Clinic Hosting Information - Ben Longwell - True West Horsemanship LLC

Ben Longwell - Clinic Hosting information

Howdy!
Thank you for your interest in hosting a clinic on behalf of Ben Longwell of True West Horsemanship LLC. Below are a few guidelines and frequently asked topics that may help you assess what is required. If you have any queries at all, please let email us.
Ben & Natalie Longwell

Being a Clinic Host - 2 Options

Being a clinic host is easy, but does require a little bit of organization. We have 2 options, Clinic Host & Clinic Venue.

Clinic Host

You Receive: In exchange for being a host, you will receive 50% off your participant rider fee. If the venue is yours – you will also get an arena fee from each participant.

You Do: Being a host – you are responsible to arrange/book the venue, help get the word out about the clinic, process the participants bookings and take their deposit and final payment money. Fill any cancelations from your waiting list (if the clinic is fully booked).

We advertise all clinics on our website, social media and newsletter database and find most clinics fill up. You may have a group of friends you want to invite, to give them first option, before we advertise.

Clinic Venue

You Receive: An arena fee from each participant.

You Do: You are responsible to arrange/book the venue and dates help get the word out about the clinic

We book participants directly on our website and take their deposit and final payments. We fill any cancelations from our waiting list (if the clinic is fully booked).

Lessons Clinic

Suitable for: All Horses (no matter what Equine Discipline rider is involved with), Problem Solving Cases, Goal Achieving, Green Horse, Advancement, Foal/Young Horse Handling.

Clinic Format: Our Lessons Clinic is structured to give each participant two different 1-on-1 sessions in the round-pen with Ben each day! Each session is personalized to address any problems or goals the rider wants to work through addressing exactly where horse & rider are at. A huge benefit of these clinics is that participants also get to spectate everyone else’s individual sessions, learning from a huge range of situations, which they can then apply to their own horsemanship journey as well.

Times: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Numbers: Minimum/maximum 6 (including host). Spectators have no min or max.

Venue Needed: Round Pen

Clinic Fee: $250 per participant per day + arena fee + travel charge (if any)
Spectator Fee: $30 per spectator per day

Horsemanship Clinic

Suitable for: Ridden Horses (no matter what Equine Discipline rider is involved with) at Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Levels.

Clinic Format: In this clinic the participants will be split into 2 small groups of riders, with a max of 6 in each group. The focus will be on building better communication and leadership and progressing in the horse/rider partnership. Each group will have a practical 1.5hr session in the arena with their horse in the morning and afternoon. With a smaller number of riders per group session, it means more 1-on-1 time with Ben, to really concentrate on personal progress. A huge benefit of this clinic format is participants have a soaking/breathing time while spectating the other group’s session, learning from a huge range of situations, which they can then apply to their horsemanship journey as well.

Times: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Numbers: Minimum 8, maximum 12 (including host). This clinic is split to 2 smaller groups with 5 max in each. Spectators have no min or max.

Venue Needed: Arena

Clinic Fee: $200 per participant per day + arena fee + travel charge (if any)
Spectator Fee: $30 per spectator per day

Cattleworking Clinic

Suitable for: Ridden Horses, no matter what Equine Discipline rider is involved with (not suitable for green horses).

Clinic Format: Low Stress Stockmanship is a great way to improve your Horsemanship. It brings purpose to the communication, refinement and working partnership between horse & rider in a fun environment. Ben will often start on the ground to make sure everyone’s communication with their horse is working before mounting up. The Cattlework Clinic is designed for horses and riders ready to try something new and give purpose to all the training and riding and is a great way to work on refinement in communication and advanced horse movement.

Times: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Numbers: Minimum 6, maximum 8 (including host). Spectators have no min or max.

Venue Needed: Cattle arena or flat pasture/pen & 10-15 cattle

Clinic Fee: $200 per participant per day + arena/cattle fee + travel charge (if any)
Spectator Fee: $30 per spectator per day

On The Trail Horsemanship Clinic

Suitable for: Ridden Horses, no matter what Equine Discipline you ride in (not suitable for green horses).

Clinic Format: Rather than being based in an arena, this unique clinic is based out ‘on the trail’. You will be working with your horse on a variety of practical, real life situations, using horsemanship principles, while encountering real-life scenarios. We will be addressing common situations people face while trekking out and working as a group to help individual horses and riders navigate problems with feel, respect, trust and encouragement.

Times: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Numbers: Minimum 6, maximum 8 (including host). No spectators.

Venue Needed: Large ranch or riding land (national forest etc) with variety of landscapes/obstacles/challenges

Clinic Fee: $200 per participant per day + arena/ranch fee + travel charge (if any)
Spectator Fee: no spectators

Ranch Horsemanship Adventure

Suitable for: Ridden Horses, no matter what Equine Discipline you ride in (not suitable for green horses).

Clinic Format: This Clinic format is a combination of the best of the “On The Trail Horsemanship Clinic”, the “Cattleworking Clinic” and our “Horsemanship Clinic”. Bring your horse and join Ben for a very special experience and enjoy an adventurous getaway with some like-minded people. You will get to advance your understanding of horsemanship and ability to communicate in the mornings with clinic style education. The afternoons are filled with practical lessons out on the trail or working with cattle – while enjoying exceptional scenery and strengthening your partnership with your horse.

Times: Week long clinic

Numbers: Minimum 6, maximum 8 (including host). No spectators.

Venue Needed: Cattle ranch with suitable accommodation to host the group for a week.

Clinic Fee: dependent on location
Spectator Fee: no spectators

Vaquero Clinic

Suitable for: Suitable for those currently riding in the traditional vaquero style hackamore or have purchased one and are interested in transitioning/introducing your horse to it.

