Tuesday 10 May 2016

Clinic Prep

One thing I have discovered after transitioning my focus to dressage is the lack of simple, affordable shows to take part in. Coming from hunters, where schooling shows (or at least shows that included jumping) were abundant, I am already missing that a bit.

On the bright side, I am too green to need dressage shows yet, so I will have to get my thrills through clinics and/or spectating at the 'too-expensive-for-me-right-now' dressage shows.

As for clinics, my first one is coming up this weekend!!!!!!

Savvy and I have been very slowly, but steadily progressing in our lessons. Nothing anyone would notice besides me and my coach, really. I am surprisingly developing new 'good' habits like correcting Savvy's bend in corners effectively and quietly. The list of things we are still NOT doing is massive, but I am choosing to be positive!


I am really excited about this upcoming clinic. The clinician, Muriel Chestnut, is my elusive unicorn: Classical dressage mixed with natural horsemanship. I have never met her, but upon reading about her on her website, http://www.enlightened-dressage.com/home.html I am feeling very lucky for this opportunity!

My biggest worry at the moment is clarifying my goals enough to answer the dreaded (shouldn't it be simple?!!) question of what I would like to work on. So far, my only answer is "all of it."

Like this - can I do this please? (Pic of Karen Rohlf and her lovely horse Natilla)

Seriously though, I have a one-hour spot on each day of a three-day clinic. We do have the difficulty with right bend, but I feel my coach has already given me a great plan for that. Canter is still not fully installed, but that feels more of a practise issue, as in needs more practise. I don't want to limit the experience with a bad choice of direction - does that make any sense?

I have two more days to think about it. Perhaps I should just state how new we both are to dressage and leave it open to whatever the clinician thinks best. Wish us luck!

7 comments:

  1. Good Luck! Sounds like a neat clinician and I'm sure you will learn a ton.

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    1. It's definitely a great opportunity to learn -- 8am to 4pm full of bookings each day and I am staying for all of it! I have a feeling my notebook will be full by the end!

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  2. I am jealous of you being able to ride with her. I follow her on FB and she seems very cool. Have a great time.

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    1. She sounds like such a well-rounded, open-minded horsewoman. I can't wait to meet her!

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  3. ooooh fun!!! don't stress too much about answering that question either. i mean, yes it's a good idea to have a general idea of areas you'd like to work on - but sometimes just telling a good clinician about where you are in your training, and letting them watch as you warm up for a few minutes will be enough for them to get a pretty good idea of how they can match their expertise and specialties with your training.

    maybe i would think of: covering pretty much the whole spectrum on the first day - and then drilling into the details on the next two days? anyways good luck and have fun and take pictures!!!

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    1. Thanks! Your right, the clinician should have no trouble finding a starting point with me and Savvy. I think maybe by day two, I will be in a better position to be more specific for sure.

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  4. I hope you have fun at the clinic!

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