I started taking riding lessons about 28 years ago with a dressage instructor who used Centered Riding techniques. Sally Swift hadn't written her book yet, but she lived in nearby VT, and came to my instructor's barn 4 times a year and gave lessons. She was just magic, and I always rode with Sally every chance I got, over a period of around 15 years! After she became well known, she only came once a year. She is still my favorite riding instructor!
I got my first horse 22 years ago, added a second a year later and a third, 6 years later. I got my first Icey, Stormur in 1995, after losing my first 2 horses within a year, and added my mare Tibra in 1997 and Krafla in 2000. I've ridden in many clinics. Back in the 80's, I rode with several regional dressage instructors, Sarah Geike, Anne and Marcia Kulak, Janet Black, as well as Olympians, Tad Coffin (eventing) and Carol Lavell (dressage). I met Alexandra Kurland, who was teaching a Team clinic I attended, in the mid 80's. After getting my troubled TB, Skip, I hired Alexandra in 1993 to work with us once a week and continued taking weekly lessons from her until 2001. She helped me train Stormur. I still attend her clinics several times a year, and even had a couple of private lessons with her this past winter. I've done at least a half dozen clinics, several that I organized, with Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard. Bob is a John Lyons certified trainer who has developed his own program and Suzanne is a Centered Rider and T'ai Chi instructor. I've also organised and ridden in several clinics with James Shaw, author of Riding From Within, T'ai Chi for the Equestrian. I've ridden in a 4 day clinic with Mark Rashid. I've audited many clinics: several round pen symposiums and riding clinics given by John Lyons; clinics by PNH instructors Dave Ellis, David Lichman and Bruce Logan; Pat Parelli and Clinton Anderson's weekend exhibitions, plus 2 Leslie Desmond clinics. I've attended 9 Equine Affaires, 1 in Ohio, and 8 in MA. Stormur and I went to the last US Equitana in Kentucky in 1999 and did a clicker demo with Alexandra. At Equitana and EA, I've watched demos by Linda Tellington Jones, Monty Roberts, Liz Graves, Brenda Imus, David and Karen O'Connor, Dave Seay, Michael Richardson, to name a few, in addition to others already mentioned. I've also ridden in some Icelandic horse clinics: with Dani Gehmacher from Germany, Sigrun, Disa and Helga, and Reynir from Iceland. My favorite active clinicians are Alexandra and Bob and Suzanne. I've been doing some freelance clicker training for the last 2 years, and started teaching riding lessons last fall after apprenticing for a year with a therapeutic riding instructor. I competed in a few dressage and English equitation shows in the 80's, but am not interested in competition, though my daughter is trying to drag me to a hunter pace in the fall! I may take Stormur. He's a very competive guy, unlike my mares! I enjoy trail riding with my friends and hope to go horse camping for the first time in a few weeks! Mary Sand Lake, NY
