In February, I attended the Metta Baxter Driving Clinic held at the University of Florida's Horse Teaching Unit. It was so much fun! It was two days of hands on learning; we learned about harnesses and carts, how to harness and put to a cart and actually got to drive as well. My friend Cathy came home and put her big horse Busta to a cart and he didn't have a problem with it at all.
We drove each other before they let us touch the horses. :-) We also got to see the horses that are part of UF's horse program - really nice horses.
Then on the first weekend in April, my friends and I went to a Ron McLoughlin clinic at Silver Sands Bridle Club in Port Orange/New Smyrna Florida. Ron teaches classical riding techniques based on what he learned from Monte Foreman many years ago. He runs the Classical Stock Seat School of Arizona and we are fortunate to have him come to Florida 3 to 4 times a year.
It was an intense 3 day weekend of riding, studying and more riding. I loved the group riding and the special one on one attention that he gave each student and horse. I came home with some awesome exercises to practice so that I can ask correctly for what I want from my horse. Stylin was awesome and all of us had a great time and came home feeling that we could become better riders.
I had such a wonderful time learning with my great friends and my wonderful horse. Life is good and I am blessed!
