In today’s market, there are a wide variety of clinicians available to the horse community. Choosing which clinic is the right fit for you and your goals can feel overwhelming! Read on for some tips about what makes a good clinician and how to get the most out of your clinic experience.
So often we find that great trainers and showmen are not necessarily great instructors. We head to a clinic with a well known professional only to find that they are lacking in communication skills. Teaching people and helping them find success is very different than working with the horses solo. Humans and horses communicate in very different ways so it is important to find a clinician that has a proven track record of being able to communicate with the people participating in their clinic. In addition, a good clinician should be able to explain an exercise or correction in a variety of ways so that every participant, regardless of level, can understand the concept and apply it to their horse.
"Josh was amazing at understanding the level of rider I want to be with my horse. I’m not a Reiner, I’m a Ex Dressage Rider, now a National Park Trail Rider! I have many years in the saddle, Josh was able to teach me and my horse how to be a “TEAM” on the trail through his exercise drills. Confidence, Commitment and Clear Communication is what I rode away with and so did my Warmblood!!"
Another factor to consider is versatility. Does this clinic apply to all styles of riding or is it specialized to one specific discipline? We often forget that no matter what game you want to play with your horse, all horses communicate the same way. So, does the horse care if you put a western or an english saddle on them? Not at all! Good riding is good riding, no matter what saddle you are using. Find a clinic that embraces all horses, all levels, all disciplines – this demonstrates the understanding your clinician has about horse training and their capability to modify their instruction to suit your personal goals.
The first decision to make when choosing a clinic is – should I participate as a rider or as an auditor? For those unfamiliar, auditing is attending the clinic as a spectator and taking notes to reference when you go home and apply the concepts to your own horses. Auditing is a fantastic, low pressure way to glean amazing information with the backdrop of live riders working through their individual challenges. Often there are riders experiencing your same issues. Auditing allows you to watch the corrections in real time and see the impact it had for both the rider and the horse.
"I audited a three day riding clinic in Naples, FL this past December. I wasn’t sure what to expect but was treated with the same respect shown to the riders in the clinic even though I only paid a very affordable daily fee. Josh was approachable and very knowledgeable. I admired his willingness to describe past mistakes in his training approach over the years and how he learned from them. That is always appreciated because no one is perfect. His opening rider’s meeting was super helpful and I was included in the meeting without feeling out of place. His instructions during the clinic were broken down into basic steps along with the rationale. He gave good feedback to his class and helped with specific problems some were having."
Riding in the clinic adds some additional responsibilities to the experience – hauling, caring for your horse, and working through all that comes with a new environment. For many recreational riders, traveling with your horse may be intimidating. With the right clinician, all of this is totally worth it! A good clinician will take the time to address your specific problem areas and work to build your confidence every step of the way as well as providing a wide variety of take home tools to facilitate your continued success. So how can you be a good participant?
"I've never been so wowed by a family, like I am theirs! They go above and beyond just to help someone with their horse. My horse and I were part of the 2016 Hoosier horse fair in Indianapolis and the Lyons helped me so so much, from saddle fitting, to pad help, to showing me many many other things with my mare, including reassuring me and making me stray away from giving up hope!! I am certainly blessed to have personally meet this family!! I will never forget any of the Lyons and I will never forget what they did for me and my horse in the short time of being around them!! Thank you guys again so so much, it's people like you who give others hope and make some realize that there are still good people in this crazy world!!"
You can access clinic registration pages from our Event Calendar. Clinic registration pages include specifics for the facility hosting our team. General clinic information can be found on our Clinic Page. Clinics are limited to just 15 riders so hold your spot today!
Lyons Legacy
28209 N. 139th Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85262
Monday – Friday
9 AM – 4 PM EST
Saturday
1 PM – 3 PM EST
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