Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

clinics "for the rest of us"

From: Karen

Dear Jessica, I ride mostly for pleasure and recreation, but I have always been interested in attending a clinic. I don't really know why but I just feel that there is something "special" about a clinic. In the last few years I have become more interested in dressage and eventing, and my husband has marked an arena for me at home and built me a few jumps. I will probably never compete in dressage or eventing! I am not ambitious that way! But I would still like to attend a clinic. I live in an area that is not exactly full of big stables, most people who have horses just own one or two horses and keep them on their own land. That's one reason we moved here, there are lots of trails and people are nice and not snooty, but with no big fancy stables we don't have any clinics. When I go to the tack store and see signs for clinics that I can't go to, because they are all very expensive and they are all held at big stables that are several hours of driving time from here, I feel very wistful and frustrated. Is there any such thing as a clinic for people like me who don't have a lot of money and don't care about showing? How do people get to hold a clinic? Do the clinicians just call the stables and tell them they are coming, or how does it work? How do you get in touch with clinicians? I don't want to drive for five hours to get somewhere I will have to pay a lot for stabling and a hotel, plus hundreds of dollars to ride for one hour, but I really want to attend a clinic. I love your book "Riding For The Rest Of Us" because it's information for real people but you never talk down to anybody, which is also why I love your horse-sense service. Does anybody give clinics "for the rest of us"????

Karen

Hi Karen! I had to smile at the idea that clinicians call stables and announce that they're going to come and teach there -- I could just hear the chorus of clinicians shouting "YO! I only WISH!" Actually we don't do that, it's the other way around: the stable manager or owner contacts the clinician and says "We're interested in a clinic next year, do you have any free weekends in September?" Then the clinician says "Yes, the third weekend is free, did you want a two-day or a three-day clinic?", and the conversation goes on from there. Or, in a case where the stable manager has heard that a clinician is good, but doesn't really know what that person teaches, she will ask the clinician to send information about his/her teaching methods, subjects, and style. And it's always a good idea to talk to other people who have ridden with the clinician!

Now, as for the question of whether there are clinics "for the rest of us" -- of course there are! Some clinicians are strongly show-oriented, just as some riders are show-oriented. But there are many who are not, and who are quite happy to work with riders who just want to improve their riding for the sake of improving their riding. ;-) I teach a lot of clinics like this, and I enjoy the recreational riders just as much as I do the upper-level dressage and eventing riders -- I'm interested in teaching ANYONE who wants to improve riding skills, training skills, communication with horses... anyone who wants to improve, period. ;-) And there are other clinicians who feel the same way.

If your area is full of people with a few horses on a few acres, why not call or visit as many of them as you can, and talk to them about your clinic idea? There's a good chance that some of these riders would like to attend a clinic too, and may feel just as "wistful and frustrated" as you do when they see advertisements for far-away, very costly clinics. From a practical standpoint, you can figure that if you can get seven other people who want to take two lessons each, and you take two lessons, you've filled up all the time slots of a two-day clinic. Be sure to give them an accurate idea of what their lessons will cost. Most clinicians charge a daily fee plus expenses, so don't just compare the fees! A nearby clinician with a higher daily fee might actually prove to be LESS expensive than a far-away clinician with a lower daily fee and a more expensive plane ticket. But don't assume that a far-away clinician will necessarily cost more to bring in -- many of us travel and teach multiple clinics in a certain area or along a certain route, and it's often possible for clinic organizers to get together and SHARE the expenses of a single clinician. One-half or one-third of a plane ticket isn't such a frightening expense! ;-) Travel isn't the only expense -- if the clinician wants to stay in a hotel or B&B and eat at restaurants, it will cost more than if he/she stays with you or another clinic participant, and eat with the family or the clinic riders. There's a lot to take into account.

Facilities: Depending on where you live and what your weather is like, and whether it's predictable at certain times of year, you may not even need an indoor or covered arena. If you can find a large arena (indoor, covered, or outdoor) with decent footing, you've got a venue. You'll have to arrange water and shade for participants (human and equine), and maybe seating for spectators, but people who really want a clinic can be very resourceful, bringing their own marquees and their own folding chairs, tying horses to trailers (pretend it's a show), and organizing a potluck lunch for the entire group (someone has to bring tables). If you want to put on a clinic, you do NOT have to have a fancy stable, miles of white fencing, or an arena with mirrors on the walls! I've taught jumping clinics in a field with five jumps, and dressage clinics in anything resembling a flat area. Don't let the lack of a super-stable keep you from having a clinic -- if you take your time, find the right clinician, and organize it carefully, it will be lots of fun and a great learning experience. Clinics CAN be very special.

I've written a short guide for people who are interested in holding a clinic, and I'll be adding it to my web pages this weekend. You're welcome to print it out and keep it for reference. It's called "Suggestions for Clinic Organizers."

Jessica

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