Exciting horse clinic coming

 

Horse owners in the Santa Ynez Valley are really in luck.

Since our area is widely known for the multitude of horses of different breeds, we are able to attract inspirational speakers with years of experience and a deep understanding of how horses think and act.  When these clinicians come to share their ideas and techniques, horse owners flock around them. This is the place for thirsty minds.

 

One can gain the knowledge of how to break the cycle of mistakes inflicted on a horse by an earnest but uninformed owner; and they can also correct the bad habits a horse has picked up over time on his own.

Such an opportunity for enlightenment is coming our way with the clinic and symposium titled “An Invitation to Lightness.” Light hands horsemanship is committed to the promotion of elevated and refined horsemanship.

 

This opportunity to gain valuable knowledge on horse handling and riding will come to the Valley on May 30-June 1, 2008, as four noted clinicians discuss the fascinating techniques of Light Hands Horsemanship. The clinicians include Dr. Robert Miller, Jon Ensign, Lester Buckley and Ann Judd. They will cover the four primary phases of horsemanship- from “Birth to the Advanced Horse.”

These notables will be joined by Eitan Beth-Halachmy, who is best known for his amazing Cowboy Dressage performances on his high-schooled Morgan stallion, Holiday Compadre. He will demonstrate the training of the advanced horse.

 

Eitan has not only had a long and successful show career but had the honor of representing the United States in the closing ceremony of the prestigious 2006 World Equestrian Games, in Aachen, Germany.  He performed before 60,000 people on his young Morgan stallion, Santa Fe Renegade, who will be one of the featured mounts for Eitan and his advdanced horsemanship program, at this Santa Ynez Valley clinic. More than a horse trainer, Eitan is an artist on horseback and Cowboy Dressage is his masterpiece.

The symposium will be held at Art Perry’s beautifully landscaped Intrepid Farms in Santa Ynez. It will target all breeds and all disciplines using several different approaches. The goal is to achieve lightness in the riding and handling of a horse.

Ann Judd is five generations deep into horsemanship and will share her expertise as an equitation instructor, gained from many years of showing and judging Saddlebred and Morgan horses world wide.

 

Dr. Miller, who opens the program, is world renowned for bettering the quality of life for animals — specifically horses. Dr. Miller starts the training process at birth and at the end of his program he will introduce Jon Ensign. Ensign is a ranch-raised Montana horseman, wise in the ways of horses. His offering will be the initial groundwork and the first ride for a young horse.

Later, he passes the baton to Lester Buckley, who grew up on a Texas ranch and later turned many Quarter Horses into NCHA champions. He was also the head colt starter on the famous King Ranch in Texas and the Parker Ranch in Hawaii. Along the way, he acquired an interest in dressage and became equally proficient in both worlds. He mentors and teaches members of the US Olympic team that trains in Germany.   

 

This fascinating program also will feature TV and radio host and author Rick Lamb, who will be acting as MC during the event.

In addition to the clinic programs attendees will be able to shop from selected equestrian vendors and enjoy authentic chuck-wagon meals all day. Live music and cowboy poetry will contribute to the beautiful and serene setting at Intrepid Farms. You will leave the clinic invigorated and armed for success.

To register for the clinic, “An Invitation to Lightness,” please check the website  http://www.lighthandshorsemanship.com or email lhh@foothill.net or  phone (530) 346-9125. The sponsor of this clinic is Spaulding Labs’ Spaulding Fly Predators.