Thanks again for a great day!!
The Riding With Rhythm facilities are great -- the arena is very spacious and love the open sides. The observation room was much appreciated with the rain, and it was great that we could still hear the clinician. Switching riders and horses went very smoothly, so there were no large gaps between riders. I am very grateful I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Cleon Wingard. He is such a very calm and patient man. The knowledge he has about horses and riding techniques -- it was fascinating listening to him as he instructed me and the other riders.
Being fairly new to riding horses, I realized, thanks to Mr. Wingard, there is a difference between riding ... and riding with an understanding of yourself, in relation to the horse. He explained in detail about the pressure of your legs against the horse, the position of your body, and having a calm, but maybe more importantly, a confident presence. I had never thought of riding horses that way. It was such an "aha!" moment for me! Thank you Shirley and Mr. Wingard!
“What a wonderful day we had! We learned a lot from both Shirley and, our dressage judge, Deb.
We were given the opportunity to ride each test – receive constructive criticism and hints on how to ride the test better. Then we were given the chance to ride the test again to see if we could improve our score!
As a first time participant in a dressage event, this was a wonderful format. It was incredibly informative and encouraging. It also provided us with the gift of socially-distanced community with other horse lovers.”
I wholeheartedly agree with Terri! This was my first show experience and I learned so much not only about riding but also about the judging process that occurs during a dressage show. The day started with an incredible introduction to riding in a show which reinforced all the important skills that Shirley has been teaching. Each rider then got to put these skills to the test in a supportive environment with an emphasis on learning and improvement. I felt that we all walked away winners, due to the knowledge, insights and coaching bestowed by our expert judge Deb and our energetic trainer Shirley.