tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post2201264947558043003..comments2023-09-05T08:28:07.184-04:00Comments on It's Quarters for Me: Equine Affaire: Clinicianssmazourekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-590459456155482642012-04-20T15:44:03.332-04:002012-04-20T15:44:03.332-04:00Great report! I am disappointed about the dressag...Great report! I am disappointed about the dressage instructor. I would have been most excited about that one, and most disappointed. Clinic experiences like that reinforce negative perspectives of the sport, which make me sad. That pretty much exemplifies why I am so cautious about choosing someone for private instruction. Unfortunately, there were probably spectators who would be quick to criticize if the horse's nose popped up. This might have made the riders even more focused on their horse's faces.Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07335385366138424092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-32251540886238437072012-04-19T12:58:56.458-04:002012-04-19T12:58:56.458-04:00I only got to her first clinic- preparing the hors...I only got to her first clinic- preparing the horse to ride bridleless by making sure the horse really knows how to stop and back. She advocates teaching 3 different stop/backing cues:<br /><br />1) saying "whoa"<br />2) using the reins<br />3) using a seat/leg cue (leaning back and waving your feet at their shoulders)<br /><br />She said that any of these should work on their own to stop the horse. If you have to use all three to stop then you really don't have much control and you certainly can't ride without a bridle.smazourekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-62412757564246068192012-04-19T12:54:11.622-04:002012-04-19T12:54:11.622-04:00I wish more would do that. I've been to too ma...I wish more would do that. I've been to too many clinics where poor riders just get their egos stroked by the clinician.<br /><br />I watched the Masterson DVD last night and thought it was pretty good, it's meant to be an addition to the book so it doesn't quite have as much information as it could. Still, it was only $35 so why not?<br /><br />His method works by tying into the horse's nervous system. You search for the areas where there is tension (the horse will blink or twitch the lips) and then hold your hand over the area until the horse releases the tension (licking and chewing, yawning, shaking the neck, etc). It seems like it couldn't possibly work but it does.smazourekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-1817242839112639652012-04-19T12:32:22.555-04:002012-04-19T12:32:22.555-04:00It sounds like a lot to hear and see. Your head w...It sounds like a lot to hear and see. Your head was probably swimming after all that. I would really like to hear more about Westfall said about riding bitless...that's something I'm interested in.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14303523299217618526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-23613713533918994382012-04-19T11:14:33.683-04:002012-04-19T11:14:33.683-04:00I love it when clinicians actually have the guts t...I love it when clinicians actually have the guts to tell people that they just need to work on becoming a better rider. It's pretty hard to get a horse to do anything or stop doing something if you can barely ride. ;-)<br /><br />I would be really interested in hearing more about Jim Masterson. I'll google him, but if you have any deeper insight into his presentation...that would be awesome to hear. :-)BrownEyed Cowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-785160346910979202012-04-19T10:33:40.830-04:002012-04-19T10:33:40.830-04:00In total agreement with you about Flettrich. He...In total agreement with you about Flettrich. He's not getting any of MY money.<br /><br />Notice I didn't mention anything about Parelli's humanality clinic that I watched. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all...smazourekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-47345389032057438462012-04-18T23:22:52.056-04:002012-04-18T23:22:52.056-04:00Ugh, that dressage trainer, yuck. I saw someone oo...Ugh, that dressage trainer, yuck. I saw someone oohing and ahhing over him one day. Talk about crank and spank! From there I looked his website up. All his students have turned in hands with the horses' highest point being the 3rd vertebrae.<br /> I like westfall. Parelli, another Blech from me for their training but a gold star for marketing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-16963836608532065422012-04-18T19:59:24.685-04:002012-04-18T19:59:24.685-04:00I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around...I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that you don't need to knead their muscles to get them to loosen. Thus my problem with too much pressure. I'm going to watch the video and try to ooze it all in.<br /><br />Yeah, it was hard to take the Parelli stuff seriously when the riding was so poor- except that the horses were still stretching down. That's why I gave it a 2 out of 3.smazourekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-40728731576884087762012-04-18T19:55:06.968-04:002012-04-18T19:55:06.968-04:00Why thank you :)
Hopefully I won't disappoint...Why thank you :)<br /><br />Hopefully I won't disappoint with my next post. I got a lot out of his clinics but that doesn't mean I'll be able to put it into words in a way that makes sense. I'll do my best.smazourekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-9402473774564033162012-04-18T19:53:29.802-04:002012-04-18T19:53:29.802-04:00He definitely knew his stuff and had a lot to say ...He definitely knew his stuff and had a lot to say about having the horse round and stretching the horse down for relaxation. When he would actually demo it looked good, he just didn't do enough of it.smazourekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-63741199846767018032012-04-18T19:52:17.764-04:002012-04-18T19:52:17.764-04:00LOVE me some Masterson! My Masterson lady who work...LOVE me some Masterson! My Masterson lady who worked on Laz reminded me the pressure on their skin is either to literally HOVER over it, OR as gentle a touch, as if you were to touch a raw egg yolk without breaking/poking it. It helped me but YES, I too have a tendency to want to go harder... Laz loves this method. LOTS of releases :) <br />Interesting about the Parelli, I have seen on some of their videos a rider holding the front of their saddle, maybe to avoid pulling the mouth? But I think that's called CORE ;) I do think they have good methods that HELP people who are on their own. ie; me for starts, we do a bit of Parelli and I enjoy what we do :)Kristen Eleni Shellenbargerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01458744919530540978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-75726764252684877502012-04-18T19:29:24.313-04:002012-04-18T19:29:24.313-04:00I think it's good that you could pick and choo...I think it's good that you could pick and choose from all the clinicians and see who you thought made sense. That only proves that you're a thinking rider and can dissect what looks and sounds right or wrong. There isn't one clinician I would advocate for except maybe Mark Rashid. I've never been to one of his clinics but so far he's the only clinician who seems to not be in it solely for the money. I'll be interested in what you thought of him and his methods.Grey Horse Mattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05837575441967937196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-62776680064371459142012-04-18T18:28:44.410-04:002012-04-18T18:28:44.410-04:00Welcome back! Sounds like you had a great time, b...Welcome back! Sounds like you had a great time, but you must have been busy! It's too bad that the western dressage guy was boring... I was looking forward to your review on that one. I had to google Aaron Ralston but I agree with you. :)in2paintshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15721328264615241612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-83783704964653939972012-04-18T14:18:31.062-04:002012-04-18T14:18:31.062-04:00Right- because if they were wearing helmets they w...Right- because if they were wearing helmets they would be admitting that they didn't think their horses were safe. *eyeroll* Still, I did find it amusing that Linda Parelli ended up being a better advocate for dressage than Flettrich.smazourekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029180368325070266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-58050772348411839632012-04-18T13:07:10.889-04:002012-04-18T13:07:10.889-04:00Sorry - that first line should read "...Parel...Sorry - that first line should read "...Parelli clinic WEREN'T wearing helmets...Wolfiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04743943656869294788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3374098783533915699.post-82990917228660687942012-04-18T13:05:19.429-04:002012-04-18T13:05:19.429-04:00Great summary! Found it interesting that riders i...Great summary! Found it interesting that riders in the Parelli clinic were wearing helmets. I would have thought it would have been mandatory for all participants because of the liability. And, not impressed with Todd Flettrich for advocating archaic practices! Here is an opportunity to promote a kinder way of doing things, and he blew it. Shame. I like Aaron Ralston's approach to spooking! "....you can't take the spook out of your horse, you can only change how you respond to the spook as a rider". Makes sense.Wolfiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04743943656869294788noreply@blogger.com