Wellington, FL – January 29, 2014 – Riders and equestrian enthusiasts from all over South Florida gathered at Sunshine Meadows Equestrian Village this weekend to learn from one of the country’s greatest riders, while also supporting a worthwhile cause. Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Wylde generously donated his time in support of Horses Healing Hearts, offering a clinic for riders of varying levels on Sunday, January 26, 2014.
Presenting Sponsor, Cavalor, hosted a luncheon with the Gold Medalist prior to the start of the clinic. Riders and auditors were able to ask questions of the expert, while enjoying the food at the Sunshine Stallion Grille. The restaurant was filled to capacity, and the hour flew by as Wylde discussed his secrets to a winning program.
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“I always walk my horses for at least five minutes,” Wylde said as he began the advanced session. “Depending on what I am doing, whether I am flatting or jumping, I adjust my stirrups. Remember that everything we do during this clinic is for the betterment of the rider and the horse. The horse is an athlete, and we must treat it as one.”
Each session consisted of four horse and rider combinations, and Wylde made sure to approach each one with an adept perception of their needs. He worked with them extensively on the flat and then used different gymnastics, including a bounce, to help them collect and balance their horses. By the end of the clinic session, the change in each of the pairs was undeniable.
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“He’s a fabulous instructor, but also he really fed into the needs of each individual so beautifully and he is so insightful. It made the whole clinic incredibly worthwhile,” clinic participant Patricia Minter said. “In everyone there was an amazing improvement. To me, he just saw into each person, and he formulated exercises that played to each one of our needs. If I could, I would do this again tomorrow.”
Another advanced session rider, Hannah Bentz added, “This clinic was amazing. He did such a good job helping both me and my horse move ahead. I got so much out of the hour and a half. It was such a privilege to be able to do this clinic with him. The difference in my horse in the time of the session is just incredible; I never could have asked for that much. I am so thankful to Peter for being an Ambassador to Horses Healing Hearts, as well as to HHH for hosting the clinic.”
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Wylde addressed issues with each rider from positioning to tack and techniques to use at home. His approach was very individualized, and riders could not have been more grateful for his support.
GGT Footing’s Cynthia Brewster-Keating raved, “I thought the Peter Wylde Clinic was wonderful. His professional demeanor was fantastic, and his ability to read all of the different horses and offer suggestions for each one of us was particularly interesting for me to hear. I thought all of his exercises were challenging. He was able to keep the group moving, and we got a lot of jumping in, which was why I came. I think he was able to utilize each of the horse’s weaknesses and make them better in the end. I really had a wonderful time. It was one of the best clinics I have ever attended.”
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Wylde only became an Ambassador to Horses Healing Hearts about six months ago, and during that time he has not only volunteered with the children and raised awareness about the organization, but also donated his time as the clinician for the Sunshine Series Clinic to help raise funds for the non-profit organization.
“Clinics can be taken two ways; they can be theory, which I try to talk about as much as I can for the auditors and other riders, but one of the reasons why I really only like to do four people in a group is because I can connect with the rider and the horse and improve on the product the rider is producing,” Wylde explained. “I don’t want it to get too watered down. You don’t get that individual one-on-one experience. You can really connect, work with the rider, and show them how to fix it.”
Wylde continued, “I feel like I try to incorporate in my teachings, always simplify. You have to put the one most important idea in a person’s head; you need to have that simplification. I am happy that it all went as well as it did. There were great jumpers and riders today. I think I help to dissipate nervousness in people. I think nerves are 60 percent of the problem. I try to break it up for the horse and the rider to make it more comfortable.”
The Sunshine Series Peter Wylde Jumping Clinic was nothing short of a success with sold out riding sessions and over 40 auditors in attendance. Horses Healing Hearts would like to thank all sponsors for the clinic including Cavalor, Tredstep Ireland, Dover Saddles and Sunshine Meadows.
Horses Healing Hearts is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to bettering the lives of children of alcoholics and substance abuse through equine experiential learning. To learn more about Horses Healing Hearts or how you can help with donations of money or time, log onto http://www.HHHUSA.orgor e-mail Olszewski at liz@hhhusa.org.
