Hunter jumper clinic to be held at WWU

10/29/2012 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

TaylorMade Horsemanship (TMH) will host a three-day hunter/jumper clinic for William Woods University students Nov. 2-4.

Students may either participate or audit. Auditing of these clinics, which will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, is free and open to the public.
 
Stephanie Koerner, a junior from Kankakee, Ill., plans to attend her first hunter/jumper clinic for the full three days.
 
“I hope to gain more experience with Echo, and get a different insight on this horse,” Koerner said. “Also, I will learn new exercises to work on with Echo and other horses.”
 
Melanie Smith Taylor and Mindy Bower teamed up to create TMH, a program to help riders become closer to their horses. The clinics begin the first morning with observing riders and placing them into small groups.
 
The riders then work with Bower on groundwork and proceed to work on riding flatwork and gymnastics with Taylor. The clinicians work with each rider individually to help solve any problems. They also videotape all riders to record their progress, and the videotapes are given to the riders to learn from.
 
“I am attending to learn more and apply it to a horse that has never done these maneuvers,” Elena Smith, a junior from Moscow, said.
 
Taylor is an Olympic gold medalist and reputable hunter/jumper and hunt seat equitation judge. She is well known within the equine community for her accomplishments. Taylor is awaiting the publication of her book, “Ride With Life…. from the Ground Up,” a review of her equine endeavors and the many horsemen that influenced her.
 
“I am excited to get the experience from an Olympian and apply what I learn to my riding and horse,” Caydie Bennet, a freshman from Aguanga, Calif., said.
 
Bower is a third-generation horse woman who thrives on helping riders to better understand their equine partners. She has been starting and training horses for the past 30 years and has experience in a variety of disciplines. Solving horse and rider problems is something that Bower enjoys and has developed a finely tuned eye for.
 
“[Bower] has a great ability to read horses and help their humans to better understand them,” Koerner said.
 
There is an opportunity for people who have worked previously with one of the clinicians to become apprentices to help in TMH clinics. The apprenticeship will teach equestrians how to create lesson plans to develop young riders and help them learn more about the industry.
 
For more information on the clinic and its clinicians, Contact: Dr. Linda McClaren at 573.590.3661 or linda.mcclaren@willamwoods.edu or visit www.taylormadehorsemanship.com.