chanda, i understand your concern, but it might help to look at it from another angle. Maybe, just maybe what will happen is that Chase will respond in a positive way. I have a very high strung, sensative tb, that by no means likes all riders. One of Canada’s top riders got on him, and let me tell you, she cantered that horse around on a loose rein, throwing in small jumps as she went. He was relaxed, and responsive. I have it on tape, it really was amazing. Please try to go into the clinic with an open positive mind as usually our fears turn out to be unfounded. Good luck, and i hope you have a great time.
My advice would be this - you cannot control every little thing that happens. We all try; we’re all control freaks. But they’re horses and they usually don’t break as easily as we think they might.
I have organized many clinics and will organize many more. I am always politely tolerant of the participants who have a lot of “if A then B” conditions. As the organizer, I normally brief the clinician on the riders the first day, then the clinician does their own research.
Aside from Blyth Tait, who got on three horses the weekend he taught for me in Dallas, Kim Severson - for whom I’ve organized six clinics, has ridden one horse during that entire time.
For the most part, riders at that level don’t want to take a chance on a less-than-safe horse. (Edgy New Zealander’s aside!)
Try to clear your mind and be open to new ideas and philosophies. Otherwise, you’re wasting $400.
Robby
AA, I know for a fact that I am already much more prepared than some of the people who are doing the clinic. That is why I am doing a level down from what I think my horse can do. Like I said there is one woman who has not even ridden her horses for the last 2 years. I have got to be more prepared than her!
I think Richard would be fine on Chase. He’s a very soft rider who meshes well with all types of horses. It’d probably be good for you to watch your horse go and see how he is with a rider like Richard. And he would be able to tell if he is upsetting your horse and why and work with the problem correctly.
Well good luck to you - I hope you can report back that you had a wonderful time and learned a lot. I’m sure we’d all like to hear about the format and information shared.
This post no longer had meaning since the other was deleted before I could get here to “edit.”
Please return to your regularly scheduled COTHness.
There is a Bible scripture that reads, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.” Which is fine if living in your own protective bubble is satisfying to you. But if you want to go farther, learn more, and improve your riding and your horse, you must be willing and able to step out of your comfort zone a little bit.
Along the lines of Merry’s GM experience: I got the fantastic chance to lesson with George a few years ago. I rode one of his horses, as I couldn’t get someone to trailer mine. At home, I was jumping VERY small fences and working on my own, VERY conservatively; my nature is to never come close to “overdoing” anything. Anyway, I got into this lesson and the jumps were going up, up, up…I hadn’t jumped that high in years, nor had I done any lines as complicated as what he was giving me. I had a momentary panic; all I could think was, “OMG, he doesn’t know I might not be able do this!” My first time through the “higher” line reflected my fear…I kept choking down, adding, breaking to a trot, chipping in. George got after me to “GALLOP!” So I did the only thing I could do: I trusted him, I trusted the horse I was on, and I trusted myself. As soon as that happened, I found myself doing things I never thought I could! And I realized that if someone like George Morris thinks I can do something, I CAN do it; if he didn’t think I could, he wouldn’t ask.
IMO, the whole point of progressive training, and especially clinics/lessons with top trainers, is getting past those things you “can’t” do. Just because you can’t make yourself or your horse do something at home, either because of a missing skill or a preconceived notion (“every time we try x, y happens”) doesn’t mean someone else can’t find a way, a loophole you and your regular trainer haven’t considered.
I think if you want to do this clinic, you need to clear all of Chase’s “exceptions” from your mind, go as you are, and see what Richard can help you with. If you are unable/unwilling to do this, it would be better to audit. 
You must have totally forgot about “The YOUNG Black Stallion” - just goes to show that even the Black let TWO people ride him. So there! 
I have never cliniced with him or even met him but I do see him around the shows and he is very friendly. I think you have the right idea in coming neatly dressed, clean horse and well equipped… It should be fun! Yes, please do report back if you will!
Sometimes consideration for other clinic attendees is more important than getting your money’s worth.
Really, Chanda, I would think that someone like Linda Allen, a top-notch clinician, would know it better than you.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> She should be able to do most of the exercises. If, for example, there is a bending line to the left, and the horse can’t be bent left safely, then all she needs to do is politely ask Mr. Spooner for permission to do the line backwards, which will now make it a bending line to the RIGHT! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I think the ADA would find that acceptable. 
You are totally right. I think I just explained Chases condition poorly.
What I was trying to say is that If I ride Chase a certain way I continue to strengthen his shoulder and balance his body so he gets straighter and straighter and stronger and stronger. I have worked on this for the last two years and I am very proud of what we have accomplished because it was really hard work.
When I left for two weeks I had someone who I trust longe him lightly for me everyday. When I came back I found that he was a little sore in his bad shoulder and not moving as well as he was when I left. I totally expected this.
I guard that shoulder very carefully when I ride him, I protect him from ANY possible pain because I care for him that much. I know when it is hurting and I know when it is strong.
I have been riding him and jumping him for the last two weeks to prepare him for this clinic and he is doing really well. I think we are decently prepared because his shoulder feels very strong right now.
I just want to guard him against any strain to that shoulder. I am only able to protect him if I am the one riding him because I can FEEL it.
