Location: Liberty Farm, 1582 Liberty Street, Mount Vernon, WI (25 miles west of Madison WI)
All Breeds of Horse accepted - No Stallions - This is a riding clinic and you must be able to ride for several hours over each of the 3 days.
Daily Schedule: Start 9:00am - 12:00 noon Lunch - Resume 1:00pm - End at 4:00pm
Contact: Susan 312-622-4268 or susan _ angell @ ars.aon.com for an application and waiver. 2010 negative coggins is required and bring a copy for our files.
Larry Whitesell: "Gaited horses are comfortable and easy to learn to ride. However, training a gaited horse can be challenging in that we must slowly bring it into a correct frame without jepordizing the gait."
History
Renowned gaited horseman since 1980, Larry was very successful in the show ring, winning regional, national and grand national championships. In 2002 he was trainer of the year. He has held judges cards in several gaited breeds.
Initially, he trained using the traditional gaited horse methods, thinking these were the only way to yield gait. As his training progressed he wanted to train gaited horses to a higher level so they would gait for any level rider and the riders could count on them to be safe and dependable. In his quest to learn correctness and lightness, Larry began studying classical dressage in the early 1990’s from contemporary masters who had studied under Nuno Olivera and at classical schools in Europe.
Classical training teaches the horse to rebalance itself into a relaxed frame of collection, engaging the hind legs. Engagement of the hind legs, whether false or real is what makes a gaited horse gait. Larry learned to bring horses into a more classical frame to gait. When you strengthen the correct muscles, the horse can carry a rider and rebalance into natural collection.
Larry learned in short order that horses were more consistant in their gait and could perform gaits with a wider range of speeds when classically trained. Correct training builds confidence in a horse.
Natural horsemanship puts a great foundation on horses and prepares the horse mentally and physically to begin training for collection. Classical training then takes communication with the horse to the next level of lightness. Most gaited horses only need a mild degree of collection to gait.
Larry continues his education each year from classical dressage instructors. He travels the U.S. and Canada doing clinics and equine expositions. His goals are to help people understand what makes gaited horses gait so we can spare the horses from some of the training myths attached to the gaited world that are not in the horse’s best interest. By making things better for the horse, the horse will be smoother, safer and more dependable for riders.
Larry teaches you how to teach your horse to relax so you can obtain a correct response from your cues with the least effort. He teaches you how to teach your horse to respond to subtle cues. His clinics are a shot in the arm for your riding program providing very intense instruction to all levels of riders on their own horses that instills an eagerness you will carry with you so you can further your relationship with your horse at home.
Larry is showing the round and collected movement that is so light and responsive
Larry is showing the round and collected movement that is so light and responsive