07.07.07

Horsemanship Tom Curtin New Hampshire Clinic

Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 1:41 pm by petArtist Cmoses

During two weeks in June, Tom Curtin conducted colt starting, cow work, and horsemanship clinics at Gelinas Farm in Pembroke NH. On June 16-18, Gelinas Farm hosted Tom’s horsemanship clinic, and we took our own 4 yr. old Gilford for Hubby to ride.

Photos of 2005-07 Tom Curtin N.H. clinics are available at Connie’s photo galleries.

Hubby tacking up Gilford at the trailer, at Gelinas Farm

For three days, twelve riders practiced finer-tuned horse control. Essentially the moves were stop and start, turns on forehand and haunches, backing, shoulders in and out, haunches in and out, two-tracking, softness, gait transitions, and relaxation. Tom’s instructions are very much in his own lingo, from his cowboy background and years of working with horses in a natural and kind manner. Tom’s love and respect for horses is apparent again and again in his teachings.

Tom Curtin demonstrates skills of a well-trained reining horse.

Tom coaches riders in clinic

Hubby and Gilford do pretty well trotting…

Improving one’s riding abilities also improves the horse– both his agility, his attentiveness to the rider, and his sense of well being. Under Tom’s guidance the rider learns to be more in tune with the horse, and the horse learns to be more responsive to its rider. On young and green horses it is particularly important to have the skills to communicate to the horse and to have control of where he places his feet, which is what Tom’s exercises home in on.

Tom showing the results of practicing his exercises.

Tom started by demonstrating the degree of control that is possible on his own well-trained reining horse, and explaining the types of things the class would be doing. Participants in the clinic were at varied levels of experience, riding western, english, or in-between, on green, younger and more experienced horses. Tom’s setup wearing a microphone with remote speakers allows all riders and observers to benefit from each other’s issues. Tom’s manner is laid-back and casual; in an uncritical manner he is able to inspire people to see things from the horse’s point of view.

Gilford’s issues
Young Gilford is still pretty green under saddle, and hubby has spent probably more time driving him than riding him. AND, hubby is sort of a green rider– he rode a lot growing up and has a good sense of balance, but he has had only one or two riding lessons about forty years ago (he learned to ride via the hang on and go method!) So there was some frustration involved as he tried to figure out how to get Gilford to do what Tom was asking for.

Tom Backing UP in a rhythm…

then gives backing up lesson for Gilford and hubby

At this point Tom gives hubby and horse a backing up lesson, because horse didn’t understand what was wanted and rider was having trouble getting it across. (Rarely is a horse being stubborn or bad, but rather the rider is failing to communicate clearly; which is what natural horsemanship training strives to improve.)

Enlightenment
After day two, back at home I put hubby on our mare, who is exceedingly well schooled, so that he could see how shoulders in, turns on forehand and haunches, backing etc. were SUPPOSED to be accomplished and feel like. This was enlightening for him, who finds himself in the situation of having to teach a green horse, and now realizes this means he has to learn more fine-tuned riding skills– the type of skills our daughter Emmie practiced extensively growing up and was/is so good at.

Dad and Gilford practicing in the clinic

Here they do well cantering, although a couple of other times Gilford did buck.

Having a somewhat green rider teaching a green horse is never recommended. We are fortunate that Gilford is so laid back and docile and has a willing disposition. Hopefully it will all work out, since hubby wants to learn more skills now; we should consider getting him riding instruction on Gilford. Emmie helps when she can, but sadly lives over three hours away.

Resting after all that work!

Colt-Starting and Cow Work Clinics
In Tom’s Colt-starting clinic, he takes totally unbroken horses and has them saddled, bridled and ridden BY THEIR OWNERS in four half-day sessions. Day 1 is mostly roundpen work on a grand scale, with up to two dozen horses herded by Tom on his reining horse in an indoor arena. The green horses thereby learn to pay attention to and respect the human. Tom’s tools are his horse, his voice, a flag on a stick, and sometimes his lasso.

In the next three days of colt starting, the horses are introduced to rope halters and ground handling, wearing saddles, being mounted, steering, stopping and starting by their riders, under Tom’s instruction and watchful eye. When necessary Tom lends a hand or might get on a horse himself if it needs a special attitude adjustment for safety reasons. Work is conducted in the arena and roundpen, and by the last day in open fields and off down the trail.

Tom gives some hands-on help to a clinic rider’s horse

I heard that Tom’s cow work clinic was highly beneficial as well to those who enjoy working cattle. Folks learned lariat-handling, roping, herding, tying and other ranch necessities which aren’t often seen in the northeast.

Dad, Joanne Gelinas Snow and Artie Snow in Tom’s horsemanship clinic.

Gelinas Farm is to be complimented for providing such a beautiful location for learning better horsemanship, and the weather couldn’t have been more glorious. Thank you Joanne and Artie Snow, and Tom and Trina Curtin for helping horses by sharing their knowledge with fellow horse lovers.

Trina Curtin and friends!
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Don’t miss HorseGal’s own account of Tom’s clinic (07.05.07)
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