SAFE volunteer rider Phoebe rode Duchess in the April Joel Conner clinic. Here’s what she had to say about the experience:
Duchess, what a great teacher she is! Understanding that her inability to hold a focus for very long can be used to distract her from her insecurities. Joel was awesome at identifying the ‘jiggle’ of the rein as a focus changer. For her, it was gentle, quiet, and effective. Halfway thru Day 3, she was calm, relaxed, attentive, and very willing. For me, it was a great experience! I’m sure someone more experienced would have had her there on Day 1, but for me, she was a great teacher and I won’t forget her lessons. And Joel’s. She was able to hold a soft feel longer, keep a steady circle to the left OR right, and learned (at least temporarily) to be in close proximity to other horses and feel confident. What a great clinic! Thank you, Joel!
