Riding Clinic

A three-day clinic. It consists of a minimum of six to a maximum of ten riders. Kenny offers two formats of the riding clinic. Format #1 consists of about two and a half days of working with your horse in the saddle and a half-day of groundwork. Regardless of the discipline in which you ride, we recommend you outfit your horse in a western saddle for this clinic. The pommel will make it easier for you to learn the exercises, the hand mechanics and to be clearer in your cues, which will help you train faster. A bridle, complete with rope reins and a full cheek snaffle will be loaned to you for use in the clinic, a full cheek snaffle bit is mandatory. You will be riding between the hours of approximately 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a long lunch break for you and your horse. Format #2 consists of about two days of groundwork and one day of riding. This format is more advanced and covers exercises that result in a soft, round, willing horse. It teaches the components to the stop, as well as dressage and reining movements all off of one rein with very little pressure. Kenny decides which format he will be teaching based upon the horses and the riders in the clinic. Both riding clinics consist of drills and exercises that will teach the rider how to communicate more effectively with their horse and how to gain better control. They will learn how to make specific requests in order to get specific responses. The clinic formats create awareness, focus, confidence, trust, and understanding in a humane and gentle way that builds a real partnership between horse and rider. The repetitions of the exercises aid in reconditioning the horses by making them more responsive, relaxed and softer, targeting specific muscles. Response is a large part of the conditioning program. Other issues that may be addressed include head set, lateral movement, turning on the haunches, turning on the forehand, lead changes, speed control, the one-rein stop, roll backs, etc. It is important to note that every clinic is different regardless of the format depending upon the horses, riders, and group dynamics. It is also important to emphasize that the more the rider puts into the clinic and works at completing the exercises and drills, the more the horse and rider will become conditioned and benefit. By the end of the third day, the horse will be softer, more responsive and more relaxed. In the riding clinic, the rider not only learns the techniques and hand mechanics, but also trains their horse. It results in the horse and rider communicating better with a visable transformation in both. All participants are registered for all three days.