Joel Conner Clinic Report: Mina

I worked with Mina for all three groundwork sessions for the recent Joel Conner clinic. I was excited to get the chance to participate with her because I already know that working with her is going to help me grow in my horsemanship skills. Mina is a sweetheart, and she’s not exactly a high-energy mare. She’s so easy going that it can be difficult to get her to move her feet. We believe that there may be some cold-blooded breed in her ancestry, as she certainly has the mellow disposition. With Joel’s guidance I was able to work on my insecurity with firming up enough to get changes in her. By the end of the weekend she was much more responsive to what I was asking of her, and we were communicating much more effectively. She’s learning to move off of a feel and my goal is to get her as light as I can. I believe that a combination of lightness in handling and her sweet demeanor is going to make her a stellar horse. I still have work to do and confidence to gain, but I’m happy to have started off on the right foot. Mina is a smart girl and I look forward to working with and learning from her more.