The Connecting With Horses Clinic is a very unique experience where participants go in-depth in their understanding of themselves and their horses while also learning a very deep understanding of horsemanship.
The structure of the clinic has Chris and up to six people and their horses working together in a group setting for one to five days. The clinic is open to people of all ages and ability as well as horses of all ages and ability, with the number of participants kept small to ensure a great amount of attention to all. The structure of the clinic is built around the people and their horses and where they are at, and each day is structured differently based on the needs and wants of the participants, as well as the flow of the clinic and where it takes us. And whether the group already knows each other or whether they are just meeting they become a group that is comfortable, supportive, and inspiring where everyone learns from everyone. Chris is there to keep everything safe and organized, but the teaching, learning, and inspiring is done by all.
The clinic and the exercises, experiences, talks, and ideas are designed to take people and their horses deeper into connection with each other in soulful, heart-based ways. We begin each day with a morning circle where we get connected to ourselves. Here we speak and listen, answer thought-provoking questions, do feel-based and energetic-based exercises, and then begin the morning session with the horses. We then take a lunch break where there is more opportunity for discussion and fun exercises, and then we begin an afternoon session with the horses. The day ends with an afternoon circle where we discuss the day’s events, answer any questions, and prepare for the next day.
A one day Connecting With Horses Clinic goes very in-depth and is designed to help people and their horses to get a solid feel for where they are at and how to move forward. The most in-depth work between human and horse, though, is done in the longer Connecting With Horses Clinics (two to five days). Having multiple days to let the participants and horses really settle into the work helps it to stay for the long run and allows for any change to really soak in. Chris’s preferred and favorite clinic lengths are four or five days.
For each clinic to move smoothly it is imperative that the group be similar in where they are at. Most people and horses can take part in a clinic that is focused on groundwork only. For people that are new to horses, have a young horse, or are working through a challenging situation with a horse, it might be best for them to seek one-on-one help. For riding to be a part of the clinic everyone must already be comfortable riding in a group at walk and trot. Taking the time to make sure clinic participants are similar in where they are at with their horses is very important when setting up the group for a clinic.
Here are some common topics covered in the clinic:
On The Ground
- A feel for energy, intention, and focus in both the human and the horse
- Accessing our inner-guidance and intuition
- Having safety and fun as the foundation
- The guidance of a horse’s movement
- Confidence for the human and the horse
- Understanding a horse’s thoughts, feelings, and communication
- What being with horses helps us to understand about ourselves and all of life
- An easy transition to riding
Riding
- Keeping the connection from the ground to riding
- Guiding a horse’s focus, energy, movement, and rhythm while riding
- A natural and balanced riding form
- Safety and control in riding
- Softness and confidence between horse and rider
- The foundational movements for all riding with horses
- Helping the horse and the human to feel good about riding
The Connecting With Horses Clinic is a very unique experience. The goal is to feel love for ourselves and our horses, and to then see where it takes us, putting that love into action…
Please contact Chris at Info@ChrisLombard.com with any questions about hosting a clinic, availability, and about the pricing for a clinic. An informational packet on hosting a clinic is also available.
“The clinic was even more than I could have hoped for. I feel closer and more connected to Finn than I believed possible…” — Joyce and Finn
“You create a sacred space during the clinics where humans and horses can be their authentic selves, where humans shed their layers and their horses mirror them, where horses communicate what they need and come to us with true connection because they are heard, and we all live more deeply in our hearts and become one. It’s truly transforming…” — Peggy and Flirt
“You allow people to be real and messy and in the moment, and from there you inspire us and our horses in a way that is difficult to put into words…” — Melissa and Pie
“I learned more about myself, horses, and humanity than I could have imagined. It was a four day intensive that lit a fire in my heart, shifted my perspective, and rejuvenated my understanding of the connectedness we all share. It was so much more than a horse clinic…” — Stacey and Boomer
“There simply aren’t words in the human vocabulary to share what the feeling is that we all felt. It feels like I’m glowing from the inside out…” — Gretchen and Promise