Ride in a Clinic

Friday, June 7^th AM: Releasing Tension in Key Junctions That Most Affect Performance

Description: In this clinic, Jim Masterson will explain the key junctions of a horse’s anatomy that most affect performance. He will demonstrate simple, effective bodywork techniques that the horse owner can use to release tension in these junctions, resulting in improved performance, communication, and relationship with the horse.

Friday, June 7^th AM: Reading the Horse’s Body Language: Is my horse uncomfortable, and if so, where?

Description: In this presentation, Jim Masterson will demonstrate simple, effective bodywork techniques that owners can use to bypass survival instincts that the horse uses to cover up pain and discomfort. He will show how to read subtle signs in the horse’s body language that reveal where in the body the horse might be holding tension, and how to release it.

Horse Requirements: 2-4 horses with mystery issues or lameness– meaning they are off or not quite sound and have been examined by a vet but have not been diagnosed with anything.

Saturday, June 8^th AM: Equine Bodywork and Behavioral or Training Issues

Description: In this practical clinic Jim will talk about what signs to look for that there may be a physiological component to a training issue, and will demonstrate simple, effective techniques that you can use to help the horse release physical tension that may be affecting training.

Horse Requirements: 2- 4 horses that are in work or training, depending on the size of the arena. Horses that have just come from another event and are hot and sweaty don’t work well for this clinic.

Saturday, June 8^th PM: Equine Bodywork and Mystery Lameness Issues

Description: On Saturday afternoon Jim and his assistants will demonstrate and teach owners Beyond Horse Massage Front End Techniques on their horses. Sunday afternoon, Jim and assistants will demonstrate and teach the same owners Beyond Horse Massage Hind End Techniques on the same horses.

Horse Requirements: 2-4 horses with mystery issues or lameness– meaning they are off or not quite sound and have been examined by a vet but have not been diagnosed with anything.

Sunday, June 9^th AM: Light to the Core – Connecting with Your Horse

Description: In this clinic Jim Masterson explains how to use levels of touch that bypass the horse’s survival-fight-flight (sympathetic) nervous system and access that part of the nervous system that relaxes and releases tension (parasympathetic). The result is improved comfort, movement, and performance, and new levels of trust and relationship between horse and human.

Horse Requirements: 2- 4 horses that are in work or training, depending on the size of the arena. Horses that have just come from another event and are hot and sweaty don’t work well for this clinic.

Sunday, June 9^th PM: Connecting with your Horse with MM

Description: In this session, Jim will talk about the connection that is built when the horse realizes you are listening to him, the bond that is created, and several of the best techniques to use to get started building this bond through the use of the Masterson Method.

Horse Requirements: Best are horses in a work or training program.

Note: It is best if the horses have not been working just before the clinic and don’t arrive hot and sweaty. Jim would be happy to coordinate with the horse organizer to give spectators the best possible experience. Please do NOT to lunge horses before the demo.

Friday, June 7^th: Saddle Fit for the Western Rider

Horse Requirements: 1-2 western-type horses who are quiet and will tolerate Jochen using washable chalk to map out how he would fit a saddle to the horse.

Saturday, June 8^th: The Myths of Saddle Fit

Horse Requirements: 1-2 horses of any breed who are quiet and will tolerate Jochen using washable chalk to map out how he would fit a saddle to the horse.

Friday, June 7^th: Ranch Riding Fundamentals

Description: In this clinic, Ryan will cover all the tools and communication needed to be successful in Ranch Riding.

Saturday, June 8^th: Ranch Riding – It’s all about the Pro Steps

Description: How to have seamless transitions between maneuvers

Sunday, June 9^th: Ranch Riding – You’ve Got to Have Power Steering

Description: How to have a horse that is easily guidable with the slightest cue

Friday, June 7^th: Intro to La Garrocha and speaking softly in the saddle.

Description A clinic favorite! You will learn how to introduce your horse to the art of  La Garrocha. La Garrocha helps you recognize how to use your seat, leg, and rein. Striving for soft, quiet, and balanced communication, this art form can help us develop the true essence of the felt sense with our horse.

Saturday, June 8^th: Overcoming fear and building trust.

