Check our events page and contact the appropriate contact listed for more information.  Clinics at Westfall Horsemanship are limited to five riders only and are not open to auditors. Most of the clinics hosted by other facilities are open to auditors and typically accept ten riders.

The cost varies by clinic ranging from $250 per day and up. Please look up each clinic to see the specific price. Stacy always recommends watching her DVD’s and using the techniques on your horse before attending a clinic. This will allow you to ask specific questions beginning on day one and will allow you to accelerate your learning during the clinic. (Please note that watching Basic Groundwork and Basic Body Control are required for the Let’s Get Personal’” clinic.)

People who are interested in learning more in a small group setting with personal attention from Stacy Westfall. Individual and groups both attend. The majority of attendees are women but men do also attend. Some people look at it as a great get away/learning adventure with their horse and sometimes with their friends.

1) All clinics will have a foundation in groundwork. It is Stacy’s belief that you must first become not only safe with your horse on the ground but that the following three things must be achieved
 

A) you learn to read your horses body language
B) your horse learns to read your body language
C) your horse learns emotional control.
 

These three things will be tested by Stacy asking you to perform specific patterns from the ground.
 

2) All clinics will test your communication with your horse from the saddle. Stacy will explain, demonstrate and coach you through achieving forward motion, improving your stop and back, understanding the difference between bending and counter-bending, deciding when to use voice cues and when not to, etc. Everyone will be coached through patterns that they can use once they go home to measure their progress.
 

3) Individual questions and issues will be addressed. Every horse-and-rider combination has similar, yet unique needs. Due to the small class sizes Stacy is able to give you specific exercises for you and your horse. This not only will help you but will allow others in the class to see how that particular challenge was handled, offering them additional knowledge they can use in the future.

Clinics held in Mount Gilead, Ohio are closed to spectators. Those participating in the clinic are allowed to have one additional person with them during the clinic at no additional charge.

Yes, a stall is included in the price of the clinic. They have rubber mats as well as hay racks and corner feeders (see photo).

Yes, straw bedding is included or you may bring your own bedding. Stacy beds her horses in straw as it is generally less dusty, leaves less dust in their coats and studies have shown that horses lay down 20-30% more when bedded in straw, AND, it’s loved by the local farmers as it is more beneficial to their fields. Whichever bedding you choose, please note that you are responsible for cleaning your stall. You do not need to strip the stall on the final day as we will do this for you.

You are responsible for bringing all feed and supplements for your horse. You should plan on caring for your horse just as you would be at a horse show, including feeding and cleaning the stall. We do, however, offer to give your horse their breakfast at approximately 7 a.m. if you leave the feed (hay/grain/supplements) measured out in front of your stall with written instructions. Some people find this helpful as the horses have more time to eat. There are hayracks in the stalls, and you may use them if you wish, but you DO NOT have to. They are there because Stacy likes to feed free-choice hay to her horses. Please note: If your horse is unaccustomed to using a hay rack and you wish to use it, please offer hay both in the rack as well as the corner feeder. Some horses do have a learning curve with the hayracks. Corner feeders are also in the stalls (see photo) and have concrete bottoms. You may feed both hay and grain in these or you may provide your own feed tub.

Upon checking in you will be given a short tour of the barn and grounds. During this tour you will be shown where the water hydrants (all stalls are in reach of a hose), manure spreader, turnout pen, and restroom are located. Water buckets are available (they have been bleached) or you may bring your own. Pitch forks for both straw and shavings as well as muck buckets are also available or you may bring your own.

There is a turn out pen located just outside of the barn area. It is constructed of a wooden four-board fence with electrobraid electric fencing running along the inside as well as along the top of the gate to discourage chewing and pushing on the fence. Feel free to use the turnout as needed while also sharing with others.

Do you have RV hookups or are there local hotels? Events held in Mount Gilead, Ohio are held at Stacy’s personal farm and there are no hookups available on site. The Mount Gilead State park (http://www.stateparks.com/mount_gilead.html) has hookups available and is approximately two and a half miles from Stacy’s farm. Dogwood Valley (http://www.dogwoodvalleycamping.com/)   also has hookups and is approximately five-and-a-half miles away.

Safety and horsemanship are two of the many things you will be learning during your clinic. The structure of the clinic will include demonstrations by Stacy, groundwork and riding. This setup is to enhance both your learning and the soundness and performance of your horses. Sore horses don’t perform well and neither do sore riders! Generally the first two days of a clinic involve groundwork in the morning and riding in the afternoon. Days three and four can be more heavily weighted toward riding, if you choose and your horse is prepared. All riders and horses should be as fit as possible to maximize the clinic. The gauge we will use during the exercise will be your horse’s respiration (and maybe yours) as well as the learning process. We encourage you to know yourself and know your horse. All riders will be respected if they choose to dismount to rest themselves and their horses.

There will be no bareback and bridleless riding. All riding must be done with a saddle and a bridle. For those of you wishing to pursue bridleless riding, Stacy will explain and demonstrate how she trains her horses for bridleless riding without removing the bridle. And please note, all riding must be done during clinic hours and under supervision due to insurance issues.

You may check in and move your horse in either the day of or the day before your scheduled clinic. Check-out may be done the final day or the morning following the end of your clinic. Please schedule your check-in time with the office at 419-946-4848 to ensure that someone will be there to meet you.

You should bring all the normal equipment you would use to prepare and maintain your horse. Feeds, riding equipment (English or Western is acceptable) liniments, etc. Stacy will be showing you some of her equipment and why she uses it, such as the rope halter, round rope lunge lines, stick and string, snaffle and shanked bits. You will have a chance to try out these items and we’ll have them available for purchase.

You will be given an after-hours contact number when you schedule your check-in time. Use this number to call with any questions during your travel or during the clinic after normal business hours.

Trailer parking is available onsite. Many people prefer to keep their saddles, etc. in their trailer overnight. Spots for parking the trailers are close enough that this is easily done.

Events in Mount Gilead are held at Stacy’s personal home. The barn hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

No riding outside of clinic times is allowed. The purpose of the clinic is to receive training with your horse under supervision of Stacy. There is no need to warm your horse up before the clinic because it is built into the clinic. You may, however, lead your horse around the arenas or take advantage of the turnout.