For the 7th year in a row, we will be honored to host legendary horseman Jack Brainard for a series of three clinics.  We will start with two 3-day Jack Brainard’s Virgins Clinics, July 6 through July 8 and again on July 11 through July 13, each limited to just 10 riders. These clinics are especially designed for those who have never ridden with Jack before, but wish to learn the fundamentals of advanced riding, or for those who may have attended a Jack Brainard clinic in the past, but feel they need additional work on their riding foundation. Riders in the Virgins clinics will learn how to control the whole horse by learning how to control the parts of the horse.  Understanding the horse’s footfalls and the proper timing of cues in time with the footfalls to achieve different movements will be emphasized, and achieving lightness in doing so is the goal.  This knowledge and these skills then become the cornerstone for eventually achieving true harmony between horse and rider.  But it has to start here, with these basics. Prospective students should be able to walk, trot and canter comfortably, confidently and in control.  This clinic is not a colt starting or problem horse clinic, therefore students should bring their best horse to this course.  The 3-day Virgins clinics cost $675.  Please feel free to contact us for further information or a complete application packet.

Following the Virgins clinics we will host an 11-day Very Advanced Horsemanship Course, July 16 through July 26, that will include 8 days of semi-private instruction and lots of individual attention. The maximum number we will accept for this course is just 8 riders.  This course is only for Jack’s seasoned alumni or riders who are quite well along in their horsemanship. Jack will be focusing on “Cowboy Dressage”, and accomplished riders of all disciplines will benefit from Jack’s vast knowledge and wisdom accumulated in 80 plus years in the saddle.  Recently Jack has been working with Eitan Beth-Halachmy, who won multiple standing ovations at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Achen, Germany, for his brilliant, artistic displays of classical dressage with his unique Western cowboy interpretation, and who has been invited back again to perform in the opening ceremonies of the World Equestrian Games 2010 in Kentucky.  Influenced by Eitan, Jack has re-focused his teaching methods and goals to integrate Eitan’s approach with his own reining background.  Eitan and Jack hold each other in the highest regard, so much so that Eitan has invited Jack to be a return guest clinician at his Light Hands Horsemanship Clinic this coming May.  As Jack will be visiting us soon after this clinic, we can expect him to arrive full of even more new and exciting information and insights.

As this is an upper level riding course, prospective students should bring their very best horse.  At a minimum each student should already be able to walk, trot and canter calm, straight, forward and in balance, be able to strike off in a soft canter depart on a chosen lead, have soft collection, be able to do haunches-in, haunches-out, shoulder-in, counter shoulder-in, do flying lead changes with reasonable form and consistency, be able to do trotting half passes, and stop their horse in a couple of strides with little or no rein contact.  During the course students should expect to practice and learn such wide ranging maneuvers such as canter pirouettes, tempi lead changes, roll backs, canter half passes, slide stops and spins to name a few. The cost for the 11 day Advanced clinic, with eight days of instruction and 8 riders maximum is $2100 per student.  Please feel free to contact us for further information or a complete application packet.

For all clinics:  On-site student housing in the “old farmhouse” is available at no charge on a first come, first served basis, though a small preparation and clean-up fee applies.  Power is available for LQ trailers.  Riders have their choice of grass pasture turn-out or stall board for their horses.  Photos of the farm and facilities can be viewed in the Farm and Clinic Album.

Details about our unique equestrian facilities at Kokonini Farm can be found by clicking here.

What our students say:  “It was the best clinic I have been at.  The hosts were exceptionally accommodating, obliging, wonderful, warm, etc., etc.  The instructor, Jack Brainard was patient, extremely knowledgeable, witty and saint-like.  It was a great time.  I learned a lot and had fun doing it.  The farm and Chris and Deda are so nice, it makes it that much harder to go back to the real world.  It’s like a piece of heaven!”  Tawnya Elworthy, N. Reading, MA.

To read what other students have to say, click here.

More about Jack:

Capping his checkered career in the world of horses, in June of 2010 Jack will be inducted into the National Reining Horse Hall of Fame during the NRHA Derby in Oklahoma City.

When Pat Parelli was interviewed in the June edition of Horse and Rider, he was asked to name the three people that he would have accompany him in his dream trail ride.  He included Tom Dorrance, Ronnie Willis and Jack Brainard.  Of those three, Jack is the only living horseman.

When all-time leading money winning Thoroughbred trainer D. Wayne Lukas was inducted into the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame, during his induction speech he said, “Everything I know about horses I learned from one man… Jack Brainard.”

Larry Mahan, Equestrian Nation T.V. show host, six-time World All Around Rodeo Champion, Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer, Rodeo Hall of Famer, Oregon Sports Hall of Famer, and subject of an Academy Award-winning documentary says about Jack:  “The definition of a true master is someone who has integrated all of his knowledge, intelligence and skills into every tissue and skill in his body.  Jack Brainard, in my humble opinion, is a ‘True Master’”.

Cowboy dressage master Eitan Beth-Halachmy claims Jack’s book, If I Were to Train A Horse, is the best book on horse training he has ever read.  After finishing it Eitan said that Jack already wrote all the things he thought he had discovered, but that Jack was there first!

Many leading horseman and competitors consider Jack the Flying Lead Change Doctor, and it is to Jack they turn to or send their horses to, when they themselves having difficulties.  Indeed, it is Jack’s ability to so effectively teach proper, soft, straight-line flying lead changes that such a great many advanced riding students flock to his clinics.

It can truly be said of Jack that he is a living master of the art of horsemanship.  We are both honored and privileged to have him teach these courses.  We are particularly proud of the fact that Jack teaches more courses at Kokonini Farm than any other facility in the world.  If you would like to visit Jack’s website, click here.