The Natural Dressage Forum

First and foremost = safe- uneventful trailering.... good weather/ no traffic, good music or book on tape

I just got pics from a friend who went to Finding the Sweet Spot in NH last weekend ( she has been to Parelli in Colorado AND Fla) said this was the BEST CLINIC and BEST GROUP OF PEOPLE she has ever been to= so I wish this for you too

The chance to assimilate all the information you have gained with the KR material to support your forward progression

A chance to ask all the questions you want and get some feedback on your partnership that helps everything continue to make more sense!

Thank you for the very kind wishes Kathi!

I typed out a nice long response, which the computer ate...sigh...here is another attempt....

The trailering went pretty well despite the length (6.5 hours each way) and the strong headwind all the way there. Gala loaded and travelled very well and we only hit minor traffic on the way there as we passed through Seattle at the beginning of rush hour.

Unfortunately, my clinic experience wasn't quite as good as your friends. Sad

The group was fairly friendly, but most of them were not coming from the same place I was - PNH is not a discipline for me! Confused

I think when I signed up for the clinic several months ago, it would have been perfect for Gala and I, but we have progressed so much in the last few months that I really needed the "Upward Spiral of Success" clinic rather than the "Finding the Sweet Spot" clinic. Most of the participants were trying to figure out basic biomechanics, let loose work, and soft touch feel on the reins while Gala and I are working on complex lateral work, transitions within gaits, and beginning collection.

I also think the format of the clinic does not suit my learning style. I have experienced the same problem with Parelli clinics. 12 people all doing things at the same time is a lot of people and, unless you are obviously struggling or doing something wrong, the clinician tends to ignore you. I literally didn't receive a single word of feedback regarding what my horse and I were doing for the entire clinic other than one "looks good" comment on the last day. On the second day I asked two specific questions, but neither were really at the same level as what the other participants were doing so the answers were OK, but didn't result in any specific feedback on what my horse and I were actually doing. On the third day, KR used Gala to demonstrate a specific exercise (for which she was a very good demo horse) so I got directed feedback, but I was already familiar with the exercise and Gala's strengths and weaknesses in relation to it, so all that served was to remind me that I should spend more time on this exercise (it is a ground work exercise that I have not done much recently, but really is very appropriate for Gala).

When I pay money to attend a clinic I do not feel I should have to constantly ask "how am I doing? what should I be doing differently? etc." - this kind of feedback should automatically be offered and it generally has been in my experience at other clinics. Even though I was further "advanced" than the other participants, I expected some comments such as "looks good, but perhaps you could try X" to either take it to the next level or improve whatever we were doing, yet I received none.

So basically, I spent three days doing my own thing with my horse (who was absolutely awesome the entire time!!) while incorporating some good reminders of "foundational" exercises that I shouldn't neglect as we progress. I did receive lots of wonderful compliments from the numerous auditors on both Gala and myself (and I think I could have sold my saddle several times!), so it was definitely an ego boost! Shocked

I also enjoyed the wonderful weather, gorgeous venue, excellent organization, and three days to focus on playing with my horse. However, I wouldn't do it again and I don't feel I got my money's worth. Confused

well I am glad that that you DID travel safely- I am still not past the about 50 mile mark for distance.... ( and still under 2 hours)

I am sorry that I didn't post my observations about the Ohio clinic- - your experience mirrors what I saw but since I was there only for 1 day I thought maybe I missed some of what happened in day 1 and 2.....and so didn't want to set you up for negative experience - YES- my sentiment was that if I was going to participate it would be in upward spiral of success for where I am and also not being pure parelli in my work at all= everything that you mention= I can understand.... how disappointing- -

I know the folks in the New Hampshire clinic were very PNH based but also pretty advanced- ( 2 were 2 star instructors) another one is going to the 10 week intensive in fall and couple have been doing parelli for > 8-10 years so I imagine that set the tone there-and very high level of horsemanship for the gen'l group?

[quote="leheath"]
When I pay money to attend a clinic I do not feel I should have to constantly ask "how am I doing? what should I be doing differently? etc." - this kind of feedback should automatically be offered and it generally has been in my experience at other clinics. Even though I was further "advanced" than the other participants, I expected some comments such as "looks good, but perhaps you could try X" to either take it to the next level or improve whatever we were doing, yet I received none.

quote]

I am glad your horse did so well for you.

Unfortunately I think there are some teachers out there who won't answer an unasked question.

