I just spent the most amazing weekend at a clinic with Michael Gascon.
I know, I know, NO ONE knows his name....yet. But I will almost guarantee you, even if you're NOT "into" horses, you've seen him.
The dude in the dinosaur suit riding a horse.
Maybe still not ringing any bells?
Yes, THAT guy.
Look, I've been to a few clinics. I've audited a Buck Brannaman clinic. Seen Chris Cox once. Attended 2 Clinton Anderson clinics. And, of course, watched countless videos online of clinicians for ideas.
And right now, Michael Gascon is, hands down, my favorite clinician.
He is ALL about doing what works for THE HORSE. If X doesn't work, then let's try Y. Y isn't getting through, that's okay, let's try Z. Still not working? Okay, let's try A.
Let me back up.
I had PLANNED to take Strider. However, a few days prior, while I was lunging him in the front yard, he took a MASSIVE stumble and hit his front knees, and literally slid over the ground (much like a runner into home plate). He finally managed to scramble to his feet while I screamed and hollared and lost my mind. When he was upright, he wasn't weight bearing on his left hind. I started crying. I managed to convince him to follow me (slowly) to the barn where I cold hosed him.
I went into the house, messaged my Bishes, and B suggested giving him just a little bute for the night. Which I did. Next day he seemed just fine. Was putting weight on that foot. When Tilly got dropped off, he was running around like a fool, and appeared just fine.
So, I set up an appointment with Holly to trim his feet prior to the clinic and the endurance ride. I wanted her to check my work and correct any mistakes I was making.
I unloaded him, and, like always, she asks me to walk him out and back. I told her what had happened, so she said she'd pay a little extra attention. And, the second I pivoted him to the left, she said "Oh yeah, he's off."
I was shocked. He seemed fine to me. But, it's because when you're leading, you can't exactly focus on what the rear is doing, even at a pivot. But the second she lead him off and turned him and he had to pivot on the LH, I saw it too. My heart dropped.
Remember in the past where I said I bury my head in the sand, and will ask the question, HOPING that I haven't hurt my horse? Yeah, I asked Holly, knowing and being okay with her saying no, but I wanted to know about the clinic. She said MAYBE to the clinic, but not knowing what we were doing, it was a gamble. I pulled the plug on him going to the clinic, and decided then and there to pull the plug on Quitaque Climb as well. Figured I would re-evaluate him to attend Be Nice or Leave the first weekend of November (it has since been cancelled), but would skip that ride too so that I could take him for our 3rd year towards our Decade Team attempt.
So, knowing he was lame on the LH, I contacted H and asked if I could drop Strider at her house and borrow Dakini. Sure, not a problem. Joe suggested I take Tilly, but...I didn't want to drive ALL the way home. Plus, in a slightly selfish move, I wanted Michael to see Dakini and to know what he thought of her. AND, bonus, anything to make her a better horse for H, then it's a win.
So, drove to H's, dropped Strider, grabbed Dakini and made my way to Houston.
Stopped at a small nursery to buy a Mexican Sycamore for H to plant for Maggie's grave (her horse she put down), and then swung into South Texas Tack while I waited for L after she picked her horses up from the farm to follow her to her house.
Got the horses settled in Thursday night, and after B arrived, L, her and I went on a brief, twilight ride around the neighborhood. It was nice.
But, early to bed to get up early to get to the clinic on time!!!
On day 1, each horse and rider duo came into the arena, gave a brief story on the horse, and our equine goal for the animal.
Michael would then take over, and go through the basic steps of what he does with a horse. He was calm and patient and explained each step in the process, would stop and answer any question anyone had (owner, auditor...didn't matter, he would answer).
We watched him work horses in a small circle at a WALK around him. We watched him tie tarps to horses. Bounce horse-sized soccer balls on them. Sometimes he would ride a horse in a tarp, sometimes not. He had EVERY horse touch the ball and push it around while mounted.
Michael is slightly different from MOST clinicians out there in that he specializes in working with "hot" blooded horses (such as Arabians, gaited horses, etc [he actually raises and trains Paso Finos...we're talking National Level winning Paso Finos]), but he can, does and DID work with "cold" blooded horses (QHs, Paints, your basic stock horse). As such, the method is slightly different than the other big name clinicians, but the results speak for themselves.
One of the MANY amazing things he said; "You do NOT need a bit to get a horse to gait."
THANK YOU HALLELUJAH AMEN!!!!
But, as an example of the results he gets, we had a gentleman bring in an unbroken 2 year old QH gelding. This video shows just snippets, but LITERALLY in less than 45 minutes (and that's the long side), Michael was riding him softly.
Michael Gascon rides an unbroken quarter horse.
I was there. I watched it start to finish. Yes, this really happened.
I mean, here's Dakini pushing a ball on day 1, and me speaking to Michael about how I worry about people judging the change in my seat.
Dakini with the ball
Day 2, Michael had every horse and rider pair come in to the arena, and the rider did all of the foundation work that Michael had taught on day 1 while he offered guidance if you hit a wall, or weren't quite doing it right.
Now, when B and I arrived at the clinic on day 2, as we go to unload the horses, Dakini had her front left foot hung up in the hay feeder (not net) in B's trailer. Not sure how long she was like that. Then she stood tied all day long at the hitching post. Suffice to say, she was SORE, but we didn't really see it until she was asked to gait off. So, I hopped off and said no more riding for her that day.
I had the worst luck with horses this week. *sigh*
But, I walked in to the clinic with an open mind, wondering if I'd learn anything new, and I walked away an enthusiastic Michael Gascon fan.
I'm currently working to see if I can put together a clinic here in the Austin area. He's still a reasonably priced clinician to get, and, if I can coordinate arena availability AND his availability, I think I can fill a clinic quickly.
Suffice to say, I'm now eager to get to work on all of mine.
And, yes, I now have some swag. I own a Michael Gascon hat. Yes, I believe in him THAT much.
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