>>>> ok, lets stick with the positive, who are your favorite clinicians and >>>> why. I already said my favorites and why.
That's a hard one. I like a lot of people, but for different reasons. I liked Dave Seay's way with a horse - but he was hard to follow, a bad communicator with people. I ultimately learned a lot from him - but because he was so communication-impaired, that I am happy that Pat Parelli has what he calls "the gift for gab." Considering how many horseman are better with horses than with people, that's no small praise. I love watching Pat Parelli work with a horse. He's so relaxed and confident that the horses almost seem compelled to work with him. Is he the best I've ever seen? Probably not, but he's good - and he's VERY easy to follow. If someone is good, but no one can understand them...well, that's sort of the tree falling in the forest, isn't it? I like Liz Graves. She seems to have a real knack for finding the right balance between positive encouragement, without being smarmy or offering false hope. She's sweet, and caring...but when push comes to shove, she can put the sweetness aside and be bluntly honest. I like that. I don't enjoy someone being rude, but I don't want them to avoid telling me what I need to hear. I really enjoyed Sue Falkner March at the Icelandic Horse Farm - she's a Centered Riding instructor. She is gentle and quiet, but a wry and quirky sense of humor that Cary and I both appreciated. We both remember a lot of things she taught us, even though it was only two days. Janice mentioned liking some people in person but not on the videos, on TV, etc. I thought Lynn Palm was just ok on her tapes and on RFD-TV, but I really liked her when I saw her in person recently. She's a "real world" horseperson. Sort of dressage-y, but also someone who'd done a little of everything to do with horses, so she has a broad perspective. I like that. I think she may ride a little more aggressively than I'd choose to, but she certainly seemed kind to her horse. I've always admired Jane Savoie's Cross Train Your Horse book, and I was pleasantly reminded of that when I recently saw her in person. It was refreshing to see someone who has successfully competed in dressage who is a stickler for the basics, and isn't simply after a "headset." I still like Jane a lot - makes me remember why I briefly considered getting into a little competitive dressage myself. But what about our favorite horsemen? Are they always the noted clinicians? Some that come to my mind aren't so famous at all... Karen Thomas, NC [EMAIL PROTECTED]
