5/10/19-5/12/19 Next in our life is a 3 day clinic with 6 Star Parelli Master Clinician, Dave Ellis. I rode with Dave in many clinic is my younger 40 and 50 age years. It's twenty years later and I have an "intriguing" super talented horse that I'm having trouble connecting to. The mornings are a group clinic. The afternoon is private lessons. In our first morning clinic, we did our ground play under Dave's direction. Fancy was very nervous in this arena. It was one of the cloth arenas and…

We arrived at the show ground and parked win a gold spot which means no backing necessary and close to the arena of competition! Fancy unloaded and put on her show outfit. We went to the arena and walked around. We ran around (she ran around) some and she looked like a horse I could ride, I mounted and the. We discovered one long end of the arena is scary. We made that manageable and returned to the trailer. YI went into the tack room, hid my phone from myself…

After a rest period of a couple days, Fancy went back to the stable. We rode. Fancy is still a go and then go horse. I'm still trying to figure out how to keep her at the same speed in the flat foot walk and fox trot. We are doing better, but there is not much consistent speed. Also, she takes umbrage at my request to go forward, hollows her back, throws up her head and goes into a ugly lateral gait (pace). I discover her back is sore and…

Clinic time with Tony and Jenny Vaught. Oh how I need these two days. We arrive in Springfield, Mo area on Thursday afternoon. I am escorted by a handsome young man to Fancy's stall. I get Fancy out of the trailer and my young man parks my truck and trailer for me. (Parking involves backing which is in my lower wheelhouse talent.) The handsome young man helps me carry stuff to Fancy's stall. Oh the joy! I get everything in place, mainly Fancy's food and water.  I left for my…

Two Fancy stories from the wonderful Gaited Horse clinic with Tony and Jenny Vaught 1.  Fancy has been to this arena several times , the last as recently as two days ago.  That was a good day. I had to persuade her to move up into the flat foot walk and fox trot. Was she tired? Today there were about 12-15 equines in the arena.  When I got on her, she got into a high energy mode.  Twenty minutes of figure eights and small circles did not slow down her…

How did I get so lucky? I’m in an overwhelmed thankful mindset existing with rain hatred. I had a lesson today with Erin Patterson. This was perfect timing. Fancy and I have just “jelled” together. Now is the time for Erin to explain to me how/when to get Fancy into consistent gait. Fancy loves to speed up. Erin coached me through how to not speed up. Timing on my part was critical. “Feel” is critical...feel of the horse and feel on the reins. Twenty plus years of experience under Tony…