For all clinics with Karen, your horse and you must be in good physical condition. Please do not sign up for the clinic in hopes that it will motivate you to ride after the clinic. It is not fair to yourself or your horse to come to an intense clinic without being prepared by riding regularly. Do use it as a motivation to practice so you are ready for the clinic! The best way to show up for a clinic is when you have been actively playing with your horse, so you know what you already can do. Karen can see that and add the next step! Traveling, coming to a new facility and learning new things can be very stressful but if you are prepared, it will be enjoyable, easy and you will learn much more!

Videoing is not allowed, except if you are a rider and have a person with you who is videoing you exclusively. Video cameras make many students self-conscious and it disrupts his/her learning process. Auditors are very welcome at the clinics… a positive group of auditors can lend a great energy to the clinic and you have the opportunity to observe all the riders. If you are auditing, you will get more out of the clinic by staying present and observing with full concentration in the moment rather than by looking through a video camera! Thank you and we hope to see you at the next Dressage, Naturally clinic!

Please view these videos to understand the horsemanship skills you need in order to attend Karen Rohlf's clinics. 

Prerequisites for Clinic #1: Finding the Sweet Spot: Relaxation, Energy, and Balance in the Horse and Human

The focus of Clinic #1:

• Basic theory, principles of Dressage, Naturally
• How to develop an eye for healthy bio-mechanics, including the 'let loose' posture
• The Athletic Rider: How to improve your own relaxation, energy and balance
• How to develop and expand your ability to communicate about relaxation, energy and balance
• How to use these conversations in order to find the ‘sweet spot’... the best way of going for your horse in order to help them be the best they can be
• The basic theory and techniques for riding in connection with the reins

The clinic format can be a mixture of any combination of:

• Theory, discussion
• Simulation
• Large groups on-line, riding
• Small groups on-line, riding
• Individual sessions
• Demonstration

Prerequisites (all of the below):

• Independent seat. Able to ride freestyle (without reins) and walk, trot and canter
• Impulsive, emotional issues resolved, or able to be handled independently without interrupting the group, or putting yourself or others in the group in danger
• All basic yields (forehand, hindquarters, sideways, back up) understood at a light (no more than ‘Phase 2’) possible

It is very possible that the first session of the clinic will be a group session where participants will be asked to show her the above prerequisites in order for Karen to make the best plan for the rest of the clinic. First session assessment skills:

• Show a circle game on-line with transitions, walk, trot, canter and back up
• Ride all basic yields freestyle from a stand still
• Ride a circle, or use whole arena showing walk, trot, canter with long reins (freestyle) and with the slack taken out of the reins (soft touch)

Prerequisites for Clinic #2: The Upward Spiral of Success: Exercises for Flexibility, Mobility, and Collectibility

The focus of Clinic #2:

• How to take the ‘sweet spot’ of healthy bio-mechanics forward, and gymnastically develop your horse
• Theory and principles of gymnastic development
• Continued refinement of rider’s athletic seat
• How to use patterns and the arena to benefit your training in a way that makes sense to your horse
• How to diagnose and apply specific exercises for Flexibility, Mobility and Collectibility
• How to ride so the connection with the reins is positive and beneficial

Format can be a mixture of any combination of:

• Theory, discussion
• Simulation
• Large groups on-line, riding
• Small groups on-line, riding
• Individual sessions
• Demonstration

Prerequisites (all of the below):

• The same prerequisites for the Sweet Spot (Course #1)
• Have taken the Finding the Sweet Spot course or any 3+ day course with Karen
• Have a range of conversations about relaxation, energy and balance at walk, trot and canter
• Can demonstrate a positive soft touch (can take the slack out of the reins and nothing negative happens with horse or rider) at walk, trot, canter
• Can demonstrate a let loose posture, (spinal stretch) on line/riding at walk and trot

It is very possible that the first session of the clinic will be a group session where participants will be asked to show her the above prerequisites in order for Karen to make the best plan for the rest of the clinic. First session assessment skills:

• (All those for the Sweet Spot course:)
• On-line, show how you use conversations about relaxation, energy and balance to find a sweet spot and be able to describe what you are doing
• Riding, show how you use conversations about relaxation, energy and balance to find a sweet spot for your horse and be able to describe what you are doing.
• Show transitions flowing from walk to basic yields