Colt Starting Clinic Anyone?

COLT STARTING CLINIC possibility.

From the very start of Ted's "public" horsemanship career there have been frequent expressions of interest in a colt starting clinic. Many horse owners would like to start their own colt versus sending it to a professional trainer. Many of the horse owners we talk to who have been starting their own colts for years would still love to do it alongside Ted in a clinic setting. Some folks want to get hands on coaching in following the same program (Downunder Horsemanship Method) which Ted uses if a horse is in training here. Some people want someone else available to do the first couple rides on their colt. Others literally have no training partner which makes the first couple of rides more difficult. Anyway - lots of reasons it could be a worthwhile adventure.  It seems like there is a lot of interest in it but we have been having a hard time trying to figure out how we can fill that need. Ted would love to be able to fill those requests but doesn't want to risk turning out a substandard colt starting clinic experience. So how to make it a realistic workable clinic for most people?

Ted has come up with what may be a possible solution. It would still take a lot of commitment but here is the idea:  The clinic would begin with an intense three day clinic, probably a Friday-Saturday-Sunday. At the end of that weekend, everyone would go home with specific work assignments with their colt to be done Monday-Thursday, or possibly Monday - Friday. You would need to plan on spending two hours minimum on each of those days with your colt. On the following Friday or Saturday everyone would come back for another three days of clinic, either Friday-Sunday again, or Saturday-Monday. By the end of those days of training the colts should all be well under saddle and everyone would be ready to ride outside of the arena on the final day. Now obviously, that colt isn't then at a 'graduate' stage but he or she is well on their way and at the point where we are just adding time, practice, experience (wet saddle pads, concentrated training and long rides!).

So what do you all think? Please pass the idea around to your horse friends and acquaintances. I would like as much feedback as we can get on what types of clinics/lessons/coaching our clients want. If there is interest in an idea we will pursue it. It seems like a lot of people might just need the second half of a colt starting clinic, because they already have a colt pretty well ready to ride. It seems to me what a lot of horse owners need is help checking on the first ride prerequisites and conducting their first few rides. What we need to know is what you all would like Ted to offer.