An Auditor's Report of Mette's Equistride International Clinic

This report of the Mette's August 27-29 Clinic in Fenton, Michigan was written by Marci Brown.

What a fantastic weekend it was for dressage enthusiasts at Equistride International. Their second annual weekend symposium is the start of something fantastic. So much expertise, in so many areas, it was a smorgasbord of knowledge, from in-hand work, to a balanced seat, you could even find time for a massage for yourself or your horse! Now that is the royal treatment!

I was fortunate enough to follow most of the riders as they worked with Mette Rosencrantz, from their first ride to their third day. It was so wonderful to watch each and every rider step up and feast on the information presented to them. I truly was a transformation, in three days, in each horse and rider. Day one started with Mette watching the riders for a few minutes. Then, it was right to work. Problems were identified, but as the hours progressed we learned that what we often think of as problems, are merely facts, and each one has a solution! You just have to be willing to tackle the cause, not the symptom. Exercises were given, horses had opinions, what was started was always finished and most definitely, learning was happening, both in horses and humans! On day two, you could see that each rider had taken the first day to heart. They each came out ready to turn the page and get on with the tasks. Great teaching produces such an excitement to learn! As auditors, we learned too. We quickly became cheerleaders, riding every stride and cheering with each success. It was so much fun. Then, on the third day, Mette really emphasized to each rider what they had to continue with at home. Our horses don't know what to do if we don't show them the way. This kind of teaching made us all want to go straight home to the barn, and get to work. So inspiring!

To top off Mette’s great daily teaching, she gave a lecture Saturday evening. She shared with us her philosophy, her history and her training ideals. Her speaking was every bit as entertaining and educational as her teaching. It was a lot of fun.

I think we are very fortunate to have Mette come and work with us. I hope Equistride International keeps this annual event, and I hope Mette will be on the roster of clinicians again soon!