Clinics at R & M Stables
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Beyond the Arena Clinic Series Application:
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Beyond the Arena Clinic Series
November 18, December 2, December 9, December 16, 2017
During the past few months, I have been asked by several of my riding friends if we could host some clinics at R&M Stables that can help all of us become better partners with our horses, more confident riders, and teach us new goals for our riding that we can work on in the upcoming year. After speaking to many of you and trying to assess what the needs are, a common theme emerged ... "I'm stuck on a plateau and need to know what my next steps are in order to help me be a better partner with my horse."
Many of you commented that we have done countless hours of arena training, but we need to build more confidence when we ride outside of the arena. Taking all of this into consideration, here is my best attempt at a comprehensive series that can help each of us get to the next level.
"Beyond The Arena" clinic series is offered as a four part journey that will help us take practical application from inside the arena to outside in the open field.
Format: The first 1/2 hour will consist of education to insure we are addressing areas that enable us to build a strong communication with our horse. We will move to an hour of working together inside the arena to insure our horses are properly warmed-up, and riders can receive feedback from the clinician. After this time, we will have a 10 minute break and then proceed outside of the arena, where we will ride for 1 1/2 hour reinforcing our arena work.
Curriculum:
Week 1 - Communication
(This session will be held at Sean and Gina Roach's farm at 1364 Drakes Creek Road in Hendersonville.)
Our Clinicians: Caroline and Russ Murphy
I have invited my personal horse trainer Caroline Murphy, along with her husband Russ Murphy, to be our clinicians for this series. You can read their bios below. Based on the photo of Caroline riding her Pasa Fino Stallion onto the dance floor at her wedding reception, I can't think of anyone else who has a calmer connection with the horse. Russ has a background in hunter/jumper and will be able to teach us a great deal about equitation and flat work.
Hosts: Your hosts for Beyond the Arena are Ron & Mary Chlasta of R&M Stables and Sean and Gina Roach of G&S Stables.
Many of you commented that we have done countless hours of arena training, but we need to build more confidence when we ride outside of the arena. Taking all of this into consideration, here is my best attempt at a comprehensive series that can help each of us get to the next level.
"Beyond The Arena" clinic series is offered as a four part journey that will help us take practical application from inside the arena to outside in the open field.
- Dates: November 18, December 2, December 9, December 16
- Cost: $200.00 for full series. For those who cannot attend all four sessions, you can pick individual sessions that you can attend at $60.00 per session.
- Time: Clinics will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Please arrive early enough to have your horse under saddle and ready to begin on time.
Format: The first 1/2 hour will consist of education to insure we are addressing areas that enable us to build a strong communication with our horse. We will move to an hour of working together inside the arena to insure our horses are properly warmed-up, and riders can receive feedback from the clinician. After this time, we will have a 10 minute break and then proceed outside of the arena, where we will ride for 1 1/2 hour reinforcing our arena work.
Curriculum:
Week 1 - Communication
- Education: Saddle and bit fit: Understanding how to fit our tack properly so the horse can experience optimal comfort when we ride. (15 minutes). Reading the horse because the horse is certainly reading you.
- Arena work - Riding at varying speeds and communication through seat, legs, hands,reins, posture. (30 minutes)
- Break - 10 minutes
- Outside the Arena - We will do various formation riding exercises through the fields at R&M Stables
(This session will be held at Sean and Gina Roach's farm at 1364 Drakes Creek Road in Hendersonville.)
- Education: Pressure and Release: How important is this when training your horse? (15 minutes from ground, 15 minutes in saddle)
- Arena Work - This will be on Sean and Gina's amazing obstacle course at their farm. (1 hour)
- 10 minute break
- Outside the Arena - (1 1/2 hours) This exercise will incorporate formation riding through Drakes Creek, through pastures, and across a busy street onto a side street where we will ride in formation. These scenarios are sure to put plenty of pressure on our horses as we will ride over different terrain, cross water, traffic, and ride down a paved city street to a local school. We are sure to encounter various obstacles along the way!
- Education : Connecting with your horse at the canter or "overcoming our fears as a rider".
- *Please note that this particular week, we may be utilizing the arena during our entire time because we are working at higher speeds . This will be at discretion of the clinician. Also, we will work on flat work and equitation patterns. Our time will be divided between outdoor and covered arena and in the round pen as well.
- Our first hour will focus on Collection/Extension, varying your speed, and varying your horse's stride. Each rider will demonstrate the ability to canter in both directions in a collected fashion.
