Do's and Don'ts When Clinic Hosting

Hosting a clinic is a three-sided triangle, and each corner has to be in concert with the other two in order for the event to be the best it can be. It is expensive and time-consuming to host a clinic, but it can also be extremely worthwhile. It can drive business to your barn, increase the talent level of your resident horses, riders and on site trainers, and provide valuable insights into what the world of competition is currently favoring from the judge's box, if that is what make your horse world tick. It can also net you some good income.

Paul Alvin-Smith teaching advanced showjumping student

 

The three corners are the host, the clinician and the rider. Each party has to be tuned in to the other for the event to work. As an experienced clinician as part of the Grand Prix duo that is my hubbie and me, I find the travels (sometimes extensive to other countries), hours of almost non-stop training and the effort that we put in very rewarding. For the most part anyway.

We work with riders of all talent levels, ages, mainly in dressage but also in eventing, showjumping and even western dressage riding disciplines. We have at times worked with folks on the autism spectrum and riders with physical difficulties. We have worked with a vast array horse breeds also of a huge range of talents, including Paso Finos and other gaited horses. 

We are blessed to be engaged on a very busy schedule of horse training and clinic giving. With our decades of experience as competitors/coaches as well as clinicians including sometimes hosting Olympic level talent at our own locations, we have worked as all parts of the clinic triangle.

While obviously our obligation is to not just show up, but to make a difference in how a rider and horse work together and improve the knowledge and understanding of both in the art of horse training and riding, there are times when clinic life from our perspective can become at best awkward and at worst upset our sensibilities.

Paul Alvin-Smith teaching an Eventer on his upcoming young horse

 

As much as I'd like to say these pointers shouldn't need saying, sometimes even now we find ourselves wishing the hosting party had taken a few notes. So here are a few tips on what to do and what not to do when hosting a clinic, to help make the whole experience positive for everyone:

DO

• Ensure that all horses and riders presented are mentally and physically fit to work
• Provide a safe environment that is user-friendly for all to use, including good footing that kept dust-free with a fenced space or enclosure and provide protection from the sun within hearing distance of the arena for the clinicians and auditors
• Be organized with ride times, necessary paperwork and payment and have all orchestrated before the clinic begins
• Keep clinic area free of unleashed pets, unsupervised children and general interference noise based and distraction wise, such as turned out horses near to the work space or heavy equipment or traffic moving close by
• Provide sufficient breaks for all with appropriate beverages and food options
• Do not allow taping/video or photography at event unless specifically permitted by clinician
• Offer a warm-up area for incoming riders to prepare for their rides (unless clinician has specifically requested it be done in the ring in front of them)
• Keep your event on schedule with riders cognizant that long conversations should be held for chat sessions later with clinicians (but give the clinicians a chance for some peace and quiet during their designated break periods especially lunch)
• Be on time to provide transport to/from venue or allocate appropriate parking space away from horse unloading/loading zones.
• Inform clinician of any issue a particular rider/horse combo is having before they begin work is the pair are your regular students. Do not expect the clinician to work with horses that are behaving dangerously. 
• If you are providing overnight accommodation, ensure that it is clean, private and quiet.
  

 

Nikki Alvin-Smith taking a break while staying at Stal Andre, hosted by Antonio Monteiro Borba at the old living quarters of the famed (who was an apprentice there early in his career) Nuno Oliveria, in Lisbon, Portugal.

 

 

 

 

DON'T

• Present clinicians with 'problem' horses and riders and expect them to solve major issues within a 50 minute ride
• Expect that a trainer will always be walking with a rider or standing center of the arena the whole time, provide seating at one side or end of the arena separate from auditors to minimize distraction
• Be surprised if a clinician halts or does not start a session if they deem either horse or rider unfit or unsound to participate
  
• Be upset if a clinician abandons a path of training within the session such as incorporating a particular movement or exercise. Their experienced eye will likely has ascertained that either horse/rider or both are not ready to assimilate or understand the requirements and know the clinic format is not the place to teach it.
• Expect the clinician to deal with payments and paperwork. All should be provided before the start of the clinic so the clinician can focus on their job.
• Leave clinician waiting around for transport to/from airports or hotels
• Push your on-site riders to overwork and over-train their horses before the event making the horse sour or sore 
• Expect the clinician to ride a problem horse to 'fix' an issue. Many clinicians will not ride the horses at all during a clinic due to safety issues and time constraints.
  

 

By following these few simple rules as a host, the clinic will hopefully go to plan. Although there are occasionally a few surprises along the way - with miscreant horse behavior or rider melt-downs, the clinician does their best to ensure neither horse or rider is overwhelmed during the riding session. 

 

Paul Alvin-Smith working with an advanced level dressage trainer