Steve Brady Clinic

This week Henry and I have been at a Steve Brady clinic which we enjoyed immensely. Well I did and I am not so sure Henry enjoyed it quite so much. By the end of the clinic he was so pooped he could hardly raise a trot. Steve did 2x 3 day back to back classes and we were booked for the second one. Henry went early on the first day of the first clinic to chill out and watch what went on with all the comings and goings. He got very vocal when we arrived and got very worked up being put in a box next to a mare. He threw himself around his box and broke the waterer off the wall. Ka ching! $$$ I was not amused. Steve worked him that evening so I was very priveleged. Sadly I did not get to see it.He was worked by Phil on the Sunday and Monday nights too so by the time I arrived for the clinic on the Tuesday morning Henry was already looking subdued. For the first groundwork session we worked outside of the arena (just in case) He was very good so for the second session we joined in with the other horses. Then it was time to get on. Thank god for Anna who I asked to give me a leg on. No sooner was I on board that he yelled out and reared. Annas quick thinking and reactions averted any further action as she flew at his hindquarters like a speeding bullet and disengaged him. He came down somewhat chastised. She hung onto his lead for a while at my request (yes I wimped!) and then when he had finally settled we were all go. Once he had settled he was a doddle and we worked outside of the arena away from the other horses. Day two we went straight into the arena for ground work and he was a good boy. No trouble today under saddle.
I was very happy with him. By the second ridden session he was pooping out and I was struggling to even get more than 5 or 6 strides of canter. I was loving a tired boy.
Day 3 was all good as well but he was feeling a bit brain dead and was switching off and not paying attention. He was so knackered he could not be bothered trying too hard. I could feel him just shutting off. He did some decent ridden work but was pretty dead and listless. All in all it was a fantastic experience for him and just what we needed to get him socialised. Bring on the next clinic!