Hood River, Oregon: 2 Day Horsemanship Clinic
2 Day Horsemanship Clinic – Suits Ridden Horses at Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Horsemanship Levels
Booking: Please contact our clinic host: Kelly – kellyrothwell@rocketmail.com for more information or to book – a non-refundable deposit due at time of booking.
Clinic Format: Our Horsemanship Clinic format will have participants split into 2 small groups of riders with a max of 6 in each group. The focus will be on feel, communication, leadership and progressing on the horse/rider relationship. Each group will have a practical 1.5hr session with their horse in morning and afternoon. A huge benefit of these clinics is you get a shorter session with more 1-on-1 time with Ben to really concentrate on personal progress. You then have the bonus to have a soaking/breathing time while spectating the other group’s sessions – learning from a huge range or situations which you can then apply to your horsemanship journey as well.
Date: Fri 9th & Sat 10th May, 2025
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Where: Hood River Saddle Club, 4384 Belmont Dr, Hood River, OR 97031
Cost: $300 per participant (for both days) + arena fee
Arena Fee: Non-HRSC members $30 (for both days) or join HRSC for $75 and all arena/overnight fees are waived
Spectators: $30 per person, per day
Overnight Horses: Horse stall $15 per night. Bring your own feed & water bucket.
Overnight People: Camping $15 per night. Toilet facilities available.
Participants limited to 12 (6 max in each group). Spaces in the Clinic are run on a first-in first-served basis, with your spot confirmed by a non-refundable $150 deposit, due at time of booking. If for some reason you have paid the non-refundable deposit, but are unable to make the clinic, you will only be refunded the deposit if you are able to find a rider to replace your spot or if the clinic is full and there is a waiting list with someone who would like to take your spot.
Clinic Description
Horsemanship is not discipline-specific or just something we “do” with our horses. It is all about understanding and communication – a way of being with our horses that fits the horse. The emphasis in all Clinics is always on learning to communicate more effectively through “feel”, timing, and balance, building a working relationship based on respect and trust between horse & rider. All Clinics are flexible based on participant’s skill/experience levels. Time will be spent both on the ground doing foundational ground work and mounted, transferring those lessons learnt on the ground to the ridden work.
Subjects covered may include (but are not limited to)
• Groundwork – Beyond the exercises to meaning/purpose
• Understanding True Body Language
• The Difference Between the Direct Feel and Indirect Feel
• Recognizing Response vs. Reaction or Resistance
• Leadership and the Feet/Mind Connection
• Problem Solving From the •Perspective of the Horse
• How to Build Confidence in a Nervous Horse
• How to Successfully be a Leader for a Dominant Horse
• Developing Mental and Emotional “OKness”
• Riding Through Signal & Balance
• Bringing Clarity to Ridden Communication – Seat, Legs, Hands
AND MUCH MORE!!