Description: Helping a horse overcome their fear and begin to trust, first requires 2 primary elements. An understanding of the horses Nervous System and a practice of awareness of our own. We will demonstrate how the nervous system works, recognizing the subtle changes in the horse and how to build the tools for horse and human in a positive way before we need them.

Sunday, June 9^th: The power of the breath in horsemanship.

Description Our greatest tool in horsemanship is within us. The power of the breath can help us accomplish every task from the most beautiful transitions to defusing escalated situations with our horse. It brings with it a new level of relationship. Come watch and see how this method when applied to teaching a horse to come to the mounting block and how when used for upward and downward transitions from in the saddle can change your horse’s whole perception of you.

Friday, June 7^th: Creating Crystal Clear Communication With Your Horse

 Description: Learn how to keep things simple with your horse and help set both the rider and horse up for success.

Horse Requirements: 1 Horse (Any breed, must be broke to ride (2 y/o +), owner feels like they aren’t getting through to their horse when handling or riding)

Friday, June 7^th: Gaited Work: Getting A Balanced Gait

 Description: Lacking consistency in your gaited horse? Learn the tips, tricks, and drills that will help you get a balanced and even gait from your horse.

Horse Requirements: 1 Horse (Any gaited breed that is having an issue with consistency and staying in gait, must be broke to ride (2 y/o +)

Saturday, June 8^th: 12 Steps To Fix Any Horse Problem

Description: Learn how to follow our pass/fail grade level system to work through any problem and find red-flags that need fixing with your horse.

Horse Requirements: 1 Horse (Any breed, must be broke to ride (2 y/o +), owner feels like their horse has a problem they can’t control – has to be something the owner is still able to ride so we don’t have a super problematic horse since we are only working it once)

Saturday, June 8^th: Gaited Work: From Pace To Gait & From Trot To Gait

Description: Have a gaited horse that trots or paces? Learn the skills and drills that will help you engage your horse out of trot/pace and into the smooth gait you desire!

Horse Requirements: 1 Horse (Any gaited breed that is having an issue with TROTTING/PACING (one of each), must be broke to ride (2 y/o +)

Sunday, June 9^th: How To Become A Better Leader And Gain Respect From Your Horse

Description: Learn how to gain respect and build a foundation with your horse for a lifelong partnership.

Horse Requirements: 1 Horse (Any breed, must be broke to ride (2 y/o +), owner feels like they don’t have respect from their horse when handling or riding)

Sunday, June 9^th: Gaited Work: Cantering For Gaited Horses

Description: Gaited horses can do it all and not have it mess up their gait! Learn how to train the difference between gait work and trot/canter work in your gaited horse.

Horse Requirements: 1 Horse (Any gaited breed, must be broke to ride (2 y/o +)

Accordion Content

Friday, June 7^th: Establishing Clarity in the Basic Aids, for the Horse’s Sake

Description: Most of us aren’t as clear with our aids as we think we are. A session that’s all about leg aids (differentiating between forward walk aid and trot, leg-on leg-off sequence for better responses, letting the horse carry you) and the following hand (truly following the horse’s mouth so that we can eventually have a conversation there).

Saturday, June 8^th: Gymnastic Exercises for Improving Strength and Balance

Description: Using rails, raised rails, and cavaletti, this clinic will introduce exercises to improve both horse and rider strength and balance. Suitable for dressage and jumping riders.

Sunday, June 9^th: Rideability and Adjustability

Description: The basics of jumping any course well are obtained by improving rideability and adjustability in your horse. This clinic will focus on exercises that work on changing the length of the stride, finding the correct lines to fences, and horse-rider communication between jumping efforts.

Friday, June 7^th: Equitation Over Fences & Flat

Description: Work on your position while mounted and showing yourself the best on the flat and over fences.

Friday, June 7^th: Hunter over fences and under saddle

Description: Turn out, showing your hunters, strengths, riding the best track for horse and rider combinations

Saturday, June 8^th: Equitation Over Fences & Flat

Description: Work on your position while mounted and showing yourself the best on the flat and over fences.

