TALES FROM THE TRAILS
The weekend of Sept. 24-25 was typical for this time of year here in South Florida: steamy, but luckily, the showers held off — which was great for the participants of a Nona Garson clinic held at Hart-Woods Equestrian in Loxahatchee Groves. The riders were divided into small groups by ability. People jumping larger courses went early in the morning session, and those more comfortable with lower fences went later.
Garson is a well-known figure in local equestrian circles. She owns and operates the Ridge Farm, with facilities in Asbury, N.J., and Wellington, where she offers weekly shows during the winter season and top-quality boarding, lessons and horse sales, combined with an individualized touch.
“I love giving clinics and working with riders of all ages and levels,” Garson said. “My lessons are designed to give personalized, hands-on attention, whether to short-stirrup riders just starting out or more advanced riders aspiring to compete in international grand prix classes. Young kids, more mature riders — it really doesn’t matter. Everyone’s working on some aspect of riding at whatever level they’re comfortable.”
Garson is in great demand as a clinician. Following the Loxahatchee Groves clinic, her schedule whisked her away to Texas, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Her next open date? Sometime in April. Garson’s favorite clinic experiences are “aha!” moments when a rider suddenly gets it and everything comes together. If even one thing clicks and makes a difference, then the clinic was worthwhile.
“Clinics are really fun,” she said. “Because they’re a couple of hours, longer than a typical lesson, you can concentrate more on specifics and hone in on what the riders want to work on. And because they run over a few days, you can come back to it the next day and work a little more, progress to the next step. I always give the participants homework, specific things that they can take away and work on.”
Garson was also pleased to offer the clinic at the relaxed and comfortable 5-acre Hart-Woods Equestrian facility. “I enjoy holding clinics in areas where people don’t always have the opportunity to ride,” she said. “Tim and Loring Hart-Woods, the owners, and I discussed it on Facebook, and they were gracious enough to offer their facility. This is a beautiful, natural atmosphere. The ring has good footing, and good riding is good riding no matter who is participating and where it takes place. Learning to do something well is pure enjoyment. It gives you a great feeling.”
Garson acknowledged that when riders contemplate doing a clinic with someone of her stature, they may feel intimidated or worry they’re not good enough. But she stressed that her clinics are a positive experience for everyone.
“It’s all in how you think about it,” she said. “Whether you’re jumping 2 feet or 5 feet, the basics are the same. You need a correct position and a good center of balance. Watching each rider progress over a couple of days lets everyone see improvement. The newness wears off, they’re more relaxed, and they come back the second or third day able to move forward.”
Janet Brodek on her buckskin, Joker, and Betty Thomas on her gray, Addie, rode together in the clinic, working over low crossrails. Their goal was to learn how to better control and feel a deeper understanding of their horses.
“I learned how to balance better over Joker so he can move under me more comfortably, and also to square off to the jump,” Janet said. “Nona is awesome. Riding in a clinic with her is thrilling. I’m going to work on jumping more consistently. I also find it wonderful to gain a different perspective on how to accomplish things. I appreciate her time and input. I thought I’d disappoint her or be embarrassed, but I really wasn’t. She brought all her experience down to my level and made it fun. I’d absolutely recommend this for anyone.”
“I didn’t feel that I could ask her to teach at my lower skill level,” Betty said. “Then I watched her work with some of the other riders, and I felt encouraged instead of afraid. She has a really positive way of talking. I wasn’t intimidated to try my best. Her directions were easy to understand and follow, very kind and considerate. My last jump was perfect, so we finished on a good note. I’m going to work on relaxing at the canter so I don’t make Addie tense. I’m so glad that I rode in the clinic. This would be great for riders of any level.”
Loring Hart-Wood was pleased with the clinic. “I’m always open to inviting clinicians in to give riders different perspectives,” she said. “I’m not a proprietary trainer who’s afraid to welcome new voices. It’s all about giving each horse and rider the opportunity to grow, learn and improve. Also, when I watch someone else teach, it helps me see different ways to explain things to my students.”
Loring plans to conduct a series of clinics with different instructors on a regular basis at her facility. Garson also plans to have regular clinics during the show season at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in conjunction with her show series.
To learn more about Hart-Woods Equestrian, call (561) 255-9855 or visit www.hart-woods.com. To learn more about Garson and her show series, visit www.theridgefarm.com.