- 10 minute break
- Group Work: After the break, we will do group work at the canter in the arena. From here, we will divide into two groups with riders changing between arenas. Arena 1 will focus on flat work participating in a flat class. Arena 2 will learn an equitation pattern that they will perform. Each clinician will be supervising their arena and give feedback to each rider.
- Education: As our time progresses, issues that are common to the group will emerge. Our clinicians will speak briefly about these and what steps the rider can take to improve.
- Arena work - This time will be divided between drill team pattern work, the elements of walk trot canter, and equitation patterns.
- Outside the Arena - An obstacle course will be set up in the fields. Riders will be sent off in five minute intervals and complete the course.
Our Clinicians: Caroline and Russ Murphy
I have invited my personal horse trainer Caroline Murphy, along with her husband Russ Murphy, to be our clinicians for this series. You can read their bios below. Based on the photo of Caroline riding her Pasa Fino Stallion onto the dance floor at her wedding reception, I can't think of anyone else who has a calmer connection with the horse. Russ has a background in hunter/jumper and will be able to teach us a great deal about equitation and flat work.
Hosts: Your hosts for Beyond the Arena are Ron & Mary Chlasta of R&M Stables and Sean and Gina Roach of G&S Stables.
Meet our Clinicians
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Caroline Murphy
Caroline’s 30 plus years of experience has involved a wide variety of horse breeds and equestrian disciplines. Caroline’s extensive experience with Arabians, Paso Finos, Quarter horses, Thoroughbreds, Warm-Bloods and gaited horses allows her to select and apply a variety of techniques in the gentling of any breed of horse. Caroline has worked with a number of equestrian facilities and trainers. It was not, however, until she became associated with Juan Carlos and Alvaro Iriarte, that she began to learn and understand the true art of horsemanship. Caroline’s methods create a desire in the horse to learn and submit to training. She established an environment of trust and respect between horse and trainer to h Caroline leading her Pasa Fino onto the dance floor at her wedding reception...as the band played! 
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Russ Murphy A cowboy since age 2 from a small cattle operation in Southwest Missouri, Russ has always had a love and fascination with everything western which of course includes horses. In addition to his 30 years as a professional in the oil and gas industry, Russ has worked cattle in Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana and Arizona. For the past 15 years Russ was an active competitor in the English Equestrian sport of Hunter Jumpers. Russ says, “I figured if I could partner with a horse and stay in the tack over fences I’d ultimately be a better rider overall, plus it’s just danged fun. Though not a trainer himself he is married to one of the most “gifted trainers he has ever experienced in his years of riding.” “When I met Caroline I’d been competing for 15 years and felt like I had a firm foundation. Caroline taught me a sense of connection to the horse that no other trainer had ever been able to convey. The smartest thing this cowboy ever did was to shut up and listen to what Caroline had to say. It has made a tremendous difference in my abilities.” Though somewhat sidelined with a back injury, Russ stays actively involved helping Caroline with her training and clinical work. 
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Your Hosts for Beyond the Arena
Ron and Mary Chlasta
Ron and Mary Chlasta own and operate Sea Star Swim School in Hendersonville. Both have loved horses from childhood. At age 50, when many people are looking forward to retirement, they bought a horse. Then another. Then another. R & M Stables was born, and soon, they began summer camp and riding lesson programs to share their love of horses with the community. Both Ron and Mary are active in the County Mounties of Sumner County, and R & M Stables is the training headquarters for the Sumner County Unit. Ron and his horse Trooper are accomplished competitors. In 2016, Trooper defended his national title in tandem obstacles at the 32nd Annual National Police Colloquium in Lexington.. He was the national champion in the tandem obstacles, at the 31st Annual National Police Colloquium, held at the Kentucky Horse Park, Alltech Arena in Lexington Kentucky. He was ridden by Ron Chlasta, who partnered with Doug Wyatt of Murphy, North Carolina. Additionally, Trooper came in 2nd place in the Combined Obstacle and Equitation Event ridden by Ron Chlasta, who partnered with Lawrence Beal, National Director of the County Mounties from Murphy, North Carolina. 
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Sean and Gina Roach
Sean owns Sean Roach CPA in Hendersonville, TN. His horse is Hawkeye, a 5 year old Rocky Mountain Saddle Horse. Sean has been active in the County Mounties for two years. While many would consider the job of a CPA to be stuck behind a desk all day - Sean concurs: "I can ride a mean desk, run a calculator with no eyes, but more importantly, I can ride for 30 miles on a hard saddle and not cry". Actually, Sean is an accomplished rider and has been through several training clinics conducted by Lawrence Beal, the National Director of the County Mounties. 
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