Very funny clinic spectators advice...

I have been to a few clinics and demos and sadly I have to say that I don't like paying to just watch anymore.
There is a whole heap of free stuff to download, on you tube and other sites from the comfort of your own home and not in a cold indoor school in winter, where you sit from 10 till 4pm. Been there, done that. :giggle:
 
No really good trainers come to near where I live, so I don't have the option of riding which I would love... so I have to go & watch as I pick up lots more than from a video. Prefer to pay £25/day to watch than £210 for a set of videos that will gather dust (for me anyway!).

Have to say I've learned a TON from just watching. (Just back from watching Martin Black in Doncaster) I write it all down then come back and practise with my horse. Met tons of great friends from this plus there's always great cake :D
 
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You are right that the physical hardship of watching a clinic in freezing cold, snow or pouring rain is considerable. Also the expense of bed and breakfast on solitary dark evenings. But I found watching Monty Roberts, Rashid, Maxwell etc work with individual horses in the flesh far more enlightening than watching their dvds.
I guess I did all that the article requires of a beginner - took copious notes many of which I was unable to read afterwards or didnt have the energy to type up.
But I notice that the down turn (or YouTube, newforest?) may have altered things.

I would like to take OH and grand daughter to watch some trainers but there don't seem to be the clinics around these days, especially near London.

Any NR suggestions for upcoming opportunities would be welcome.
 
There are yearly clinics near me, we get Monty Roberts come once a year, Ken Faulkner visits the area as well.
Ben Hart and one other actually came to my town and I walked to that clinic. I forget the name of the demo that my friends horses were used for over a summer the year before same place.
We also have I believe four known horsemanship trainers within an hour so its not like we don't get people holding clinics.
There was a weekend clinic in connection with the Caroline Resnick Waterholes-i declined that purely on the cost.

In my area we have about six venues within an hour that have demos and clinics. I travelled a bit further a field to watch dressage to music one year. If I checked what's on between now and Christmas I would be spoilt for choice on where to go, so the internet hasn't changed that, I have changed. Now I would take my own horse or have lesson or two with the trainer on my own horse.
I was going to have a lesson with Lucinda Mcalpine, just as I was curious. :happy:

Eta, just had a quick look and I could go and see Mary Bromiley as she is holding a clinic.
 
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She is in Devon this weekend. Can pm you the link if I can find where I found it.
 
New Forrest - I would like any links or websites to find clinics please - also recommendations of trainersa who you personally think good.

I will in theory take grand daughter to see Monty Robets one day but he does evenings at our local college and she cant go out to an evenining clinic weekdays in term time.

You mention Lucinda McAlpine - Did you go to her? It was an article in the Times about her and the way she kept her dressage horses that changed my riding life. I had ridden 2 years, conventional BHS training and learned to groom and untack etc but that article was my first inkling of NH, my first day out with NH people - I still remember every detail. And she talked to me so kindly. Like I was an intelligent adult! She is remarkable and I wish she had been able to remain nearer to the South East.
The next year I took tiny grand daughter and she was totally inspired -
 
Its hard for me to recommend people because its personal choice, what I usually tell people is to watch how that person interacts with their own horse away from clinics, demos, the public and observe them when they don't think they are being observed and watch.

I have to confess and I feel bad in doing so for my ponys sake that one trainer I had I was worried to leave them alone with my pony, that wasn't a pleasant thought to go through my head. I want a trainer who I can trust with my pony to correct kindly if needs be, but whom I don't worry what they are doing to them when I am out of sight. My pony voted with its feet as well and didn't want to be left with them either. I got a new trainer pdq!
That's what led me to the above about the watching. I know people who watch me handle my cob and think I am too soft, or they don't agree with what I do or how I do, but they trust me to interact with theirs as I would handle theirs with the same level of kindness as I do my own.
 
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