Clinic Ready
We had the honor of hosting the Lisa Anderson Clinic to benefit AAHJA . Prior to the clinic, I heard comments like, “I’m not ready,” “my horse still can’t do a lead change,” and my favorite “my horse isn’t ready to be seen yet.” Hmmm last time I checked, a clinic is about furthering education. So isn’t it appropriate for your horse to have things to learn?
As a clinician, I often have students apologize because their horse was less than perfect. He was different than the rider is accustomed to during their normal rides. I like to take these opportunities to tell the students that we could not have a better teaching platform. The misbehavior or tension the rider is perceiving will occur again, probably at a show. Through a clinic, when your horse is less than perfect, this gives the rider the opportunity to utilize the ideas that will assist in future when those "moments" occur. Who wants to walk out of a clinic with only a "good job, nice horse"?
Likewise, Coach Anderson did exactly the same thing, in this clinic. She accessed each horse/rider combination. She formulated exercises that fit the greater group, yet isolated specific issues needing improvement for each combination. One rider dropped one stirrup, one rider did a backwards windmill one arm at a time at the trot and canter, one rider became a human longe line, and that’s just to name a few of the one on one challenges she presented.
So regardless of the readiness of each of these horses and riders before this clinic. Solid teaching, which follows the training scale and builds on classical building blocks, empowered every rider. They are now better equipped for new circumstances. Most importantly, next time they have the opportunity to ride in a clinic, they will have a an expectation of how a clinic is 100% geared for them to expound on their learning.
Looks for photos from the clinic to come soon!