Saturday, June 8^th: Hunter over fences and under saddle

Description: Turn out, showing your hunters, strengths, riding the best track for horse and rider combinations

Sunday, June 9^th: Equitation Over Fences & Flat

Description: Work on your position while mounted and showing yourself the best on the flat and over fences.

Sunday, June 9^th: Hunter over fences and under saddle

Description: Turn out, showing your hunters, strengths, riding the best track for horse and rider combinations

Friday, June 7^th: STRAIGHT LINE. Achieve Straightness and Balance

Description: Striving for excellence begins with cultivating straightness and balance in your horse’s movements. This fundamental principal hinges on equal use of the left and right sides. You help your horse develop a harmonious gait by guiding your horse through exercises emphasizing symmetry.

Saturday, June 8^th: HALF CIRCLE. Unveil Strengths and Weaknesses

Description Building on the previous day, the half-circle trot and canter in both directions expose the horse’s strengths and weaknesses, offering insights into their physical condition and training needs. This knowledge is helping you to tailor training, diligently addressing areas that require refinement. This holistic understanding becomes the compass guiding your training journey.

Sunday, June 9^th: The Elegance of the S Curve

Description Mastery of the S curve engages your horse’s ribcage while shifting between left and right directions. This dynamic exercise encourages the gradual progression of skill, where your horse learns to step up their performance through subtle shifts in weight distribution. The S curve exemplifies the art of equestrian finesse, reflecting the harmonious partnership between rider and horse.

Dressage judge – ride your test to get the judge’s opinion. After the test, work with the judge to improve some of your movements.

Friday

• Training Test 3
• 1^st Level Test 3
• 4^th Test 3
• Prix St Georges

Saturday

• 2^nd Level Test 3
• 3^rd Level Test 3
• I1
• I2
• Grand Prix

Friday, June 7^th: Exercises for Changing Leads

Description: What your horse needs to be able to do before trying them. How to set your horse up for success with a simple exercise

Saturday, June 8^th: Boxing and Box-Drive-Box Fundamentals

Description: Basic principles for controlling cow and scoring well in boxing and box-drive

Sunday, June 9^th: Developing Slides and Spins

Description: Some exercises to develop award-winning slides and spins

Friday, June 7^th: Horsemanship Through Stockmanship Part 1

Saturday, June 8^th: Horsemanship Through Stockmanship Part 2

Description: Learning the principles of low-stress stockmanship brings purpose to the communication, refinement & working partnerships between horse & rider in a fun environment.

Friday, June 7^th: Creating a bold and confident horse using Trail Obstacles

Description: How to introduce the horse to trail obstacles in a manner that builds boldness and confidence. How to break down each obstacle to ensure success for the horse

Friday, June 7^th: Mastering trail obstacles in a safe manner

 Description: Steps to ensure success on the balance beam, swinging bridge, and other trail obstacles

Saturday, June 8^th: Creating a bold and confident horse using Trail Obstacles

Description: How to introduce the horse to trail obstacles in a manner that builds boldness and confidence. How to break down each obstacle to ensure success for the horse

Saturday, June 8^th: Mastering Trail Obstacles in a Safe Manner

Description: Steps to ensure success on the balance beam, swinging bridge, and other trail obstacles

Sunday, June 9^th: How to Improve Your Mountain Trail Obstacle Scores in a show

Description: Breaking down the rules for entry, navigating the body of the obstacle, and exiting the obstacle

Sunday, June 9^th: Mastering the 180 on the Obstacles

Description: Introducing the 180 first in-hand and then riding the 180 on various obstacles

Friday, June 7^th: Relaxation and Relationship

Description: Karen will show a powerful concept & exercise to do on the ground, that will improve both your level or relaxation and your relationship with your horse. This exercise is highly transformative even though it often looks quite non-dramatic when doing it. This ground- work exercise is a must-have for equestrians and horses of every level.

Rider & Horse Requirements: 2 horses. The entire session is on the ground (no riding). Looking for horses that have tension. This tension could be emotional and/or physical (tight, bracey, high-headed, etc.) They should be horses who have at least foundational training (no unhandled horses) but are tense. Please come in with a halter, lead, and longer line. Karen will demonstrate with each horse, and/or will teach the person.

