Feedback PLEASE =)

I really would like to do weekly clinics with our new Supreme Mustang. I have been debating on how to organize them, how often, location, fees etc etc... As most of you know horses are expensive and taking on a venture like this Mustang challenge is very costly. Building funds is a necessity...no $$$ trees out here, that is for sure ;)

Last year I had many folks interested in coming to see Lindsay during training, but it was difficult to have people just pop in and visit. We keep the farm locked up for our safety as well as our horse's safety, so just having folks drop by was not feasible. (I used to leave the farm open until we began to have visitors showing up, unannounced with empty horse trailers! ... The gate and lock came quickly thereafter!)...But I would love this year to work out a way that folks could come to the farm to see the new Mustang's progress. It would also be immensely helpful for the Mustang to earn his or her keep as well. So I am in the process of brainstorming ideas of how to best make this happen and I welcome your input.

One thought I have is hosting weekly Clinics here at our farm in Kelly, NC. They would consist of a lesson with me and the new Mustang, beginning in the beginning with the first human touch...all the way through to the last session before we head to Texas. They would be on a weekday...the same set day each week. It would be late enough in the afternoon to let things cool off as well as give folks time to get home from work. Say around 7:00 pm. I could also do a clinic on Sunday afternoons. Maybe 3 Sundays out of the month. So there would be ample opportunity for individuals to come out and see the process of gentling and training this new Mustang. I am thinking of having a small audit fee...Something reasonable, maybe $20 or so and could offer discounts for family's. I would need a way of tracking how many folks wanted to attend if I had it at my farm here at home. So I would need folks to sign up ahead of time. I would need to have a cut-off number if I did it here, probably no more than 20 people per clinic. If individuals knew in advance that they wanted to attend more clinics I could offer a discount for them.

Would you have interest in this? My thoughts are to start at the very beginning and continue throughout the entire process. There would sure be a lot to see going Wild to {hopefully..hehehe} Mild in only a few months =) Things from the very first human touch....to putting the halter on the first time..loading the first time (willingly) de-sensitizing, saddling, ground-driving, riding, turns on the forehand, backing, side-passing, spins, slides, lead changes, two-tracking, jumping, working cattle..crossing bridges..walking through curtains..navigating obstacles....there is so much for these horses to take in, yet they take it in so well....Lindsay's transition was surely amazing and I was thrilled to be able to share it on here, but it would be nice if a select number of participants could witness it this time around as well!

For those that could not attend in person, I thought of videoing each Clinic and offering DVD's at a small fee to interested individuals as well. They would be mailed out weekly in order to keep everyone up to speed.

I also could offer internet downloads of the videos. These would likely be edited a good bit and only show high-lights, but this would be another option.

This way anyone interested can have a more intimate view of this gentling process this time around!

Our farm is ~30 minutes from Wilmington, NC and 40 minutes from Elizabethtown, NC. The clinics would begin in May and run through Sept. Each session would be around an hour. My thoughts are $20 per person. Clinics offered one day each week and 3 Sundays out of the month.

Please email me at high.cotton.horse.farm@gmail.com if you would have any interest in attending something like this. I honestly would LOVE your input!!! Thank you so very much!

~Mary