Christine Amber's Website and Blog -- Combining Real-Life Horsemanship with Online Information Since 1994

Me and BootZ
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ChristineAmber, MA

Training  * Lessons * Facilities * Riding Club *Clinics * Prices and Policies

 Horse Training, 5 or 3 Days-a-Week 

My Favorite Friesian, Cameron, of Claymore Clydesdale

Horse training is teaching your horse and or yourself  foundation skills. I use an eclectic approach, Cross Training,  that borrows from all approaches to  build foundation skills for all disciplines.  It is developing and maintaining good ground manners, flatwork, jumping, trail work,  lateral bending, softness, and obedience. 

Look at The Truth about Training to learn more of my opinion and philosophies.

I work with your horse a minimum of 1 hour per day, for each training day.  Sometimes training sessions last longer than an hour because the most important part of training is to end the session with the horse relaxed and understanding the last task we work on.  Young or  untrained horses usually require longer sessions in the beginning.  

When your horse is in training it receives:

• Hands-on training for a minimum of 3 or 5  hours per week, depending on what you want.  

Young horses and some horses with alot of energy need to have work several days in a row.  It isn't fair to punish a horse for misbehaving if it needs work, and you or I don't work it enough.  Many "fights" with a horse will simply disappear with consistent daily work, even for a short time.  It is like a tune up.  Some of my thoroughbreds are this way.  There is not a need to confront the problem and blow the horse up, just working it a few days in a row gets them back into a routine, thinking and relaxed.

Here are just some of the clinics offered by Christine Amber of Equestriantraining.com. Call 408 888 8703 or email for current clinics or ask her to put on a clinic to solve an issue specific to you or your horse!

"Training and Explaining" Clinic

Two  hours "training and  explaining" everything I do, where I learned it, how I learned it, and who I learned it from.  You may provide the horse, or I can show you with one of mine.

You may trailer in to my facility or I will travel to you for cost of transportation. For a limited time, I am charging only $150.00 for this clinic.  You may have as many observers as you like and the cost is the same. Call to schedule. 

Unmounted Clinic -- Learning to "Feel" 
"Give and Take" "Give to Pressure"  "Approach and Retreat" 

All  equestrian training, horsemanship and "natural" horsemanship is built upon these concepts and principals.  The problem is how do you learn it?  Come to Equestriantraining.com. for the Learning to Feel unmounted clinic.  You need this if you have ever:

This clinic  will teach you "feel" and then how to improve your timing to be more effective with your horse or any horse.  No training experience necessary, but if you already train or teach, this will give you some incredible insights.  This is a participation-only clinic, no observers. 

Spend 2 hours learning to feel and you will spend the rest of your life with better timing.  Your horse will appreciate it!

Date: To be scheduled

Cost: $25.00

Location: equestriantraining.com, Gilroy,Ca. 

$10.00 non-refundable spot to hold your place.  This will fill, reserve early.  Checks or PayPal to: "amber@equestriantraining.com" accepted. Sorry, no visa or m/c. 

In my years training, working with people and horses, I see that feel and timing are the most difficult things for people to understand.   "Feel and Timing"  are  the ONLY THINGs horses understand.    Only by understanding  and experiencing "feel" can you truly communicate or improve your communication with your horse.  This clinic will help that happen for you!

Feel and Timing -- the hardest concepts for people to understand 
--THE ONLY CONCEPT HORSES UNDERSTAND

Day or Week- long  or Vacation lessons

Private or small group learning opportunities for teens and adults.  (Because the horses are all large (over 16h), I can not accommodate young/small children, sorry.) All riding levels can be accommodated.  Because the groups are small, riders whose skill is greater, may be able to ride at a more advanced rate,  even while others are just beginning. The cost is $50.00 per lesson. Helmets provided. download the flyer!

The approximate schedule for a week is as follows:

Monday   Orientation/Evaluation -  Lecture: Safety basics, Catching, leading, tying -  Lunch Lecture: basic equipment,  grooming, tacking (putting saddles on) Riding: mounting, walking, stopping, turning, dismounting. un-tacking, cleaning up

Tuesday   Lecture:  what horses eat and how they live  grooming, tacking, - Lecture: basic disciplines, English, Western, Recreation, Competition. - Riding:  Walking, two-pointing, posting the walk and/or trot small and large circles, simple obstacles, serpentines, untacking clean up

Wednesday   Lecture: Basic training and lunging, grooming, tacking, - Riding   - lunch  - Riding  - Clean up

Thursday Lecture: Basic horse care and costs Riding: - lunch  - Riding - Cleanup

Friday Lecture:  Where can i go from here, local riding opportunities - Riding:  outside the arena, - Late Lunch- Clean up.

Vacation Lessons

Because I am a small facility, I can customize lessons for experienced riders.  There are a number of State and County Parks where we can have a trail lesson, as well as the beach.  However, these types of lessons are only for riders with experience and fit for riding.  I will assess your skills on the first day you come.

Personalized, Goal-Oriented Training for Horse Owners

Specializing in "your-goal" oriented training and correcting problem behaviors in horses. I can help you by riding for you or with you in any setting - on the trails, cross country or in the arena, English or Western.  I can help you acquire the skills to train your own horse.  

Lessons / Certified Riding Instruction / Certificates 

I have been certified to teach equestrian skills by three organizations: American Riding Instructors Association -Level II & Certified Horsemanship Association First Class & American Association for Horsemanship Safety.  I provide school horses and instruction for English (Dressage and Jumping) and Western Riding.  My emphasis is safety first, next fitness and fun. Whether you ride English or Western, in the arena or out on the trails and cross country, I believe riding is an active sport and part of your time should include physical training and exercises.

My school horses are well trained and safe for their jobs. They like people and an extra good scratching when not being ridden! Sometimes school horses are for lease as well.

Introduction to Equestrian Training, the Orientation

This is a 1 1/2 hour class to learn about  basic horse safety, care and management --Topics presented are horse safety, farm management, feeding, basic veterinary care, hoof care and dental care. This class can be geared to a family, a small group of adults or a small group of children.  For safety reasons, young children 6 and under are accepted on a case-by-case basis, unless part of a family group. The fee for this class is on the price sheet. .  

This Orientation is a prerequisite for monthly lessons or riding club and is the first lesson.

My policies and procedures are available here in pdf format.

Riding Club

We spend about 1-1/2 to 2 hours with the horses -- preparing to ride, preparing for the lesson, riding, cleaning up and putting away horses and tack. This club is a time and responsibility commitment, just like really owning a horse.

One Month, Weekly Private Lessons

Riders may sign up to have a single, individual  lesson per week, a month.   If you own your own horse, the fee is the same .  We spend about  1  hour with the horses -- preparing to ride, preparing for the lesson, riding, cleaning up and putting away horses and tack. You may trailer in or ride for a single lesson.

Certification and Testing

I offer a testing program that awards a certificate.  On the front of the certificate are levels of accomplishment that have been observed and verified.  On the back of the certificate is a map of the skills test that the rider completed.  You may view a sample of a pdf certificate by downloading this link.

Qualifications and Resources

Whether you are learning about horses and riding for the first time or brushing-up on your horse skills, I have the Qualifications and Resources to help you achieve your equestrian goals. Whether your goals are showing or recreational riding, I specialize in English and Western equestrian foundations that you can build upon.

amber@equestriantraining.com
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