Oct 13, 2013 at 07:31 pm #23227

I’m reposting from my blog because everyone should know how awesome it was.

Astonishing, demanding, amazing, incredible, grueling, wonderful, instructive, remarkable, inspirational, and marvelous. Are just a few words to describe Shana’s 5-day clinic at the DUH ranch in Stephenville.

If you have read my other blogs, you already know that attending this clinic was given to me for my birthday by the World’s greatest friend. She and her husband drove for two days from California to attend also. We had been looking forward to this clinic for 2 months and couldn’t wait to go through gates and get our butts kicked. As we were greeted by Brittney and Academy students, we knew this was going to be an awesome experience!

Over the course of five days we learned so much. My girlfriend had brought a horse for me to work with, a black QH named Ace, my second favorite horse, (my horse Cinco being my favorite, of course). The one thing she wanted me to work with on this horse was his pulling back when tied. She had been working with him on this issue for three years. It was a truly ingrained habit of his to set back on that halter and even fall over backwards if need be. After groundwork on the first day we asked Certified Clinician Kristen Hamacher to help us out. We were a bit nervous to tie him to the patience pole. Kristen was absolutely phenomenal with him. Watching her stay calm, cool, and collected, while this horse reared, sat down, pulled with all his might, charged the pole twice, and she never even blinked. She taught us when to apply pressure and when to release pressure. Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing uncomfortable. She was black and white, she didn’t tip toe around trying to keep him calm. She went hunting for “oh no!” spots. It really opened my eyes up to the real definition of black and white. When I pulled him out and tied him to patient pole the next morning he actually went up to it and put his nose on the chain. She worked Ace on that pole every night we were there. He did regress a bit but figured out the right answer fairly quickly.

We have numerous stories just like that one, how through Shanna and the Clinicians our horsemanship really began to blossom. The five days were not only an eye opener but also a real butt kicking. I thought I had practiced enough with the stick and string…I thought I was being black and white…I thought I was doing the exercises correctly… I thought…I thought…I thought. There is nothing that can compete with being on the ranch and getting one on one attention and instruction.

The other Certified clinicians, Justin Freter and Abby Martin were just as awesome. They helped us go the extra mile. They were always there right behind us giving instruction and/or encouragement. I knew I needed help in many areas one of which was body language. All three of them were there helping me every step of the way. It was an exceptional experience! Even though I was sore, tired, and found muscles I didn’t even know I had, on the morning we packed up to head home I was sad not to be getting my horse ready for another training day.
I miss working with Ace, but I took home something incredibly valuable, the knowledge and inspiration to run home and work with Cinco! We were home less then 24 hrs, just to make sure the boat was still floating, before we repacked and headed to the ranch for 3 days. Where I put my new refined Method into action! A big Thank you to to entire DUH team!

Michelle Smith