Category Archives: Training/Clinics

Lynn Palm and Rugged Painted Lark Join the Fun and Excitement of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Clinics and Demonstrations Are Part of Grounds Pass Ticket Offering

June 4, 2010 – Lexington, Ky. – Lynn Palm will be a featured performer at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, September 25 to October 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

Activities provided daily by Lynn Palm include Bridleless Musical Exhibitions with elements of dressage, reining and jumping to showcase the beauty, amazing athleticism and outstanding ability of Rugged Painted Lark, her registered American Paint Horse. In addition, Palm will be a presenter at the Clinicians Corral and the Kids Zone demonstrating dressage principles for all breeds, levels and disciplines.  Palm’s demonstrations will be available with a Grounds Pass Ticket, which are now on sale at www.alltechfeigames.com/tickets.

One of the few clinicians available today with a proven competition record, Lynn Palm’s list of accomplishments include being named 2007 AQHA Horsewoman of the Year and AQHA Female Equestrian of the Year, amassing a record four AQHA Superhorse wins and over 34 World and Reserve World Championships. Palm has also written three books and produced over 50 videotapes on training the Western and English rider and horse.

Continue reading Lynn Palm and Rugged Painted Lark Join the Fun and Excitement of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Todd Flettrich and Otto Participate in Steffen Peters Clinic

Todd Flettrich and Otto. Photo by Ken Braddick.

Wellington, FL – May 28, 2010 – Dressage rider Todd Flettrich rode in a Steffen Peters clinic at Carol Cohen’s Two Swans Farm recently, continuing to stay at the top of his game in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). Based in Coatesville, PA, and Wellington, FL, Flettrich has had a fantastic season with his mount Otto, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Rambo X Rampal), owned by Cherry Knoll Farm. The pair has earned several top placings throughout the country and is qualified to compete in the Selection Trials for the Games, which will determine who rides on the Team in Lexington, KY, this fall.

Flettrich spent two winters training with Steffen Peters in California earlier in his career, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to get some tips from the renowned rider during this important show season. “I think that Steffen is a super rider and trainer, and I feel that he has so much to offer to the sport,” Flettrich noted. “Steffen commented on similar things that I work on with Hubertus [Schmidt] and Oded [Shimoni], but he doesn’t see us on a regular basis, so his attention was brought right to our problems and he addressed them quickly. I rode Otto the first day in a snaffle and I rode him the next day in a double, and I thought the horse went great. Everything Steffen said was very helpful and I feel like I got so much out of working with him.”

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John Lyons “America’s Most Trusted Horseman” Featured in the Equine Village at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Clinics and Demonstrations Are Part of Grounds Pass Ticket Offering

May 27, 2010 – Lexington, KY – Famed horseman John Lyons will be a featured clinician in the Equine Village during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, September 25 – October 10, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.

Widely considered to be responsible for many changes in the horse industry in the past 30 years, John Lyons has promoted both kind treatment of horses and the safety of horse and rider through hundreds of clinics, expos, symposiums, demonstrations, magazine articles, John Lyons Perfect Horse magazine, radio, and television programs.

Along with his son, Josh, Lyons has developed a certification program known throughout the world. With more than 300 professional certified trainers stationed all over the United States, and in many other countries, their training techniques have affected every horse discipline and throughout every breed.

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Eventing Radio Episode 79 – PRO Initiatives & Boyd Martin Hosts

Sinead Halpin and Samantha Lendl from PRO tell us about some new initiatives and Jersey Fresh Course Designer, John Williams, joins us with a review of this year’s event plus some other news. Take a listen.

Eventing Radio Episode 79 – PRO Initiatives & Boyd Martin Hosts:

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How to “Unstick” Your Horse’s Shoulders, by Jane Savoie

If your horse’s shoulders are stuck, it’s like having a kink in a water hose. The energy can’t flow from behind, over the back, into your hands where it can then be recycled back to the hind legs.

Here are two shoulder suppling exercises for you to try with your stiff horse.

1. Make a 20-meter box with 4 corners in the walk.

  • To give you more control of your horse’s shoulders, do the exercise in counter flexion. (That is, you’ll just barely see his outside eye or nostril.)
  • If you’re going to the left, ask for right counter flexion with your right wrist. Stay in counter flexion during the entire exercise.
  • At the first corner, bring both hands to the left to swivel your horse’s shoulders around the corner.
  • Then, soften the contact without letting the reins get loopy.
  • After the corner, walk straight ahead in counter-flexion.
  • At the next corner, bring both hands to the left again.
  • Do this in all four corners.
  • As your horse’s shoulders become more supple, it’ll get easier to spin his shoulders around the turn without meeting resistance.
  • You can tell there’s no resistance when the weight in your hands stays the same as you swivel your horse’s shoulders around the corner.

2. Ride down the long side of the ring, and move your horse’s shoulders slightly to the left and right.

  • Walk down the long side of arena.
  • Flex your horse at the poll opposite the direction you’ll be moving his shoulders. For example, when riding to the left, ask for a counter flexion to the right by turning your right wrist. Then, take both hands to left to slide your horse’s shoulders over. Move the shoulders over only 1-2 inches.
  • Now change to correct flexion by turning your left wrist.
  • Move both arms to the right to pop the shoulders back out to the track.
  • Smoothly and fluidly move the shoulders back and forth as you work your way down the long side.

