Horsmanship  Clinic

2023  May 6 / 7

This will be our last year of hosting Mr. Ian Francis as he will not be offering as many clinics in future. He never fails to impress us, as a rider who has reached the pinnacle  in many different riding disciplines he has so much to offer each and every clinic participant. With only 12 riders in this clinic, ensure you pay your deposit to secure a riding position.

In all of our Ian Francis horsemanship clinics it didn’t matter which discipline you followed, Mr. Francis made improvements to every rider, whether it was their first canter, they were into Stockmans challenges or One Day Eventing, everyone came away with something to improve their riding, as well as a big smile.

If you do compete this is a clinic not to be missed, as we couldn’t recommend it more highly!

What will be covered in the clinic; In all clinics Ian has everyone together to start, and covers the basics, flexion, control of the head and neck, shoulders, ribcage and hindquarters. After lunch Ian will then run through each person individually and concentrate on what he sees needs improving or refining – or if you are having a particular problem, let Ian know and he can cover that. All riders are encouraged to stay and watch, and practice what is being shown , or what they have learnt in the first session.

Ian will cover exercises for;

suppleness, exercises to get control of body parts, and exercises for guiding and speed control. Techniques to build your horses knowledge, understanding and confidence.
In a horsemanship clinic Ian concentrates on building a foundation for your horse or advancing on from the foundation you have on your horse, in talking about foundation training, we are simply trying to provide a basis from which to firstly consolidate and then advance a horse’s education. My goals are to have my horse understand how to;
1. Flex his head and neck left and right in response to rein and leg cues
2. Flex his neck vertically, breaking at the poll, throat, withers and lower jaw
3. To travel at a walk, trot and lope in both directions, body arced in the direction of travel
4. Walk, trot and lope both directions with body in reverse arc

5. To speed up and slow down in response to body and rein cues
6. To stop straight
7. To back up
8. To turn both left and right and

9. To side pass both directions.

There are three other areas that I try to be diligent about:
(1) Give to pressure – I pull he should give, I press he should go
(2) I try to always travel on the correct lead – I see no benefit in being careless about this and
(3) To be aware at all times about form to function – i.e. to be conscious of the body shape a horse needs to be in to perform the gait or manoeuvre he is attempting at an acceptable level.

Riding $525
Fence sitting $80 / day
Includes day time meals and camping

12 riders in the clinic – riding positions only held with payment of a $100 deposit.

Download an entry form here  IF-Capricorn-Entry-_2023

For more information about the clinic   down load this form IF-info-doc_23

For those riders bring horses you will also need to complete this horse health declaration  CEC_Horse-Health-Declaration-Issue-B