An RE Smith clinic is not spent watching RE from outside the arena sitting on a lawn chair.  You SIT on your saddle on your horse for 6-1/2 hours per day.  English, western or dressage it doesn't matter because the traditional hackamore has influenced or been influenced by many disciplines.

What should you expect from the clinic?

* A combination of mechanics and theory pertaining to how a traditional hackamore works;
* How to fit and tie the mecates (horse hair rope), bosal and hanger to form a traditional hackamore;
* The movements that create the cues that encourage calm, balanced, and consistant response from your horse;
* Encouragement to "feel" your horses' movements before, during and after your cues to better your partnership with your horse;
* Recognition that your horse is a prey animal who knows you are a preditor.  With this in mind, the use of a headstall that is not a "pain compliant" design allows your horse to receive training without the fear of pain;
* Riding drills designed, using "building block style", starting very slow and building as the weekend progresses;
* The atmosphere of training where mistakes are not magnified but remediated where balance, confidence and control are pointed out and encouraged;
* Motivation is part of the training for both horse and rider.  Improvement is recognized by RE, his staff, and the class.  There is not a competitive attitude, but very much a team building attitude.

We enjoy teaching.  We also enjoy returning to our host ranches and seeing our friends who started out as students - their stories of success after the clinics helps to keep us going!