Clinics Offered By Chris
[ Basic Clinic ] [ One-On-One Clinic ] [ Versatility Clinic ] [ Confidence Clinic ]
Clinics are designed to be a fun, relaxed and interactive group environment where everybody can learn from everybody. Chris is extremely flexible and adaptable in setting up a clinic to accommodate your group and its’ specific needs. Auditors are encouraged to come and watch and to participate by asking questions on what is being worked on in the clinic.
Clinics can be anywhere from one to four days long with different format options available:
Please contact Chris with questions on pricing and for more information.
Any spectator fees go directly to the ranch/group hosting the clinic.
BASIC GROUP CLINIC
(1-4 days, up to 6 people per session)
A basic group clinic is split into morning and afternoon sessions, with each session lasting around 3 hours. Chris can work with the same group of people all day, or participants can be split into two groups based on similar abilities, such as beginners in the morning session and the more advanced in the afternoon session.
Here are some common topics covered:
GROUNDWORK
- How to get and keep your horse’s complete attention
- How to control your horse’s movement and energy
- How to help your horse to control its’ flight instinct
- Flexions and yields that soften your horse on the ground and in riding
- How to make the transition to riding
- Ways to keep your horse interested and having fun
RIDING
- How to get and keep a safe and natural seat in riding
- How to control your horse in any riding situation
- Soft feel to the go (seat and leg) and the whoa (seat and reins)
- The five body parts of the horse that are the base of all riding movement
- Working at all speeds, collection and advanced movements
ONE-ON-ONE CLINIC
(2-4 days, up to 5 people per day)
The format for these clinics has Chris working with a horse and owner one on one, working on whatever the owner wants, from beginning groundwork and preparing the horse for riding to advanced riding and any sort of problem solving. This style of clinic focuses on complete individual attention to the horse and owner. One on one clinics should be at least two days long, with participants and their horses working over multiple sessions. Auditors are welcome as well, with the opportunity to watch the in-depth work with each horse and owner.
HORSE & RIDER VERSATILITY CLINIC
(1-2 days long, up to 10 people)
A very fun clinic for both horse and rider. This clinic has a course with as many as 20 different obstacles of varying degrees of difficulty that Chris sets up at the site of the clinic that the horse and rider must navigate through to the best of their ability. The beginning morning session (one day clinic) or the first day (two day clinic) is devoted to practice and taking the time to patiently teach the horse to confidently go through each obstacle from the ground and in riding, with the emphasis on good horsemanship and teamwork between horse and human.
We then start the competition portion of the clinic in a fun and supportive environment. Each horse and rider pair is timed through the course and judged on their horsemanship at each obstacle. Your time does count but it is your horsemanship that matters the most. At the end the scores are tallied and awards are given out for most improved, most humorous moment, most connected to your horse moment, and best overall score.
The versatility clinic is always a fun clinic that gets everyone laughing and having a good time with their horses. I am always amazed at how this clinic continually brings out the best in both horse and rider and takes them to new heights in their connection.
CONFIDENCE CLINIC
(1-4 days long, up to 5 people)
Confidence and fear with horses is a common concern among many horse owners. Sooner or later, in some way or another, we all have to deal with fear when it comes to our interaction with horses. Why? Because they are so much bigger than us. But there are ways of preparing ourselves and our horses through attitude, training and technique where we can turn that fear into a strong confidence to the point where we feel safe all the time, and we have fun all the time with our horses.
The Confidence Clinic is a very personalized clinic based on group exercises as well as one-on-one exercises. An equal amount of time is spent on groundwork and in riding with a focus on the individual and what they need to help them develop the confidence they need to feel completely comfortable with their horse.