Carrie S participated in the March Joel Conner clinic alongside Brandy, and had the following to say about their experience together:
“I had the opportunity to work with Brandy during the groundwork portion of the Joel Conner Clinic in March of 2023. Brandy had previously attended one clinic, but had little work in between due to the large herd that SAFE took in last November, which required a lot of attention from the staff. Despite the break, Brandy quickly remembered the great work she did with Sue C and was eager to learn and focus on the task at hand.
During the five days of the clinic, Brandy showed surprising lightness and energy, and was quiet and focused whether working near her BFF or at the other end of the arena. Although she initially had some stiffness and leaned outward on the halter when we worked on the unified circle, she quickly became more flexible and responsive to my instructions, eventually bending nicely and working on a float. Her try and positive attitude were evident every morning when she nickered and eagerly awaited her halter.
Brandy was a delight to work with on the rail, showing great responsiveness and staying right with me no matter how quickly I was moving forward or backward. We will continue working with her hindquarters and unified circle, as well as her front quarters. She also needs work with standing still. She’s a creeper and before you know it she’s put you right at her shoulder and wants to lean on you, making standing still a challenge at times.
Brandy did great with grooming and hoof picking even in the midst of lots of horses and people coming into the arena. She was curious and friendly toward the other horses. Overall, Brandy was a joy to work with and showed great potential for further development in her groundwork skills.”
