• You love horses
• You are a beginning or intermediate rider, or an adult returning to riding

AND...

• Your fears or insecurities are preventing you from fully enjoying your horse
• Your fears are preventing you from progressing in your riding
• Your fears are preventing you from meeting your riding goals

This unmounted clinic is for beginning and intermediate equestrians. It will focus on the mental, emotional, and psychological factors and experiences that prevent many adults from fully enjoying their horses and meeting their riding goals. Topics covered in the morning classroom session include: Determining motivations for riding; Accurate risk assessment; Setting appropriate goals; Mental imagery and visualization skills; Relaxation and breathing techniques; Creating a safe environment; and Keeping the focus on fun! The afternoon session will cover an introduction to Ground Communication and Control (with horses).  Participants should wear close-toed boots appropriate for working with horses on the ground.  The registration fee is $140. Participating in a Part 1 clinic is a prerequisite to riding in any of the mounted clinics. 

This mounted clinic is a continuation of Part 1. Relaxation, breathing, visualization and riding techniques are learned and practiced on a horse, in the safe environment of a round pen or arena. Part 2 Mounted Clinics have limited enrollment. Each horse is assigned two riders, who alternate being a rider and a coach. Calm, confident school horses are used in these mounted 4-hour clinics, which are held at California Stables in Gilroy. [Note: For reasons of health and safety, our program horses are not able to accommodate riders over 190 pounds. It is possible for participants to trailer in their own horses, by prior arrangement.] The registration fee for Part 2 is $125.

This Mounted Clinic is a continuation of Parts 1 and 2. The Confident Rider skills from Parts 1 and 2 will be practiced and reviewed in the context of playing horseback games and having fun. Games will primarily be performed at a walk, although trotting will be introduced for riders who feel comfortable and ready to trot. Come to this clinic if you want to practice your riding skills, play, laugh and have fun!

Riders are encouraged to bring and ride their own horses. The registration fee for Part 3 is $125. For horses not boarded at California Stables, a $15 haul-in fee is due to California Stables on the day of the clinic. A limited number of program horses are available for an additional $25 horse use fee. [Note: For reasons of health and safety, our program horses are unable to accommodate riders over 190 pounds.]

PART 4 - RIDING WITH CONFIDENCE ON THE TRAIL

This mounted trail clinic is a continuation of Parts 1, 2 and 3. The clinic schedule will include a pre-ride check-in and discussion on how to reduce the risks, increase your confidence and specific skills for group trail riding. The trail ride will last from 1 - 2 hours, depending on group preferences. The clinic will close with group discussion and processing.

The registration fee for this clinic is $125. Riders are encouraged to bring their own horses. The staging area has easy trailer pull-through parking. A limited number of school horses are available for an additional $25 horse use fee. [Note: For reasons of health and safety, our program horses are unable to accommodate riders over 190 pounds.]

Participation in a part 2 and part 3 clinic and permission of the instructor are prerequisites to register for this trail clinic. Riders should be able to walk and trot with good control, in an arena setting. Trail clinics will be held at Harvey Bear County Park in San Martin or other parks by special arrangement.

ALUMNI

Confident Rider Clinic alumni have gone on to meet their goals and ride trails, canter bareback, take their horses camping, ride in parades, qualify for Search and Rescue, barrel race, show hunters and jumpers, buy a new horse and enjoy their horses to the max!  We are very proud of the accomplishments of our alumni and enjoy hearing about their successes!

STAFF

Overcoming Fear: Becoming a Confident Rider clinics are sponsored by DreamPower Horsemanship. All proceeds benefit the therapeutic programs and services of The DreamPower Foundation.   All clinics will be taught by Martha McNiel and Garry Stauber, and assisted by staff and volunteers from DreamPower.

Martha C. McNiel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (California license #MFC 34795), a NARHA Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor and EAGALA Level 1 certified. Martha is on the Board of Directors of the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA).  She is a Professional Member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA), the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) and the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA). She is currently president of the Ohlone Riders unit of the Backcountry Horsemen of California.

Martha is the Founder and Director of DreamPower Horsemanship, a NARHA Member Center providing Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy and Therapeutic Horsemanship classes. She writes a column on “The Mental Side of Riding” for Equestrian Network Magazine (www.equestmagazine.com) and has had articles published by the Bay Area Equestrian Network, Horse-Guide.com, USPC News, NARHA Strides, and Paso Fino Horse World.   

Garry is President of the Board of Directors of The DreamPower Foundation and has co-taught the Confident Rider clinics since their inception in 2004.  He is a Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor at DreamPower, specializing in helping adult riders build horsemanship skills and confidence.

PRIVATE LESSONS

Private lessons focused on building Confident Rider skills are available before, during and after the clinics.  Private lessons are encouraged for riders who want more support and practice in a lesson environment.  Call or email DreamPower for more information about private lessons for adults.