How much is this clinic? Is clipping/ bathing included in the clinic? What exactly will be covered in the grooming portion? and are we allowed to bring our horses?
Mane & Tail Care/ Handling/Barn Basics:
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Venue: Indoor or Covered Arena
Reading the Horse’s Eye
Creating a confident and sound worldview that makes for winning
Proper leading position and utility- including addressing a trend that can get you killed
Lead rope and shank usage.
Teaching the horse manners such as ground tying
Properly entering a stall with a horse and avoiding hip injuries
Properly entering a stall to greet a horse to promote safety and confidence
Quieting techniques: rub eye, tap forehead, voice, body usage, etc.
Twitch usage and dangers: muscle, lip (4 or more varieties), ear, etc
Comfort, soundness and confidence benefits of using the corner of the stall for handling
When to work in the stall, where, how, life-threatening dangers
Teaching the horse to stand still
Teaching the horse to relax
How to think ahead of the horse to make it easy to do the right thing well
Accidents and how to avoid them
Constructive and unconstructive uses of surprise
Safely tying the horse in the stall
Blanket fitting, safety and avoiding rubs
Pulling manes for peace- without upsetting the horse, various responses to be considered
Pulling manes- timing and methods for thinning vs. Shortening
Lengths for thin and thick manes, strategies
The braiding objective and learning process
Physiological benefits of braiding for the horse
Braiding as mental preparation for the rider
Braiding- lucky braids with modifications for jumping and dressage styles
Demo both objectives with an eye for the bottom line
Tail care: how not to get kicked, detangling, combing, docking, preventing and coping with rubbing and tail hair loss, reading the horse’s eyes and how to use that information
LUNCH BREAK - 1:30 – 2:15 PM
Grooming Myths and Tips:
2:15 – 5:00 PM
Venue: Indoor or Covered Arena
Watering for hydration, digestion, temperature control, etc. to prevent illness
Currying roles, methods, concerns
Brushes, their uses, techniques and importance to soundness
Sorting product info for health issues
How crud on shins is totally preventable
Blanket fitting, usage, safety and cleaning
Proper chestnut and ergot care
Cleaning under the tail, teats and sheath. Consequences of guck
Evils of baby oil, show sheen and cowboy magic
How to get a healthy shine with less work
Detrimental effects of show sheen
How to avert sun burned coats
How to recognize and accommodate your horse’s need to urinate
How and why to clean tricky places on their bodies
Hay placement in stall for better digestion, optimal water bucket routines
How to determine if a horse is sick
Proper cooling out to promote soundness
Cleaning tack so it lasts forever
Fitting tack so your horse can be good at his job
OPTIONAL |
Bathing/Skin Care: Safety and Efficiency Demo
Proper bathing technique, whitening socks, wiping out stains
When to bathe
When to walk
How to bathe the head
Care of the coat --how to get and keep a healthy shine
Prevention and care regarding scratches and fungus
Wrapping Techniques Demo, possibly hands-on:
Standing bandages
Polo bandages
Poulticing neatly and effectively
Trimming:
Trimming face and legs for health vs. fashion
Tips to making the job most agreeable to the horse
Trimming ears for pleasure, show, conformation and bugs
Hoof Care to Promote Soundness:
How, when and why to pick feet to prevent maladies
Sole paint, hoof packing and poultice to prevent foot soreness
How to wrap a hoof to protect the foot when a shoe is lost to prevent hoof damage
How to insert, remove and clean studs