Friday, June 7^th: Sharing The Movement: How to develop more harmony when riding

Description: Karen will help riders find more harmony by improving their ability to lead and follow their horses. This is for riders of all levels who want to improve the level of trust, communication, and harmony they have with their horses when riding.

Rider & Horse Requirements: Looking for 4 riders from novice to advanced who have a desire to improve their communication and harmony. Horses must be comfortable in a group and without major behavioral issues. Non-gaited horses, please. English, western, bareback, bitless, or with bit are welcome.

Saturday, June 8^th: “The Grid” An Exercise For Awareness, Focus, Communication, & Balance

Description: “The Grid” is an exercise that has huge benefits for horses and riders of ANY level. This is also a great exercise to help you navigate crowded warm-up arenas.

Rider & Horse Requirements: 8 riders interested in a fun and challenging exercise to increase their awareness, communication, focus, and balance. Training Level to FEI Level dressage, or novice to advance in other non-gaited disciplines. Horses must be comfortable with other horses.

Saturday, June 8^th: All About Contact: Creating A Positive Connection With The Reins

Description: Stop ‘putting your horse on the bit’ and start building a positive connection. Learn how to avoid and solve problems in the contact by looking at the whole horse and rider dynamic. Learn the purpose of the reins and how to create the posture you are looking for without forcing a frame.

Rider & Horse Requirements: Three Riders Horses and riders should be confident at Training Level (Working Gaits at walk, trot, canter) or higher and interested in improving their contact/connection with the reins. Horses should be ridden in a snaffle or non-leveraged bitless bridle.

Sunday, June 9^th: Get to the YES! Build Your Confidence In Dressage

Description: Karen will show you how to be more confident when improving your horse’s way of going, and schooling the basics of dressage. This is perfect for anyone who rides alone or without a local trainer who wants to feel more empowered in their riding.

Rider & Horse Requirements: Looking for 3 riders who are schooling the lower levels of dressage but don’t feel confident, OR riders who want to learn how to improve their horse’s way of going but feel intimidated to take dressage lessons, OR riders who feel dependent on or lost without their instructors helping them. Must be willing to talk, answer questions, and have fun during the demo.

Sunday, June 9^th: Lateral Work: Riding Shoulder In and Haunches in with Relaxation, Balance, and Ease.

Description: Learn a way to do lateral work with more relaxation, balance, and ease. Karen will simplify how to begin riding shoulder-in and haunches-in and will show how to progress this concept to be valuable for advanced horses too. This is great if you are just learning lateral work, or are already doing it and want more tools to improve it.

Rider & Horse Requirements: Four Horse/Riders who are already doing lateral work. 2 can be just learning (prefer if the riders already understand what shoulder in and haunches in are) and 2 can be more competent. Great for people who feel they are unbalanced, contorted, or require too strong aids during lateral work.

Friday, June 7^th: Reading Cattle for Cattle Classes

Saturday, June 8^th: Exercises in the Saddle to Develop Connection for Any Discipline

Sunday, June 9^th: Ten Flag Work Exercises to Develop Cow Skills for Horse & Rider

Three-day clinic. This is one clinic that does have a fee of $100 for participation. Please sign up for this using this link

Friday, June 7^th: Morning – ground shooting.

Late morning – Familiarizing horses with archery equipment and shooting Afternoon – ride and shoot at a walk.

Saturday, June 8^th: Morning – review of ground shooting techniques

Mid-morning – riding and shooting adding different targets & riding positions. Afternoon – riding and shooting at the trot & canter. Maybe a small jump or two for those who are more experienced riders.

Sunday, June 9^th: Mini competition

Rider & Horse Requirements: You should be riding at a canter on a loose rein.

Friday, June 7th
Thrill of the Drill Clinic

Saturday, June 8th
Thrill of the Drill Clinic

Have you ever considered riding on a drill team?
Do you know that DRILL is one of the few equestrian TEAM disciplines, and do you know that drill is open to almost all horses and riders? Open to riders and their horses that have 0 drill experience.  If you can control your horse at a walk, jog, and possibly a lope and your horse behaves well in close quarters, COME JOIN US!   It’ll be a safe and welcoming environment.