Host a Clinic with Sandy Hodskins
Sandy teaches with a fun and very informative style. Clinics range from basic ground and riding skills to putting it to a purpose using obstacles, cattle and on the trail. These clinics build a strong foundation and create a willing partner for any discipline. Sandy follows the Happy Horse Happy Life Lifestyle. She pulls in experience from riding with Linda Parelli, Dave Ellis, Glenn Stewart, Martin Black, Tom Curtin & Joe Wolter. The reason participants become so good with horses and so confident is because they learn the basis of horsemanship, which is to understand the habits and skills required to create the ultimate partnership between horse and rider. She works on advancing her horsemanship skills daily as well as continues learning throughout the year from her top horseman mentors.
HAPPY HORSE HAPPY LIFE CURRICULM - English, Western, Jumper, Endurance, Trail Rider, Dressage it doesn’t matter what you do with your horse, A Happy Horse is for Everyone! Linda Parelli has put together a very useful step by step program going over all the skills needed on your journey to becoming a horseman. In these clinic, we will be going through her test, to see where you are on your horsemanship journey. This is the perfect way to make sure you have no holes as you progress through your journey. These tests combine your rope handling skills, connection, relaxation, responsiveness, and confidence between you & your horse. The goal being Harmony! Also covered will be your body awareness, your horse’s body awareness, rope handling skills, environmental awareness, allow vs let, cause vs make, how does your horse feel and how can we set it up so it’s his idea!
PUTTING HORSEMANSHIP TO A PURPOSE USING OBSTACLES/TRAIL - This is a great clinic to test your partnership and foundation with your horse. The morning is spent on the ground, learning to “send” or back your horse through and/or over obstacles, teaching your horse to put effort into the goal! The afternoon will be working with obstacles from the saddle.
PUTTING HORSEMANSHIP TO A PURPOSE USING CATTLE - Using cattle is an amazingly fun way to test your horsemanship, feel and timing. We start with some body control exercises, then build your horses confidence with the cattle. You will quickly discover flight lines, balance points & points of influence within the cattle. Depending on the group, we will advance to sorting out one calf using non-predator skills. This clinic is about stockmanship, using your horses’ whole body to influence the cattle. Many times, we end the clinic with some fun team penning, team sorting or sending the cattle through obstacles. These clinics bring many laughs and build another layer of partnership between you and your horse.
AWARENESS & LEADERSHIP CLINIC - These clinics are designed to help you with your leadership skills with your horse. You can have all the tools, techniques, and strategies, but without leadership and having a plan, things can quickly fall apart. You will be given tasks to complete with 1 or more horses. Are you aware of what’s happening all around you. Under saddle, are you aware of your body and hand positions. Are you aware of your horses’ footfalls, timing of the feet and why they are so important. Are you aware when your horse takes over, when was it his idea instead of yours?
DIRECTING ENERGY - This clinic will be focused on directing energy. Bridging the Gap between Groundwork and Riding as well as Bridging the Gap between riding in an arena and riding in the big wide open! We will also be touching on some things at Liberty. Can you direct the energy around you? Often times, we want to control our horse’s energy, in this clinic you will learn how to redirect it so it benefits the both of you.
CANTER WITH CONFIDENCE - This clinic will be focused on understanding and being confident cantering. Does your horse need confidence or do you? Learning how to have it feel good for the both of you.
Host's responsibilities: Don't be scared! It's quite an easy and fun way to gather like-minded horse people for a fun-filled, safe, and supportive clinic.
- Determine at least two date options, times, length of the clinic (1-5 days), and clinic content/focus
- Secure a suitable facility to hold the clinic
- Distribute correspondence/links regarding all clinic-related registration, registration payment, and liability waivers
- Collect final fees from participants PRIOR to the start of the clinic
- Organize accommodation/meals for Sandy
- Act as liaison prior to the clinic between Sandy and participants/auditors, be the "on-site" organizer and/or rider during the clinic
- Sandy will help you any way she can, she will put list your clinic on her website and publish in her newsletters.
Why should you host a clinic?
- Opportunity to bring Sandy to your area
- Meet other nearby like-minded horse people
- Ride for Free
- Build a community and support each other throughout the year.
Clinic Size: The ideal size would be a group of 8 riders. However, smaller more personalized clinics address the individual participant's needs. Larger numbers bring the cost down per participate. All ages, riding levels, and disciplines are welcome.
Clinic Format: Flexible according to the needs and desires of the participants. Usually, the clinic day starts at 9am with Theory/Q & A in the morning, then working with our horses until 4:30ish.
Accommodation/ Meals:
Sandy is flexible to stay in a guest room or at a nearby hotel. The accommodation should be booked beginning the night prior to the first day of the clinic through the night of the last day of the clinic. All meals starting from breakfast on the first day of the clinic through dinner on the last day must be provided for her.
Host Fees:
$1500/day plus travel fee. If driving, it is $100/hour drive time round trip.
Cattle Fee: $1000/Clinic (8-10 head of cattle), plus travel fee. Must have an indoor or secure fencing.
Participate & Auditor Fees:
These fees are completely up to the host. I would list all your costs, then divide them with the number of riders. The auditor fees are the hosts fee's to keep. I know the time and effort that goes into hosting a clinic.
