your horse sounds a lot like my Tivar, only a more extreme case... Just be careful... some people think if a horse "acts bad" and you are in a clinic situation with many peanut gallery people egging you on and you give in to peer pressure--- not good. Because some horses need to not be pushed, but are so intelligent they will fight it to death whereas if you give them some soaking time etc you can make great strides later. Which you are doing now. and if it aint broke dont fix it! The icelandic thing could be a mistake. Only reason I say this--- if they do tight nosebands or anything run like heck... i think Tivar would kill if you put a tight noseband on him. and i think some horses will just kill themselves if not the person if in situations they find unbearable. If they feel trapped. But your horse, maybe she trusts you now and will allow you to rescue her if the clinic person puts her into a situation that makes her freak.
I should take out "icelandic" and put in "any clinic" because any clinician can cause these situations. Just dont be afraid to pull out in the middle if your horse isnt good with whatever is going on. Sometimes its better to cut your losses than cause harm that will take years and years to undo. also, some nationally touring very successful clinicians are monstrous in my opinion. And really, I mean it, I know they are. I in fact don't even mind mentioning names and policies! For instance, the guy who invented the Noavel Headstall. I forget his name. He goes all over giving clinics, selling videos, has been on rfdtv. Guess what that headstall is?? A hackamore where the nose part is a piece of heavy steel re-bar covered in leather. Do you know what rebar is? It is heavy steel, ribbed, about a half inch in diameter, weighs tons. And it is designed so if the horse acts up they go bump-bump with it. So in the demo, which I have seen, when the horse tries all manner of panicked desperate measure to be free of the pain of that device, first rearing, then bucking, he finally submits, hanging his head a foot from the ground, dazed, broken, then if you hang around, they always wait til the show is way over to load their horses , watch as they trailer load. It takes like 6 people with whips and the horse rearing at the end of a lead. Monstrous. so just cause someone is on tv, goes around giving clinics, doesnt mean they aren't a-hole monster psycho trainer of the year. jmo. jme Janice -- yipie tie yie yo