Clinic Format: This is a group ridden clinic for those interested/passionate about the traditional vaquero style horsemanship and progression. We talk about history, traditions and horsemanship through the style and work on our refinement and communication riding in the hackamore. It will also involve some stockwork with your horse and may involve some introductory ranch roping following with the vaquero traditions.

Times: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Numbers: Minimum 8, maximum 10 (including host). Spectators have no min or max.

Ranch Roping Clinic

Suitable for: Ridden Horses, who have already been introduced and have a good understanding of cattlework (not suitable for green horses).

Clinic Format: Depending on ability, this clinic includes starting at the foundation of Ranch Roping, rope handling skills and dummy roping on the ground before introducing it to the horses. Roping the dummy horseback and further rope handling skills are practice prior to attempting it with live cattle.

Times: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Numbers: Min 8, max 10 (including host). Spectators have no min or max.

Venue Needed: Cattle arena or flat pasture & 10-15 smaller cattle, roping dummy’s, participants need own ranch rope.

Clinic Fee: $200 per participant per day + arena/cattle fee + travel charge (if any)
Spectator Fee: $30 per spectator per day

Private Contract Week

Suitable for: All Horses (no matter what Equine Discipline you are involved with) Problem Solving Cases, Goal Achieving, Green Horse, Advancement, Foal/Young Horse Handling.

Format: Ben is available for booking private contracting weeks at the clients property. During these weeks Ben will work with the clients horses and also private lessons for the client. These weeks can be customized to suit what the clients goals are.

Proper facilities are required.

3 different horses to work with is minimum

Fee: $1000 per day + travel charge (if any) with a 3 Day minimum

General Clinic Info

Travel Fee:

A travel fee will be added to any clinic further than 200miles from Pendleton, OR. This fee will be divided between the minimum participants.

Driving charge are $0.90 per mile, return trip, over the 200 free miles from Pendleton, OR.
For further away clinics – flights/hotel/rental car/travel time will be charged and divided by participant minimum.

Please email us to talk more about these options.

Rain/Snow:

As we can never guarantee the weather on a particular clinic date and both Ben and participants travel for clinics, we do not cancel. If you are planning a clinic in late Fall, Winter or Early Spring we recommend trying to hire an indoor arena.

Things to bring:

There is a list of ‘things to bring’ in the “final payment” Word document we will email you. Make sure everyone knows to arrive with plenty of time to get ready, as Ben will begin teaching in the arena right on the start time.

Age Limits:

Riders are to be 16 or older, unless it’s a specific youth clinic. Spectators have no age restriction (under 13yrs free). At times we allow a younger rider to participate, but this is on a case-by-case basis and depends on riding ability and teachability of student.

Clinic & Spectator Fees:

Clinic fees are dependant on Bens travel distance. Cost is always per participant (horse & rider) and does not include arena or overnight camping fees.

Spectators are $30 per person per day. There is no need to pre-book – spectators can show up on the day with cash.

A Good Venue:

If you have your own private arena to use for the clinic – then you may add an arena & overnight fee. If you are looking at hiring one, simply divide the cost between participants.

Please make sure there are adequate toilet facilities (either in the arena complex, a hired porta potty or in your home).

Make sure the arena has enough room for each of the participants to have their horses on a long lead 12ft from them.

Having ample truck and trailer parking and overnight camping onsite is helpful for those traveling from a distance.

Safety:

We focus on fun and safety, but still require every rider to sign a waiver release form (which we will send to your email).

Venues may also require their own waiver to be signed, so please check this and have it available for participants.

No spectator is allowed to get into the arena and practice with a horse (even if they are family members) as spectators have not signed the waiver or paid to participate.

Deposits Due on Booking:

We always take a 50% non-refundable deposit at time of booking for a participant to secure their spot. This stops people being ‘flakey’ (with the idea of attending or not) and saves you, as the clinic host, the problem of having people commit on paper and then not attend (when someone else may have been interested and missed out on a space). The below text may help on emails for you to use if desired.

There is a non-refundable deposit of $200 per person – to secure your space on the clinic. Final payment will be 3 weeks prior to the clinic date (we will send a reminder and final details/what to bring etc).

If for some reason you have paid the non-refundable deposit, but are unable to attend the clinic, please contact the clinic host immediately. You will only be refunded your deposit (less a $50 admin fee) if A. you are able to find a replacement rider yourself or B. if the clinic is full and the clinic host has a waiting list with someone who would like to take your spot.

If for some reason we have to cancel the clinic due to being under minimum numbers, we will refund deposits in full.

Participant Cancellation:

Part of being the clinic host, unfortunately, is dealing with a flakey person – who initially says ‘oh yes I’m keen’ – but then they don’t pay the deposit. That is why we don’t count anyone as “booked” till they have paid their non-refundable 50% deposit (and we let them know those are the conditions on the very first email).

If a participant has paid deposit and wants to cancel, then the hosts need to inform the rider that their clinic fee is non-refundable unless a replacement is found (by them or off your waiting list only if you are fully booked). If you are able to replace their spot then they can have their deposit refunded less $50 admin fee (for your time). There are certain special situations that we have refunded people without a replacement (email us if you have a cancelation and not sure if they should be refunded or not).

There is also the odd flakey person who will pull out when final payment is due (I normally have a waiting list by this stage and replacing the rider is easy). If you do find a replacement rider, don’t refund the dropped-out participant, until replacement rider has paid in full.

Catch You Down The Road

If you have any queries at all, please do not hesitate to contact us:
ben@truewesthorsemanship.com
Ben & Natalie Longwell