Thank You Sherry for giving such an awesome clinic. As you know, I just like to ride, and don't enjoy the ground work as much, but you really tied it together, and showed us how the ground work helps our riding.
You made me want to get lots better at doing the games! It was really awesome to get my mare to do flying lead changes. That is something I thought we could do, but just wasn't doing the right things.
After you instructed me, it was like Cody just knew what to do. It was an awesome feeling!
Anyone who has not gone to one of Sherry's clincs, I highly recommend going! You will learn so much. She is really a wonderful instructor, and
even in the 2 days you will see changes with your riding and your horse.
Thanks Again Sherry!
Lynetta Friday night Sherry did a demo with Dolly and she was having a little friendly problem around her teats. Like Sherry said she took the time and approached and retreated until Dolly was okay. I personally like the fact she did what it took instead of just showing once or twice and saying "keep do it until it's okay". She showed how horses have no time line and you better throw that watch out the window, it did seem like a significant amount of time but it was less than ten minutes.
The biggest point she illistrated was it's NOT ABOUT THE WHY.... it doesn't matter why it just matters that it is and do you know how to make it right. She did have a little go problem but Sherry again worked her through it and as usual gave a stunning display of their team work with bareback riding, spins, on the ground rollbacks and lead changes all at trots and canters and many more things.
Saturday the clinic was Lynetta, AJ, myself and Lori (a newbie). Erica (Sherry's intern) was very sweet and I liked Sparky (her horse). She says she has learned tons and did quite a bit of bareback riding herself and looked great at it. She also got Sparky to jump barrels for the first time. We all know how fun that is!
Lori the new girl and Erica spent lots of time learning the games the first day but they both did well and Rocket (a 21 year old ex-barrel horse showed us an old dog can learn new tricks). He did well and had the longest tounge that he really got working. Lori and Rockets progress from 10am on Saturday to 4 pm on Sunday was amazing. They are going to be a great team and I can't wait to ride with her again.
Actually I had fun riding with everyone, Lynetta was riding her palomino and they did good and I got to watch them do some flying lead changes later in the day. I rode AJ's mare and had a good time on her but I had a really good time watching her ride Cash and then dicussing it with her.
Saturday after two months of practicing moving FQ and HQ I finally sidepassed on Cash, that was quite the highlight because that's something I have been wanting to do for a long time. It only reinforced those two things have to be really good before you are ready to sidepass when I rode Magnum the next day. Sherry did get him to sidepass a couple of steps but she had to work at it. At home the last couple of nights I have went back to moving FQ and HQ and doing sidepass on the ground to work back up to it.
Sunday we worked more on the ground and did more sidepass and squeeze and working on driving the nose and not moving with the horse. Sherry had to tell me about a 100 times but I think I finally got that I was nagging on my horse and needed to be further away to present more energy. It was a lesson well learned and was affective for me again tonight. I rode Magnum in the afternoon for a while then did some bareback riding on Cash.
Did I ever mention I love bareback riding, it's so addicting. LOL. We all did some fluidity riding and I realized I was squeezing too much with my legs, they need to be long and relaxed and not "gripping". I also need some more work on leads but I am not going to get too excited about that right away. I liked the idea of Sierra getting down and feeling her rib cage I think I am going to try that because I still don't have a good feel of how to ask to pick up the correct one, I can usually feel if it is wrong but not all the time and that's something that needs work.
Well there was tons more but I already got really windy so happy reading
*Jessica
The clinic was GREAT!!! Doing things the right way makes handling my horse so much simpler and more natural feeling. I didn't know how much confusion I was sending my horses way. Thank you very much Sherry for pointing out the little things that have made a big difference.
It was great seeing how each of us had different types of concerns, regardless of experience level and they could all be managed using the same concepts. Hope to continue learning the RIGHT
way very soon!
You're a life saver Sherry!! Thank you!!
~Lorie
I LOVE that you are available on such a personal and mostly immediate basis. I know that I'm blessed in that not only have you helped Hobby & I by transforming NH theory into practice for us BUT you've also helped me articulate the random thoughts/musings/confusion rattling
around in my head into the very question I was trying to ask.
Then the icing on the cake is you have solutions, suggestions, and ideas to try that build our success. Also, you've been there for me for moral support when my confidence was lagging (sometimes I'm pathetic but hey sometimes I'm awesome).
Anyway, A great big THANK YOU. Life is short and oftentimes we don't hear it or say it enough and I wanted to make sure you know how I feel ;-)
-Leigh
I am sorry I missed the clinic. Sounds like you all learned a lot and had a great time. If you all just listen to Sherry and do what she suggests you will go far in your horsemanship journey. After all, you are all paying her for her knowledge and expertise.
Joni (Barn owner)
