduled to ride tomorrow AM with Peter :eek:
Otherwise I might have to scratch or, be really mean and put a hoof-boot on my boy and do a flat lesson if they accept swapping.
Horses!! I can’t believe 'em. But… Could be worse…
EDIT: guess who just got his shoe back on?? I have the best farrier… Anyway, I’ll be sure to update everyone tomorrow with how it goes!!
Back with an update and unrepentant hijack of OP’s thread –
It was awesome! I have to start with a huge shoutout to my farrier for coming and tacking on my guy’s shoe. I’m so lucky to have such an amazing farrier.
Back to the clinic –
It was absolutely fantastic. The barn that hosted this clinic always puts on the best clinic/shows and this was no exception. I did let Peter know I couldn’t hear too well, and I had to laugh and think of the ladies in this thread, because his first response was “do you not hear too well, or do you not listen?” :lol: I let him know I had a cochlear and couldn’t hear from more than 15ft away. He was excellent at making sure I heard everything. Possibly one of the most mindful clinicians I have ever ridden with about my hearing limitations.
We had a mixed representation of rider levels & horse levels - besides myself there was a BN/N rider, and two Training level riders. Peter devised adaptable exercises for us, breaking things down to maintaining a good rhythm and making the riders stay in a correct position.
Holden was feeling his oats and was uncharacteristically wild at the beginning, but settled into a rhythm towards the end. Peter had some very kind things to say about Holden, but delivered valid feedback on me and how I am frankly, not giving my horse a chance. This is a big rider flaw of mine, I’ve become a bit passive and locked down in approaches to fences, and have a bad habit of not asserting a good presentation to fences. He delivered honest, but fair feedback to everyone in the group.
He had the group trot and walk several fences in the beginning, emphasizing a correct rider position and good rhythm. He tested our technical knowledge by asking the group several questions about types of fences and what kind of ride they require.
I did not feel like a single exercise was “too easy” - it was just the right amount of challenge. The ladies I was with were all much better riders than me, but from observation I think he did give them some challenges too.
I signed up for BN thinking it’d be nice if we dipped our toe out of our comfort zone a bit by doing IDK, maybe one boogey fence or something - but by the end of the clinic, I was jumping solid Novice fences including a Novice bank down, a steeplechase slant brush fence, Novice logs & coops… And the interesting thing to me was, that other than the steeplechase fence (which I admit was a boogey fence for ME), I barely even noticed that we had gone from baby fences to stuff much meatier than we were used to jumping.
I enjoyed his sense of humor and really liked the exercises he gave me. One thing I thought was really important, was that he took the time to think after each and every ride, giving each person different feedback and sometimes different exercises based on that feedback. I feel like I have walked away from this clinic with some new tools in my toolbox, and, I appreciated that Peter called me out on something I really needed to hear, which is that my horse needs a leader and I need to be a better rider and leader for him. He did not mince his words but his delivery was tactful and kind. I am taking it to heart and hoping that the next time we ride with him, I can show him I’ve become the rider my horse needs.
@bornfreenowexpensive I have ridden with Jimmy and know what you mean about liking someone who calls you out on your shit. I think you would like Peter. I’ve already emailed the event organizers expressing interest in riding with him again if he comes back. I would have signed up for today as well, but Holden worked hard yesterday and I think two clinics back to back might be a stretch for him.
To sum it up - I had a blast, and I’m really grateful for my farrier, all the organizers & to Peter for putting on such a fun clinic. I WILL be looking out for him in our area again!!
ETA – here are some pictures, including a very candid naughty moment :lol: I wanted to show all the pictures but a few of them have spectators/minors/other riders in them and I’m not sure I should share them on a public forum! But you can have the unflattering video of the steeple chase fence, which scared yours truly –
https://imgur.com/a/kJaK8UO
@beowulf Thank you for the great clinic report! That is what I remember loving about riding with Peter – you’ve made me want to get back to it enough to do it again!
Thanks for the update, I’ll definitely sign up to ride with Peter if he ever comes to my area! Great photos, and love your smile in the water jump pic!
Peter is scheduled to give a clinic here in Ontario next month. Curious how he can travel here after being in the US? Borders are closed, no?
Was the clinic scheduled before the border was closed? If so, maybe it is simply a case of no one has given that hurdle a thought yet.
no it was just put on the schedule. I’m going to guess he has to quarantine for 14 days when he gets here, so I truly hope that is the case. Otherwise colour me concerned.
Peter is Canadian, and should have no issue crossing the border into Canada. He will have to quarantine for 14 days, and they have been asking a lot of questions at the border (where are you staying? Who will be bringing you groceries?). There is also quite a bit of follow up - when my brother came up, he received 5+ calls checking in on him, asking questions about his activities, and there was the possibility of an in-person check as well.
thank you for settling my fears 
I was supposed to have the Hawley clinic at the beginning of July. She is also Canadian, but they opted to not have her 
She could’ve quarantined for 14 days, but probably losing out on more money by being here those extra days in lock down. Will be interesting to see what they do with Peter’s clinic, fingers crossed for you Jealoushe!
honestly I don’t know if I will go to that one, I am way too nervous about the COVID spread from the US.
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