I feel like I can do most of what the clinic will ask of us and I think that as long as I can make sure my horse is feeling OK that we will both have a good time. Having fun is my whole reason for doing this. I just want to get out there and do some great flat work and jump over a few small jumps. I am sure that I will learn all sorts of cool stuff.
You will have to forgive me if I try with all my might to protect my horse. He has been through so much already.
If there is even a 5 percent chance that Chase will hurt his shoulder than I would rather not have someone else get on because I know 100% that I will not allow his shoulder to get hurt.
Chanda,
I doubt that the clinician would even try to get on every horse and just let the organizer know. I doubt that a clinician would even ask if they know you are going to say no.
Have fun. I love clinics and I’ve only had one actual “clinician” get on my horse, that was a dressage rider. The rest of the clinics were devoted to teaching me.
I’ve had 2 jumper trainers ride my horse, one was interested in trying her because he would have liked to have sold her (and I did take lessons from him), the other was at the end of a lesson to see how she felt after watching us go.
So long as you can be unobtrusive in stepping out if necessary, then no biggie.
I personally find that I don’t “audit” as well when I’m riding as I do if I just go audit. I’m too busy absorbing what was said to me to really absorb what is being said to the other groups. Plus, horse care takes up a big chunk of time.
Mel
Isn’t this one a no brainer?
You don’t think your horse is “fit” for the clinic, you don’t really have an interest in trying new things and you don’t trust someone else getting on your horse in order to better understand his way of going and improve both you and the horse…
For the sake of the clinician, the other participants and your horse…don’t go!
Going to the clinic would be completely selfish and inconsiderate to everyone involved.
Chalk the $400 up to a lesson learned…and stick with your current program, since it works so well for you.
1 Like
Good booie,
He’s not lame. He just can’t bend to one direction. She should be able to do most of the exercises. If, for example, there is a bending line to the left, and the horse can’t be bent left safely, then all she needs to do is politely ask Mr. Spooner for permission to do the line backwards, which will now make it a bending line to the RIGHT! Same exercise, only safer for a horse handicapped with the ill misfortune of having been crooked in the womb.
What’s wrong with shoulder in and haunches in? I do those to strengthen his shoulder?
I think you are just trying to be argumentitive now and I am not going to respond anymore.
Chanda, I don’t mean this in a rude way at all, but after reading this thread, I think you may find it wise to really re-read your own posts and what people are saying to you, you may someday see why people treat you the way they do. I also get the feeling that even if your horse had absolutely nothing whatsoever wrong with him, you would manage to find something, as well as a reason no one could ride him except you.
Pocket Pony, I think you should do a GM clinic with Paddy sooner than later, I happen to know for a fact you are 100% ready for one. Remind me to tell you the story about the video Gunnar has of her clinic experience. There was one girl in the clinic on one heck of a difficult horse that she rode at the last minute, it was hilarious. GM also got on Gunnar’s horse Bodie and ended up doing a piaffe that would have made even the most talented GP dressage rider proud.
Thanks guys!
The only thing I am nervous about is pushing my horse too far. He is really just cantering single fences right now and I don’t want to end up doing too much. But (and this is a big BUT) I am spending $400 and I want to get my moneys worth. I don’t want to feel like I am wasting all that money just because my horse is unable to do the things he has planned. The clinic is just a great thing at a really bad time for me. At the same time, when a guy like that comes to your barn you can’t say no.
Saddith, it is right in the middle of Santa Ynez. Email me and I can give you the girls number who it setting it up.
5 years ago, I probably would have been in the “oh, nobody rides my horses but me” camp, but now, I’ve realized that is ridiculous…mostly because I have too many horses, so it is a practical matter, but also, I realize that often, another rider, a skilled rider can find out what I’m feeling or doing wrong, and help me correct it after feeling the horse.
Another thing is that I don’t think that one ride is going to “ruin” my horse. If I see something that I think will be damaging, I can tell them to get off my horse, to stop. Yes, it would be uncomfortable, but that would be very rare. Most riders who I’d clinic with would not be so insensitive to the horse and if the horse wasn’t fit enough for even work, I’d take another.
I tend to think that “nobody rides my horse but me” is an amateur prima donna attitude that really does no favors to the horse, but as it is the owner’s horse, nobody can force them into letting another on their horse.
Interestingly, my fabulous and hot mare, I’ve only had 3 clinicians/instructors want to get on her to have a “feel”. And, it was only once each and every one of them used that to give me better feedback.
Mel
Said Chanda: <BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>maybe open up my mind for a change. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> 
Between the saddle fitting, coat, whips, double bridle, rein length, psuedo-dressage, nose-touching-ass and all of the other trite stuff which we are peeing ourselves about, you have already demonstrated that the mind is not only closed, it is welded shut.
My guess is that Chase would just squeal with delight to be ridden by one of our top international riders, who can make his mom’s school horses look like something Anky would take to World Cup, who would make Chase bend and stretch and lengthen and do it all without double whips, a double bridle and being held to one side.
He deserves it! But most emphatically not in a clinic full of other people who paid to learn! You’re not even tacked up and you’ve already closed yourself off to learning a thing, but you’re prepared to go and let innocent people piss away $400 because you, in your unwavering determination to prove that you are right, have already decided that Richard is wrong, and will waste everyone else’s time and money while you try and prove it to everyone else. 
