Hi, this is a note to tell you about the upcoming clinic I’ll be giving at the end of August.   Please write in the comments box or call me with questions at (608)215-5200 – Sara Licht

What: A Clinic where you can bring your specific training questions or behavioral issues and get practical solutions.  I will be working with a few horses at the clinic and explaining it as I work.  There will a period of demonstration about some basics that you can learn to improve your relationship and safety with …

This tip is thanks to my friend Benjamin, who has beautiful posture. Here I explain how I use it to remind myself during driving and riding.
In addition, remember to LOOK UP while riding, and feel what you horse is doing. Because of the survival instinct, many trainers (myself included) spend too much time looking down at the horse’s neck because we want to keep on eye on what the horse is doing. When I ride at Saddleridge Stables where we all share the arena, it provides great practice for looking …

Rainy and I have both been working on our individual art styles and methods.  Below are some of her paintings and a video clip of her at work.  I used the clicker training method to encourage her to free up her artistic inclinations.
This is a video clip taken while Rainy ………..and I were in Florida at Valhalla Farm this winter.  Rainy is practicing painting on her new easel, and HANDING me the paintbrush when she is through (instead of just dropping it on the ground or sometimes sending it flying …

The show “Paintings Inspired by Nature and Our Animal Friends” featuring the paintings of Jaroslava Sobiskova and Sara Licht is opening at Cafe Zoma this Friday, July 10th from 5-9pm.

Next door at Absolutely Art you can also see the work of Mary Fiore in her show “As I See It:  Batiks and Photos.”  Live music, food, and drink provided.  Hope you can make it, these openings are a lot of fun.  The show only runs through July 31st, so come and see the work before it goes!

While you are there …

When I met Stacey Westfall last year at the Midwest Horse Fair, she told me that her most valuable exercise was the clover-leaf cones pattern, and she explained it to me.
  I began using it and have found it valuable on many levels.  I use the repetition of the same directional turns to teach green horses to move away from the leg.  They learn quickly with this exercise, and it’s fun for me too.
After my horse worked at the trot and in nice balanced turns with this drill,  I noticed …

The following are excerpts from notes I wrote for clients who have decided to train their own horses to drive with my assistance. There may be something of value in these notes for others as well, so I’m sharing them here. Here they are:
Start with what you know, and what you know the horse needs work on. The horse is going to show you what he needs work on, but you have to begin. Little “problems” will arise along the way. This is normal, and part of the learning process …