Traci Pratt Barrel Clinic....

Well this was the weekend that Leigh and I have been waiting for since January!!! On Friday, Leigh and I bounced out of bed ready to go! We had been preparing for the barrel clinic all week, packing the trailer, doing laundry and getting the horses ready, but things usually come down to the last minute. We had to run some errands, and get hay, for the rest of the week, for when we returned, and give the horses baths, to make sure they looked stunning when they arrived at Wild Rose Farm.

Leigh and I loaded up the trailer and headed out that afternoon for Elizabethtown. It is always fun going to new arenas and getting to take the horses, and we were both very excited. We arrived at Wild Rose Farm, early evening, and unloaded Dually and Drifter, and let them get used to their new surroundings. We got their stalls all set up and they settled in for the night. This farm is used primarily for boarding horses, and lessons, so, there were lots of people running around, but the horses did great, and were really more concerned with eating. So Leigh and I said goodnight, and headed to the hotel, we knew Saturday would be atleast 8 hours in the saddle, so we wanted to get as much rest as we could.

We got to the arena around 7:00 that morning and fed the horses, and met the other people in the clinic! Everyone was so nice and so friendly and we were both very excited! We got Dually and Drifter all saddled up and started out on our first day of the clinic! Traci Pratt is wonderful! She makes everyone feel so at ease and just ready to get down to business. We all went through the barrel pattern once that first day and covered, all sorts of new exercises for Ultimate Body Control and the horses did so GREAT! We were both just so proud of them, and they seem to be really enjoying the exercises. We were so lucky to get some one on one time with Traci and she is a wonderful instructor. She has really helped Drifter to begin bending, the way he should, and moving laterally, which is just AWESOME! He was doing okay on these things, but her techniques have made it much easier, and he is just gliding a long with flying colors. Traci took to Dually immediately, and was very impressed with his ability. Dually is a little more advanced than Drifter, so she really put Dually to the test as far as his lateral flexion. He actually was superior in the class, he just excels at all of it, and it makes both of us so happy, especially Leigh. After all the health issues, she has gone thru with Dually it was wonderful to see him soar in this clinic.

We were so lucky to get to know Traci this weekend. She is just an amazing woman! She is by far one of the best horsemen I have been around in a long time. She understands horses in a way that most people will never get, and it is so refreshing to be around someone that is willing to share their knowledge! Leigh and I were way past exhausted come Saturday night, after being in the saddle all day, but it was so well worth it!

Sunday, we got out to the arena and got the horses ready for part 2 of the clinic, which was putting together the Ultimate Body Control exercises on the barrel pattern! The best part about this day was Traci got on all of our horses and took them through the pattern. It is so nice to see someone else work your horse. She actually chose Dually to ride first, because she had been wanting to get on him all weekend. He went through the pattern perfect, he was a superstar! He did everything perfect and just shined!! Huge moment for Leigh, and all of her hard work! She also rode Drifter, and he was doing all of the exercises on the pattern really well. Just a few more things to work on, and he will be ready to go. I was so glad she rode him, so I could watch him and he looked great, and I was very, very proud of him.
There were so many wonderful people at this clinic. We made friends with all of them, and I cant wait to see them at some of the local races. There were people at the clinic from Cleveland to Nashville.

Leigh and I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend, and we will always, always, always recommend Traci Pratt and her amazing ability to anyone! She really is a just amazing! She mentioned to Leigh and I, that we need to come down to TX and visit her at some point, and I thought to myself “you have no idea what you are getting yourself into, we may never leave” hahah!

Awww what a great weekend!!!

I am apologizing in advance for the lack of pics, it was a busy weekend, but here are two!

Leigh and Dually and Drifter once we arrived at the clinic!

Me and Drifter, getting ready to load up!