So if you are not specific in what you are desiring help with they will let you just be, thinking you must be happy with how things are going if you are not asking questions. And I also think there are some teachers out there who will only offer what they think the student can "hear" at the time.

This does not discount your experience and how you feel about the time and money spent. It is just my observations of various people's teaching styles.

Happy Friday,
Kathy

I think you are probably right Kathy, unfortunately this style of teaching just doesn't work for me. Obviously, if I am having some particular problem that I am struggling to resolve, I am more than happy to ask. However, even if the instructor thinks I am happy with how things are going (which I may well be) it is highly unlikely that I am perfect and that there is no room for improvement. I expect the teacher to offer relevant suggestions without me having to ask. I wouldn't be in a lesson or clinic if I didn't want feedback on my work! My other issue with this approach is that the learner will not progress unless they know the right question to ask, which they may not.

That said, I think there is a growing trend in the equestrian teaching world, especially in dressage, of not saying anything critical about the rider. I watched a fairly BNT teaching a rider who was practically hanging off the side of her horse and was, thus, unable to pick up the correct canter lead. The trainer was giving all kinds of instruction about how to get the horse to canter without once mentioning the fact that the rider was totally unbalancing their horse. All they needed to do was shift their weight towards the centre and the horse would have undoubtedly been able to pick up the correct lead. I think many riders just don't want to hear that the problem is their's rather than the horse and instructors have to cater to this.

However, I will say that I had probably the best dressage ride of my life on Tuesday (first ride after the clinic), so maybe just 3 days of focusing on my riding, my horse's biomechanics, and making sure the foundational basics are really good was worth the money! Laughing

I have never felt such cadence, lift, suspension, impulsion, and lightness in any trot work I have ever done with any horse - very cool! It was truly like we were harmoniously, beautifully, dancing together. a_smitten

that's fabulous=
sometimes its just like Mick says= "you can't always get what you want but you find sometimes,,,,,,,, you get what you need"............

so clinician's "wisdom" or just good fortune.. who knows....

I felt very frustrated with a PNH clinic I went to a few years ago= and thought it was going to be my last-felt the participants were NOT up to the level advertised(they weren't-) and clinician really had to be creative to cover the material so it could be benficial to all-
I went home and reviewd all the material in the LEvel 3 pocketbooks = and lo and behold found that somehow- we had touched on the entire level 3 work in the 3 days we had together.... hmmm\

somewhere= the BALANCE of input and observation is key but I think you were able to make the best of it!
( and YES it annoys the heck out of me not to see the rider's position addressed early on and often if it is glaring- how unfair to the horse)

I have only taught a handful of LARGE clinics, and none of them were multiday, but I do know teaching that many people is a different experience beacuse it is so hard to know what people are thinking! In a small group you can watch someone enough that later when they are just walking around aimlessly you may very well know that this person is tired physically or taking time to mentally review, or rewarding their hrose, or whatever. In a clinic situation it is hard to tell if this person is just taking a break or did they not understand, or do they hate what you are working on...??? Are they so mad they are ready to leave, or are they thinking about what a great day theyare having.

Of course Karen is so much more experienced than I am it doesn't compare, but I can imagine it is hard even for her to know if someone has received all they can or is just dying for more info.

I tend to flood people, which isn't really any better then giving too little info because you overload them and they forget all of it!

Sounds like in hte end it is all working out! I could really use a does of KR right now myself- even if it is a total repeat. Of course I work so many different horses it would be "a new experience" with each one.

Leheath, the very fact that Karen used Gala for a demonstration would tell me Karen did in fact notice Gala and didn't lose her in the crowd. Whats more, some Clinicians tend to spend MORE time on someone who actually is getting things right with the horse, and seems to understand concepts. That would be the person who would laud how much a clinic would help others to come to. To see someone who went to Karen's clinic and can do that (even if she didn't learn it @ the clinic) would look pretty darn good for a advertisement.

You showed (by your what you can do) that you are capable of learning, carrying out concepts, and can teach the horse to do it. What a dream come true to have someone like you show up at anybodies Clinic!

Thank you, cyndy, for your very kind words! Very Happy

I will say that I think clinic did give me some "thoughts" to keep in mind while I am riding (I can hear KR in my head! Shocked

) that do seem to be improving out work. They are just little things, but they help remind me to take a step back for a few seconds/minutes and fix the basics if we start struggling with something, then return to whatever more "advanced" exercise we were working on.

Perhaps I got more out of the clinic than I thought....it just took a while to realize it?! Embarassed