Joel Conner Horsemanship Clinic Reports
SAFE has had the good fortune to work with horseman Joel Conner for several years. Joel was recommended to us by Buck Brannaman, and it took sending him one horse to re-start — Kai — for us to know that we’d found the right person to help us. From the very start, Joel showed a deep commitment to developing a horsemanship program at SAFE to help staff and volunteers learn solid and consistent skills for working with the horses. He began coming to SAFE multiple times each year, putting on 3 day clinics to teach us these skills, focusing on groundwork and riding. In 2018, he began adding starting young horses under saddle to the program. He also has donated his time to teaching basic horse handling skills to SAFE volunteers, allowing those with little to no horse experience get safe, hands-on practice. In Joel Conner, we feel we have a partner who understands our horses and our mission as rescuers, and we are sincerely grateful for that!
Below, volunteers who work with SAFE horses in these clinics are asked to write up a short piece for the website about their experience and what they learned. These updates, collected over the past three years, will give you a feel for what a Joel Conner clinic is all about.
Hickory & Mesquite: Training Update
All reports have been glowing for our new riding horses, Hickory and Mesquite. They are both in training with Joel Conner and are coming along well with the work. As expected, Hickory has been fairly easy with only minimal issues. He is the younger of the two and…
Mesquite: Making great strides!
Mesquite left early this morning for Vancouver WA where he will join his friend Hickory in training with Joel Conner. You might recall that Joel rode both boys at his clinic at SAFE in mid-August. Now they’re both going to get the start they need to be saddle horses. …
Stella is home from training!
Stella is home from 45 days of training with Joel Conner. I got the chance to ride her in the clinic when Joel was at SAFE and it was a blast getting to know this spunky mare. She is a very sensitive and smart girl. She handled being in the arena with ten other horses…
Training Update: Khianna
We have a wonderful group of volunteer riders at SAFE who not only make my life as the Operations Director easier but also are a vital asset to the horse’s preparation for adoption. The volunteers help with everything from turnout, hand walking injured horses,…
SAFE’s clinic with Joel Conner and Colt starting demonstrations
It was a pleasure this past weekend to have Joel Conner visit the SAFE horses and teach our volunteers. We began each morning, with a colt starting demonstration where Joel worked with Hickory, Mesquite and Ben. Joel is an expert when it comes to working with…
Training Update: Kai
Kai is going very nicely for trainer Joel Conner in Vancouver WA. He’s made some great improvements, both in the ground work and riding over the course of his tune up training. There was a little setback a few weeks back when Kai cut his chin while playing over the…
Kai Training Update
Kai is doing “amazing well” during his tuneup training with Joel Conner. We couldn’t be happier with his progress and how soft, relaxed, and balanced Joel has him going. Take a look at these fun photos of Kai getting accustomed to a rope being thrown from the saddle…
Kai in training
Kai left on Tuesday to spend a month in training with Joel Conner, who was recommended to us by Buck Brannaman. Kai made the 3 hour journey to Vancouver WA without a problem (thank you Chris T for hauling him!) and settled in nicely at Joel’s farm. The next day we…
