Second Clinic with Crispin: A disappointment!

First of all, this clinic took place months ago, at the end of october. At first I didn't post about it because I was too mad at the clinician (who will remain nameless) and later, when I got over it, I couldn't motivate myself anymore to write about it.

And secondly, it was a disaster only because of the clinician NOT because of Crispin. He was a good boy and when things got ugly he was just being himself.

The clinic on the other hand... Let's say I was royally pissed at the clinician. So pissed that, at first, I was thinking about asking for a refund (just to make a point, I don't really care about that or think I'd have a chance for that it actually happen!).

The whole thing was a 3 day clinic at our barn, six participants. Friday, saturday, sunday. One session on friday and sunday two on saturday (30-45 minutes each).

On friday the clinician wanted to get to know us and our horses so we did a 1.5 hour ground work session with all six horses in the ring at the same time. That was actually a nice idea and fun (very basic stuff).

Saturday however continued in the same way. Again groundwork (we sort of agreed to that). All 6 horses in the ring at the same time for 3 (!) hours. Again some basic stuff, some new things. The new stuff were things I haven't done with Crispin because I do not care for them or really do not want him to know them. Besides, the clinician is the kind of trainer who thinks treats are only for really, really big achivements on the horses side and that praising a horse from the ground by petting or rubbing is a sign of submission and should never be done. Fine, I get that but that's not the way I want to work with my horse. Of course Crispin did what he was asked for but barely and without any enthusiasm or excitement. He was pretty much bored with the whole event.

What also annoyed me was that the clinician was reffering to her clients horses as "nags" (pretty much in general). Things like that don't usually bother me but she kept on using that term again and again, like, she would say that she would really love to work on the good stuff, the difficult stuff but all she'd ever get were these "nags" and she would have to work on the basics. Nice.

Saturday afternoon was our first session under saddle and despite everything else she did deliver. It was really good. Great actually! We can actually canter. And for more than just half a round!

(These two lines are basically the only good thing I can say about the whole event!)

Sunday was when it all fell to pieces! I was really excited for another under saddle session. I was last (like the day before). Unfortunately my riding time collided with the time BO brought in the other horses from pasture. Not a problem at most barns but at our place the horses are going through a chute that passes right by our covered but very open arena. The weather was windy and cold and most horses really wanted to go in and came galloping by. There are about 40 horses that come by in groups of 2-5 and the whole thing takes about 20-25 minutes. And of course Crispin got very excited whenever a group of horses came by galloping through the mud.

My time started when the bringing in of the other horses was about half way done. Maybe 15 more minutes to go.

Clinician asked me what I wanted to do. I said if she'd stay close to us and kept us busy, maybe with the leg yield exercise on the circle we did the day before I'd feel fine and that Crispin would calm down again really fast when the whole thing was over (which he did and always does!!!).

Unfortunately by then Crispin had decided that the plan for now was to get more and more excited with every passing horse (while the clinician was talking to the rest of the group about the need to being able to control a horse under challenging circumstances...).

When she finally turned to us the first thing she asked me to do was to trot! WTH! At this point Crispin was totally overexcited and just about to blow up! That's when *I* made the huge mistake of getting off. I told her that MY heart was racing just as much as Crispin's that that we were both in fight or fligh modus and ready to explode and that it made no sense to start working with us before we both had a chance to calm down...

...her answere: "Well, OK then, I think we have to stop here and not do the lesson at all because time is up..." Wait, what?! At that point I'd been in the arena less than 15 minutes! I paid for 45 minutes and the remaining 30 minutes would have been more that enough time to get some work done. BESIDES, she'd already cut short most of the other lessons as well and was WAY ahead of schedule as it was! I think she only worked 45 minutes with a single rider. The others were cut short. For good reasons, tired and achy horses after a 3 day clinic... ...but still.

I should have said something then but was way to messed up at that point to think clearly and to say something usefull. Needless to say that I'm pissed at myself as much as I'm pissed with the clinician!

But still, waiting 15 minutes for a rider/horse to calm down under difficult circumstances was too much to ask? Even though she was ahead of schedule AND is was obvious that the actual cause of the problem would have been history by that time as well?!

Stupid cow!!! Messed up weekend and tainted good saturday lesson!

And needless to say that I hopped on Crispin once the horses were in and had a good ride. Plus he was back in his stall STILL ahead of schedule!!!

I do have some video footage from the clinic but the clinician is in them so I will not post them here.

However, I have only one thing to say about her: unprofessional!!! Never again!