B.S. Clinic aka I Went Fast, Jumped Big, and Didn't Die

**Since this is one of my less favorable clinic reviews, I didn't want to post the trainer's name. I don't think he is necessarily a poor trainer, just that he wasn't a good fit for what I needed. He seemed to do much better with people riding made, or better behaved, horses, or riders who were already very competent riding green horses. Basically, we didn't mesh, but I don't want to hurt a reputation based on my opinion alone.**

One of my barn mates trains with a Hunter Jumper A-circuit trainer (ACT) based in Georgia. She asked him to come to Auburn to host a clinic. I love riding with new trainers, and my trainer, H, loves when I go to clinics since we usually come back with new tools to help me progress.

I was a big girl, and signed up for the 0.85-0.95 Jumper class. I had heard ACT was putting jumps up all day, but when I entered the ring, the courses were set medium crossrails (0.65-0.75 in the middle) and a few 0.75-0.8 oxers. Lexie was a mild fire breathing dragon, so during the warm up I focused on lengthening and shortening to really ask her to listen, and to figure out what strength brakes she wanted that day.

It started out nice enough- just a trotting approach to a ground pole, medium cross rail, ground pole focusing on being balanced as a rider, with open shoulders. We were supposed to land and turn in the opposite direction to make a figure 8, but it turned into land and turn the direction of the lead. After a few go-rounds at the trot, we cantered it. Lexie was lovely the whole time- relaxed and soft.

We then made a small course out of a grid of medium crossrails ( 1 stride, 2 stride, 2 stride) and then cantered the medium crossrail in the middle. Still lovely- a bit of a wonky turn after the crossrail because of ground poles, but do-able.

We added onto that course- the grid, followed by a long turn to the crossrail, 5 stride outside line of 2 medium crossrails, long approach to a fan, long approach to a swedish oxer. Now- I had jumped this fan on Friday, knowing I get nervous about new fences, and wanted to school it on a good Lexie day. And at 0.65, it rode lovely. As I turned that corner to begin my long approach to the fan though, ACT jacked the jump up 3 holes- we were approaching a 0.85 m fan with no warning. I haven't schooling 0.85 or higher outside of a grid in over 4 months, but Lexie was locked and loaded. Definitely yelled, "Oh f*cking hell", sank into my heels, grabbed mane, and wrote my obituary. We cleared it, Lexie was JAZZED, but on the long approach, I got her collected for our 0.7 swedish, which was lovely.

This course set the pace for the rest of our clinic: ACT would jack jumps up randomly for all students, and it got to the point that when I was faced with a 1.0 m fan, a crossrail at 0.95 m in the middle, and a 0.95 m vertical, I finally told ACT, "I can't do this. She's tired, and I'm not ready for the height." He was nice enough to drop everything back down to 0.95 m, but I was frustrated.

I finished the clinic in good spirits- Lexie was a maniac, but I rode everything comfortably and I jumped above my comfort zone, and didn't die. I was frustrated with the clinician though- Lexie is athletic, and was a former 1.10 m horse, but she has stifle issues and fused hocks. We're working back up to the 1.10s as soon as my confidence, and her fitness are ready.

I think it was a difference of fundamentals. He saw me as staying on, seeing the distances, and riding a saucy mare as "doing really well" and kept raising the fences until they couldn't meet the challenge physically. I saw a horse who was not athletically ready for full 0.95-1.0 m courses, a nervous rider who is getting there, and figuring out a head-strong, aggressive mare. He made the statement several times that riding is 75% mental, and I agree- but the 25% is just as important. I value my horse's joints, tendons, and muscles more than I value jumping big as fast as I can.

Every clinic has an up side, and I took from this clinic that the pieces are there, I am still physically and mentally capable of jumping "larger" fences, and Lexie will take care of me when I ask (and on several approaches- I did just that, softened the reins, and said, "Take care of me, mare."). H and I are trying to figure out a plan for getting fitness on a 4-5 day a week riding schedule- it's a gradual process, and we're getting there.

- K & C & L