Buffalo, NY – June 27, 2011 – The Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center (BTRC) will offer a multitude of instructional clinics this fall, giving developing athletes the chance to learn from some of the field’s top equestrians. Acclaimed rider and teacher Melanie Smith Taylor, gifted horsewoman Mindy Bower, and renowned authority George H. Morris will all lend their extensive expertise to BTRC’s autumn clinic calendar.
On September 1st and 2nd, Melanie Smith Taylor and Mindy Bower will conduct a horsemanship clinic for local riders. The two-day session will welcome attendees from beginner (must be able to jump 2’6″), intermediate, and advanced levels. The following day, September 3rd, the USHJA Emerging Athletes Level Two program will be held at BTRC, giving riders the opportunity to further their riding skills while deepening their understanding of the horse itself.
Focusing on comprehensive skill development, the clinics’ goals are for students to become more complete horsemen. “We want the riders to be able to understand the needs of the horse, whether they’re in the show ring or the barn,” said Taylor. “As a teacher, I always try to help them leave the horse in a little bit better place than when they got on.”
According to Bower, getting back to the basics of horsemanship is crucial, because good riding is directly linked to a good relationship between horse and rider. Building this relationship, said Bower, involves considering things from the horse’s point of view. “Horses think in black and white,” she explained. “We insert the gray parts, and that can confuse things.” She added, “the best thing you can do is open your mind, and try to make things practical from the horse’s perspective.” Both Smith Taylor and Bower emphasize a “no shortcuts” approach to horsemanship, a method that will undoubtedly benefit all students involved in the fall clinics.
From November 11 – 13, 2011, celebrated horseman George H. Morris will give a three-day horsemanship clinic. This clinic will invite three groups of eight riders each, with skill sets at the intermediate, advanced, and jumper levels. “George Morris is amazing,” said SBS Farms rider and trainer Jen Alfano. “His clinics have helped me with my teaching, with my riding, and with so much else.” Alfano was named 2009’s Chronicle of the Horse Show Hunter Horsewoman of the Year, and won this year’s $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Devon Horse Show.
“In order to get the most out of the clinics participants should take a deep breath, be relaxed, and want to learn,” advised Alfano. “By letting go of the idea of riding perfectly, riders can be more focused on improving both their behavior and that of their horse.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Auditors are welcome to attend both of the clinics that will be held at the BTRC this fall. The cost of the September clinic will be $425. Mindy Bower will be doing a demonstration each day, and this will be included in the $425 sign-up cost. A non-refundable deposit of $150 is required by August 1, with payment being due in full by August 14. A downloadable application for the clinics can be found on BTRC’s website at www.thebtrc.org. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis, so applicants are encouraged to apply early.
A member of the prestigious Show Jumping Hall of Fame, Melanie Smith Taylor possesses an exceptionally long list of accomplishments: she has won the 1978 American Grandprix Association’s Overall Rider of the Year award, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s 1982 Sportswoman of the Year, and a team gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, among countless other awards. She has also won the show jumping “triple crown” by winning the American Invitational, International Jumping Derby, and the American Gold Cup. Taylor has judged, designed courses, and trained countless aspiring athletes, making her one of the industry’s most respected figures.
Mindy Bower has spent most of her life helping horses and their riders achieve their optimum levels of comfort, competence, and safety. She has extensive experience with young horses as well as young riders, and has worked with the USHJA Emerging Athlete Program for the past two years. “I’m very excited to be teaching with Mindy,” said Taylor. “She helps riders understand horses from the ground-up; she helps kids understand things you do before you even get on.”
George H. Morris is nothing short of legendary in the equestrian world, having contributed personally to the development of hunt seat equitation. Currently the Chef d’Equipe for the United States Equestrian Federation Show Jumping team, Morris has not only garnered elite medals himself, but also helped scores of riders compete successfully at the Olympic level. Morris was 2009’s USEF Coach of the Year, having steered the 2008 U.S. Olympic Show Jumping team to a coveted gold medal.
The Emerging Athletes Program (EAP), part of USHJA’s commitment to the future of hunters and jumpers, aims to identify, nurture, and support talented young riders. By helping these riders cultivate their fullest potential, the program adds valuable professionals to the sport while also rewarding the hard work necessary for inclusion. “There’s been an outstanding group of riders attracted to the program,” mentioned Taylor. Both Taylor and Bower serve on the USHJA EAP Committee, with Taylor co-chairing the organization.
Operating out of Buffalo, New York, BTRC is a non-profit organization that promotes and teaches horseback riding – noted for its social and therapeutic benefits – to disadvantaged and emotionally challenged children. Since 1990, the center has provided the experience of riding and caring for horses to children with a variety of disabilities. The program has expanded steadily and currently serves more then 170 children annually.
For more information on Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, please visit
www.thebtrc.org.