Continue reading How to “Unstick” Your Horse’s Shoulders, by Jane Savoie

Combined Driver Chester Weber Lectures at Central Florida Community College

Chester Weber discusses the training program he is using that will lead him to the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky this fall. (Photos courtesy of Central Florida Community College)

Ocala, FL (May 12, 2010) – Combined Driver Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four In Hand Champion, recently shared the secret to his success with students in an Exercise Physiology class in the Equine Studies program at Central Florida Community College (CFCC). The community college is the only two-year institution in Florida that offers an equine program, and Equine Studies is the college’s most popular Associate in Science degree program.

“Chester gave a wonderful talk to my Exercise Physiology students during their last class of the semester,” said Dr. Judy Downer, Associate Professor of Equine Studies. “Chester summarized his training and conditioning program that he is using that will lead him up to the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky this fall. It was a great review of the subjects we covered all semester.”

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Six-Time Olympian Robert Dover Charms Standing Room Only Crowd at Sho Clothes Shop Talk

Six-time Olympic Dressage rider Robert Dover spoke at a recent “Shop Talk” at Sho Clothes dressage boutique in Wellington. Dover is the new coach for the Canadian Dressage Team.

Wellington, FL (May 10, 2010) – It was standing room only at Sho Clothes dressage boutique’s recent “Shop Talk,” thanks to an energetic crowd eager to hear six-time Olympic Dressage rider Robert Dover speak. Dover, the new coach for the Canadian Dressage team, has earned more honors than any other US Dressage rider, competing in six consecutive Olympics as well as representing the United States in four World Championships and seven World Cups.

Dover, who served as the Captain for the US Equestrian Team during all six of his Olympic experiences, charmed the audience during “Shop Talk.” The monthly get together for equestrians is presented by Sho Clothes at their Wellington boutique in association with the Gold Coast Dressage Association.

“This was our final ‘Shop Talk’ until the fall and having Robert speak was a great way to end our season. In addition to being one of the best dressage riders of our generation, Robert is a wonderful speaker and it was a treat for everyone,” said Betsy Rebar Sell, who co-owns Sho Clothes with Michele Hundt.

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Quick Tip to Straighten Your Horse, by Jane Savoie

I’ve got a great video for you today from the Happy Horse course that shows how quickly and easily you can straighten your horse with a very simple exercise.

But before you do that, I want to remind you that the Happy Horse Retirement party officially starts tomorrow, Friday, April 30 at noon Eastern time.

Remember: The retirement party ONLY lasts 4 days, or less than that if my current inventory runs out first. So be sure to come right when the doors open at noon.

Mark your calendar now, and claim your course tomorrow at:

http://www.janesavoie.com/a_happy_horse.htm

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Another Happy Horse Video Clip! by Jane Savoie

Wanna know what’s so cool about the Happy Horse course? People from all over the world have told me that it’s helped them sort out so many common problems quickly and easily.

See if any of these common problems sound familiar to you.
• You’re just plain confused and frustrated because trainers tell you what to do but don’t tell you HOW to do it.
• You can’t find anyone to explain things in a CLEAR, step-by-step, easy to understand training system.
• Sometimes you find training to be a struggle, exhausting, or a tug of war rather than a joyful process that creates a happy, athletic horse.
• You can’t get your horse consistently on the bit.
• You can’t afford to work with a trainer on a regular basis.
• You can’t find any decent trainers in your area.
• You can’t afford a fancy warmblood so you think training will be more difficult with your Quarter horse (Arabian, Haflinger, Friesian, Morgan, Saddlebred, Fjord, Thoroughbred, Draft Cross etc).

Do any of those issues sound like what you’re dealing with? Then the Happy Horse course was developed for you.

Continue reading Another Happy Horse Video Clip! by Jane Savoie

Chester Weber and Charles Owen Team Up to Put Helmet Safety in the Spotlight

Chester Weber wears a helmet cam on his Charles Owen helmet. Weber uses the helmet cam as a training tool and is a strong proponent of wearing a helmet for safety. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com)

Ocala, FL (April 27, 2010) – Helmets are the center stage topic in equestrian safety right now, and USEF Safety Committee member Chester Weber has turned his Charles Owen helmet into a box office hit! Safety really is a movie, thanks to a camera installed on Weber’s Charles Owen helmet.

Combined Driver Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, uses his helmet camera as a training tool. “The helmet cam is a way to record the driver’s-eye view of a four-in-hand team. I use it as a training tool at home,” Weber said. “The helmet cam makes safety fun and acts as a training tool that can enhance future performances.”

When it comes to safety, Weber has always put his money where his mouth is. He and his team are long-time users of Charles Owen helmets, which provide safety and offer unparalleled comfort. “The importance of wearing helmets is in the spotlight right now, and as a driver I certainly recommend wearing helmets, especially in the marathon,” Weber said.

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