Camp

[eahotson]

Mixed feelings really.It was a specialist one, a confidentriders camp.Views here are strictly my own and other people will have different views.Organization etc. was good.Venue was good and I met a lot of nice people there.Catering wagon did bacon butties to die for.One o fthe instructors, Laura Butler was brilliant (not quite in my instructors league but I am deeply prejudiced!) and I got a lot from her sessions.Not so convinced by the natural horsemanship sessions although I am not prejudiced and do have a NH instructor I have used occasionally.She is a hugely experienced horsewoman though,not evengelical and doesn't try to fix something thats not broken in the first place.Some people did get a lot from these sessions though.I avoided the coaching sessions I have to admit.I have read quite a lotabout nlp, hypnosis,goal setting etc. and while I find it can have its uses, for me the best aid to increased confidence is a really experienced, old fashioned riding instructor.Also confidence issues are very complex and can stem for other experiences both in and out of your riding life.There really is no size fits all.
Finally!!!! I did get what I wanted from the camp.I am new to travelling horses and just travelling, overnighting in a strange place and doing new things with new people was quite a learning curve and confidence builder SO a big thank you to my horse who was a total star.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

Sounds like you had fun... I think

So what did you do in the different sessions?

Friend and I have booked on one at Eland. I thought it was chilled and just generally sessions (as yours sounds like), but I have been informed by another source that it is effectively two days of preperation for a mini one day event on the last day lol. Should be a hoot....

 

[eahotson]

You just have to go for it.My advice would be to cherry pick and to refuse to do anything you don't feel suits you and your horse.They do generally have some brilliant and also very sympathetic instructors and I am sure you will gain a lot from it.We did some natural (parelli) styled stuff which I didn't personally enjoy and I just said that I didn't want to do some of the things with my horse.Laura did biomechanics which I got a LOT from.The coaching was the confident coaching which is probably fine but again just isn't really my thing and my old riding school instructor (young actually) hates it all with a passion and is very good actually at building confidence.