Riding in a clinic...with a dilemma

[Jennasis]

I have a question for you guys. Of course I plan on posing it to my trainer as well. Here goes:

My barn is having a clinic with a well known Olympic rider. I quickly signed up. I WAS planning on using a horse I was going to be leasing but the lease fell through. I do have my own horse, but I had promised my half-boarder that she could ride my horse in the clinic. I could ride a school horse in the clinic, but I am not paricularly comfortable taking any of them in there. The ones that could really do well in there are taken already.

The clinic is one hour long with 8 riders. We are having two sections…one for the juniors, and one for the adults and trainers. The juniors will be maxing out at around 2’6-2’9".

My question? Would it be horrible of me to ride MY horse, after he’s gone through one hour with my young half-boarder? He is extremely athletic and in great shape. He jumps great, and has never had any soundness issues. He’d get the next 2 days off (and of course be poulticed and wrapped).

I’m just thinking that with 8 people in each of the classes, how many jumps will each horse actually get in?

This is desperation, since I don’t want to miss out on this wonderful experience, I don’t want to disappoint my half-boarder after making her a promise, and I CAN’T take a schoolie (all the best ones are spoken for). Any thoughts?

[Weatherford]

Mike is great and EASY to talk to - just tell him the situation, and it will all work out fine!

Enjoy yourself!

[Lucassb]

With eight riders per session, there isn’t going to be much jumping, and an hour isn’t that long.

I’d view it as something akin to a horseshow, where you might have a few classes in the morning, and perhaps a class or two in the afternoon. You’d probably do some flat and jump at least a few before each “session.” If reasonably fit, your horse should handle it just fine, I’d think.

---

To appreciate heaven well
'Tis good for a man to have some fifteen minutes of hell.
Will Carleton (1845-1912)

[Jennasis]

I have a question for you guys. Of course I plan on posing it to my trainer as well. Here goes:

My barn is having a clinic with a well known Olympic rider. I quickly signed up. I WAS planning on using a horse I was going to be leasing but the lease fell through. I do have my own horse, but I had promised my half-boarder that she could ride my horse in the clinic. I could ride a school horse in the clinic, but I am not paricularly comfortable taking any of them in there. The ones that could really do well in there are taken already.

The clinic is one hour long with 8 riders. We are having two sections…one for the juniors, and one for the adults and trainers. The juniors will be maxing out at around 2’6-2’9".

My question? Would it be horrible of me to ride MY horse, after he’s gone through one hour with my young half-boarder? He is extremely athletic and in great shape. He jumps great, and has never had any soundness issues. He’d get the next 2 days off (and of course be poulticed and wrapped).

I’m just thinking that with 8 people in each of the classes, how many jumps will each horse actually get in?

This is desperation, since I don’t want to miss out on this wonderful experience, I don’t want to disappoint my half-boarder after making her a promise, and I CAN’T take a schoolie (all the best ones are spoken for). Any thoughts?

[Tootsie]

I believe your horse will be fine. I have gone to clinics with an hour dressage lesson in the morning, and then a two hour jumping lesson in the afternoon. This both days. Just be sure that your horse is fit enough to be able to handle the work. Do some extra conditioning and lots of TLC and he will be fine to do both lessons.

“The Assyrian program of exterminating various ethnic groups generally failed to promote cultural diversity.”-- Non Campus Mentis

[In_The_Gate]

No, I think you shouldn’t feel too guilty about making him do two hours, especially with the fences at those heights. Think about what the school horses do every day, and you won’t feel so bad! I’m sure he’ll be fine, especailly if you are planning on giving him a couple day break after.

Valerie
~VWiles02@yahoo.com~
Valerie’s home page

[Evalee_Hunter]

I have watched my daughter take lessons & ride in a clinic with Phillip Dutton, as well as ride in clinics with Bruce Davidson, Lucinda Green, Jimmy Wofford, etc. & I think it would be pretty hard for a horse to do 2 jumping sessions with any of those people. Even with several students in a session, the horse might do 40 to 60 jumping efforts in an hour. And why would juniors max out so low? I would think that how high the jumps are would depend on the skills of the juniors & I would hope that most would have the skills to be doing better than 3 feet (novice CT is 2’11"). There are certainly tons of juniors in eventing doing 3’6" or more.

[Cactuskate]

If you were to let the clinician know ahead of both sessions, the whole situation I am sure they could moderate the workout without loosing any content.

I would definetly utilize your horse since he is fit rather than blow the money on a horse you did not really want to ride.

Best of luck, bet you learn a bunch.

“The older I get, the better I used to be, but who the heck cares!”

[findeight]

If it’s only a one hour session you are really only talking about a lesson not what most of us think of when we hear the word clinic-we’re used to the 2 hour kind back to back days on the weekend, that would be too much. I had to reread to be sure what you were saying as usually when you say juniors we think of Jr hunters and jumpers at 3’6" plus.
From what you describe I don’t think your horse will have any trouble at all packing both of you.
I hope this is not real expensive for you, indeed 8 horses will not get much individual work in a one hour session.

From Allergy Valley USA

[Jennasis]

Oh…When i said juniors I meant the under 18 crowd.

The clinician is Michael Paige. I’m really looking forward to it. I spoke to my trainer and she said she was going to think about it (about whether it would be a good idea). I think she’s leaning towards approval. yay!

We are doing two one-hour long sessions. One for the young-ins, and one for the adults.